Kemang is a neighborhood in
southern part of
Jakarta
Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
, Indonesia. The area is located mostly in Bangka
subdistrict A subdistrict or sub-district is an administrative division that is generally smaller than a district.
Equivalents
* Administrative posts of East Timor, formerly Portuguese-language
* Kelurahan, in Indonesia
* Mukim, a township in Brunei, In ...
of
Mampang Prapatan Mampang Prapatan is a district of South Jakarta, one of the five administrative cities which forms the special capital region of Jakarta, Indonesia. The expatriate residential areas of Bangka and Kemang, known for its annual Kemang Festival, are loc ...
and partly within Pejaten subdistrict of
Pasar Minggu
Pasar Minggu is a district of South Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. The area is known for its traditional Sunday market, famous for the fruit market. Historically, Pasar Minggu is a fruit cultivation area developed by the Dutch government during the ...
. The main area of Kemang is marked by the roads of Kemang Raya, Prapanca, and Bangka Streets.
Etymology
The name Kemang came from the fruit ''kemang'', a species of mango (''
Mangifera kemanga'').
History
Kemang was originally a
kampung
A kampong (''kampung'' in Malay and Indonesian) is the term for a village in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and a "port" in Cambodia. The term applies to traditional villages, especially of the indigenous people, and has also been used t ...
(village) which has been gentrified into an expatriate residential area. The gentrification of Kemang started after the end of the 1970s. The adjacent Bangka kampung, which was also gentrified, is sometimes referred as "Kemang" as well, although this was originally a different village. Kemang was a quiet
Betawi kampong
A kampong (''kampung'' in Malay and Indonesian) is the term for a village in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and a "port" in Cambodia. The term applies to traditional villages, especially of the indigenous people, and has also been used t ...
dotted with mosques in traditional Javanese style. During the 1970s, the land in Kemang was sold for residential use. The lush green character of Kemang attracted people into this area, including expatriates. The neighborhood is also close to
Golden Triangle of Jakarta
The Golden Triangle of Jakarta ( id, Segitiga Emas Jakarta) or can also be referred to as Medan Merdeka–Thamrin–Sudirman Axis () or Sudirman–Thamrin–Kuningan Axis (is), is a roughly triangular area in the center of Jakarta, Indonesia, ext ...
. This also makes it convenient for expats who need to get around town but can’t waste too much time in traffic each day.
In 1998, the then-
Governor of Jakarta
The Jakarta Special Capital Region is administratively equal to a province with special status as the capital of Indonesia. Instead of a mayor, the executive head of Jakarta is a governor. The governor of Jakarta is an elected politician who, alon ...
Sutiyoso
Sutiyoso (born 6 December 1944) is an Indonesian politician and former general who was the Director of the State Intelligence Agency from 8 July 2015 - 9 September 2016. Known informally as 'Bang Yos', he was the governor of Jakarta, the country ...
changed the status of Kemang from a residential (as stated in the 1985–2005 city master plan) into a commercial area. In the following year, he strengthened the decision with the issuance of a decree declaring Kemang as a "modern kampong" (modern village). This brings more commercial activities into the area, as houses are converted into retails.
Because of poor urban planning roads of this area are narrow, which suffer traffic congestion during busy hours. Also Kemang is prone to flooding during rainy season due to its location between two streams of
Krukut River
The Krukut River is a river flowing in Jakarta originating in Bogor Regency. In the past the river was clean and one of the tourist attractions during the Dutch East Indies administration, but due to denser housing on the banks and lack of maint ...
and Mampang River. It is expected that the flooding problem of the area will be resolved after completion of ongoing restoration project of Krukut river. Jakarta administration has undertaken a project to reorganize the roads and sidewalks of the area to facilitate as a tourist and culinary destination.
Attractions
Since 1970s Kemang has grown into a bustling area known for its international-oriented facilities such as traditional craft retails and night clubs. Some of the original kampung still exists behind the high-class residential apartment and housing complex. This unique contrast between the original local community and the international expatriate community has created a unique laid-back typology that feels more like an old town than a new city.
At present, Kemang is filled with businesses and homes, hotels, shopping malls, banks, food courts, restaurants, cafes and bars, salons, nightclubs and shops.
There are also few international standard academic institutions to complete the neighborhood for expat living.
Kemang hosts the ''Kemang Festival'', held once or twice every year since 2001. During the festival, roads in Kemang are pedestrianized and vendors fill the street offering traditional souvenirs, clothing, and food. Also. ''Grandkemang'' Hotel of the area hosts the Indonesian Contemporary Art & Design (ICAD) exhibition every year.
Transportation
The area can be reached by
TransJakarta
TransJakarta (stylised as transjakarta, often erroneously called Busway) is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Jakarta, Indonesia. The first BRT system in Southeast Asia, it commenced operations on 15 January 2004 to provide a fast public trans ...
corridor 6. There are
Kopaja
Koperasi Angkutan Jakarta or Kopaja (Jakarta Transport Cooperative) is a cooperative established in 1971 to provide public transport services in Jakarta. There were reportedly over 1,400 minibuses in the Kopaja fleet in mid-2012, more than half ...
service from
Pasar Minggu station of
Jakarta Commuter Rail, also from Pasar Minggu and Blok M bus station.
See also
*
Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta Mampang may refer to:
*Mampang Prapatan Mampang Prapatan is a district of South Jakarta, one of the five administrative cities which forms the special capital region of Jakarta, Indonesia. The expatriate residential areas of Bangka and Kemang, know ...
*
Pasar Minggu
Pasar Minggu is a district of South Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. The area is known for its traditional Sunday market, famous for the fruit market. Historically, Pasar Minggu is a fruit cultivation area developed by the Dutch government during the ...
*
Kemang Village
Kemang Village is an integrated development of residences with hotel, mall, hospital, school, country club, and spa, located at Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta, Indonesia. The complex has a land area of about , which is developed by Lippo Group.
...
References
{{reflist, 30em
South Jakarta
Tourist attractions in Jakarta