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Jakarta may be home to a dizzying number of malls, but none have the historical cachet of <a href="https://sarinah.co.id/en?DestinAsian">Sarinah,</a> which first opened in 1966 as a state-run department store and <a href="https://destinasian.com/category/indonesia">Indonesia’s</a> first modern shopping center. The once fusty, mid-range retail destination gleams brighter than ever these days thanks to a US$48 million overhaul that took place during the pandemic. You’ll find wall-to-wall displays of regional crafts (like ikat shawls from Sumba) alongside outfits, homewares, and accessories by a coterie of local designers; among the lineup of restaurants and cafés is the Jakarta outpost of <a href="https://balitimbungan.id/?DestinAsian">Bali Timbungan</a>, which champions Balinese heritage cuisine. Upstairs, the sixth-floor gallery hosts changing exhibitions with works by established and emerging Indonesian artists. Also notable at Sarinah are two ’60s artifacts: the first escalator ever installed in the country has been preserved as a permanent exhibit, while a rediscovered large-scale sculptural relief now takes pride of place in the soaring atrium. —James Louie
<a href="https://sarinah.co.id/en?DestinAsian">sarinah.co.id/en</a> 
+62 21 3192 3008 
<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/kZ8VGrs9AjyJr56g8">Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 11, Jakarta, Indonesia</a>

Sarinah - art on the walls and traditional Indonesian fabric shops

Sarinah: Regional Crafts

Jakarta Attractions