Lantern festival brightens up Jakarta Fair

Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakartans are getting a rare chance to enjoy the treats of the Suzhou Lantern Festival during the month-long 2003 Jakarta Fair at the Jakarta Fairground in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

The festival sees over 200 traditional lanterns on display from the Suzhou region of China.

Visitors will be charged an additional fee of Rp 10,000 (US$1.2) per person to view the lanterns in a two-hectare area at the northern end of the Fairground.

The regular entrance charge to the fair is Rp 6,000 per person on weekdays and Rp 8,000 per person on weekends.

The fair is open from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at weekends.

Visitors are recommended to catch the Lantern Festival at night as the incandescent lanterns present an unforgettable sight.

They will also be greeted by a replica of the "Gate of Old Shuzou", which illuminates the entrance to the lantern festival.

In the middle of a lake inside the lantern festival compound, an impressive statue of Admiral Cheng Ho stands proudly on a massive warship, surrounded by royal guards.

Admiral Cheng Ho, who was a Muslim, made a significant contribution to the development of Islam in Indonesia when in the 15th century he came to this country's shores to trade and propagate the religion.