Monkey business: Children and parents observe primates at Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta on Saturday. The zoo, which is home to more than 3,500 animals from 270 different species, remains a favorite for Jakartans. From January to May this year, the zoo attracted almost 1 million visitors. JP/WENDRA AJISTYATAMA

Playing traditional games and making decorations from janur (young coconut leaves) at Ragunan Zoo, South Jakarta, were among activities offered on Saturday as alternative options for Jakartans to spend their weekends. Residents generally fl ock to the capital's ubiquitous malls to spend their weekend downtime for lack of alternatives.

The outdoor activities were a breath of fresh air for about a hundred people who participated in an event called "Wiken Tanpa ke Mall", which literally means a weekend without going to the shopping mall.

The one-day event, jointly organized by local groups Nature Trekker, Indonesia Bertindak (Indonesia on the Move) and Indonesia Raya (Great Indonesia) called on people to spend their weekends doing creative activities instead of going to malls.

With so many shopping centers having been built in recent years, it is common to see Jakartans flocking to malls for recreation on the weekend. The Indonesian Association of Shopping Center Managers (APPBI) states Greater Jakarta currently has 75 shopping malls, 10 more than two years ago.

Adityayoga, a member of the Indonesia Raya community, said he was concerned about children in the capital who seemed to spend their leisure time just playing in malls.

"Going to the mall has become like an addiction for many people living in the capital, including the children. The kids need more creative activities," Adit told The Jakarta Post.

Iwan Esjepe, one of coordinators of the event, was of a similar opinion.

"We chose Ragunan Zoo because it has spacious green areas, as well as providing a lot of information about animals," he said.

"The *Wiken Tanpa ke Mall' program is not just a tour, we also have many fun educational activities for both children and adults," Iwan said.

At the event, participants had the chance to get to know more about snakes, including touching and taking pictures with the animals, playing ular tangga (snakes and ladders) and painting the garbage bins.

The event received a warm welcome from the participants.

"I myself often go to malls with my daughter during the weekend. Sometimes it is boring but we have no choice because we are running out of recreational options to go to," said Wirma, 28.

"This event is an alternative way to spend the weekend. It's fun and encourages children to be creative. We can also make new friends," she said.

A young participant, Adam, said he enjoyed the activities at Ragunan. "I like going to malls but this was more fun because I had the chance to touch snakes. That was cool."

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