Before You Book

PREPARING TO GO TO INDONESIA

CAPITAL

Jakarta

LANGUAGE

Bahasa Indonesia is the official language of Indonesia

RELIGION

Approximately 90% of the population in Indonesia are Muslim. Other religions include Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism and Tribal Animalism (in Papua).

LOCAL TIME

The standard time for Indonesia is calculated from Jakarta. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) is 7 hours ahead of GMT.

ELECTRICITY

127/230 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs used are European-style with two circular metal pins and British-style with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade.

PASSPORT & VISA

A valid passport is required by all nationals. All Passengers are responsible for securing proper documentation prior to joining the tour. Please ensure that passport/s are valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the intended date of return and contain between 2-6 blank “Visa” pages. You should have at least two free pages in your passport. Please access the Travel & Visa Requirements Section on the top of this page for the latest visa entry requirements for the country/ies you are visiting. Passports are required; in addition, travelers are also advised to check with local consulates for full details regarding visa requirements. Please note securing a valid visa for entry is the sole responsibility of the traveler.

LOCAL CURRENCY

Rupiah (IDR; symbol Rp): Notes are in denominations of Rp100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000. Coins are in denominations of Rp1000, 500, 200, 100 and 50.

XE.com is a useful site for currency conversion. 

MONEY EXCHANGE, CREDIT CARD & ATM

American Express, MasterCard, Visa, Diners Club and Eurocard are widely accepted in the main tourist areas. In more remote areas, it is best to carry cash in small denominations. ATMs are available in towns and at airports.

ATMs are available in cities and larger towns but be aware that many have a maximum withdrawal limit which can be as high as Rp 3,000,000 or as low as Rp400,000. This can be overcome by putting your card again but be careful as you may be hit with a bank fee each time.

 BANKING HOURS

Mon-Thurs 0800-1400; Fri 0800-1200; Sat 0800-1100 (some branches)

CLOTHING

Bring lightweight clothing with rainwear; cotton and silks will be most appropriate. Warmer clothes are needed for cool evenings and upland areas, thicker cotton and woollen garments may work best. Smart clothes such as jackets are required for formal occasions, and it is regarded inappropriate to wear brief clothes anywhere other than the beach or at sports facilities. Women should observe the dress code in Muslim areas that require shoulders and legs to be kept covered.

WEATHER & CLIMATE

Indonesia has a tropical climate which is highly variable from area to area. The eastern monsoon brings the driest weather (June to September), while the western monsoon brings the main rains (December to March). Rainstorms occur all year. Higher regions are cooler. Temperatures average between 23°C (73°F) and 28°C (82°F) all year, but this tends to be humid heat, with humidity varying from 70% to 90%. The peak time for tourists to travel is in June, July and August, although prices will be higher; those travelling in the shoulder seasons of May and September could get lucky with both weather and prices.

Muddy roads can be a deterrent to travel in the wet season. Keep in mind that during local holidays public transport can be clogged, accommodation hard to find in holiday areas and businesses close.

Denpasar: (approx)

MEALS

The staple diet for most Indonesians is nasi (rice), but this is swapped on some islands with other starchy foods such as corn, sago, cassava and sweet potatoes taking the place of rice. Whilst there is some similarity to other countries within the region, Indonesia’s location as a trade route means the diet has been highly influenced by other cultures like Spain, Portugal and China.

Indonesians like their food highly spiced - look out for the tiny and fiery hot red and green peppers often included in salads and vegetable dishes. Seafood is a regular feature on menus (with salt and freshwater fish, lobsters, oysters, prawns, shrimp, squid, shark and crab all available). Coconuts are often used for cooking. A feature of Jakarta is the many warungs (street stalls); each specialises in its own dish or drink.

Specialities:

• Rijsttafel (a Dutch-invented smorgasbord of 12 various meat, fish, vegetable and curry dishes, sometimes served by 12 'maidens').
• Nasi goring (considered the national dish, it consists of fried rice, flavoured with spices and usually eaten with accompanying vegetables).
• Ayam goring (fried chicken).
• Soto (traditional soupy broth, which can be flavoured with chicken or beef).
• Sambal (hot chilli sauce condiment which accompanies every dish).
• Bakso (meatballs, usually made from chicken or beef).
• Sate (chunks of beef, fish, pork, chicken or lamb cooked on hot coals and dipped in peanut sauce).
• Rendang (west Sumatra; buffalo coconut curry).
• Gado-gado (Java; a salad of raw and cooked vegetables with peanut and coconut milk sauce).
• Babi guling (Bali; roast suckling pig).

DRINKS

• Es (ice drinks with syrups, fruits and jellies)
• Brem (Bali; rice wine)
• Tuak (palm-sap wine, a famously potent local brew)
• Arak (rice or palm-sap wine)
• Kelapa muda (young coconut juice)

SUGGESTED TIPPING SCALE

10% is normal unless a service charge is already included in a restaurant bill.

SHOPPING IN INDONESIA

If you’re the type of person to always come back with a souvenir, Indonesia will be heaven. In terms of souvenirs and trinkets, the markets here can’t be beaten. Some of the best buys are batik cloth (a kind of patterned fabric), ikat fabrics (textile made using a sort of tie-dye technique), woodcarvings and sculpture, silverwork, woven baskets and hats, bamboo articles, krises (small daggers), paintings and woven cloth. If shopping at stalls and small shops within the pasar (market), bartering might be necessary but keep it light-hearted and playful if you can. If you prefer to your shopping within the slightly more cloistered hallways of an air-conditioned mall, the main urban centres of Jakarta are your best bet. Tourists can find an array of international brands at places like Plaza Indonesia, arts and handicrafts at stores within Grand Indonesia Shopping Town, and luxury brands are easily accessible, catering for the emergent middle-class and expatriate population. Malls are also a good place to pick up food, whether in the form of a rejuvenating meal at one of the many food carts, or smaller souvenirs to take away.

Shopping hours:

Mon-Sun 0900-2100; some shops have shorter hours on Sundays. Most local markets open either very early in the morning or at dusk. In the smaller towns, shops may close between 1300 and 1700.

OTHER RISKS

Vaccinations for tuberculosis, meningitis and Japanese B encephalitis are sometimes recommended. There is a real risk of heatstroke; visitors to Indonesia should avoid the midday sun, remember to drink lots of water and apply sun cream. Travellers should also take care to acclimatise slowly when travelling to high-altitude areas, to avoid altitude sickness.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

It is highly recommended that you purchase travel insurance from your travel agent. Health plans only provide limited coverage while travelling outside of the country. Indus Travels can offer you a complete travel insurance package. Some credit cards do offer travel insurance, however, they do not always provide adequate coverage. Review and understand the terms of your credit card insurance policy. Extra travel insurance can be purchased.
Most insurance companies do have exclusions in their coverage. Pre-existing medical conditions are not insurable. High-risk activities such as skydiving, parachuting, and bungee jumping are also not covered by insurance. Understand the complete insurance coverage you have before travelling out of the country.