Sunda Kelapa Harbor
written by monoflow
on May 7th, 2009
, 6 comments
(7 votes)
Sunda Kelapa, better known as Pasar Ikan (meaning fish market) is located at Ciliwung River. This 500-year-old harbor area was an important link to markets of the outside world for the 15th century kingdom of Pajajaran. It was formerly the harbor town of Sunda Kelapa where the Portuguese traded with the Hindu Kingdom of Pajajaran in the early 16th century. Since than this port has belonged to the Portuguese and Dutch.
Dutch domination of Jakarta and the rest of Indonesia began from this area, whereas the remnants of Kasteel Batavia, an old fort and trading post of the Dutch East Indies Company can still be seen now. Sunda Kelapa is at present a fisherman’s wharf and an inter island port. Tall-misted Bugis schooners from South Sulawesi anchoring there, they belong to one of the last-fleets of sailboats in the world and still ply the seas between the islands, as they did centuries ago.
Tough little remains of old Sunda Kelapa except the name the harbor is still one of the most important calls for sailing vessels from all over Indonesia. The magnificent and brightly painted Makassar schooner called Pinisi is still an important means of transporting goods to and from the outer islands.
The boats also go to the nearby old fish market, which can be reached easily by foot from the port and is free to enter. Work starts here at 3am and it’s essential to arrive by 6am to see the best of the action. This is one of the finest sights in Jakarta.
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