Jakarta 25 Excursions

People say you can't walk in Jakarta.

Published by Tuttle, Andrew Whitmarsh's Jakarta 25 Excursions in and around the Indonesian Capital is now in the shops.

Andrew's enthusiasm grabs you by the sandal straps and leads you through Jakarta's inner-city villages; through decay and beauty. There are market walks, history walks, park walks, family walks, village walks, and Gangs of Indonesia photos inside.

"Many residents never walk anywhere in Jakarta for pleasure," Andrew writes. "This is not necessarily for lack of want, but for lack of helpful information compounded by plenty of misinformation and a fear of getting lost."

Jakarta 25 Excursions includes some city secrets: Jakarta's horse racing circuit, for example, with its whip-slim, silked jockeys and rustle of discreet bets.

Unlike the thoroughbreds, Andrew doesn't rein in his similes: "Keep hydrated in the tropics. You may not realise it, but your body will become as dehydrated as a shrimp cracker. Don't wait until you are thirsty. Start drinking."

The book is for residents as well as tourists. There are sections on clubs, sports, culture, history, etiquette, language, and city transport routes, as well as the city's attractions.

Author Andrew Whitmarsh and Photographer Melanie Wood