Slums of Jakarta

Filed in archive A World Away on August 30, 2009

Jakarta's slums are becoming a tourist attraction.

Hidden in the alleyways behind Jakarta's fancy malls and in between the high-rise apartment buildings is what Ronny Poluan, a former film maker, calls the "real Jakarta."

It is not far from the glitz and glam that dominates the capital's skyline, yet it is a side of the city that few foreigners ever see.

"I want them to (have an) authentic view," Poluan, who runs "Jakarta Hidden Tours," said as he took a group of Australians through the winding maze of a central Jakarta slum.

Poluan says that the goal, at least in part, is to educate visitors about the real issues involved in poverty. It's an eye-opening experience for visitors to Jakarta.


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