Taman Mini Indonesia Indah

Taman Mini opened in 1975 on about a hundred and fifty hectares in east Jakarta, a project of Siti Hartinah, Suharto's wife, and its concept is direct: a pavilion for each province of Indonesia built in that region's traditional architecture and holding its costume, crafts and displays, arranged around an artificial lake in which the islands of the archipelago are modelled to scale and can be seen whole from a cable car above. It was contentious when built - the cost and the land clearance drew protest that was suppressed - and it is a document of New Order nation-building, presenting diversity within a single official frame. Around the pavilions are museums, an orchid garden, a bird park, an IMAX theatre and the Keong Emas dome. It was substantially rebuilt for a 2022 summit.

What you actually see

• A pavilion for each province - traditional architecture and displays from every region.
• The archipelago in a lake - the islands modelled to scale, seen from the cable car.
• A New Order project - the 1975 park as a document of official nation-building.
• Museums and gardens - the cluster of separate attractions across the grounds.

When to go

May to September; weekdays for space. A day.

Honest expectations

It is enormous and hot - use the internal transport. Each museum charges separately. The framing is official and dated. Weekends and holidays are heavily crowded.

Nearby

Central Jakarta is north-west; the Jagorawi road runs south to Bogor.