Travel Tips for Indonesia

Travel Tips for Indonesia

Culture and customs

For The Traveler has some insider tips for safety and to help you, check it!

For women, always carry a sarong – they are light and cheap, and you may need to cover up if you find yourself near a temple or mosque.

No prices are fixed, even if the vendor says it is but usually the price is amount $5 - $15. You can always bargain. (i can help you to get it if you want)

Learn how to say ‘no’ to the hawkers politely; a simple but strong “Tidak, termia kasi” (Tee-dak, ter-ee-ma ka-see) it's mean No, Thank you, will do the trick.

Be careful with the people who offer a stuff to you in the market, they usually give the expensive price for foreigner. You must bargain it! Bargain it until 50%. If they won't give the stuff to you, leave it. Because many seller sell the same stuff. Hehehehe... In Bali the best place to get reasonable price is in Krisna and Joger, because they have price list.

The dogs in Indonesia (particularly Bali) are known to be rabid. And they’re everywhere. If you find one following you, hiss at it loudly. Never run. Or you can get squat pretended to take a stone. hehehe... :D

When there are monkeys around, protect your belongings because they are curious and love to steal things! I am serious about it.

Practicalities

You can also find out about telephoning, emergency numbers and time zones in Indonesia on Virtual Tourist

Here is the lists the useful phrases for Traveler in Indonesian:

Good morning Selemat pa-gee (or just pa-gee)

Good afternoon Selemat see-ang (see-ang)

Yes Ya

No Tee-dak

OK Be-res

Thank you Te-ri-ma-ka-si (or ma-ka-si)

You're welcome Ma-ka-si Kam-ba-li (or Sama-Sama)

How much? Be-ra-pa?

Can you discount? Moo-ra-heen or too-roo-neen har-ga-nya (to an old lady say Moo-ra-heen-bu)

Please Toe-long

Excuse me Permisi

Currency

The local currency is the Rupiah. US dollars are also accepted, however be careful of the exchange rate that is quoted to you; it may not always be as accurate as at the currency exchanges! You can check the exchange rate in the local bank or WU (Westren Union).

Weather

Like all tropical climates, Indonesia has two seasons – Wet and Dry. Wet runs from September to January (the heaviest rainfall is December and January) and the Dry for the rest of the year. The average humidity is 70%. You can check the weather for when you’re planning to go here.

Food

In most tourist areas, it’s likely that street vendors will approach you selling food. Most experienced travellers to Indonesia recommend you don’t buy from them because of the risk of Cholera and ‘Bali Belly’. Bottles of mineral water, if you’re sure they’re sealed, would probably be OK. Better places to eat are the major or well-known restaurants, or hotels – as a rule of thumb if the restaurant is crowded, it’s probably good to eat there.

If you can find a local chef to cook some of the specialities for you, such as Gado-Gado or Nasi Goreng, even better! Some Indonesian food is very spicy (the word for spicy is ‘padas’) – so enquire beforehand – and its best to enquire on the prices as well before you order.

Things to do and see

Bali is well known as an Indonesian tourist destination, but there are many other beautiful and interesting places to visit in Indonesia.

Lombok is a good place to escape the tourist areas and see the real Indonesia. It also has many high quality hotels, shops and restaurants, and is often cheaper than Bali.

Bandung is good for textiles and clothes of both local and western styles.

Yogyakarta is full of beautiful arts and culture, old temples and examples of Indonesian history.

Mangga Dua, in Jakarta, is a good place to buy clothing but also electrical goods such as iPhones and PCs.

Batu, East Java, It is the place if you want to enjoy the calm and peaceful place to take a break. because many people from major city in Indonesia go to this city when a holiday.

If you’re looking for somewhere to go diving, Manado in Northern Sulawesi is a good spot.

View a map of all these destinations here. Blonde Traveller also recommends that you travel between the islands by ferry rather than the local airlines, some of which are blacklisted internationally.

A contributor to Virtual Tourist suggests that the rice fields are very beautiful in Jatiluwuh, Bali; the best time to see them is at planting time.

Other contributors suggest watching the local fishermen (at most villages by the beach) fish the traditional way with a boat and hand net. Small boats (2 or so fishermen) will often sell you their catch straight from the sea and the fish is good if you can find someone to cook it for you.

Disclaimer

Any advice here is general only and does not take into account your specific needs or circumstances. Pre-existing Medical Conditions exclusions may apply. Please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement to consider whether our products are right for you and for details of policy benefits, limits and exclusions. Any medical advice here is general only and you should always seek advice regarding your specific situation from your medical professional. Mondial Assistance does not endorse the content of linked websites nor comments by contributors or the content of websites linked by contributors.

Indonesia Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Since independence, many people have developed a strong sense of national pride, and maintain traditions of dance, painting, woodcarving and stonecarving. Social courtesies are often fairly formal. When drink or food is served, it should not be touched until the host invites the guest to do so. Never pass or accept anything with the left hand.

Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon, and kissing in public will attract a great deal of unwanted attention. Touching a stranger of the same sex while in conversation is very common. Pointing is considered impolite and patting children on the head should be avoided. Indonesians are polite and will extend endless courtesies to visitors whom they trust and like. Smiling is a cultural tradition and Indonesians smile frequently, even in an uncomfortable or difficult situation. Visitors should avoid losing their temper.

When invited to a home, a gift is appreciated (as long as it is given with the right hand). Informality is normal, but a few smart establishments encourage guests to dress for dinner. Muslim customs, especially those concerning female clothes, should be observed.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

The national airline is Garuda Indonesia (GA) (www.garuda-indonesia.com).

Departure Tax

Rp100,000 from Jakarta and Denpasar; Rp75,000 from other airports; transit passengers continuing their journey on the same day, and infants under the age of 2 are exempt.

Main Airports

Java: Jakarta (CGK) (Soekarno-Hatta) (www.angkasapura2.co.id) is 20km (13 miles) northwest of Jakarta city center (journey time - 45 minutes). To/from the airport: A bus goes to the city every 30 to 60 minutes. Buses leave Jakarta from Gambir railway station and from Rawamangun, Blok M and Pasar Minggu bus stations. Taxis are also available to the city center. Facilities: Banks/bureau de change, a post office, internet, duty-free shops, gift shops, restaurants, snack bars, car hire, left luggage and medical facilities.

Bali: Denpasar (DPS) (Ngurah Rai) (www.ngurahrai-airport.co.id) is 13km (8 miles) southwest of Denpasar city center, is the main airport on Bali (journey time - 30 minutes). To/from the airport: A bus goes to the city center. Taxis are available to the city and to Kuta, Urud, Nusadua and Sanur. Facilities: Restaurant/bar, newsagent, bank/bureau de change, left luggage, post office, internet and car hire.

Getting There By Water

Main ports: Belawan (Medan), Dumai and Padang on Sumatra.

High-speed ferries run between Sumatra and Malaysia. The most popular route is Belawan (Medan)-Penang (journey time - 4 hours), operated by Langkawi Ferry (tel: (61) 452 1111; www.langkawi-ferry.com). There are also services between Dumai-Malacca and Mandalo (Sulawesi).

Many cruise lines serve Indonesia.

Getting There By Road

Indonesia's international land borders are between Kalimantan and the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo, West and East Timor and Papua and Papua New Guinea. There are no road links with Sabah. It is always worth checking if the borders are still open and whether a visa is required in advance to enter Indonesia by road, as the situation fluctuates.

Duty Free

Overview

The following goods may be imported into Indonesia by persons over 18 years of age without incurring customs duty:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100g of tobacco.
• 1L of liquor.
• A reasonable quantity of perfume.
• Gifts up to a value of US$250 per person or US$1,000 per family.

Note: Cameras must be declared on arrival. Video cameras, portable radios, tape recorders, binoculars and sport equipment may be imported provided exported on departure. Films, tapes, CD/DVDs, records and computer software must be screened by the censor board. There are also restrictions on fruits and animal, fish and plant products.

Prohibited Imports

Cordless telephones, Chinese medicines or printings, pornography, and non-prescription drugs.

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

Indonesia has a good internal air system linking most of the larger towns to Jakarta. Domestic operators include Garuda Indonesia (GA) (www.garuda-indonesia.com), AirAsia (QZ) (www.airasia.com), and Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MZ) (www.merpati.co.id).

Getting Around By Water

Main ports: Padang Bai and Benoa (Bali), Tanjung Priok (Jakarta), Belawan (Medan) and Sekupang (Batam).

PELNI (tel: (21) 633 4342; www.pelni.com), the state-owned shipping company, has good standard passenger liners serving all the main ports across the archipelago. ASDP (Kapal Ferry Cepat) operate fast boats on a small number of routes. Foreign cruise liners also operate on an irregular basis. Luxury cruise ships offer trips to various destinations, including the eastern islands (leaving from Bali).

Getting Around By Rail

The train operator in Indonesia is PT Kereta Api (tel: 424 1370; www.infoka.kereta-api.com). There are three classes of travel, Eksecutif (Executive), Bisnis (Business) and Ekonomi (Economy), but first-class exists only on principal expresses. There is some air-conditioned accommodation. Children under three travel free in economy and business without taking a seat, and pay 10% of adult fare in executive class; children aged three to ten pay half fare in economy and business and full rate in executive.

In Sumatra, trains connect Belawan, Medan and Tanjong Balai/Rantu Prapet (two or three trains daily) in the north, and Palembang and Panjang (three trains daily) in the south, but are unreliable. An extensive rail network runs throughout Java. The modern, air-conditioned Argo Bromo Anggrek service, which is Eksecutif class only, with refreshments included, links Jakarta and Surabaya; it departs daily and nightly.

There are also other express services. Between Jakarta and Bandung there is a train every one to two hours, Eksecutif class (journey time - about 3 hours) and then twice-daily trains on to Surabaya.

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the left. Nearly half of the road network is paved. There are good road communications within Java and, to a lesser extent, on Bali and Sumatra. The other islands have poor road systems. Chauffeur-driven cars are widely available and advisable as the standard of driving is poor.

Bus: Indonesia is the land of jam karet (literally ‘rubber time'), and complicated journeys involving more than a single change should not be attempted in a day. Bus fares are relatively low; most are fixed, with a higher price for the air-conditioned buses which have more room than on the cramped regular buses. There are night buses on a number of long-distance routes; pre-booking is essential. Visitors should note that buses can be extremely crowded, and that drivers are reckless. Lorena Transport (tel: 634 1166; www.lorena-karina.com) operate an extensive network of routes on Java and Sumatra.

Taxi: Widely available in cities and towns. Ojek (motorcycle taxis) are available in cities and towns and they congregate at road junctions. The driver should provide a helmet and you must agree on the fare before starting the journey.

Car hire: Available from a number of international and local companies.

Regulations: Speed limits are usually 30-40kph (19-25mph) on inner city streets, 60-70kph (37-43mph)on inter-city roads and 80-100 kph (50-62mph) on highways depending on the territory.

Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required.

Alternative transport: Rickshaws include the motorized bajaj, which seats two passengers, with the driver in front; and the becak, which is pedal-powered by a rider sitting behind two passengers. However, the latter are banned from Jakarta city. Fares should be negotiated in advance. Motorcycles and bicycles can be hired; for motorcycles, an International Driving Permit is recommended and a helmet should be worn. Bemos and opelets are communal minibuses; fares should be negotiated in advance.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

Jakarta is the only city with an established conventional bus service of any size, and it has a comprehensive network. Elsewhere bemos (minibuses) are the main way to travel around.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Jakarta to other major cities and towns in Indonesia.

Source

Don't Carry this Goods When Touring

When traveling, a person usualy is too "complicated" in bringing a lot of stuff. When you are forced to give an option on your favorite stuff, then you are tempted to carry all your stuff.

As a result, might now get luggage counter, you are exposed to additional costs if the excess luggage charge. The types of goods are not what you need to bring when traveling? Here's the list.

Leave your regular beauty equipment.

If you use several different types of products to manage your curly hair, then leave for a moment these items and let you free from those things.

You will not look bad in photographs of your holiday if your hair every night and washed with shampoo. If you are good at exploring the exotic sights, it is guaranteed you will not forget the string of your regular beauty products.

When you stay at a five-star hotel, you'll get complimentary toiletries. Use the products. Bring products that have multiple uses as a moisturizer that also serve to protect your skin from the rays SPF. Of course, take it in small packages.

Do not bring jewelry or valuables you.

This will only invite criminals to steal your jewelry. If you do have to carry jewelry for special occasion, make sure you do not wear it on the street or public place.

Bring a guide book alone.

When traveling, people used to bring up a few pieces of guide books because each book has the advantages of each.

But if the book does have some guidelines that interesting, then you can photocopy the pages of interest to your luggage is not too heavy. Alternatively, you can create a blog or a personal record of travel guides summarize the results from these books.

Do not bring more clothes than you need.

Bring your clothes in neutral colors so that you can memandupadankan style of the clothes properly. Then find the weather information from where you will visit.

When it rains, you can purchase an umbrella or raincoat and save it as a souvenir. You can also use the laundry service at your inn inapi so you do not need to carry a lot of clothes.

If the price of laundry services for your consideration, some of the backpacker tourist destinations to provide cleaning services kilogram. The easiest time is running out of clothes bought in the market. But can become a keepsake, your reckoning has helped the local community economy.

Do not carry unnecessary gadgets.

Items such as Portable DVD Player, reading lamps, coffee maker is not too important for you to take.

Definition of important or unimportant you should think carefully so you will not carry items that are not important. Keep in mind that items such as spare batteries, charger for your gadgets, electric adapter may need to be considered for you to take.

Do not carry items easily found.

Simple stuff that you can find such as migraine headaches, razor, or reading should not need to bring from home.

Also exciting when you take some readings from home and you can give it to other travelers when you will come back. Don't troubled your self. :D