Indonesia

Nature and culture are important components of Indonesian tourism. The natural heritage has a unique combination of a tropical climate, a huge archipelago and a long stretch of beach. All of these natural attractions are combined with a rich cultural heritage which reflects Indonesia’s vibrant history and its ethnic diversity. Some of Indonesia’s most popular cultural tourist destinations include the ancient temples of Prambanan and Borobudur, Toraja and Bali with their Hindu festivals.

Indonesia is blessed with a well-preserved natural ecosystem of tropical rainforests, that covers approximately 57% of Indonesia’s land (225 million acres). The forests of Sumatra and Kalimantan are examples of popular tourist destinations such as the Orang Utan nature reserve. In addition, Indonesia has one of the longest coasts in the world, 54,716 kilometers.

Indonesia has 20% of all coral reefs in the world, more than 3,000 different species of fish and more than 600 species of coral, deep water trenches, volcanic mountains, WWII wrecks and an enormous variety of macro life , and Indonesia is excellent and inexpensive in terms of scuba diving. In Bunaken National Marine Park in the far north of Sulawesi, over 70% of all known fish species exist in the Indo-Western Pacific Ocean. According to Conservation International, marine studies indicate that the diversity of marine life in the Raja Ampat Islands is the highest on earth. There are also more than 3,500 different species that inhabit Indonesian waters, including sharks, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, moray eels, squid, cuttlefish and scorpions, compared to 1,500 in the Great Barrier Reef.

Indonesia has 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Komodo National Park, Bali Cultural Landscape, Ujung Kulon National Park, Lorentz National Park and Sumatra Rainforest Heritage. includes 3 national parks on the island of Sumatra: Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park; and 18 World Heritage Sites on a preliminary list, such as the historic centers of Jakarta’s Old City, the ancient coal city of Sawahlunto, the Old City of Semarang and the Muara Takus Complex Site.

Cultural tourism focuses on specific interests in Indonesian history, such as the colonial architectural heritage of the Dutch East India era. Activities include visits to museums, churches, fortresses and historic colonial buildings as well as some overnight stays in hotels with colonial heritage. Famous tourist attractions are Old Jakarta and the Javanese royal courts of Yogyakarta, Surakarta and Mangkunegaran.

The island of Bali received the award for the best travel and leisure island in 2010. The island of Bali was awarded for its attractive surroundings (mountains and coastal areas), diverse tourist attractions, excellent international restaurants and dining facilities and friendliness. of the local population. Recognized as one of the best islands in the world, Bali is second only to Santorini, Greece, according to BBC Travel. Bali is one of the best surfing destinations in the world, with popular spots along the south coast and around the island off Nusa Lembongan. As part of the Coral Triangle, Bali including Nusa Penida offers a wide variety of dive sites with different types of coral reefs.

Tourist activities in the city include shopping, sightseeing in major cities or exploring modern theme parks, resorts, spas, nightlife and entertainment. Indonesia’s beautiful miniature park, Anchol Dreamland with the theme park Dunia Fantasi (Fantasy World) and Atlantis Water Adventure are Jakarta’s answer to Disneyland-style water park and amusement park. The capital Jakarta is a commercial center in Southeast Asia. The city has many traditional markets and shopping centers. With a total of 550 hectares, Jakarta has the world’s largest shopping center in one city. The annual “Big Jakarta Sale” takes place every year in June and July to celebrate Jakarta’s birthday. Bandung is a popular fashion shopping destination for Malaysians and Singaporeans.

Wonderful Indonesia has been the motto of an international marketing campaign by the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism to promote tourism since January 2011. More than 10.4 million international visitors traveled to Indonesia in 2015, stayed an average of 8.5 nights in hotels while spending an average of 1,190 USD per person.

Although Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (“Unity in Diversity”) has been the official national motto for more than 50 years, their concept of “Indonesia” still remains an artificial one and the people of Indonesia are divided into a large number of different ethnic groups and communities. tribes. clans, and even castes. If that is not enough, religious differences add a volatile ingredient to the mix, and great differences in wealth also strengthen a class society. In purely numerical terms, the largest ethnic groups are the Javanese (45%) in Central and East Java, who enjoy unjust dominance throughout the country, and the Sundans (14%) in West Java. Java, the Madurans  of the island of Madura and the Malaysian  (7.5%), mainly of Sumatra. This leaves 26% for the Aceh and Minangkabau of Sumatra, the Balinese, the Iban and the Dayak of Kalimantan and a confusing patchwork of groups in Nusa Tenggara and Papua – the official figure is no less than 3,000.

For the most part, many Indonesian peoples live happily together, but ethnic conflicts continue to rage in some remote areas of the country. The transmigration policy (transmigrasi) initiated by the Dutch but continued by Suharto has resettled Javanese, Balinese and mature migrants to less populated areas of the archipelago. The new settlers, who were considered privileged and insensitive, were often felt by the indigenous population, and especially in Kalimantan and Papua this sometimes led to violent conflict.

The Indonesian Chinese, known as Tionghoa or Cina, are a particularly notable ethnic group throughout the country. At around 6-7 million, they make up 3% of the population and represent one of the largest Chinese ethnic groups outside China. The Dutch encouraged the Indonesian Chinese to settle in the then Dutch East Indies, although they were treated as second-class citizens, making them middle managers between European leaders and the rest of the population. . After the Dutch left, many Indonesian Chinese worked as merchants and moneylenders, but a very wealthy subgroup of the community exerted an enormous influence on the local economic sector, with a famous, if largely discredited, “black market” in the East Indies.

A study of companies listed on the Jakarta Stock Exchange found that up to 70% of their businesses (and thus of the country) are controlled by ethnic Chinese. They were therefore persecuted, with Chinese being forcibly displaced into urban areas in the 1960s and forced to adopt Indonesian names and bans on teaching Chinese and displaying Chinese characters. Anti-Chinese pogroms also took place, particularly during the anti-Communist purges of 1965-1966 after the Suharto coup and again in 1998 after his fall, when more than 1,100 people were killed in riots in the U.S. Jakarta and other major cities. However, the governments after the reform have repealed most of the discriminatory laws, and Chinese script and festivals have reappeared, and Chinese New Year has been declared a national holiday since 2003. While most Chinese do not speak Javanese In addition to Indonesian, many Chinese in Sumatra and Kalimantan continue to speak different Chinese dialects. Until today many people are still angry and sometimes even threatened by the alleged rule of the Chinese.

However, in the elections for the new governor of Jakarta in October 2014, often known by his affectionate Chinese nickname Hakka d’Ahok, a sign of a new climate of greater tolerance can be seen. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, to give him his real Indonesian name, was not born in Java and is only the second Christian to be governor of Jakarta. His courageous fights against corruption and transparent honesty have earned him the love of many locals.

Upon arrival and disembarkation of the plane, you will immediately notice the sudden rise of hot and humid air. Indonesia is a warm place. In Indonesia there is no spring, summer, autumn or winter, only two seasons: rainy and dry, both of them relative (it still rains during the dry season, it just rains less). Although there are significant regional variations, in most countries (including Java and Bali) the dry seasons is from April to October, while the rainy season goes from November to March. In many regions, rain falls like clockwork, but in recent years, global warming has made the seasons less predictable. One of the advantages of the rainy season is that regular rain washes clean most of the mosquito habitats, especially at the foot of the hills. While local torrential rains are common, the country rarely suffers from typhoons.

Droughts are a major problem in parts of Java and other islands during the dry season, and water becomes a serious problem, but bottled drinking water is still available even in rural areas. Smog from bush or forest fires frequently covers many areas of Sumatra and Kalimantan in the middle of the dry period, usually in June, July and August, and sometimes airports are closed for a day or two. Also, when it is dry in one area, it can still be wet in another.

Temperatures in most places are between 26 and 32 degrees Celsius during the day with little fluctuation from day to day, although nights can be a few degrees cooler. The dry season south of the equator is cool due to the cold southern hemisphere, although the difference may be less noticeable. It is also advisable to bring a jacket when visiting the highlands, as the temperatures will naturally be cooler, and there are even some snowy peaks above 5000m in Papua. You may be amused to see people putting on hats, gloves, jackets or even winter coats when the temperature drops a little, and people usually wear them on their motorcycles, although more often to prevent their skin from darkening.

Indonesia is situated between latitudes 11° S and 6° N with longitude 95° E and longitude 141° E. Indonesia is the world’ s largest archipelago country stretching 5,120 kilometers (3,181 miles) from east to west and 1,760 kilometers from north to south. According to a geodata study conducted between 2007 and 2010 by the National Agency for the Coordination of Studies and Mapping (Bakosurtanal), Indonesia has 13,466 islands, of which about 6,000 are inhabited. These are scattered on both sides of the equator. The most important are Java, Sumatra, Borneo (together with Brunei and Malaysia), New Guinea (together with Papua New Guinea) and Sulawesi. Indonesia borders Malaysia in Borneo, Papua New Guinea on the island of New Guinea and East Timor on the island of Timor. The Indonesia has maritime borders with Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Palau to the north and Australia to the south. The capital Jakarta is located on Java and is the largest city in the country, followed by Surabaya, Bandung, Medan and Semarang.

Indonesia is the 15th largest country in the world in terms of land area with 1,919,440 square kilometers and the 7th largest country in the world in terms of combined land and sea area. Indonesia’s average density is 134 inhabitants per square kilometer (347 per square mile) and is ranked 79th in the world, although Java, the most populous island in the world, has a population density of 940 inhabitants per square kilometer (2,435 per square mile). square mile).

Puncak Jaya in Papua is the highest mountain in Indonesia at 4,884 meters and Lake Toba in Sumatra is the largest lake with an area of 1,145 square kilometers. Indonesia’s largest rivers are in Kalimantan and include the Mahakam and the Barito. These rivers are communication and transport links between the river settlements on the island.

Indonesia’s location on the edges of the tectonic plates of the Pacific, Eurasia and Australia makes it the site of many volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. Indonesia has over 150 active volcanoes, most notably Krakatoa and Tambora, both famous for their catastrophic 19th century eruptions. The eruption of the super volcano Toba about 70,000 years ago was one of the largest eruptions in history and a global catastrophe. Recent earthquake disasters include the 2004 tsunami that killed 167,736 people in northern Sumatra and the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake. volcanic ash, however, contributes significantly to agricultural fertility. historically high, it supported the high population density of Java and Bali.

Indonesia lies on the equator and has a tropical climate with two different wet and dry monsoon seasons. Average annual rainfall ranges from 1,780 to 3,175 millimeters (70.1 to 125 inches) in the lowlands and up to 6,100 millimeters (240 inches) in the mountain regions. Mountain regions, especially on the west coast of Sumatra, West Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua, receive the highest rainfall. Humidity is generally high, averaging 80%. Temperatures hardly vary throughout the year. Jakarta’s average daily temperature range is 26-30°C (79-86°F).

The size of Indonesia, combined with its tropical climate and archipelagic geography, supports the second highest level of biodiversity in the world after Brazil. Indonesia’s flora and fauna is a combination of Asian and Australasian species. The Sunda Plateau islands (Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Bali) used to be linked to the Asian continent and are home to a rich Asian fauna. The larger animals such as the tiger, rhinoceros, orangutan, elephant and leopard used to be abundant as far away as Bali, but now their numbers and distribution have declined considerably. Forests cover about 60% of the country. In Sumatra and Kalimantan they are mainly Asian species. However, the smaller and more densely populated forests of Java have been largely cleared for human habitation and agriculture. Having long been separated from the mainland, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara and Maluku have developed their own unique flora and fauna. Papua was part of the Australian landmass and is home to unique flora and fauna closely related to that of Australia, including more than 600 species of birds.

Indonesia ranks second behind Australia in terms of total endemic species, with 36% of its 1,531 known bird species as well as 39% of its 515 known endemic mammal species. The 80,000 kilometers (50,000 miles) of Indonesia’s coastline is embraced by tropical seas which contribute significantly to the country’s very high level of biodiversity. Indonesia is blessed with a wide range of coastal and marine ecosystems, which includes beaches, sand dunes, estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds, coastal mudflats, mudflats, seaweed beds as well as small island ecosystems. Indonesia is among the countries of the Coral Triangle with the world’s highest diversity of coral Reef Fish with over 1,650 species in Eastern Indonesia area alone.

British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace described a dividing line between the distribution of Asian and Australasian species in Indonesia. Known as the Wallace Line, it runs roughly north to south along the edge of the Sunda Plateau between Kalimantan and Sulawesi, and along the deep Strait of Lombok between Lombok and Bali. On the western side of the line, the flora and fauna is more Asian – east of Lombok, it becomes more and more Australian. In his 1869 book, The Malay Archipelago, Wallace describes many species unique to the region. The area of the islands between his lineage and New Guinea is now called Wallacea.

According to the 2010 census, Indonesia has 237.6 million inhabitants, with a strong population growth of 1.9%. 58% of the population lives in Java, the most populous island in the world. In 1961, the first post-colonial census reported a total population of 97 million people.

Indonesia currently has a relatively young population with an average age of 28.2 years (2011 estimate).

The population is expected to reach 269 million by 2020 and 321 million by 2050. 8 million Indonesians live abroad, making it one of the largest diasporas in the world. Most of them settled in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United States and Australia.

Ethnic groups in Indonesia

Indonesia is a country with great ethnic and linguistic diversity, with around 300 different indigenous ethnic groups and 742 different languages and dialects. Most Indonesians are descended from Austronesian-speaking peoples, whose languages go back to Proto-Austronesian and may have originated in Taiwan. Another important group is the Melanesians, who live in eastern Indonesia.

As the largest ethnic group, Javanese represent 42% of the total population with a dominant political and cultural position. Sundanese, Malay and elderly are the largest non-Javanese groups. Besides strong regional identities, there is a sense of Indonesian nationality.

Social, religious and ethnic tensions triggered violence in the community. Chinese Indonesians are an influential ethnic minority, accounting for 3-4 % of the population. Much of the country’s private trade and wealth is controlled by China and Indonesia. Chinese companies in Indonesia are part of the Greater Bamboo Network, a network of foreign Chinese companies operating in Southeast Asian markets and sharing family and cultural ties. This has contributed to considerable resentment and even violence against the Chinese.

Religion in Indonesia

While freedom of religion is laid down in the Indonesian constitution, the government officially recognizes only six religions: Islam, Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. With 87.2% in 2010, Indonesia is the most populous country with a Muslim majority in the world, with the majority being Sunni Muslims (99%). Shiites and Ahmadis make up 0.5% and 0.2% of the Muslim population respectively.

Christianity made up almost 10% of the population in 2010 (7% were Protestant, 2.9% Roman Catholic), 1.7% of Hindus and 0.9% of Buddhists or others. The majority of Indonesian Hindus are Balinese and the majority of Buddhists in Indonesia today are of Chinese descent.

Although they are now minority religions, Hinduism and Buddhism continue to dominate Indonesian culture. Islam was first adopted by Indonesians in North Sumatra in the 13th century thanks to the influence of the merchants and became the dominant religion in the country in the 16th century.

Roman Catholicism was introduced to Indonesia by the early Portuguese colonialists and missionaries, and Protestant denominations are largely the result of Dutch and Lutheran Reformed missionary efforts during the country’s colonial period. A significant percentage of Indonesians, including the Javanese Abangan, Balinese Hindus and Dayak Christians, are practicing a less orthodox and syncretistic approach to their religion which is based on local traditions and beliefs.

Most indigenous Indonesian indigenous beliefs could be classified as animism, shamanism and ancestor worship. Examples of Indonesian indigenous belief systems are the Sunda Wiwitan of Sundanese, the Kaharingan faith of Dayak and Parmalim of Batak, and to some extent the Kejawen faith of Java. There are also a number of indigenous deities and ancestor worship in Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua.

Indonesia uses a 220 volt and 50 Hz system. The sockets have two European-standard round pins, either the CEE-7/7 “Schuko” or “Schuko” plugs or the compatible but ungrounded CEE-7/16 “Europlug” types.

Within Java and Bali, electricity is on 24 hours a day. This is generally also true for most populated areas outside the two islands, although they can be more prone to power outages. In the remote or less populated villages, electricity may be on for only a few hours a day or even not at all.

The KementerianLuarNegeri (Kemenlu) or Ministry of Foreign Affairs is maintaining a complete searchable database on the diplomatic establishments. All embassies are located in Jakarta (see this article for a listing), but some countries maintain consulates general and honorary consulates elsewhere, mostly in Surabaya, Bali and port cities (e.g. Malaysia in Pekanbaru, Philippines in Manado, etc.).

Indonesia stretches a long way from west to east and is therefore divided into three time zones. Due to the country’s equatorial location, the amount of sunshine is fairly constant throughout the year, so there is no daylight saving time.

• GMT +7 West Indonesian Time (WIB, Waktu Indonesia Barat): Sumatra, Java, West/Central Kalimantan
• GMT +8 Central Indonesian Time (WITA, Waktu Indonesia Tengah): Bali, South/East/North Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara
• GMT +9 East Indonesian Time (WIT, Waktu Indonesia Timur): Maluku, Papua

The only official language is Indonesian, known in that language as Bahasa Indonesia (not Bahasa, which literally means “language”). They are similar to Malay ( pronounced in Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore), meaning that speakers of both languages can usually communicate with each other. Major differences are in loan words: Malaysian is more influenced by English, and Indonesian has been influenced more by Dutch. Written phonetically using the Latin alphabet and with a fairly logical grammar, Indonesian is generally considered one of the easiest languages to learn. Indonesian spelling is very regular and pronunciation is easy, especially for Japanese (except for the letter “l”), Italian or Spanish.

While Indonesian is the official language throughout the archipelago and spoken by almost all Indonesians, over 80% of Indonesians have their own ethnic language, with Javanese and Sundanese being the most commonly spoken. Some of the ethnic words make up the Indonesian language, so it’s usually a good place to start. If you stray off the beaten track, it’s a good idea to learn a few words of the local language to get on well with the local society. A number of ethnic Chinese communities are still speaking various Chinese dialects, especially Hokkien in Medan and Teochew in Pontianak.

Colloquial and slang Indonesian usually omits any indication of time and tense (of which there are few), prepositions and auxiliary verbs, and a sentence may consist of only one or three words. Often, because of the lack of clarity, additional questions need to be asked (especially with regard to whether an event has already happened, is happening now or will happen in the future) and local dialect loan words can confuse things further. If you use English, these tendencies carry over into their English because they translate from their slang into English, so you can experience the same problems – or worse.

In contrast to its neighbor Malaysia or the Philippines, English is generally not widespread. Staff in better hotels and airline staff generally speak an acceptable level of English, and English is widely spoken on the tourist island of Bali. Although English is a compulsory foreign language in Indonesian schools, you should expect only a basic to moderate level of proficiency.

A few educated seniors (70 years/older) in Indonesia may speak Dutch, but nowadays English is much more useful. Although Arabic is not widely spoken, many educated Muslims, especially those who graduated from Islamic religious institutes, understand Arabic to some extent, and many Arabic loanwords are found in Indonesian.

Keeping in contact with the outside world from Indonesia is very rarely a hassle, especially if you’re somewhere off the beaten path.

Phone calls in Indonesia

As a landline is still an unaffordable luxury for many Indonesians, the wartel (short for warung telekomunikasi or telecommunications booth) is hard to find these days, as many Indonesians can now afford mobile phones.

Indonesian phone numbers have the form +62 12 000 0000, in which ” 62 ” is the country code for Indonesia, which is followed by the area code without the prefix ” 0 ” and the telephone number. If you omit the +62 area code, you will need to add the prefix “0” when calling to another area code. Cell phone numbers in Indonesia have to be dialed with all digits, regardless of where they are called from. Omit the prefix “0” when calling with an area code of +62.

Mobile phones in Indonesia

The Indonesian mobile phone market is highly competitive and prices are low: you can get a prepaid SIM card for less than Rp10,000 and calls to some other countries with certain carriers cost as little as Rp300 per minute (subject to the usual numerous restrictions). SMS (text messaging) is also very cheap, with local SMS for only Rp150-189 and international SMS for Rp400-600. Indonesia is also the world’s biggest market for second-hand phones, basic models with dual-SIM slots start at Rp 120,000, and second-hand ones are even cheaper.

The country has several service providers, in order of largest coverage, Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo, XL Axiata and 3. Each has sub-brands that are either a prepaid or postpaid service. In Java and Bali, each will actually work just fine.

If you have a Global System Mobile (GSM) phone, ask your local GSM operator for a “roaming agreement” so you can use your own mobile phone and GSM SIM card in Indonesia. Most GSM operators in Indonesia have roaming agreements with GSM operators worldwide. But of course, this means you pay many times more than if you use a local SIM card. Some operators require a substantial deposit (hundreds of dollars) to use certain of their cards abroad.

Most Indonesian operators use GSM. Some operators offer services over the country’s CDMA networks: They are slightly cheaper, but some operators have poor coverage outside larger population areas. Before buying a mobile phone, make sure you know which network it works on; the same goes for USB modem dongles.

VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) tariffs are available from mobile phone providers, each provider has a different prefix to access these services. These prefixes offer much lower international ring rates, but do not use them for SMS, they do not work.

Internet in Indonesia

The modern version of the Wartel is the Warnet. Many have evolved into internet cafes, with PCs connected to the internet, some offering WiFi connections, but nowadays some have closed down as many Indonesians nowadays have at least one mobile phone to take advantage of cheaper rates from the same provider. Rates varies considerably, and of course as usual you get what you pay for, however in general you should expect to pay approximately Rp3,000 to Rp5,000 per hour, with faster access compared to your cell phone. In big cities, there are free WiFi hotspots in many shopping malls, McDonald restaurants, Starbucks cafes, 7 Eleven convenience stores, in some restaurants, bars and in many parks or public facilities in big cities. Some hotels offer free hotspots in the lobby and/or in their restaurants and even in your rooms, but sometimes you should pay for WiFi in your room.

In case you own GSM/WCDMA cell phones, most of the prepaid cards of the major operators will allow you to use them for Internet connections without any problems. Both package-based and unlimited monthly/weekly/daily packages are available (the latter are becoming more popular), and the available offers and combinations are constantly changing. The best way to find out about current offers is to visit the operators’ websites (usually in Indonesian only) or ask the dealers who sell SIM cards. 3G is almost available in the main cities and tourist destinations, but due to users exceeds the capacity of bandwidth, so sometimes you receive 3G, 2.75G, 2.5G and 2G in the same place, while the 4G LTE network has emerged and is generally available almost in all major cities in Indonesia, but only in the business area. Despite the claims of various dodgy airport shops, you don‘t need to buy a modem bundle to use these packages with your phone. Also, bundle prices at the airport are often significantly inflated – it’s a good idea to buy them later in town, or visit the local (official) office of a selected operator, or simply at the many impulse/voucher vendors with no queue (the distance between stalls is often less than 100 metres) and prices are usually cheaper than at the operator’s office.

Unfortunately, you may not have network coverage in many remote areas, and even if you do, only painfully slow GPRS/EDGE (not 3G) is available. For long-term visitors/residents of big cities, CDMA may be the better choice as CDMA uses two channels for voice and data separately, so no dropped calls/connections, but nowadays only SmartFren is the choice with limited coverage as the other CDMA operators migrate to GSM. Most of the SmartFren network is EVDO Rev-A with a maximum speed of 3.1 Mbit/s (average download about 20 kbit/s), while EVDO Rev-B with up to 14.7 Mbit/s is only offered in the business area. The EVDO Rev-A is sufficient for Whats-Up, Facebook, moderate surfing, but cannot watch movies. The modem bundle costs Rp 169,000 and various types of subscriptions, Rp 50,000/month is sufficient with only 1.75 GB of data. For those visiting remote areas (outside Java, Bali and the main cities or tourist areas) but still want to get online, GSM operator Telkomsel seems to be the best, although it is not that cheap for both calls and internet. About Rp 70,000/4GB internet data quota. Almost everywhere in major cities, Telkomsel can offer 3.75G speed up to 21.6 Mbps and can deliver movie at 14.35 Mbps. The cheapest is Three Rp 25,000/GB but relatively cannot watch the movie because most of the signal is only 2G and 3G. The new cheapest smartphone up to 3.75G with dual SIM slots is less than Rp 400,000. You don’t need an expensive 4G LTE phone because the high frequency of 4G LTE is only common near the transmission tower. Some operators sell a card with 3G and 4G LTE data quota together, but the data quota for 3G may only be one-tenth of the 4G LTE data quota. Be sure to buy a card with 3G data quota that should only be used for 24 hours, as there are some cards with data quota for 24 hours and no more at all after half the time.

Postal service in Indonesia

The postal service is provided by the state-owned Pos Indonesia, which delivers to even the most remote areas. JNE and Tiki are also reliable enough to send parcels to anywhere in Indonesia for less than $15 in up to 10 working days, depending on origin and destination. FedEx, DHL and UPS ship parcels internationally, and both FedEx and its local subsidiary RPX have drop box offices. For immediate/fast delivery in a big city, it is better to use GO-Send from the Go-Jek application, as the ojek (courier) driver will pick up the goods up to 5 kilograms and send them to the recipient. The rate depends on the distance.

Centre for Tourism Promotion in Indonesia

• Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No.17, 9th floor, Jakarta, +62 21 383 8303.
• Indonesia Tourism Promotion Board (BPPI), Wisma Nugraha Santana 9th flr. Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 8, Jakarta. +62 21 570 4879.

Emergency numbers in Indonesia

Here is a list of emergency numbers in Indonesia (please note that while these numbers are available free of charge from all landline phones, they may not be available from mobile phones, if in doubt call the international emergency number112]):

• Police : 110
• Fire brigade : 113
• Outpatient clinic : 118
• Search and rescue team: 115
• Red Cross HQ (Jakarta) : +62 21 3843582
• Headquarters of the Indonesian Police. Jl. Trunojoyo 3, South Jakarta. +62 21 7218144.
• National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS): Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur No.5, Jakarta. +62 21 348-32881, ( +62 21 348-32908, +62 21 348-32869, Fax:+62 21 348-32884, +62 21 348-32885. website: Basarnas [www] .

Note, however, that English-speaking operators are not available even in major cities, as the operators usually speak Indonesian as their main language. Moreover, they do not usually answer the numbers, even in emergencies, and their reliability is rudimentary at best. The best thing to do is to call the police on the very accessible number 112 from any phone and describe the nature of the emergency so that they can arrange help for you. But don’t play with this number, because the police have taken down the call and can initiate proceedings.

Media in Indonesia

English publications in Indonesia have been springing up recently, albeit very slowly. The Jakarta Post is Indonesia’s largest-circulation English newspaper; you can buy a copy in some of Indonesia’s biggest cities. The Jakarta Globe has a tabloid format and usually offers more extensive content. Both newspapers also offer good online content.

Tempo Media maintains an online presence in English and even publishes its own English weekly magazine, but it is mostly filled with hard news.

The state television channel TVRI has its own English news service daily at 18.00 WIB (18.00 West Indonesian time). The Indonesia’s news channel, MetroTV, has an English news program at 01.00 WIB (1 a.m. Western Indonesian Time) from Tuesdays to Saturdays as well. Berita Satu World is an English news channel available on selected cable TV providers.

Many Indonesians smoke like a chimney, and the concepts of “no smoking” and “passive smoking” have not yet caught on in most parts of the country; however, some TV stations now hide cigarettes in the TV programmes and films they show. Western cigarettes are known as rokok putih (“white cigarettes”), but the cigarette of choice is the ubiquitous kretek, a clove tobacco cigarette that has become something of a national symbol and whose smell you will probably first notice when you come out of the airport.

Popular brands of kretek include Djarum, Gudang Garam, Bentoel and Sampoerna. A pack of good kretek costs around Rp 17,000. Some brands do not have filters because the kretek cigarette traditionally does not have a filter and the taste is different in the kretek filter cigarette. The legal smoking age in Indonesia is 18, although most shops, especially non-convenience shops, do not check ID. By law, all cigarette packets carry a label with pictures showing the effects of smoking.

Kretek contain less nicotine but more tar than regular cigarettes; an unfiltered Dji Sam Soe has 39 mg of tar and 2.3 mg of nicotine. Most studies suggest that the overall health effects are about the same as with traditional western cigarettes.

A ban on smoking in public places in Jakarta was recently introduced. Those who violate this ban can be fined up to 5000 USD. If you want to smoke, check with the locals by asking: “Boleh merokok di sini?”.

All large restaurants outside shopping centres in big cities usually offer smoking and non-smoking areas in different rooms (sometimes the smoking area is on the terrace of the restaurant). With rising cigarette taxes, up to 20 per cent per year, and more AC areas, cigarette sales have declined by up to 10 per cent per year.

Foreign students from many countries study various subjects at specific universities in a number of cities (mainly Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta and Denpasar). The cost of studying at Indonesian universities is usually much lower than in the West, but for many subjects you need to be fluent in Indonesian, and some subjects also require a knowledge of English (such as medicine and IT) or another language.

The Darmasiswa Programme [www] is a scholarship programme funded by the Indonesian government. Available to all foreign students coming from countries that Indonesia has diplomatic relations to study Indonesian languages, arts, music and crafts, as well as even some other subjects, which include IT, science and photography. Participants can choose to study at any of the state universities and colleges participating in the programme. There are currently over 50 participating campuses. Visit [www] for a list of current subjects and participating universities.

In Indonesia, salaries for locals vary from US$150 to more than US$25,000/month, with the national average being a meagre US$175. The differences in earnings are very large. The shop assistants you see in luxury malls like Plaza Indonesia are likely to earn between US$175 and US$200 per month. Some adults in their 20s, especially those who are still single, stay with their parents to save money; however, the main reason they stay with parents is that it is the cultural norm, although some consider it rude to leave parents alone. In some cultures, the eldest is expected to help the parents and you often find married couples living with the parents and even in multi-generational homes, as extended families are still the norm.

Since many Indonesians live on a very low income, they accordingly endure their living conditions with sometimes considerable deprivation, especially in places with a high cost of living like Jakarta. In the poorer provinces, they may have very limited agriculture-related prospects and essentially can only work at subsistence level. In this situation, many choose to leave their homes and families and seek work as migrant workers and servants, either in Indonesia’s sprawling urban areas or overseas. In most cases, most of the money they earn is sent home.

Expats often earn higher salaries than their local counterparts doing similar jobs. An English teacher could earn between Rp 7,000,000-25,000,000, which is quite high to wealthy by local standards.

According to the law, a foreigner is only allowed to work in a company for 5 years in a certain function and they are obliged to train a local to replace them, but in reality this does not happen often. Also, foreigners are not allowed to work in any job, even as a CEO dealing with human resources and personnel. Businesses that don’t make money in Indonesia can be done on a business visa, such as sales calls to shops and customers. Clergy use a religious visa, and a diplomat can get a diplomatic visa, but most others must have a work-related visa (or a spouse visa if you married a local), Izin Tinggal Sementara/Tetap {ITAS/ITAP} (temporary/permanent residence permit), which last 1 and 5 years respectively, and a work permit. Working outside without the employer’s permission or working in a position other than the one stated is also considered illegal, and penalties can range from fines and/or imprisonment to deportation, and even blacklisting is possible (though usually only for six months). In May 2011, a new law UU 6) was passed that brought some improvements for immigration, especially for expats married to locals and for investors; unfortunately, the government regulations regarding employment that should have been enacted a year later are still unresolved, but the Immigration Department tends to treat them as if they were there, while the Ministry of Labour is generally uncooperative.

You should really research the labour laws in Indonesia to make sure you get your rights fulfilled. Besides the UU6/2011 on immigration, you should look at the UU13/2003 on labour [www] and, if you want to teach, the PerMen (Ministerial Decree) 66/2009. Some laws are available in English, but you have to search.

As of 1 January 2015, Indonesia is a member of Masyarakat Ekonomi Asean (MEA) or Asean Economy Community (AEC) as an early European Union with some restrictions, but tends to be released freely or will release some rules related to AEC. To realise that goods and services will be “free” across borders, the government will introduce the Test of Indonesian as a Foreign Language (TOIFL) as TOEFL for all foreign workers (not just Asean workers) in February 2015, but a few months after that, TOIFL will no longer be required for foreign workers. Because of the rapid change in the rule, it may be better to learn Bahasa Indonesia in advance, at least the basics, because Bahasa Indonesia is relatively easy. The other rules that have been introduced are at least a bachelor’s degree and a competitiveness test for the positions. In 2014, there are about 65,000 legal foreign workers (not including English teachers, who could be illegal, etc.) in Indonesia.

Dealing with Imigrasi serves as a useful introduction to the byzantine complexities of Indonesian bureaucracy. Long story short: most western travellers can get a visa on arrival for USD35 at virtually all common entry points (Java, Bali, etc.). So read on only if you suspect you don’t fit that description.

There are three ways to enter Indonesia:

• Visa exemption. Show your passport, get a stamp, that’s it. Only applies to a few selected, mainly ASEAN countries.
• Visa on arrival. Pay on arrival, get a visa put in your passport and stamped. Most visitors fall into this category.
• Visa in advance. Obtain a visa from an Indonesian embassy before arrival.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months and contain at least one or more blank pages. This rule also applies to any visa extension that may be applied for during your stay in the country.

A special feature is that visa-free and visa-required visitors must enter Indonesia via certain ports of entry. A visa is required for entry via other ports of entry, regardless of whether you enter visa-free or visa-required.

It should also be noted that the days a visa holder is in Indonesia are counted as day 1 from the day of entry, not day 0. This means that at 24:00 (noon) on the night of the day of entry, you have already spent one day in Indonesia. If you enter at 23:59 (11.59pm), then 2 minutes later you have already been in Indonesia for 1 day and are on day 2. If you get a 30-day visa on 1 January, you must leave the country no later than 30 January. If you get an extension, the day your original/previous visa expires is not counted as the first day of your extension, so an extension in the example above starts on 31 January.

A fine of Rp 200,000/day of overstay is levied for departures after the last day. Long-term overstays are frowned upon and, if caught, can lead to detention in immigration jail as well as a fine and deportation. This should not be considered as an alternative to a visa extension.

Customs in Indonesia are usually quite relaxed. You are allowed to bring in 1 litre of alcohol, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 g of tobacco products and a reasonable amount of perfume. Amounts of money carried in excess of 100 million rupiah or the equivalent in other currencies must be declared on entry and exit. In addition to the obvious drugs and weapons, the importation of pornography and fruits, plants, meat or fish is also (technically) prohibited. Indonesia imposes the death penalty on those caught importing drugs.

The Indonesian Immigration Department maintains its own poorly organised website with almost incomprehensible language in the English version. The website of the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore (KBRI Singapore) provides more understandable and useful information on customs and immigration requirements.

For more information, including a list of countries and entry points eligible for visa-free entry, see the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism’s Visa and Immigration Guidelines.

Visa exemption

Citizens from 169 countries entering for leisure, business, transit or mission purposes are allowed to stay in Indonesia for up to 30 days without a visa. This type of visa cannot be extended, transferred or converted into another type of visa, nor can it be used as a work permit. Those visitors who fall under the Visa Waiver Programme will be issued a visa at Indonesian border checkpoints, at the discretion of the visa officer. Entry for citizens of these countries is granted at most major airports, seaports and land crossings.

Visitors who decide to stay longer than 30 days can additionally apply for a visa on arrival (same guidelines as below) or apply at an Indonesian embassy before departure.

Visa on arrival

Visas-on-Arrival can be issued to a resident of one of 69 countries, including the USA & Canada, Australia & New Zealand and most EU countries. Visas-on-Arrivals are issued for 30 days only for $35 and can be extended once for another 30 days at a local immigration office or visa agent within Indonesia. If you are in Bali, you cannot usually apply for the extension in Bandung. A 7-day visa on arrival at seaports on the islands of Bintan and Batam will still be issued for $15.

All visitors entering Indonesia on a visa on arrival (Visa Kunjungan Saat Kedatangan) must have a return ticket to their place of origin or an onward ticket with them when they pass through immigration (e-tickets are acceptable), or they must be able to show an immigration officer sufficient proof of the means to obtain such a ticket. This is often checked and visitors who cannot meet this requirement may be refused entry. Usually the problem can be solved with a suitable “payment” (or bribe). Transit visas are available from Indonesian embassies and consulates and may be issued at the border in certain (limited) circumstances. Often airlines carrying passengers to Indonesia will refuse a departure to an Indonesian point of entry at check-in if this proof cannot be provided.

Applying for a visa at an Indonesian embassy or consulate in advance of travel is also possible and allows you to go directly to the visa holder immigration channel rather than the sometimes congested VOA and visa waiver channels at immigration checkpoints. Pre-issued visas for tourist, social and business visits are normally issued for a period of up to 60 days visit duration. VOAs are not valid for employment of any kind, no matter what your employer tells you and even if your work papers are in process, unless the Ministry of Labour issues a special temporary work permit in the form of a letter to fill the time gap.

Visas-on-arrival are issued at most major airports and seaports, as well as at the Indonesian-Malaysian border crossing at Entikong.

Visa on arrival fees: A visa on arrival is issued for a stay of up to 30 days and costs USD 35, although immigration officials are happy to charge Rp 350,000. Exact change in US dollars is recommended for VOA payments at the Indonesian border. Usually, the VOA is renewable once for another 30 days. If your VOA says it is non-renewable, it is probably one from the old stock of VOAs and this notice should be ignored. If in doubt, ask. An extension can be applied for at an immigration office in Indonesia for an officially published fee of Rp 250,000 and it is recommended to do so ten days before the visa expires, although it can be submitted later. Processing time is usually a few days, but depends on how busy they are and whether or not the official in charge is present. A selection of other major currencies, including rupiah, are accepted and change is usually given in rupiah, often at a poor exchange rate. Credit cards may be accepted in Bali, but don’t rely on this service being available there – it is not usually available elsewhere. Note that some entry points, especially at land or sea entry points, issue non-renewable VOAs (ports in the Riau archipelago are notable examples).

How to get a visa on arrival

At the above airports/seaports, the following procedure should be followed to obtain your VoA (Visa on Arrival).

• If possible, fill in the Arrival/Departure Card before your arrival, which you can sometimes request from a member of the crew serving you. This card will be your visa application.
• When you arrive, go to the bank counter and pay the required amount for your visa. A receipt with a barcode will be issued.
• Bring the receipt along with your arrival/departure card and passport to the Visa on Arrival counter and it will be recorded by the officer. A visa sticker will be issued and affixed to your passport. The official may ask you some questions, which is normal.
• Go to the immigration counter to have your passport stamped or, if an official has stamped it, you can walk along the special cordoned-off lane to skip the counter.

As always, there may be deviations from this arrangement, especially at the smaller entry points. Bank and visa counters may be arranged together. In any case, you must apply for your visa before reaching the entry counter.

Visa before arrival

Nationals of countries not listed above must apply for a visa at the nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate. Single-entry visas are valid for 60 days and are fairly routine, though expensive at USD 50-100 depending on the country and current exchange rate. Multiple entry visas are also available, but as issuing policies vary at different embassies and change occasionally, it is best to check with your country’s Indonesian embassy well in advance of departure. Usually Indonesian embassies and consulates give 3-4 clear working days for processing; however, it may take at least a week.

Citizens of these countries must obtain a permit from the Immigration Headquarters, Directorate Jenderal Imigrasi in Jakarta: Afghanistan, Israel, Albania, North Korea, Angola, Nigeria, Pakistan, Cameroon, Somalia, Cuba, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Ghana, Tonga, Iraq. The persons concerned must have a sponsor in Indonesia, either personal or a company. The sponsor must go in person to the Immigration Head Office in South Jakarta (Jakarta Selatan) and provide a photocopy of the applicant’s passport, a supporting letter and a photograph of the applicant. If the application is approved, the Immigration Head Office will send a copy of the approval letter to the applicant.

For people arriving in Indonesia, there are several types of visas of the pre-approved variety, which include, for example, business, social-cultural, student, work and tourist. Of these, a business visa only allows work that is not paid (such as sales visits to clients), and the work visa is the only one that allows full employment and is valid for 1 or 5 years, combined with a work permit from the Ministry of Labour. Most other types of visas do not allow any kind of work, not even voluntary work, although there are some exceptions, such as religious and diplomatic visas. If you are unsure, ask the local Department of Manpower and Transmigration (DisNaKerTrans), NOT your employer, the agent processing your paperwork, or the Immigration Department, as many employers and agents do not know the law or are willing to lie about it to get you to work, and the Immigration Department has no authority over employment. As in most countries, students are not allowed to work.

If there is a delay in processing your paperwork (e.g.: because the company does not yet have an operating licence or has not yet submitted the relevant documents and applications to the government to employ foreigners), your employer can apply to the Ministry of Manpower for a temporary work permit as a stop-gap measure, you should also have a photocopy of this letter.

Most international flights arrive at Soekarno-Hatta (IATA: CGK) in Jakarta, Ngurah Rai (IATA: DPS) in Bali and Juanda (IATA: SUB) in Surabaya. Many airports in secondary cities such as Bandung, Yogyakarta, Balikpapan and Medan also have international flights from Singapore and/or Malaysia, which can be interesting and convenient entry points into Indonesia.

Travelling to Indonesia from America can take less than 20 hours and requires at least one transit to Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, etc. The journey from most parts of Europe takes less than 20 hours. While there are direct flights to Jakarta from Amsterdam, London and Istanbul, other cities require at least a stopover in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, or transit. Australia, on the other hand, is only 4-7 hours away. There are several flights from various cities in the Middle East to Indonesia. There are also short flights from Indonesian cities to nearby Malaysian cities, such as Pontianak to Kuching, Tarakan to Tawau and Pekanbaru to Malacca.

The cost of flying to Indonesia from Southeast Asia and the Pacific has fallen with the emergence of low-cost airlines. Air Asia Group flies to major destinations in Indonesia from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. Tigerair and Jetstar are the two airlines that fly out of Singapore, although not as many flights. Lion Air Group flies to Singapore, Penang, Saudi Arabia and has connections to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok through its subsidiaries Malindo and Thai Lion.

Garuda Indonesia, +62 21 2351-9999, the Indonesian airline, flies to several cities in Southeast Asia, China, Japan and South Korea, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Amsterdam and London in Europe. The airline also has extensive code-sharing agreements and this helps in providing fairly good flight frequencies from airports in countries close to Indonesia.

Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary SilkAir are full-service airlines flying to many Indonesian destinations from Singapore and have excellent connections to cities worldwide. Flights to Jakarta from Singapore are among the busiest international routes in the world.

Ferries connect Indonesia with Singapore and Malaysia. Most connections are between ports in Sumatra (mostly in the provinces of Riau and Riau Islands) and those in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, although there is also a ferry service between the Malaysian state of Sabah and East Kalimantan on Borneo. There are further boat connections from these ports to Jakarta and other Indonesian islands. More details can be found on the pages of the individual cities.

Ferries are often overloaded and every year there is at least one report of a ferry capsizing with great loss of life. Ferries have different classes of seats, with the most expensive (and cleanest) section upstairs with comfortable seats and windows for a nice frontal view, followed by second class behind in a separate room that is more cramped and dirty with less comfortable seats, and third class is usually on the lower decks and is the worst, although different ferries may have their own organisation.

From Singapore

• Frequent ferries to/from the various ports of Batam (Sekupang, Batu Ampar, Nongsa, Marina Teluk Senimba and Batam Centre).
• Regular ferries to Tanjung Pinang and Bandar Bintan Telani Lagoi (Bintan Resorts) on Bintan.
• Several ferries daily to/from Tanjung Balai on Karimun Island.
• One ferry daily, even two on weekends, to/from Tanjung Batu* on Kundur Island.

From Peninsula Malaysia

• Daily ferries depart from Port Klang near Kuala Lumpur to Dumai in Riau, Sumatra and Tanjung Balai Asahan in North Sumatra.
• Ferries run daily between Port Dickson and Dumai in Sumatra’s Negeri Sembilan province.
• Daily ferries connect Malacca with Dumai and Pekanbaru in Riau province, Sumatra.
• Regular ferries run from Kukup, Johor, to Tanjung Balai* on Karimun Island in the Riau Islands.
• Frequent ferries connect Johor Bahru with Batam and the capital of Riau Province, Tanjung Pinang, on Bintan Island in the Riau Islands.
• Regular ferries connect Tanjung Belungkor in Johor with Batam.
• Regular ferries connect Bengkalis with Malacca and Muar in Johor.

From Sabah, Malaysia

• Daily ferries connect Tawau with Nunukan* and Tarakan*, both in the province of North Kalimantan on Borneo.

Visa-free/visa-on-arrival is available at all ports listed above except those marked with *, which require a visa in advance, although there may be exceptions for visa-free visitors.

There are several cruise lines that travel to Indonesia and employ many locals, which has been a way for the locals to enrich their families. You can take a cruise and stop with everyone else at certain places along the way, in which case immigration is handled on your ship. Make sure you return to your ship at the end of such a ‘shore leave’ or you risk being left behind! It may be possible to end your cruise here. In this case, you will need to visit an immigration office after disembarking.

To increase the number of tourist visits, the government has simplified the procedures for entering the country with a yacht. If you enter with a yacht, you only need 3 days’ notice to obtain a permit for a 30-day visit, which can be extended for another 30 days. Yachts can arrive at ports in Jakarta, Batam, Bangka Belitung and Kupang.

From East Timor: The main crossing point is at Mota’ain between Batugade in East Timor and Atambua, West Timor.

From Malaysia: The only formal way to enter by land from Malaysia is through the Entikong-Tebedu crossing between West Kalimantan and Sarawak, Malaysia on Borneo. The crossing is on the main route between Kuching, (Sarawak) and Pontianak, the capital of (West Kalimantan). As the crossing is only listed as a visa-free entry point, nationalities who do not qualify must apply for a visa beforehand.

From Papua New Guinea: The only recognised crossing into Indonesia is at Wutung, between Vanimo in Sandaun Province in Papua New Guinea and Jayapura, the capital of Indonesian Papua.

Note: You are not guaranteed to be able to enter Indonesia through these border crossings, and non-Indonesians must apply for a visa at the nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate.

As Indonesia is vast in size and also made up of islands, the only quick means of long-distance travel within Indonesia is by air. The state-owned airline Garuda Indonesia is a full-service airline and is usually reliable, although it is often the most expensive option. Until now, only Garuda Indonesia could fly Europe sky due to its safety. In mid-June 2016, the European Aviation Authority added Batik Air, Lion Air and Citilink to accompany Garuda Indonesia, and in August 2016, the US Federal Aviation Association (FAA) pleased all Indonesian airlines to be allowed to fly to the US.

Lion Air usually has many flights to a specific destination and with its low-cost service (no frills). Other low-cost competitors are Citilink, the subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia, and Indonesia AirAsia. Low-cost airlines have a tight schedule, with only perhaps 25 minutes to turn a plane around after landing. Delays accumulate throughout the day, so morning flights usually keep to their schedule better than those in the afternoon. Often Lion Air takes passengers but leaves the luggage because of overloading.

Citilink is also a low-cost carrier, better than Lion Air, but has limited routes, but flies “dense/fat” routes, such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, Denpasar, Yogyakarta and Bandung.

Routes to less popular destinations are usually served by Sriwijaya Air. Air Fast, Susi Air, Trigana, Express Air and Wings Air mostly fly with propeller planes to smaller airports. If you are really going off the beaten track, e.g. to settlements in Papua, there are no scheduled flights at all and you will have to charter a plane or seek rides from missionaries or mining company workers. Sriwijaya Air and Kalstar can be categorised as medium-service airlines, which is between low-cost airlines and full-service airlines. Medium service airlines provide passengers with a snack, although some medium service airlines sometimes provide rice instead of a snack. The difference between the three classes is also the seat pitch.

Prices are low by international standards, but because they are regulated by the government, both the lowest and highest ticket prices on a given route are capped. Many airlines tend to lower the price a week before the flight if the plane is not full enough to the lower price limit – so you can try this and get a cheaper fare if you don’t have a tight schedule and don’t have to fly on a holiday, weekend or Monday morning. If you’re travelling off-peak, it can be helpful to check early and often, as frequencies are low and paid, occasionally even checked-in passengers are turned away with depressing regularity. Make sure you are at the airport at least 1 hour before departure.

Indonesia Air Asia and Citilink booking and/or payment can be made at almost all major Indomaret and Alfamart throughout Indonesia without additional fees. Alfamart is also only used to pay for Lion Air tickets. Using a travel agency costs about Rp 45,000 per ticket.

Indonesia is made up of islands, so boats have long been the most popular means of inter-island travel. Ferries can take you on long journeys that last days or weeks, or on short hops between islands for a few hours. Some destinations, such as Karimun Jawa from Semarang and the Thousand Islands from Jakarta, are served by yachts, which are faster, safer and more comfortable. The prices are higher, of course.

The largest company is the state-owned PELNI, whose huge ferries visit virtually every inhabited island in Indonesia on long trips that can take two weeks from one end to the other. PELNI uses European-designed boats that are large enough to cope with rough seas, but they can still be uncomfortably crowded in high season: Ferries built for 3000 people have been known to take 7000 people on board. This means that in the event of a sinking, there are often not enough lifeboats and could be a potential safety hazard.

Cabin accommodation classes, all including meals and private lockers, are:

• 1st class, approx. US$ 40/day: two beds per cabin, private bathroom, TV, air conditioning.
• 2nd class, approx. 30 US$/day: four beds per cabin, private bathroom, air-conditioning.
• 3rd class, approx. 20 US$/day: six beds per cabin, air-conditioning, shared bathroom.
• 4th class, approx. US$15/day: bed in a dormitory.

The “right” way to travel, however, is the ekonomi class (about US$10/day), which is a noisy, smoky, cramped squeeze; buy a rattan mat and come early to stake out your spot – it’s common for people to start jostling as soon as the ferry arrives. Pickpocketing and theft are a real problem, though.

In addition to PELNI’s slow boats, ASDP operates fast ferries (Kapal Ferry Cepat, rather amusingly abbreviated KFC) on a number of popular routes. Both PELNI and ASDP tickets can be booked through travel agencies.

Last but not least, there are also countless services offering short island-to-island hops, including between Merak in Java and Sumatra’s Bakauheni (hourly), Java and Bali (every 15 minutes) and Bali and Lombok (almost hourly).

Generally, schedules are fictitious, amenities sparse and safety precautions poor. Try to check what, if any, safety devices are on board and consider postponing your trip if the weather looks bad. Because maintenance is poor and overloading is common, sinkings on ferries operated by smaller companies are all too common and reported every year.

Food on ferries varies from bad to inedible, and journey times can stretch well beyond the timetable, so bring enough to tide you over even if the engine stalls and you end up drifting an extra day. If you have problems with motion sickness, buy medication such as Dramamine or Antimo.

Ferries have different classes of seats, with the most expensive (and cleanest) section upstairs with comfortable seats and windows for a nice frontal view, followed by second class behind in a separate room that is more cramped and dirty with less comfortable seats, and third class is usually on the lower decks and is the worst, although different ferries may have their own organisation. The vehicles are of course located downstairs on the main deck.

You may be harassed by people on board who try to extract extra money from you on dubious pretexts. Feel free to ignore them, although in return it may be possible to cheat your way to a better class of accommodation.

In some places, even smaller boats such as outriggers, glass-bottom boats, sailboats, motorboats and fishing boats may be the only means of transport available, and prices can vary from a small amount to several dozen dollars. Be prepared by checking prices and routes in advance and always haggle. Some of these boats can be hired for fishing, snorkelling, diving and tours.

As of October 2015, Indonesia had allowed cruise ships to call at 5 ports: Tanjung Priok (Jakarta), Tanjung Perak (Surabaya), Belawan (near Medan), Makassar and Benoa (Bali). This means that passengers can only choose one part of a longer cruise ship journey.

PTKeretaApi, the state railway company, operates trains in almost all of Java and some parts of Sumatra. The network was originally built by the Dutch, but few new lines have been built since independence, except for revitalisations. Maintenance quality is increasingly acceptable, derailments and accidents are rare. As usual with state-owned companies, customer service is polite but not always interested in satisfying the customer in case of a problem.

Java has by far the best railway network, with trains connecting the capital Jakarta with other major cities such as Surabaya, Semarang, Yogyakarta and Solo. Jakarta also has a line of commuter trains within the metro area. Bandung is connected to Jakarta by about 20 trains per day, and is itself connected to Surabaya via Yogyakarta. Balihas has no railway lines, but there are trains to Banyuwangi, with ferries to the island. In general, the trains pass through scenic areas and travellers who are not in a hurry should consider the length of the journey and the scenery a bonus, although some slums are built around the tracks. Theft is not a major issue in Executive Class, but precautions are advisable on all trains, especially the cheapest ones.

Sumatra’s networks exist around Medan, West Sumatra, Lampung and South Sumatra. Passenger trains on the island run much less frequently than on Java.

Service class

Please mention that all train types and also commuter trains in Java are air-conditioned (split AC is used for Bisnis and older Ekonomi coaches as the coaches were not originally equipped with air-conditioning). But all of them are not designed for people with disabilities and senior citizens. You can also buy food on every train except the commuter trains, although the quality is not very good and kind of overpriced.

• In the Eksekutif class, there are only assigned seats and you should be equipped with floor-length clothes as the temperature is usually rather low (maybe 18 degrees Celsius). These trains have paired reclining seats with footrests (and if you have a group of four, you can have the paired seats turned so that they face each other), TV entertainment (if the TV is not broken and the signal is good) and you can ask for blankets and pillows during the journey.
• The Bisnis class has similar seats to the “Ekonomi” class, but with forward facing seats, not “face to face” seats as in economy class and more comfortable seats.
• Ekonomi classes are also available for the budget-conscious traveller. Cheaper fares usually get an older bus (with 3-2 configuration) that is not originally air-conditioned, while more expensive fares usually get a newer bus (with 2-2 configuration). Both the older and newer buses have “face to face” seats.
• Commuter trains have side seats with bars and hand straps for standing passengers and can be very crowded at peak times, although they are usually air-conditioned and have women-only carriages at both ends.

Due to the relatively short travel time (maximum 7 hours), no sleeper service is offered in Indonesia.

The stations are guarded by the train police, who wear plain uniforms, but there may also be regular police or, rarely, military personnel.

Tickets can be purchased ninety days in advance, although they are usually available at the last minute. The exception is the very busy Lebaran season, when it is not advisable to travel due to the extremely high demand for tickets. Online ticket reservation is available on the official website. For all trains except local trains, you will need to present a photocopy of your ID at the time of purchase. Sometimes discounts are offered for certain lines, but you need to order them well in advance to get them. Senior citizens aged 60 and over receive a 20% discount. Make sure your ticket is correct before you leave the ticket office. You can also buy tickets at Minimarts and post offices. They no longer charge an administration fee, but they do not sell discounted tickets. Minimarts also allow payment by debit/credit card with a minimum amount of Rp50,000 and can be combined with payment for your snack and drink. As some minimarts are not open 24/7 and some cities have initially stopped offering 24-hour minimarts, PT KAI has initially set up 24-hour e-kiosks with certain banks where you can buy tickets and pay with all paper money from Rp2,000, debit card or e-money.

Ticket reservation via the official PT Kereta Api website and mobile app is only available in Indonesian. A common problem shared with quite a few flight bookings was the rejection of foreign-issued credit cards used for payment. An alternative way to book your train ticket is through the booking portal tiket.com, which has an English-language interface and fewer payment issues. From 23 June 2016, passengers with booking codes should use the check-in machine to obtain their boarding pass (12 hours to 10 minutes before departure) outside the station. The check-in and boarding pass system is normally used in the aviation industry. Nowadays, the same system is also used in Senen station and is gradually being used in other stations. With the boarding pass and the original ID card with the same name, the passenger can enter the station.

Larger stations usually have several platforms and regular connections to many cities, but the smallest stations have only irregular stops and one platform. Be sure to find out in advance which platform you need to go to. While you wait, most stations have shops and restaurants where you can buy food and drinks to eat on board. In the past, vendors (asongan) would jump on the train and offer their wares until the train started moving. This was intrusive and noisy, though certainly convenient for passengers and vendors alike. Since 2012, vendors are no longer allowed on the train, but in small stations many still block the entrances to the carriages while shouting to passengers inside. But with more fast trains, vendors are relatively declining.

Toilets vary between squat toilets or sit-down toilets without a proper seat. Most executive trains have spray nozzles for washing the buttocks and a sink, and using a toilet may require a balancing act. Bring your own (damp) handkerchief, because if available, the handkerchief may not be in normal dry condition. Toilets usually discharge directly onto the tracks, so use is prohibited while in a station.

Buses are often run by driver cooperatives or private companies (of which there are many) and follow specific routes – but they can deviate from their route if you ask, usually for a little extra. There are few bus stops in most cities, and with the exception of bus lines like TransJakarta and TransJogja (which have their own stops and possibly lanes), they stop almost everywhere to pick up and drop off passengers. The main types of buses are air-conditioned (executive or AC) and non-air-conditioned (non-AC or “economy class”), and they come in different sizes, such as the small angkot, which have no air-conditioning and are very cramped, the medium-sized metro-minis, which may or may not have air-conditioning and have very little legroom between seats, and the large buses, which range from cramped seats and no air-conditioning to luxurious seats and full facilities.

Bus maintenance is sometimes poor, but in some places, such as Bali and Kupang, bus drivers take great pride in their vehicles, decorating them and taking good care of them. In some areas, drivers are drunk or under the influence of drugs and in any case most drive aggressively or simply recklessly. Often the drivers and their conductors pack as many people as possible into their bus to increase profits, increasing the risk of petty theft and accidents. Due to competition with shuttle service minibuses everywhere, buses tend to carry too few passengers, even the buses without air conditioning can carry all the passengers on the buses, no more passengers hanging out of the doors with one foot on the step and one hand holding onto something. Many buses, except perhaps the small ones for lack of space, allow wandering vendors, beggars and street musicians on their buses for short periods of time.

It is possible to charter buses. The air-conditioned charter buses can be hired with their drivers for a tour group and, in fact, any large city bus will take on a charter job if the money is right. Indonesian bus companies offer intercity (antar kota) and inter-province (antar propinsi) routes. Inter-provincial routes usually include transport to other islands, mainly between Java and Sumatra and Java and Bali. In several cities, the government offers its own line, DAMRI, which comes in medium and large sizes and is usually air-conditioned and tends to be in better condition.

Occasionally there are reports of drivers and conductors working with criminals, but this usually happens at night or in lonely places. There are also reports of hypnotists robbing people of their possessions and street vendors selling drugged drinks to waiting passengers at stops and terminals, who then become victims of crime. Long overnight journeys are particularly dangerous. Guard your bags like a hawk. In the wilder parts of the country (especially South Sumatra), buses between provinces are occasionally attacked by bandits.

With regular service/shuttle

Mini shuttle is the newest form of Indonesian transport, growing with the new toll roads and better highways. The journey, as locals call it, uses various AC minibuses with passengers ranging from 6 to 12 on reclining seats and runs on “point to point” routes. That is, each operator has its own (multiple) departure point in the towns it serves. The most developed route is between Jakarta and Bandung, with ticket prices varying from Rp80,000 to Rp110,000 depending on comfort, seat pitch and luxury.

Regular services are usually more expensive than regular intercity buses, but are faster and have multiple departure/arrival points. Your belongings are safer, but expect extra charges for surfboards and bulky packages. You can book with the respective companies, but last-minute passengers are sometimes welcome.

Indonesian driving habits are generally atrocious and the rule is “me first”, often signalled by horns or lights, or sometimes not at all. Lanes and traffic rules are blithely ignored, overtaking manoeuvres are suicidal and driving on the hard shoulder is common. Emergency vehicles are often simply ignored because the entire space is already occupied, making a ride in an ambulance a risky endeavour. Drivers tend to pay most attention to what they can see in front of them and at the edge, and far less to what is behind their edge and to the rear. Mirrors may or may not be consulted before changing lanes.

The gaps between vehicles are usually small, and drivers have been known to pass with almost no clearance, but the side mirrors are frequent victims of such actions. Bumper-to-bumper driving at high speeds is common; practice defensive driving and always be prepared to brake suddenly if necessary. However, the most common cause of death and injury on the roads is motorbike accidents. Traffic drives on the left in Indonesia, at least most of the time. Watch out for motorbikes overtaking on the left, especially when turning left.

Renting a car in Indonesia is cheap compared to many other countries, costs start at USD12.5/day, and fuel costs remain relatively low due to the low (fuel) tax: a litre of fuel should cost from Rp7,400 for octane 88 quality (premium brand), Rp8,400 for octane 90 (Pertalite). For wealthy citizens, there are more expensive grades of petrol with octane 92 (Pertamax) and 95 (Pertamax Plus) for an additional Rp1,000 to Rp2,000. From 2000, all drivers of new vehicles in Indonesia were required to use at least octane 90 to avoid the knocking of high compression ratio engines.

To drive a car yourself in Indonesia, you must carry a current driving licence of the appropriate class issued in your home country, as well as an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) of the same class. There are no exceptions unless you hold an Indonesian SIM (driver’s licence) of the appropriate class. However, careful consideration must be given as many travel insurance companies will only accept liability if the driver has a domestically issued licence with the fully matching IDP.

Consider hiring a car with a driver; the additional cost is quite low, around Rp 150,000 or less, plus three square meals a day for Rp 20,000 to 25,000 each and optional accommodation and meals. Having a driver also reduces the risk of an accident, as they know how to get through the hectic traffic and find a faster route to their destination.

Road conditions and maintenance in Indonesia are rudimentary outside the major cities and certain tourist destinations. During the rainy season, the main roads in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi are often flooded or blocked by landslides for several days. Toll roads, which are of better quality, are still patchy and only available in large cities, especially in Java. Seatbelts are compulsory, especially on the front seat, but sometimes poorly enforced and monitored.

For a group of two to four people, a taxi may be the best choice for relatively short journeys. Taxi fares in Indonesia are relatively cheap and relatively uniform across the country. The starting fare is between Rp 7,000 and Rp 8,500 and the subsequent kilometre between Rp 4,000 and Rp 4,500, but goes up higher if you are stuck in a traffic jam (if the taxi stops for a traffic jam, it costs about Rp 45,000/hour). Despite the pricing scheme, you usually still have to pay a minimum fare for short trips, which is stated by the respective companies but is usually Rp 25,000.

The minimum fare when ordering by phone is around Rp 35,000, but some taxis do not have a minimum fare when ordering by phone. Most people recommend Blue Bird Taxis because of the convenience of booking, courteous drivers and safe driving. Blue Bird taxis are available in many of the main cities and when Blue Bird is available, all (other) taxis run as well. In the other cities where Blue Bird does not exist, some taxi drivers are cheeky, they use the meter but charge more (sometimes more than double) with the explanation that it is customary to pay more, as they mention. Ask first, before getting into the taxi, ‘sesuai argo tidak’ < sezoowhy argo teaduct> (pay the same with the (argo)meter or not).

In every major city in Indonesia, taxis are plentiful even during rush hours. Nowadays, where taxis and traffic jams are abundant, taxi drivers prefer to wait for orders by phone through a call centre or receive orders directly to the driver via EasyTaxi or GrabTaxi apps from passengers with smartphones. Passengers can select the taxi they want (with GPS) by pointing at the taxi on the screen. Only qualified taxis and most importantly the qualified drivers can join the apps and are not only dependent on the fleet brands. Taxis (drivers) who cannot join the apps usually wait in a group, while those who can join the apps are usually spread across the city, so with the apps, the taxi can pick up passengers in just 5 to 10 minutes of waiting time. Taxis are hard to find when it rains and up to an hour after the rain ends.

Uber Taxi is now operating in Indonesia in collaboration with many rental companies, although it does not have an entity in Indonesia, but nowadays it still advertises itself as an entity in Indonesia. The fare is about half that of a regular taxi. UberBlack uses Toyota Camry or Toyota Innova cars: a flag ride costs Rp 3000 and the next kilometre costs Rp 2000. UberX, which will start operating soon (from 2015), uses Toyota Avanza cars and has lower fares than UberBlack. Uber Taxi currently operates in Jakarta, other major cities and Bali. Payment is by credit card.

In mid-March 2016, thousands of conventional/regular taxis go on strike and block some main roads and toll roads to protest against online taxi apps like Uber and Grab, which cut their income by half due to competition. The government is imposing new regulations on both conventional taxis and online taxis (sharing economy) as the latter are a new phenomenon. Uber, Grab and other taxi apps must have Indonesia’s entity. During the two-month transition period, Uber and Grab are prohibited from expanding, but they can continue to operate as usual, although some cities ban their operations during the transition period.

Angkot means Angkutan Perkotaan or City Transport, but in big cities, Angkot service also covers 20 km outside the city, such as Jakarta-Depok, Bandung-Soreang, Bandung-Cimahi, Bandung-Lembang, etc. The fare is more expensive than TransJakarta and other trans in other cities, but still relatively low – around Rp2000 to Rp4000. Angkot use modified pickups as minibuses, but the seats are facing each other and can carry more than 10 people. New angkot have high roofs, which is more convenient for getting in and out. Since many people who used to ride angkot now have their own motorbike (a faster way to get through traffic jams), angkot now usually have many empty seats, and there are many empty seats even during rush hours when waiting times are less than 5 minutes.

Becak (“BEH-chahk”) is a colourfully decorated tricycle (pedicab) used as a means of transport for short distances, e.g. through residential areas in many cities. The passenger seat may be covered by a convertible-like canvas or plastic roof, and a clear plastic sheet is sometimes placed in front of it in case of rain. In some areas the driver sits behind the passenger, in some areas (like Medan) the driver sits to the side of the passenger. Some drivers in different cities have started to equip their becak with small engines.

Good communication and haggling are important to make sure you reach your destination and to avoid paying too much money for these rides. Some smart drivers will try to get more money out of you after you reach your destination, make sure you know how much it will cost beforehand. You can hire a group of becak if you are in a group or you can even hire them to transport belongings, ice blocks, food, building materials etc. You can ask the driver to take you somewhere else for an extra fee, and they may be willing to take you on a sightseeing and/or shopping tour for even more money. If you go on a shopping tour, they will usually take you to certain shops with which they have made informal agreements that will give them extra income from your purchases, or perhaps a free meal.

Note that there are no becaks in Jakarta or Bali. Instead, the motorised bajaj (BAH-jai), which is somewhat similar to the Thai tuk-tuk, serves the same function. In some other provinces (e.g. North Sumatra, Aceh) you can also find motorbikes with sidecars known as bentor or bemo (short for becak bermotor).

Becak is the most expensive form of public transport and is rarely used nowadays, except by elderly women transporting goods from the traditional markets. Young people use the ojek when transporting fish or other smelly products, or otherwise use the angkot. In some cities like Yogyakarta, the use of the becak has decreased so much that it is almost only used by tourists.

Less common than the becak and practically only found in the city of Jakarta is the Indian bajaj (BAH-jai), which is painted blue on the new models (like the colour of the BlueBird taxi), with a black roof. This small, three-wheeled vehicle is powered by CNG, so it is quieter than the old 2-stroke Bajajs, which no longer exist because it follows a replacement programme where more old Bajajs are replaced by a new Bajaj, so the new Bajajs are not as many as the old Bajajs before.

The driver sits in the front and the passengers (up to 3 small adults) in the back. The cabin is covered with a canvas roof and there is a windscreen. The doors have no windows and are half-height, but the sides and back of the roof can have soft plastic windows. You can ask the driver to take you somewhere else for an extra charge and they may be willing to take you on a sightseeing and/or shopping tour for even more money. If you go on a shopping tour, they will usually take you to certain shops with which they have informal agreements that give them extra income from your purchases or perhaps a free meal.

As with most small transport, communication and haggling are important and it is best to know the price before speaking to a driver.

Less common than the Bajaj is the Bemo (BAY-mo), which is usually painted blue. This strange and unique tricycle looks like a tiny truck and passengers get into the back where the cargo area is open and benches are attached to each side for six passengers and a passenger side of the driver, packed into a tiny vehicle (smaller than a Kei Car these days) no more than 3 metres long.

The Daihatsu Midget MP4 was introduced in the late 1950s and was originally intended to carry goods, but in Indonesia the cargo area was converted to carry passengers. The engine is only 305 cc, making it slow and only suitable for journeys of a few kilometres. All Bemos in Indonesia today are at least 50 years old, with original engine block and chassis. As it is an angkot, no haggling is necessary, but the bemo runs with full passengers (takes about 5 minutes to fill it up) from the starting point and if there are no passengers, you get out of the bemo in the middle of the route.

Horse-drawn carts, often called delman (DEL-mahn) or dokar (DOE-car), usually have a roof for the cart, which usually has 2 wheels but can also have 4, are picturesquely decorated and are pulled by a horse. These are not found everywhere, but are more common than you might think.

In some places, such as Gili Air (Lombok), where motorised vehicles are both impractical and forbidden, they are the only means of transport, but they can also be found in big cities such as Jogjakarta and Semarang. They usually follow a set route, but you can ask the driver to take you somewhere else for an extra fee, and they may be willing to take you sightseeing and/or shopping for even more money.

When you go on a shopping trip, they will usually lead you to certain shops with whom they have made informal agreements that will give them extra income from your purchases or perhaps a free meal.

As with most small transport, communication and haggling are important and it is best to know the price before speaking to a driver.

Ojek (OH-jeck) has the third highest fares after becak and taxi: more than half the cost of taxi fares and sometimes almost as expensive as a taxi. Nowadays, fewer passengers take the traditional/regular ojek because so many Indonesians now have their own motorbikes. Strangely, this has led to an increase in fares and more dishonesty among ojek drivers in the big cities.

But if you are in a hurry and alone, a traditional ojek, a motorbike taxi without a taximeter, might be right for you. Even in some remote areas, you can only be served by an ojek. The price is very high due to the bad roads and the local monopoly, but the drivers are more honest than their counterparts in the big cities and can even take care of your belongings. Ojek services consist of people with bicycles loitering on street corners or, less frequently, in motorbike taxi stands (POS OJEK), rarely recognisable by a coloured, numbered jacket, who usually shuttle short distances in alleys and streets, but will also take on longer journeys for a higher price.

As with most small transport, communication and haggling are important and it is best to know the going rate for a ride before speaking to a driver. The fare is around Rp10,000 to Rp15,000 for 4 kilometres, but negotiation skills are important and POS OJEK fares tend to be more expensive. Watch out for some Ojek drivers who initially agree to a price but then try to extort extra money from you at the end of the ride, claiming that it is customary to pay more than the agreed price and behaving in an angry and threatening manner. So far there are no reports of violence, but quite a few drivers humiliate passengers by doing things like throwing the money, and some customers who do not want to argue pay an extra Rp2,000 to Rp5,000 or sometimes more. So avoid traditional ojek if you can.

A new organised ojek (online ojek) is used nowadays by many people who are willing to pay more than a regular ojek or who are not satisfied with rude regular ojek drivers. Nowadays, even organised ojek can compete with taxi in big cities with heavy traffic jams.

In many parts of Indonesia, such as Bali and Yogyakarta, it is possible for tourists to rent a motorbike to get around. Prices are usually around Rp 50,000-60,000. Nowadays, a motorbike with automatic transmission is usually provided. Popular models are Honda Vario, Honda Beat, Honda Scoopy and Yamaha Mio, and they range in engine capacity from 110cc to 125cc. You should negotiate the price and seek a discount for longer rental period. Make sure that the motorbike on offer is fully roadworthy and that there is a current Surat Tanda Nomor Kendaraan (STNK, the proof of registration and legality) with the motorbike.

The people who rent out the motorbikes may not care whether you have a licence or not, but to drive a motorbike in Indonesia you must carry a current driving licence of the appropriate class issued by your home country, plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) of the same class. There are no exceptions unless you hold an Indonesian Surat Izin Mengemudi (SIM C), which is a sepeda engine (motorbike) licence.

Careful consideration must be given to obtaining a SIM C if you do not also hold an equivalent driving licence and IDP from your home country. Many travel insurance policies will only recognise liability if you have an appropriate driving licence issued in your home country with the fully matching IDP. A “moped” classification or endorsement is not sufficient, it must be a full driving licence.

Helmets are compulsory, so make sure you wear one. If you have an accident while not wearing a helmet, your travel insurance is likely to be invalidated or there will be serious complications if you make a claim. When driving in Indonesia, it is compulsory to wear a helmet and use headlights and tail lights during the day and night.

Be sure to drive defensively, as most road users are quite reckless and a surprising number of visitors to Indonesian hospital emergency rooms and morgues have recently been on a motorbike.

A typically unpopular way to explore what the world has to offer is on foot. Especially in a big city with all the traffic snarls and small alleys in many others, walking can be a dramatically faster and more efficient option, although the hot, humid air may still tempt you to use a taxi. However, most cities don’t have properly marked pavements, or even any at all, so it’s best to walk along the edge. Especially in big cities, only cross at the marked pedestrian crossings or use the overpass if you don’t want to be involved in an accident.

The size of Indonesia seems almost unimaginable: Over 17,000 islands that provide 108,000 km of beaches. Over 4,000 kilometers separate Aceh in the west and Papuaine to the east, the same distance between New York City and San Francisco.Indonesia lies on the western edge of the Ring of Fire and has more than 400 volcanoes, 130 of which are considered active, as well as many submarine volcanoes. The island of New Guinea (where the Indonesian province of Papua is located) is the second largest island in the world, Borneo (about 2/3 Indonesian, the rest belongs to Malaysia and Brunei) is the third largest and Sumatra is the fifth largest. Provinces, of which there are currently 34, usually consist of a group of smaller islands (East & West Nusa Tenggara, Maluku) or divide a larger island and its offshore islands into pieces (Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, Sulawesi, Papua).

Sumatra (incl. the Riau Islands and Bangka-Belitung)

Wild and rugged, the world’s fifth largest island with a population of more than 40 million has great natural and cultural richness and is a habitat for many endangered species. It is home to Aceh, Palembang, Padang, Lampung and Medan, as well as the multi-coloured Lake Toba in the land of the free-spirited Toba Batak and Indonesia’s gateway island.

Kalimantan (Borneo)

Borneo is the third largest island in the world, with most of it constituting Kalimantan (the rest belongs to Malaysia and Brunei). Borneo is an explorer’s paradise because of its untouched forests (but rapidly disappearing), mighty rivers, indigenous Dayak tribes and home to most orangutans.The towns of Pontianak, Banjarmasin and Balikpapan are among the fastest growing cities in the country.

Java (incl. Karimunjawa, the Thousand Islands and Madura)

The heartland of the country, big cities including the capital Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and many people on a not so big island. Here are also the cultural treasures of Yogyakarta, Solo, Borobudur and Prambanan.

Bali

Also known as the land of the gods, Bali captivates with its sheer natural beauty of towering volcanoes and lush terraced rice fields that exude peace and serenity. Bali is fascinating for its dramatic dances and colorful rituals, handicrafts, luxurious beach resorts and thrilling nightlife. And everywhere you look you’ll find intricately carved temples.Thousands of gift shops abound in Bali. From Denpasar to Ubud, you will find many things you would like to take home. Most of the star hotels are close to the beach. Otherwise, they usually have their own private spots on certain beaches. You can easily find them in popular places like Kuta or Sanur. If you are thinking of bringing home souvenirs, the best choice is the souvenir market in Sukowati, where you will be overwhelmed by the selection. Kuta has a wide range of boutiques and shops selling everything from colourful T-shirts, surfwear, flip-flops to creative jewellery. If you want to buy dried foods, Bali’s coffee is the most aromatic. You may also want to buy essential oils for aromatherapy to spray on your bath. As Bali is 8 degrees south of the equator, the weather is tropical, warm and humid all year round, with two distinct main seasons: Dry season and rainy season. The situation is quite different in the areas around Bali’s central mountains (volcanoes), which have several peaks over 3,000 metres high. Up here, temperatures are much cooler and there is much more rainfall than in the coastal areas. Bali’s white beaches are popular for family holidays. There are a variety of water sports, such as banana boats, parasailing or jet skiing, swimming or just sunbathing. Best known among Bali’s beaches is Kuta. There are a number of hotels, restaurants, shops and cafés along it. In the evening, the area pulsates to the beat of disco music. For a quieter evening, Jimbaran Beach is a popular place to eat fresh, grilled seafood in the evening. Sanur Beach is also dotted with hotels and restaurants. You can also visit Nusa Dua, where more private beaches face super deluxe hotels. Surfers love the waves on Nusa Lembongan near Nusa Penida. These islands are a 45-minute boat ride from Nusa Dua or from Sanur. On the southwest coast of Nusa Penida are Manta Point and Malibu Point, where divers can swim with travally, large rays and even sharks. The best dive sites are at Menjangan with a shallow reef, an anchor wreck, an eel garden and caves to explore. Nearby and still in the Bali Barat Park is Pemutaran Island. Bali offers world-class adrenaline-pumping white-water rafting on the spectacular Ayung River near Ubud. Here you can also go bungy jumping off a cliff to almost touch the river. If you like cycling, Ubud and its surrounding area is a wonderful town for cycling. There are also good cycle paths in Uluwatu in the south. Mountaineers may wish to climb Gunung Agung. Start your ascent from behind the temple or through Sebudi village. However, be sure to ask permission from the temple authorities beforehand, as the Balinese religion dictates that no one may stand higher than the sacred temple, especially when ceremonies are being held. The Kecak dance is most dramatically enacted in the open air at Pura Tanah Lot, with the sun slowly sinking into the sea as a backdrop, looming on the horizon behind this beautiful temple. The Kecak dance tells the story of the Ramayana, in which Prince Rama’s wife Sita is abducted by the ogre Rahwana.

Sulawesi (Celebes)

This oddly shaped island is home to a variety of societies and some spectacular landscapes, the Toraja culture, rich flora and fauna and world-class dive sites such as Bunaken.

Nusa Tenggara (NT)

Also known as the Lesser Sunda Islands – literally the “Southeast Islands” – they are divided into East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara and are home to numerous ethnic groups, languages and religions, as well as Komodo lizards and spectacular diving. West Nusa Tenggara contains Lombok and Sumbawa and many small islands. Lombok is the less visited but equally interesting sister of Bali and offers several dive sites as well as historical and religious sites. Eastern NT contains Flores, Sumba and West Timor, as well as several other islands, including Komodo Island, home of the Komodo dragon, and offers the unique attraction of containing tiny kingdoms on Sumba. Traditional art in eastern NT, especially woven fabrics, is interesting and inexpensive, and you can find beaches literally covered in sand of unique colours, coral and shells.

Maluku (Moluccas)

The historic Spice Islands, still contested today, largely unexplored and virtually unknown to the outside world.

Papua (Irian Jaya)

The western half of the island of New Guinea, with mountains, forests, swamps and an almost impenetrable wilderness in one of the most remote places on earth. Apart from the gold and copper mining around Freeport, this is probably one of the most untouched parts of the country, and scientists have recently discovered unknown species here.

Jakarta

With a population of 9 million, Jakarta is the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia and is a large, sprawling metropolis.During the day, the number increases by another 2 million as commuters head into the city for work and fan out again in the evening. Located on the north coast of Java, Jakarta province has expanded rapidly over the years, absorbing many villages in the process, so that Jakarta is actually a collection of villages known as kampung, now criss-crossed by main roads and highways. It is therefore not surprising that one minute you can be driving down a wide avenue and suddenly find yourself squeezed into a small street along with dozens of cars and motorbikes. Together with its many suburbs, Jakarta has become a mega-city. When visiting Jakarta, it is therefore best to invest in a good map or rely on GPS.As the capital of an Indonesia, Jakarta is not only the seat of the national government and the provincial government, this city is also the political centre of Indonesia. In addition, Jakarta is also the centre and hub of Indonesia’s national finance and trade. So it is no wonder that you find Jakarta to be an ever dynamic city, a city that never sleeps.

Bandung

Bandung is the capital of West Java province. Bandung is a great place to visit at any time of the year, as the city is not only known for its picturesque open views, but also offers many attractions worth visiting. Bandung is surrounded by green, fertile mountains and is now Indonesia’s center of learning and creativity. Today, Bandung is one of Indonesia’s most prestigious university cities.Known for its friendly climate, Bandung soon grew into a city for wealthy planters who owned the miles of tea, coffee and chinchona plantations, orchards and vegetable gardens in the cool and fertile hills of West Java. Now Bandung has become the centre for textile mills that produce much of Indonesia’s textiles for fashion clothing, linen and upholstery. The city offers a myriad of trendy factory stores at reasonable prices, a wide selection of local and international cuisine, and a unique European colonial style atmosphere combined with charming traditional art. You will probably be overwhelmed by the large number of factory stores scattered in Dago (Ir H Djuanda), Rio (RE Martadinata), Cihampelas and Setiabudi. Shop to your heart’s content and grab well-known brands, trendy fashion and much more at surprisingly low prices!

Banjarmasin

Banjarmasin is the best place to absorb the urban culture of Kalimantan, both on land and on water. Situated on a delta near the junction of the Barito and Martapura rivers, Banjarmasin, together with its neighbouring town of Banjarbaru, forms the centre of Indonesia’s ninth largest metropolis.From ancient times to the present day, Banjarmasin has remained an important port city on Kalimantan. It has an abundance of wide and powerful rivers that have always played a significant role in the way of life of the Banjarese (the indigenous ethnic group of Banjarmasin). Even today, there are floating markets every morning where farmers and traders offer their goods for trade on boats. The city’s main attraction is the suburb crisscrossed by canals, where most of the trade takes place on the water. The most remarkable of these river markets is the Muara Kuin floating market, which is located on the Barito River.The floating market is the place to watch the traffic of all kinds of boats loaded with bananas, shrimps, fish, sweet potatoes, spinach, coconut, red-hot spices and chillies, buckets of rambutans and any other fruit that is in season. With skill and precision, the traders manoeuvre their boats, which are constantly shaken by the waves of the river, and exchange goods and money.

Jayapura

Located in East Papua, Jayapura is the starting point for many travelers who want to venture into the interior of Papua.Travellers come here for all kinds of adventures. Here you can begin your trek into the remote Baliem Valley, conduct a sustainable crocodile conservation study for your thesis, or prepare to capture the magic of Lake Sentani and its culture on camera.Atop a lush hill stands a red-and-white communication tower that offers the best view of the town. This may not be the most exciting activity in Papua, but it is a good way to get your bearings and discover how big this region is. Jayapura is, however, simply a gateway to your extraordinary voyage to one of the largest islands on the planet.

Kuta

Once a sleepy village with a quiet, beautiful stretch of beach, Kuta has now become a popular beach destination, alive with tourists from all over the world swimming, surfing or sunbathing on the beach. Others, casually dressed in shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops, stroll down the main street to shop or eat at the many open-air restaurants. Back in the 1960s, the only hotel was the Kuta Beach Hotel, but without much planning, Kuta quickly developed into a meeting place for surfers and backpackers, while the upscale society preferred to stay in the quieter Sanur on the opposite side of the peninsula. Over time, Kuta’s popularity grew and shops, restaurants, discos and hotels – from the basic to the exclusive – sprang up along the main road from Kuta to Legian, catering to the ever-growing holiday crowd that included not only international tourists but also domestic visitors from Jakarta and other major cities.

Makassar (Ujung Pandang)

Makassar is the biggest city of Eastern Indonesia as well as the capital of South Sulawesi province. Makassar enjoys a central location in the Indonesian archipelago and is Indonesia’s busy air hub connecting Sumatra, Java, Bali and Kalimantan in the west with Sulawesi, the Moluccas and Papua in the east. Since the 14th century and located on the busy trade route along the deep Strait of Makassar, the city of Makassar is a bustling, cosmopolitan city with the settlement of many races and ethnic groups, Chinese, Europeans, Javanese, Balinese, Ambon and others. Makassar is the gateway to East Indonesia and the starting point for an adventurous tour to the highlands of Tana Toraja, where breathtaking mountain scenery and the unique rituals of the Toraja people await you.Makassar Island is also known for having some of the best diving sites. Just 50 km from the city, Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park awaits with its breathtaking waterfall and hordes of enchanting butterflies. Or visit the fascinating traditional shipyards of Bulukumba and the pristine beach of Bira. Having seafood freshly caught and served in various forms, both Chinese and local, are the highlights when coming to Makassar.

Medan

The booming city of Medan, capital of North Sumatra, is an economic hub and commercial centre for the region. It is the largest city on the island of Sumatra, which has long attracted residents from all over Indonesia to come and stay. Because of this ethnic diversity, Medan is known for its delicious culinary places that are rich in many flavours. Bolu Meranti is a type of rolled sponge cake with different types of buttercream, which has become one of the most famous snacks in the city, along with Bika Ambon Zulayka. Medan is also a busy metropolis, so be prepared for some traffic jams. Noise of minibuses and bekahs competing with cabs and motorcycles over space and movements in the crowd and extreme heat. Visit Maimoon Palace for a glimpse of royal heritage. Retreat to the calming atmosphere of the highlands and visit Lake Toba and Samosir Island. Berastagi, famous for its abundance of fruits and flowers, is also a place worth visiting near Medan. Have some durian fruit or durian cake, and the sweet passion fruit known as markisa, also available for sale in syrup bottles. Visit the local market and browse the many freshly picked local products. Find your way to amazing waterfalls and hot water springs to relax.

Surabaya

This city was once the trading hub for the illustrious empires of inland Java. Situated at the mouth of the Brantas River, Surabaya is now a modern industrial city, considered the economic and commercial centre of East Java and also home to the nation’s navy. Highlights of the city include the Submarine Museum, the immaculately presented Sampoerna Museum, the Cheng Hoo Mosque or a visit to Madura Island where you can experience the excitement and thrill of a local bull race. The city is also an ideal base for exploring the other attractions of East Java, including Mount Bromo, the cool mountain resorts of Malang and the natural beauty of the Ijen Plateau. Explore the culinary adventure from fine restaurants to lively night stalls offering unique local snacks. From the fresh fruit salad known as rujak, to the hearty black soup with diced meat called rawon, to the fried tofu dish called tahu tek. The most famous food souvenirs from Surabaya are the Spikoe Resep Kuno brand layer cakes, almond crispy chips, Bu Rudy’s Chilly Sauce and the latest hits of Surabaya Snowcake – a mix of pastry and sponge cake.

Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta, together with its twin city Surakarta (Solo), is the cradle of civilisation in Java. This city was the seat of power that produced the magnificent temples of Borobudur and Prambanan in the 8th and 9th centuries and the new powerful Mataram Kingdom of the 16th and 17th centuries. Due to its endless attraction, Yogyakarta is referred to as “the Asia that never ends”. This city is one of Indonesia’s most important cultural centres. From climbing the magnificent Borobudur Temple to visiting the Keraton (Sultan’s Palace) and the famous Alun Alun, to watching silversmiths create amazing jewellery in Kotagede and learning how to make one yourself. Maybe try shopping on Maliboro Street, have a relaxing Javanese spa treatment, and there are more ways to never be bored in this relatively small but buzzing city – ranging from natural wonders, examples of both local art and tradition as well as Javanese heritage to delicious cuisine. Try the Gudeg, a special preparation based on a traditional Javanese recipe. Try the Bakpia, a traditional snack with many tempting flavours. Yogyakarta is indeed a city with many attractions for you to enjoy. All this and much more to explore has brought Yogyakarta as the second most visited destination in Indonesia after Bali.

Baliemtal

Nestled high in the mountains of central Papua at an elevation of 1,600 meters, surrounded by steep green mountain cliffs, stands the astonishingly picturesque valley of Balim, which is home to the Dani tribe.The Baliem Valley is 72 km long and 15-31 km wide in places. It is bisected by the Baliem River, which rises in the northern Trikora Mountain and cascades into the great valley, then meanders further south, dropping 1,500 metres to become a great muddy river that slowly empties into the Arafura Sea. The first outsider to discover the valley was the American Richard Archbold, who, from his seaplane on 23 June 1938, suddenly spotted this impressive valley with its neatly terraced green fields of sweet potato between the rugged mountain peaks. This is Indonesia’s own Shangri-La.

Borobudur

The magnificent Borobudur Temple on the island of Java is the largest Buddhist monument in the world, an ancient site widely regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Majestically perched on a hilltop, the temple overlooks a lush green field and distant hills. The temple was built in the 9th century during the reign of the Syailendra dynasty and the design of the gupta architecture reflects the Indian influence on the region, yet there are also sufficient elements of indigenous scenes that make Borobudur a uniquely Indonesian establishment. The monument is a marvel of design, decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The architecture and masonry of this temple is second to none. And it was built without any kind of cement or mortar! The structure appears as a series of huge interlocking Lego blocks connected together to each other without the need for any glue. It was rediscovered in 1815, buried under volcanic ash. In the 1970s, the Indonesian government and UNESCO worked together to restore Borobudur to its former glory. The restoration took eight years and today Borobudur is one of the most valuable treasures in Indonesia and the world.The temple is decorated with stone carvings in low relief depicting images from the life of Buddha. Critics have described it as the largest and most comprehensive Buddhist relief collection in the world, with an incomparable degree of artistic value.

Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park

Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park covers a vast area of 800 square kilometres in the centre of East Java. For anyone interested in volcanoes, a visit to the park is a must. This is the largest volcanic region in the province. Explore this park and check out the plume of smoke coming out of Mount Semeru, which is an active volcano at an altitude of 3,676 meters.Experience the remarkable Tengger Caldera, Java’s largest, with its 10 km long barren, desert-like sea of sand. Within the caldera rise the deeply fissured volcanic cones of Batok and Bromo, the latter still active with a cavernous crater from which smoke billows into the sky. Temperatures at the summit of Mt Bromo range from 5 to 18 degrees Celsius. In the south of the park is a hilly plateau, criss-crossed by valleys and with several small picturesque lakes that extend to the foot of Mt Semeru.

Bunaken

One of the best diving destinations in Indonesia, if not the world. Bunaken Island is located in Manado Bay in the northern part of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, with an area of 8.08 square kilometers. Bunaken are part of Municipality of Manado, which is the capital of North Sulawesi. The marine park surrounding Bunaken is a part of the national park and also includes waters from Manado Island, Siladen and around Mantehaj. At Bunaken Marine Park you can meet a real “mermaid” and also get a glimpse of marine life. Visitors to Bunaken Marine Park have the opportunity to see a wide variety of exotic and colorful marine life under the sea. A motorboat could be used to get to this park. The trip from Manado takes about 40 minutes and the transparent waters of the Bunaken Sea make it possible to see numerous marine creatures.

There are 13 types of coral reefs in this park, dominated by edge and boulder ridges of rocks. The most attractive sight is the steep vertical mud coral reef that drops down to 25-50 metres. Delight in 91 species of fish found in Bunaken National Park, including the locally famous Gusimi horsefish (Hippocampus), white oci (Seriola rivoliana), yellowtail lolosi (Lutjanus kasmira), goropa (Ephinephelus spilotoceps and Pseudanthias hypselosoma), Ila Gasi (Scolopsis bilineatus) and others. Divers can also encounter molluscs such as the Giant Kima (Tridacna gigas), Goat Head (Cassis cornuta), Nautilus (Nautilus pompillius) and Tunicates/Ascidian.For those who like diving, this is a great place.

With around 20 dive sites to choose from, divers have the opportunity to swim under the sea and enjoy the marine life. Most diving takes place near Bunaken and Manado Tua, as there are many excellent dive sites there. Steep walls are marked with deep crevices, sea fans and giant sponges. The shallows are filled with fish. The wall, often sheltered from stronger currents, is frequented by bumphead parrotfish, turtles and Napoleon wrasse. You can also explore the island on foot or take a boat to get from one dive site to another. Just walking along the beach is a most pleasant experience.

Kerinci Seblat National Park

Tigers, elephants, monstrous rafflesia flowers and much more in this vast forest area in Sumatra

Komodo National Park

Located in East Nusa Tenggara, Komodo National Park is home to the unique and rare Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). Due to the exclusivity and rarity of this animal, in 1986 KNP has been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The park comprises three main islands, Komodo, Rinca and Padar, and numerous smaller islands, which together cover 603 square kilometres of land. At least 2,500 Komodos live in this area. Great kites are usually three metres long and weigh up to 90 kg. Their habitat offers beautiful panoramic views of savannahs, rainforests, white beaches, beautiful corals and clean blue seas. In this area you can also find horses, wild buffalo, deer, wild boar, snakes, monkeys and various species of birds.On Rinca Island, Komodos can be seen lying down in front of the national park rangers’ houses or “parking” near the officials’ houses. During the dry season, these savannas and hills are covered with dried grasses. You can also indulge in other activities such as diving and snorkelling. You can take a cruise ship or a fishing boat to pursue these activities. There are dive sites that are highly recommended such as Merah Beach, Batu Bolong and the Tatawa Islands.

This place has a rich and amazing underwater biotics. Divers claim that the waters of Komodo are one of the best dive sites in the world. It has fascinating underwater landscapes. You can find 385 species of beautiful corals, mangrove forests and algae as home to thousands of species of fish, 70 species of sponges, 10 species of dolphins, 6 species of whales, green turtles and several species of sharks and stingrays. The waters surrounding the island are turbulent and teem with unparalleled marine life. A marine protected area has recently been established, which is still largely undocumented and unexplored.

Lake Toba

Lake Toba is one of the impressive natural wonders of the world. This huge crater lake has an island at its centre that is almost as big as Singapore. Covering an area of over 1,145 square kilometers and with a depth of 450 meters, Lake Toba looks more like an ocean, in fact. The largest lake in Southeast Asia and one of the deepest lakes in the world, Lake Toba is a place to sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful, unspoiled scenery. As you sit and enjoy the view of the picturesque mountains and the cool, clear lake, you will feel the cares of the world melt away. Because the lake is 900 meters above sea level, it is cooler and offers a relief from the heat, humidness and pollution of the city.

Lombok

With divine beaches, the majestic Mount Rinjani and a spectacular underwater world to explore, the island of Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara has no shortage of attractions both in and out of the water. It’s no wonder then that Lombok is the most popular destination in West Nusa Tenggara. Challenge yourself with a trek up steep volcanic peaks. Hire a bike and cycle through lush, evergreen rice fields. However you spend your time, you won’t be disappointed by the spectacular natural beauty on offer.Kuta Beach in Lombok bears the same name as the famous Kuta Beach in Bali, but offers a different atmosphere with no fewer attractions. Explore other phenomenal beaches on the south coast, such as the famous Tangsi ‘Pink’ Beach further southeast, with pretty corals that make the shore blush. The amazing Senaru Waterfalls and Benang Kelambu Waterfalls offer a calming sight. Don’t miss joining the Grupuk Surf Camp and brush up your surfing skills at the beautiful Selong Belanak Beach. Join the locals of the Sasak tribe and experience their daily life in the weaving village of Sade and Rambitan. You may learn a thing or two from the wonderful women with their meticulous weaving skills who produce fine quality textiles.

Tana Toraja

Safely tucked away behind the high mountains and rugged granite rocks of the central highlands of Sulawesi, Tana Toraja is the homeland of the Toraja people.Only ‘discovered’ from their long isolation and opened to the world since the beginning of the last century, the Toraja today still hold on to their ancient beliefs, rituals and traditions, although many of their people have modernised or embraced Christianity.Toraja nobles are believed to be descendants of celestial beings who descended a heavenly staircase to live here on earth in this beautiful landscape. In order to sustain the energy of the land and the people, the Toraja believe that it must be maintained through rituals that celebrate both life and death and that are tied to the agricultural seasons. Tourists coming to Toraja are therefore attracted either by the unique culture and rituals, most of which revolve around graves and death ceremonies. While others prefer to avoid the morbid images and hike through the spectacular, almost untouched Toraja landscape and visit remote villages, or enjoy rafting on the rapids of the Sa’dan River.

Banyuwangi

Banyuwangi literally means “Aromatic Water”, which is linked to the local legend. Banyuwangi is the easternmost town on Java, and it is here that dawn rises first and casts its welcoming rays over Java, this lush green but also most densely populated island. The regency of Banyuwangi covers an area of 5,800 square kilometres and includes southern beaches lapped by the Indian Ocean to the impressive Mount Raung, 3,282 metres high, and Mount Merapi, 2,800 metres above sea level.

The town of Banyuwangi is the gateway to your explorations to see wild animals roaming freely in the Alas Purwo reserve, the oldest wildlife reserve in Java, trek through the Baluran savannah or find remote and pristine beaches on Pulau Merah or G-Land and travel to Sukamade Beach where turtles come to hatch their eggs. Mountaineers can hike up from Banyuwangi to the breathtaking Ijen Crater and marvel at the blue flames peeking out from between the yellow sulphurous rocks, cut and collected by hand by traditional miners.

Bintan Island

Just a ferry ride from Singapore or Johor Bahru in Malaysia, as well as the neighbouring island of Batam, Bintan is the largest island in the Riau Islands province and offers the perfect holiday with its high-end resorts, world-class golf courses and refreshing coastal atmosphere.

Tanjung Pinang, on the southwest coast of the island, is the capital of Riau Islands province. Besides being the centre of activity for the local population, Tanjung Pinang also offers a number of historical sights. These include Senggarang, the unique village on stilts, and a large Buddhist temple near the airport known as the Maritria Temple or Vihara Avalokitesvara. Penyengat Island, off the city, was once the seat of the Johor-Riau Kingdom and became the cultural capital of the Malay world in the 19th century. The restored Sultan’s Palace here is an interesting blend of Javanese and Dutch architecture. Here you will also find the tombs of the royal family, the fort and the great mosque Mesjid Raya Sultan Riau Penyengat.

However, Bintan’s main tourist attraction today is the Bintan Resorts, a spectacular beach holiday destination in the north of the island that stretches over 23,000 hectares along the entire white sand coastline to the South China Sea. Bintan has now become a world-class sports tourism destination, attracting thousands of people from all over the world to compete in marathons, triathlons, extreme sports and golf challenges.

There are currently ten independent beach resorts, four designer golf courses and a range of leisure facilities and attractions within the fully integrated Bintan Resorts.

To attract even more visitors, a huge artificial lagoon has recently been created in Lagoi, surrounded by new four-star and other luxury hotels. In Bintan, the resorts are: Bintan Lagoon Resort, Lagoi Bay Villas, Angsana Bintan, Banyan Tree Bintan, The Canopi, The Sanchaya, Swiss-Bel Hotel, Ria Golf Lodge, Nirwana Gardens, and more.

Southwest of the sprawling Bintan Resorts tourism area, right on its border, lie pristine mangrove forests cut by the meandering, clear Sungei Sebung River. Visitors can take a boat trip almost to the source of the river and experience an exciting excursion into the world of tropical mangroves: Observe monkeys, kingfishers, otters, tree snakes and even thousands of glow worms, which produce glowing lights at night and make the bushes glow like Christmas trees. At the same time, visitors help to save this precious, untouched environment from destruction.

In the east of the island, on the other hand, there is a long, white beach dotted with picturesque, huge boulders called Trikora Beach. This is the favourite beach playground for locals, but also for those coming from Singapore and Malaysia. A little further south is Nikoi Island, where an upscale, secluded boutique eco-resort has sprung up for those who like to stay in the midst of unspoilt nature – Robinson Crusoe-like, but with a dash of comfort and luxury. There is also a cave here dedicated to the Virgin Mary, with a small chapel and the Stations of the Cross, built by Vietnamese refugees but still very much visited today.

Accommodation options in popular destinations like Bali and Jakarta range from cheap backpacker guesthouses to some of the most opulent (and expensive) five-star hotels and resorts imaginable. Off the beaten track, however, your options are more limited. Probably the most common accommodation option for backpackers is the losmen or guesthouse, also known as wisma or pondok.

The basic losmen, which often cost less than US$15 per night, are fan-cooled and have a shared bathroom, usually consisting of an Asian squat toilet and a bak mandi (water storage tank) from which you draw your own water (do not enter or use as a sink). For a longer stay, a kost (boardinghouse) is recommended – with perempuan/wanita/cewek for the ladies and pria/laki-laki/cowok for the men, with similar facilities if not better.

Next are the cheap hotels, which can usually be found in even the smallest towns, often near transportation hubs and tourist areas.These may have small luxuries like air-conditioning and hot water, but are otherwise often rather depressing, with tiny, often windowless rooms. Prices can be quite competitive with losmen and kost, starting at USD10/night.

Hotels of sufficient quality and facilities are berbintang (starred), a room can cost as little as 30 USD. Hotels of lower rank (but not always inferior quality) are sometimes given a rating, e.g. melati (jasmine) with minimal sufficient facilities and simple breakfast.

By law, all hotels must display a price list (daftar harga). You should never have to pay more than what is on the list, but discounts are often negotiable, especially in low season, on weekdays, for longer stays, etc. Book an appointment in advance if possible, as walk-in prices are often higher.

Nowadays, almost all big cities and tourist areas in Indonesia have at least one budget hotel or can also be said as bed & breakfast hotel (usually breakfast is optional). It is usually new, not more than 3 years, but the room is rather small, no bathroom but has a good hot and cool shower, no pool, no business room but WiFi is available for pay or free, no café but maybe has a small mini market inside. Generally used by modest business people or local tourists, but foreign tourists are welcome. Prices range from $30 to $40 per night, almost comparable to those of 2-star hotels or some 3-star hotels, but budget hotels are usually cleaner, have comfortable beds and seem modern.

The most aggressive group is Kompas Gramedia Group with its Amaris Hotel (budget hotel), Santika (3 or 4 star hotels) and Anvaya (4 or 5 star hotels). Amaris Hotel nowadays builds hotels in areas for local tourists spread all over Indonesia such as Bangka, Banyuwangi, Bengkulu and of course Bali with about 40 hotels, some of which are owned by the group while the others are only operated by it. The other groups of budget hotels are Fave (also known as 3-star with small rooms), Whiz, Pop and 101, while in Papua there is the Matos group.

Indonesia is home to 167 active volcanoes, far more than any other country. Don’t let this fact put you off, however, as most are dormant and what you see is usually their topography rather than the spewing of smoke. Among the more easily accessible peaks for tourists are Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park and Ijen Crater in East Java, Mount Rinjani in Lombok, and probably the most easily accessible, Mount Batur, and Mount Agung, its neighbour in Bali.

Unsurprisingly, on the world’s largest archipelago, beaches are a major attraction. Besides the obvious places like Bali and Lombok, there are also wonderful beaches in some out-of-the-way places, especially Maluku, Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi. In a nation of more than 18,000 islands, the possibilities are almost endless.

Indonesia has some of the largest remaining areas of tropical forest in the world, home to incredibly diverse wildlife – from orangutans and other primates to the endangered Javanese rhinos and Sumatran tigers, as well as an extraordinary number of bird species. Forest areas recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites include Ujung Kulon National Park in West Java and three huge parks in Sumatra that together form Sumatra’s Tropical Rainforest Heritage: Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Gunung Leuser National Park and Kerinci Seblat National Park. Sadly, Kalimantan’s forests are disappearing at an alarming rate due to illegal logging.

Unfortunately, in more populated areas, even near forests, as in much of Java, bird species are disappearing at an alarming rate due to the bird trade. Birds are an important source of income for poor trappers, and the birds are sold to people in cities, most of whom spend the rest of their lives in individual cages. The most common birds seen are finches, sparrows, swallows and some other birds of lesser interest to pet bird owners. The various species of Burung Cendrawasih (Bird of Paradise) of Papua are mostly threatened with extinction.

Snakes are also seriously threatened with extinction in many places, due to a knee-jerk reaction to any snake: “Kill them!” Nevertheless, it is possible to see scorpions, whip scorpions, spiders, mole crickets (which make terrifyingly loud, booming noises at night), many butterflies and moths, the elusive and rare squirrel, certain species of monkeys, geckos, including the tokoke (TOE-kay: Tokay gecko and various geckos, as well as unwanted rats, mice, shrews, cockroaches, termites, and in numbers that may surprise you ants of all sizes, shapes and personalities. Indonesia is a paradise for those who want to study arachnids and insects. Bali has a beautiful butterfly park and Turtle Island. 6 out of 7 species of turtles can be found in Indonesian seawater and even 4 species of turtles can only be found in Kampung Penyu (Turtle Village) on Selayar Island, South Sulawesi.

Further east, Komodo Island is home to the remarkable Komodo dragon and a very diverse underwater world. Close to Indonesia’s eastern border, the remote Lorentz National Park in Papua has a permanent glacier and is the largest national park in all of Southeast Asia.

In Indonesia there are many beautiful diving and snorkelling spots in many different places, such as Bali, Lombok, Nusa Tenggara, the Thousand Islands north of Jakarta, Bunaken, Selayar Islands, Raja Ampat and Indonesia is also very famous for surfing.

Indonesia is particularly rich in places worth seeing, some of which are quite old and many of which still hold great significance for the locals. You could spend your life exploring Indonesia and still not see them all!

Borobudur in Central Java is the largest Buddhist monument in the world and dates back to the 8th century, and nearby Prambanan in Yogyakarta is a remarkable Hindu monument built just a few years later. You will notice that the architecture is very different compared to the shrines where the religions came from, mainly because of assimilation with Javanese culture. Both of them, along with the charms of the former kingdoms of Yogyakarta and Solo, are a popular cultural combination in Central Java.It is said that if you can touch the hand of a Buddha in one of the “stupas” near the top of the temple, it will bring you good luck, although such an action is frowned upon by the park authorities. Unfortunately, Prambanan was damaged by an earthquake a few years ago and repairs have been postponed due to lack of funds. Many sites in Indonesia suffer from this problem and are damaged by graffiti and littering, mostly by locals.

Demak, on the north coast of Central Java, is home to one of Indonesia’s oldest mosques, Masjid Agung (literally ‘Great Mosque’), and the Sunan Kalijaga cemetery. Nearby Semarang is home to several Buddhist, Hindu and Confucian temples, as well as mosques and churches, and nearby Bandungan is home to the Gedung Songo (literally “9 Buildings”) Historical Park, which contains 9 Hindu shrines, as well as various activities for families and hikers. Lawang Sewu (literally “1,000 doors”) is located at the Tugu Muda roundabout intersection (which also houses a museum and government office) and is a large complex of Dutch buildings with stained glass windows and numerous doors that was used by the military, the Japanese during their occupation of Indonesia in World War II, and before that the Dutch as a railway system office, prison, hospital and barracks. It is said that Lawang Sewu is infested with over 30 different supernatural creatures, but you must be very talented to see even one after surveying the entire site, starting from the foundations to the attic and water tower.

The Dieng Plateau in Central Java is home to Indonesia’s oldest surviving temples, some 100 years older than Borobudur. North of Solo is the archaeological site Pithecanthropus Erectus alias “Java Man” in Sangiran, Trinil – Ngawi Regency, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In such a vast archipelago, it is hardly surprising that there are some very distinct and unique cultures, often confined to relatively small areas. In Sumatra, there are strikingly distinct differences between the patrilineal Batak and the matrilineal Minangkabau, or the Sundanese and Javanesewayangs in Java, even though both are less than 200 kilometres apart! With its unique Hindu culture, Bali is home to well-preserved temples (puras) with seemingly endless colorful rituals. Among the more famous are the Mother Temple of Besakih, Pura Ulun Danau Bratan, and Pura Uluwatu. A unique temple, Tanah Lot, is located on an island just off the coast and can be reached via an elevated land bridge. In the north of Bali you will find small villages of the original Balinese, the Bali Aga (A-geh), as well as the island of Trunyan, where the dead are buried above ground but there is no smell of corpses.

Further east, Sumba is home to one of the few remaining megalithic cultures on earth. Many of the tribes there still live in small kingdoms, although this practice is gradually disappearing. In Sulawesi, the Tana Toraja region is famous for spectacular animist burial rites. Visiting the vast hinterland of Papua in the far east of the country requires considerable planning, a lot of money and a tolerance for extremely difficult conditions. However, for those who want a true wilderness experience and the chance to witness first-hand cultures that have had little contact with the outside world, it is hard to imagine a better option anywhere in the world.

Indonesia has some of the best dive sites in the world. Indonesia is at the centre of what is known as the Coral Triangle, which contains 5,000 different species of reef and fish and is home to 20% of the world’s reefs. The beautiful reef formations are a major draw for tourists in places like Bunaken in North Sulawesi, Wakatobi in South East Sulawesi and Raja Ampat in Papua. While diving off Bali is rather mediocre, Nusa Penida and the Gili Islands in the east of the island offer excellent opportunities for recreational diving and are also important training centres. One of the best dives in Sumatra is at Pulau Weh in the Indian Ocean.

Indonesia is one of the best places to be pampered or rejuvenated. Visiting a spa is a very popular activity for all types of visitors. The soothing natural ingredients and graceful massages are a perfect combination for detoxification. These vary from simply built cottages to elaborate so-called “wellness centres” in the most magnificent five-star hotels. There is usually an option to suit almost every budget. Bali’s beaches and unspoilt nature are at the heart of this activity.

If massage is your thing, there are few places that offer such high quality for such low prices. Again, this could be in a five-star hotel or under a coconut tree on a quiet beach.

Indonesia is a prime destination for travelling surfers.

The Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra offer dozens of world-class surf spots. Chartering a private boat for up to two weeks is the most popular way to reach the island chain, but there is also a public ferry from Padang. Nias Island, to the north, is equally popular with hardcore surfers.

Further east, Bali and tiny Nusa Lembongan have some great waves, so does southern Lombok, and for the more adventurous, Sumbawa offers world-class surfing.

All of Indonesia’s surf beaches are described in the beautifully photographed surf travel guide “Indo Surf and Lingo” along with a comprehensive listing of the best surf camps and surf charter yachts.

With 17,000 islands to choose from, Indonesian food is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide variety of regional cuisines found throughout the country. However, when the term is used without further qualification, it usually means the food that originated in the central and eastern parts of the main island of Java. Javanese cuisine, which is now common throughout the archipelago, consists of a range of simply spiced dishes. The predominant flavours favoured by Javanese are peanuts, chillies, sugar (especially Javanese coconut sugar) and certain spices.

Many backpackers often seem to fall into the rut of eating only nasi goreng (fried rice) and the usual Javanese dishes, but if you’re adventurous enough, you’ll find there many more interesting options. In West Java, Sundanese dishes, which consist of many fresh vegetables and herbs, are mostly eaten raw. Padang is famous for the spicy and richly seasoned Minangkabau cuisine, which has some similarities to the cuisine in neighbouring Malaysia. Both the Christian Batak people and the Hindu Balinese are big fans of pork, while the Minahasa of North Sulawesi are known to eat almost anything, including dog and flying fox, and have a very liberal use of fiery chillies, even by Indonesian standards. Tamed, Muslim-friendly versions of all three can be found in the shopping malls and food courts of many Indonesian cities, but it’s worth seeking out the real thing, especially if you’re travelling in these regions. And if you come to Papua in the far east of the country, you can expect a Melanesian diet of wild boar, taro and sago.

There are some other foods you should know about for their strong taste, such as terasi (tuh-RAH-see), which is a dried shrimp paste and has a strong fishy taste, and pete (peh-TAY), a tree-like legume that has a strong taste that lasts a long time and affects the smell of urine, faeces and flatulence. Terasi in particular is a common ingredient in many dishes, including petis, chilli pepper sauce and a range of dishes and sauces, and pete is sometimes added to chilli pepper sauce and certain dishes, although it is only available seasonally. Added to this is a variety of dried, salted, fishy seafood, including seaweed. The chilli pepper, rawit, has a very strong flavour, similar to Tabasco sauce, is strongly spiced and is often used in many dishes. A Sundanese favourite is oncom (ohn-chohm) and consists of peanuts that have been fermented in a block until they are colourfully coated with certain types of mushrooms; this dish not only looks mouldy but also tastes mouldy and is an acquired taste.

In Jakarta and Bali, as well as in some other major cities, franchise restaurants from Asia, Europe, West and East America are common, with Kentucky Fried Chicken leading the way, followed by McDonald’s. You can also find modest to expensive restaurants with specialities from Thailand, Korea, the Middle East, Africa, Spain, Russian food and so on.

Rice in Indonesia

In much of the archipelago, nasi putih (white rice) is the staple food, while ketan (glutinous rice) is often used for certain dishes and many snacks. Red rice is available, though rare. Rice is so important that it has several different names depending on what stage of the cultivation/consumption process it is at, from ‘padi’ on the ground, ‘beras’ after harvest to ‘nasi’ when steamed on the plate. Rice is served in many forms, including:

• Bubur, rice porridge with toppings and chicken broth, popular for breakfast, usually salty
• lontong and ketupat, rice wrapped in leaves and cooked so that it is compressed into a cake
• Nasi goreng, the ubiquitous fried rice; order it specially to get an egg on top, eaten at any time, even for breakfast
• nasi kuning, yellow spiced rice, the festive, ceremonial food version is formed into a pointed cone called tumpeng
• nasi padang, white steamed rice served with numerous curries and other toppings, originally from Padang but assimilated throughout the country with many variations and adaptations to taste.
• Nasi Timbel, white steamed rice wrapped in a banana leaf, a common side dish for Sundanese food
• Nasi Uduk, light sweet rice cooked with coconut milk, eaten with omelette and fried chicken; popular for breakfast
• nasi liwet, white rice served with coarsely minced chicken, opor (coconut milk soup), eggs and other garnishes, including internal organs and quail eggs, traditionally served late at night

Noodles in Indonesia

Noodles (mi or mie) are close behind in the popularity scale. A special mention goes to Indomie, no less than the largest instant noodle producer in the world. A pack in the supermarket costs over Rp 1,500. Some stalls will boil or fry them for you for as little as Rp 3,000.

• bakmi, thin egg noodles, usually served boiled with a topping of your choice (chicken, mushrooms, etc.)
• kuetiaw/kwetiau/kway-tiau, flat rice noodles, usually fried with soy sauce, but can also be served in broth-based soups (less common).
• soun, long, thin, mostly transparent (best quality), round vermicelli (“glass” or “bean thread” noodles) made from starch from beans, cassava and other sources are mostly used in soups
• bihun, long, thin, white (poorer quality is blue), round rice flour noodles are usually fried or added to certain dishes
• Pangsit, similar to ravioli, these noodles originating from China are filled with some meat and are very soft, usually served fried in or with soup, or served “wet” in broth.

Soups in Indonesia

Soups (soto with turmeric and sop) and watery curries are also common. Contrary to Western etiquette, soup can also serve as a main course:

• bakso/baso (“BAH-so”), meatballs made of beef, chicken or fish and noodles in broth
• rawon, spicy beef soup, a speciality from East Java, known for its blackish colour due to the use of keluak (Pangium edule).
• sayur asam a Sundanese vegetable soup made sour with asem jawa (tamarind) and belimbing sayur (cucumber tree fruit)
• sayur lodeh, vegetables in a soup of coconut milk and fish
• soto ayam, Indonesian-style chicken soup with chicken cutlets, vermicelli and chicken broth and various local ingredients
• opor, chicken, sometimes with certain vegetables like chayote, cooked in coconut milk soup, often served on holidays, or the liquid is added to the dish jogjakartan, gudeg
• sayur bening, bayam (Indonesian spinach) and diced labu siam (chayote) in a clear, sweet broth

Main dishes in Indonesia

Popular main dishes are:

• ayam bakar, grilled chicken
• ayam goreng, deep fried chicken
• cap cay, Chinese-style fried vegetables, usually with chicken, beef or seafood
• Gado-gado, blanched vegetables with peanut sauce
• gudeg, jackfruit stew from Yogyakarta.
• ikan bakar, grilled fish
• karedok, similar to gado-gado, but the vegetables are finely chopped and mostly raw
• Perkedel, deep-fried meatballs made from potatoes and meat or vegetables (adopted from the Dutch frikadel).
• Rendang, a spicy padang favourite: beef cooked in a curry of santan (coconut milk) and spices until tender
• sate (satay), grilled chicken, beef, goat or, rarely, lamb, horse or rabbit on a skewer

• sapo, Chinese-style clay pot stew, usually with tofu, vegetables and meat or seafood.
• pempek or empek-empek comes from Palembang, Sumatra, and is made from ikan tenggiri (mackerel) and tapioca, with various shapes (lenjer, keriting), some of which may include an egg (kapal selam), some form of onion (adaan) or papaya (pistel), steamed and then deep-fried and served with chopped cucumber in a sweet and spicy vinegar and sugar-based sauce. Some recipes taste fishy, while others are fresh. Be careful of the very inexpensive pempek – it will likely contain a disproportionate amount of tapioca and will feel rubbery.Good pempek should be slightly crispy on the outside and soft (but very slightly rubbery) on the inside, and the flavour of the sauce should be allowed to soak into the pempek after a while.

Warning. It is best to avoid raw dishes such as karedok, raw vegetable salads (such as cucumbers in cream sauce) and salads unless you can prove that the vegetables were prepared hygienically with boiled, filtered or bottled water, otherwise you may suffer diarrhoea or food poisoning. Eat dishes with santan (coconut milk) with caution as it can strain your cholesterol or cause diarrhoea.

Spices in Indonesia

Chillies (cabe or lombok) are made into a wide variety of sauces and dips known as sambaland saus sambal. The easiest and probably one of the most common is sambal ulek, a mixture of cayenne pepper and salt, with a little lime perhaps, which is then ground up in a mortar and pestle.There are many other types of sambal such as sambal pekel (with ground peanuts), sambal terasi (with dried shrimp paste), sambal tumpeng, sambal mangga (with mango strips), sambal hijau (with green chilli), sambal bajak (fried, usually with tomatoes), etc. Many of these can be very spicy indeed, so be careful when asked if you want your dish pedas (spicy). Also, sometimes sambal may not be fresh and can cause diarrhoea, so check the freshness before putting it in.

Crackers, known as kerupuk (krupuk or keropok, it’s the same word spelt differently), accompany almost every meal and are also a traditional snack, and can loosely be called puffed [ingredient] crackers, and are often large round or square affairs. They can be made from almost any grain, fruit, vegetable or seed imaginable, including many you’d never see outside Indonesia. However, the best known are the thin, pale pink, rectangular kerupuk udang, made from dried shrimp, and the slightly bitter, small and thin, pale yellow emping, made from the nuts of the melinjo fruit (Gnetum gnemon), as well as those made from cassava or fish, both of which are usually large, round or square and white or orange, although there are also smaller varieties with vivid colours such as pink. Most kerupuk are deep-fried in oil, but a machine has been developed that can cook a chip instantly at high heat. In a pinch, kerupuk made by pouring the dough in a curly pattern can be soaked in broth to do double duty as noodles – a good way to use soggy kerupuk.

What North Americans call chips and other crisps (not to be confused with kentang goreng or fries), Indonesians call keripik. Crisps are also available, but they play second fiddle to cassava chips, and you will also find chips made from other fruits and tubers, such as sweet potatoes and bananas. Keripik is not consumed so frequently as Kerupuk, and both of these varieties are best eaten immediately or kept in an airtight container, as they tend to absorb moisture from the air and become mushy.

Pickled vegetables (using vinegar and sugar), is often served with certain dishes, especially noodles and soups, and is called acar. It almost always contains chopped cucumbers, but may also contain chillies, chopped carrots and shallots. It should not be confused with pickles, which are only available in certain supermarkets and are expensive.

It is not common to be offered salt and pepper, but things like sweet (kecap manis) or salty soy sauce (kecap asin), cuka (vinegar) and, less commonly, saus tomat (tomato sauce). You might find saus inggris (Worcestershire sauce) in steakhouses, but you’ll have a hard time finding mustard anywhere but major supermarkets, and you might as well forget about relish unless you’re in one of the major cities.

Desserts in Indonesia

While desserts are not common in Indonesia in the Western sense, there are many snacks that can tickle your sweet tooth.Kue includes a wide range of cakes and certain pastries, all colourful, sweet and usually a little bland and rather dry, with coconut, rice or wheat flour and sugar as the main ingredients in many. Kue kering usually refers to biscuits and they come in a wide variety. Western-style roti (bread) and cakes have only recently become popular, especially in the big cities, but traditional and Dutch breads and pastries are available in many bakeries and supermarkets.

Some popular traditional desserts are: martabak manis aka kue Bandung or terang bulan (like a giant yeast pancake made fresh and available with various toppings on butter or margarine and condensed milk), lapis legit (an egg-based cake with many thin layers, often flavoured with certain spices), bika Ambon (a somewhat pleasantly rubbery yeast cake from Ambon, which has a pleasant aromatic flavour), pukis (like a half pancake with various toppings), pisang molen (the banana version of pigs in a blanket), pisang goreng (bananas deep-fried in batter) and klepon (a Javanese favourite – rice flour balls filled with liquid Javanese sugar and coated in shredded coconut). Also common are naga sari (literally: the essence of the dragon – banana in solid rice flour pudding steamed in banana leaves), puding (solid pudding with agar agar doused with vla, a sauce), centik manis (sweetened solid rice flour pudding with colourful tapioca balls) and some people like to eat Javanese (block) sugar on its own – its texture and taste make it enjoyable for many.

Some cakes and pastries here are served with sweetened meat sausage (abon) or a generous portion of grated cheese. A favourite during Ramadan are the Dutch “kaastengels”, a rectangular cheese-flavoured biscuit that is only slightly sweet.

Es buah, crushed ice mixed with fruit and sometimes sweet potato or nuts and topped with coconut cream or condensed milk, comes in endless varieties (“teler”, “campur”, etc.) and is a popular choice on a hot day. Ice cream made with either milk or coconut milk is very common. Indonesia’s traditional version of ice cream is made with coconut milk and is called “es puter” and is available in a variety of local flavours, such as chocolate, coconut, durian, blewah (a pumpkin), sweetened kidney bean, sweetened mung bean, etc. Although it is puter generally safe to consume, the iced fruit drinks may contain ice made from untreated water or dirty blocks of ice transported by becak, leading to frequent visits to the toilet!

However, perhaps the cheapest, tastiest and healthiest option is to buy fresh, unprepared fruit, which is available year-round, although individual fruits are seasonal. Some of the most popular choices include mango (mango), papaya (papaya), banana (banana), apple (apple), kiwi (kiwi), star fruit (star fruit), watermelon (watermelon), melon (honeydew) and guava. Among the more exotic options you are unlikely to see outside Indonesia, include the scaly, crunchy salak (snake fruit), jambu air (rose apple), rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum fruit that looks like a small ball with lots of tiny tentacles) and the spherical markisa (passion fruit) and manggis (mangosteen). A note: Avoid fruits that have already been peeled and sliced for you by a street vendor, unless you like to have diarrhoea.

Probably the most notorious Indonesian fruit, however, is the durian. Named after the Indonesian word for thorn, it resembles an armoured coconut the size of a human head and has a strong smell that is often compared to rotting rubbish or the smell of natural gas. Inside is yellow, creamy flesh that has a unique sweet, custardy, avocado-like taste and texture. It is banned in most hotels and taxis, but its strong smell can be found in traditional markets, supermarkets and restaurants. Don’t panic – it’s just a fruit, even though it looks like a head-sized spiky bomb. The durian has three cousins – nangka (jackfruit), sukun (breadfruit) and cempedak (Artocarpus integer fruit). The former has a sweet, candy-like taste and no offensive smell, and the unripe fruit is used in the famous Jogjakartan pressure cooking, “gudeg”, and can be as big as a small child, sukun is rounder and less scaly, usually sliced and fried to be eaten as a snack, and the latter tastes like jackfruit but smells faintly like durian, is oblong and cone-shaped and usually no longer than 30 cm. All three are available seasonally.

Dietary restrictions in Indonesia

The vast majority of Indonesian restaurants only serve halal food (equivalent to Muslim restrictions). Among other things, this means no pig, rat, toad or bats. This includes Western fast food chains such as McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut, Burger King, Wendy’s and others. The main exception is ethnic restaurants catering to Indonesia’s non-Muslim minorities, especially those serving Batak, Manadonese (Minahasan), Balinese and Chinese cuisine, so if in doubt, ask. Note that while Indonesia is a majority Muslim country, this does not mean that Muslims are the majority everywhere. This means that if you are in areas populated mainly by other religious groups such as Christians or Hindus, most local restaurants and stalls will not be halal and you will have to make some effort to find a halal place.

Strict vegetarians and vegans will have a hard time in Indonesia, as the concept is poorly understood and the absence of fish- and shrimp-based spices is challenging. Tahu (tofu aka soybean curd) and its chunkier, local cousin tempe (soybean cake) are an essential part of the diet, but they are often served with non-vegetarian condiments. For example, the ubiquitous sambal chilli pastes very often contain shrimp, and spongy kerupuk crackers, including those always served with nasi goreng, almost always contain shrimp or fish. (Those that resemble crisps, on the other hand, are usually fine). However, you can ask for something without meat, which can be indicated by asking for “vegetarian” or “tanpa daging dan/atau hasil laut (seafood)”. Restaurants are usually willing to take special orders.

Eating etiquettes in Indonesia

Eating with the hand (instead of utensils like forks and spoons) is very common. The basic idea is to use four fingers to put together a small ball of rice and other things, which can then be dipped in sauces before being put in the mouth by pressing it with the thumb. There is a basic rule of etiquette to follow: Use only your right hand, as the left hand is considered rude (see respect). Do not put both hands into communal serving bowls, but help yourself to utensils with your left hand and then reach for them.

However, eating by hand is frowned upon in “classier” establishments. If you are provided with cutlery and no one else around you seems to be doing it, take the hint.

Chopsticks, forks, spoons and knives are also common, although knives are rare except in high-end restaurants.

It is considered polite and a sign of enjoyment to eat quickly, and some people consider burping a compliment.

Places to eat in Indonesia

Eating cheap in Indonesia is indeed cheap, and a full roadside meal can be had for over Rp 5,000. However, the level of hygiene is not necessarily up to Western standards, so it is better to keep a low profile for the first few days and only go to visibly popular places, but even this is no guarantee of cleanliness, as cheap can be synonymous with popular. If the food is served buffet style with no heat or is sitting around in bowls or pans, it is best to ask how long it has been since the food was prepared or simply avoid it altogether or you may get diarrhoea or even food poisoning. Especially in village households, it is not impossible for a food to have been left for more than a day and rarely heated to the point of cooking. It is usually up to you to get the attention of the staff if you want to order something, need something or want the bill – even in some expensive restaurants.

There are travelling vendors carrying a basket of prepared food (usually women), or carrying two small wooden cabinets on a bamboo stick (usually men), serving light snacks or even simple meals, some of which are very cheap and pleasant, but the hygiene is questionable.

The quickest way to grab a bite to eat is to visit a Kaki Lima, literally “five feet”. Depending on who you ask, they are either named after the three wheels of the mobile stalls and the two feet of the owner, or the “five-foot walk” on the pavement. They are located on the side of the road in every Indonesian town or village and usually offer simple dishes such as fried rice, noodles, meatball soup, siomay (dimsum) and porridge. In the evening, by providing a few bamboo mats for customers to sit and chat on, Kachilima can be transformed into a Leshan snack bar.

One step up from the kaki lima is the warung (or the old spelling waroeng), a slightly less mobile stall offering almost the same food, but maybe a few plastic stools and a tarp for shelter. Some warung are permanent structures.

One of the big issues for the above three options is hygiene: where do they get clean water to wash dishes, where do they go to use a toilet (a nearby river or ditch), where do they wash their hands and how clean are they. Typhoid is a common problem for eaters here, as is hepatitis and food poisoning. Indonesians are exposed to poorly prepared/dirty food most of their lives, so diarrhoea and food poisoning rarely affect them.

A slightly more comfortable option is rumah makan (literally: eating house), a simple restaurant that tends to specialise in a particular cuisine. Padang restaurants, easily recognised by their towering Minangkabau roofs, offer rice and a range of curries and dishes to go with it. Ordering is particularly easy: just sit down and your table promptly fills up with countless small plates of dishes.

Buffets (prasmanan or buffet) and steamship restaurants are self-service options, but the former should be taken with a grain of salt (see above).

Another easy middle-class option in larger cities is to look for food courts and Indonesian restaurants in shopping malls that combine air-conditioning with hygiene, albeit rather predictable/boring food.

A restoran is more of a western dining experience, with air-conditioning, tablecloths, table service and prices to match. Especially in Jakarta and Bali, you can find very good restaurants offering authentic dishes from all over the world, but you’ll be lucky to get away for less than Rp 100,000 per person.

Menus in more expensive restaurants may be structured according to starters, main courses, desserts and drinks, but in simpler establishments the structure is often according to the main ingredient.

Makanan Pembuka (appetisers). These are usually not separated and primarily contain finger foods such as chips and other fried foods, as well as things like internal organs and eggs grilled on skewers, krupuk and trifles.

Makanan Utama (main course). Typically you will see: nasi (rice), lauk pauk (side dishes, usually containing a carbohydrate source), mie (noodles), sapi (beef), ayam (chicken), kambing (goat), ikan (fish) or hasil laut (seafood), sometimes a separate section is dedicated to certain fish, such as.e.g. gurameh (giant gourami), cumi-cumi (squid), kepiting (crab), kerang (shellfish such as mussels), udang (prawn) and sayuran or sayur mayur (vegetables). Sometimes kambing is mistranslated as sheep (domba), so watch out for that. Less commonly, you will see domba, gurita (squid), swike (frog legs – only in certain restaurants as it is haram), vegetarian, srimping (scallops), tiram (oysters) and babi (pig – only in certain restaurants as it is haram, or forbidden for Muslims). Sop/soto/bakso (soups) and selada (tossed and vegetable salads, but it also means lettuce) are usually listed here as well.

Other commonly used words usually refer to the type of cooking: bakar (grilled), panggang (baked), (the first two are sometimes used interchangeably) goreng (fried or deep-fried), rebus (boiled), kukus or tim (steamed), tumis (sautéed), presto (pressure-cooked), kendi (clay pot), cah (stir-fry) and hotplate.

Or something about the recipe: kuah (with broth), tepung (fried in batter) and kering (dry).

Or about taste: polos or hambar (plain/spicy), asam (sour), manis (sweet), pedas (spicy), asin (salty), pahit (bitter) and gurih (salty and a bit sweet, like MSG, or salty and oily).

Makanan penutup (desserts): Not every place will have them, but ab rumah makan and above most will have something. It may just be some traditional desserts, but you will probably see something familiar like it krim (ice cream) and buah-buahan (fruit) or selada buah (fruit salad).

Minuman (drinks). The bare minimum is air (water, which can be bottled or just boiled and can be hot, warm, lukewarm or cold), air mineral/botol (mineral water/bottled water), teh (tea), minuman berkarbonasi (soda or carbonated drinks) and kopi (coffee). Better places have buah, jus (juice), and various local drinks.

Common words you will see for drinks are: tawar (plain/without sugar or other additives), manis (sweet), panas (hot) and dingin (cold).

Chain outlets in Indonesia

Most chain restaurants in Indonesia have a large seating area. Most offer set meals, so it’s one of the cheapest (and usually the cleanest) options. Famous chains to look out for:

• Hoka Hoka Bento (also known as Hokben) serves Japanese fast food. (And no, there is no Hoka Hoka Bento in Japan!). You can get rice with teriyaki and fried chicken, egg roll or prawns for about Rp 50,000 or less, plus a drink, salad and miso soup. Delivery call (only to major cities in Java and Bali) 500 505
• Bakmi GM is famous for its ubiquitous noodle dishes (including its very special version of noodle dishes) and its fried wontons (pangsit goreng), although it also offers rice dishes. A good meal usually costs Rp 50,000 or less. Delivery call (Greater Jakarta area only) +62 21 565 5007
• Es Teler 77 is more like fine dining to be. Offers Indonesian dishes and is, as the name suggests, Es Teler. The dishes cost around Rp 50,000. Delivery call 14027
• The Indonesian Pizza Hut restaurants look more like a fine dining option than a fast food franchise like the original location in the United States. The pizzas have more generous types of toppings and crust, and also more options for sides & pasta. It is also famous for its waitresses or waiters who would make miniatures out of balloons for children. Apart from this, there is also a separate business unit called PHD with its own menu that is exclusively delivered in select cities. Delivery call 500 008 (Pizza Hut) 500 600 (PHD)
• Kebab Turki Baba Rafi is the largest kebab restaurant chain in the world. Hot kebabs, shawarma, hot dogs and fries at very affordable rates suitable for a quick meal.They are mostly found as food court stalls.
• Most imported mini-marts such as FamilyMart, Circle K, Lawson and 7-Eleven offer prepared meals that the staff can heat up for you, in addition to the usual food you would normally find, for less than Rp 30,000. 7-Eleven even offers a separate seating area if you want to enjoy your meal right away. Local chains like Indomaret and Alfamart have many more outlets, but are more like a typical mini-market. At best, it offers bread or salad as a ready-made meal.
• Carrefour supermarkets have an area for products such as bakery and snacks, but most people will do a take-away rather than a dine-in, although some seating is available.

The American fast food franchises McDonalds, KFC, Wendy’s, Burger King or A&W are also present in almost every mall in Indonesia. Other chains from around the world, such as the world-famous Yoshinoya, can be found in more upscale malls.

Food Caution In Indonesia

Apart from the above warnings, there are cases where food and beverages and other items (e.g. baby products and massage oils) violate the relevant laws. These violations include the use of banned chemicals, such as formaldehyde or borax as preservatives, textile dyes to improve colour, plastic bags in hot oil to make fried foods crispier; the use of expired or even spoiled food (such as vegetables or milk) that has been “rehabilitated” by reheating and possibly applying chemicals, or as a filler to improve weight/volume; filtering used cooking oil and then using banned chemicals to make it look clean; contaminating food that is not halal meat (which is against Muslim food regulations); injecting water (sometimes with formaldehyde) into meat to make it heavier; harvesting water vegetables from heavily polluted watercourses; and selling animals without slaughtering them (which is illegal). Typically, such food and drink is sold by hawkers, itinerant vendors and lower-class restaurants, although there have been isolated cases in better establishments and even in shops and supermarkets.

Always wash raw produce before you eat or cook it. It is also better to buy them from well-known and clean supermarket chains.

Tap water is usually not drinkable in Indonesia. Water or ice served to you in restaurants may have been purified and/or boiled (air minum or air putih), but ask. Air Mineral (bottled water), most commonly referred to as Aqua based on the most popular brand, can be bought cheaply and everywhere, but make sure to check if the seals are intact. Also be careful when buying from roving vendors near public transport, as there are occasional reports of people being drugged and robbed with a bottle into which a drug has been injected.

Most hotels provide free drinking water (usually 2 small bottles or a kettle) as tap water is rarely potable. Beware of ice cream that may not have been prepared with drinking water or transported and stored under hygienic conditions.

Quite a few Indonesians believe that cold drinks are unhealthy. Therefore, specify “dingin” when ordering if you prefer to drink your water, bottled tea or beer cold rather than at room temperature.

Juices in Indonesia

Fruit juices – with the prefix jus for pure juice, panas for heated (usually only citrus drinks) or es when served with ice (not to be confused with the dessert es buah); are popular with Indonesians and visitors alike. Just about any Indonesian tropical fruit can be made into juice. Jus alpukat, which is only available in Indonesia, is a tasty drink made from avocados, typically with a little condensed chocolate milk or, in more expensive venues, chocolate syrup poured inside before filling the glass. For total refreshment, you can try “air kelapa” (coconut water), which can be found on practically every beach in the country. A curiosity is “cappuccino juice”, which can be delicious or forgettable, depending on where you buy it. Sometimes there are a variety of colourfully (and confusingly) named mixed juices.

Coffee and tea in Indonesia

Indonesians drink both kopi (coffee) and teh (tea), at least as long as they have oodles of added sugar. An authentic cup of coffee, known as kopi tubruk, is strong and sweet, but let the coffee grounds settle to the bottom of the cup before drinking it. Some coffees are named after regions, such as kopi Aceh and Lampung. No guidebook would be complete without mentioning the infamous kopi luwak, a coffee made from coffee fruit that has been eaten, the beans partially digested and then excreted by the luwak (palm civet), but even in Indonesia this is an exotic delicacy that costs more than Rp 200,000 for a small pot of brew. Conservationists, however, discourage this drink because of the cruel conditions in which many of the civets are kept. But now many stalls in shopping malls serve up to 20 combinations of coffee beans and products with grinders and coffee makers for less than Rp20,000, but be prepared to stand if you drink it.

Tea (teh) is also quite popular. Sosro brand cola-like glass bottles of sweet bottled tea and cartons and bottles of fruit tea are ubiquitous, as is tebs, a carbonated tea. Inside the shopping districts there are often vendors selling freshly poured large cups of tea, in many cases jasmine, such as 2Tang or the stronger Tong Tji jasmine, fruit and lemon tea for only Rp 2,000.

Jamu drinks in Indonesia

The term jamu covers a wide range of local medicinal drinks for various diseases. Jamu comes in ready-to-drink form, in powder sachets or capsules, or they are sold by women walking around with a basket full of bottles, which they wrap with a colourful piece of batik kain (cloth). Most are bitter or sour and are drunk for the supposed effect, not the taste. Famous brands of jamu include Iboe, Sido Muncul, Jago and Meneer; however, avoid purchasing jamu of the streets since water quality is questionable. Among some well-known jamu are:

• galian singset – weight reduction
• beras kencur (made from rice, sand ginger and brown sugar) – cough, tiredness
• Temulawak (from turmeric) – for liver diseases
• Gula Asem (made from tamarind and brown sugar) – rich in vitamin C
• kunyit asam (from tamarind, turmeric) – for skin care, canker sores

Chase away a sour or bitter jamu with beras kencur, whose flavour is slightly reminiscent of aniseed. If you want a semeriwing (cooling) effect, ask for kapu laga (cardamom) or add ginger for heating.

Traditional drinks in Indonesia

• Wedang Serbat – made from star anise, cardamom, tamarind, ginger and sugar. Wedang means “hot water”.
• Ronde – made from ginger, powdered glutinous rice, peanut, salt, sugar, food colouring additives.
• Wedang Sekoteng – prepared from ginger, green pea, peanut, pomegranate, milk, sugar, salt and mixed with ronde .
• Bajigur – prepared from coffee, salt, brown sugar, coconut milk, sugar palm fruit, vanillin.
• Bandrek – prepared from brown sugar, ginger, pandanus (also known as screw pine) leaf, coconut meat, clove bud, salt, cinnamon, coffee.
• Cinna-Ale – made from cinnamon, ginger, tamarind, sand ginger and 13 other spices.
• Cendol/Dawet – made from rice flour, sago palm flour, pandanus leaf, salt, food colouring in a liquid of coconut milk and Javanese sugar.
• Talua tea – prepared from powdered tea, raw egg, sugar and limau nipis.
• Lidah Buaya Ice (West Kalimantan) – made with aloe vera, French basil, Javanese black jelly, coconut milk, palm sugar, pandanus leaf, sugar.

Alcohol in Indonesia

Islam is the religion of the majority of Indonesians, but alcohol is widely available in most areas, especially in upscale restaurants and bars. Public displays of drunkenness are strongly frowned upon and in the larger cities can lead to you becoming a victim of crime or being arrested by the police. Do not drive if you are drunk. The legal drinking age is 21.

In strictly Islamic areas like Aceh, alcohol is forbidden and anyone caught with alcohol can be punished with the cane.

The most popular drink in Indonesia is Bintang bir (beer), which is a standard lager and is available pretty much everywhere, though the locals prefer their beer lukewarm. Other popular types of beer are Bali Hai and Anker. Since mid-April 2015, supermarkets and mini-markets throughout Indonesia have been “clean”, meaning they no longer sell alcoholic beverages. However, cafés, bars and restaurants with appropriate licences can continue to sell alcoholic beverages, including hard liquor. The technical guidelines place tourist areas at the discretion of the respective regents and mayors, who can decide in which areas with small traders or “warung” 1-5% alcoholic drinks can be served/sold. These can cost up to Rp 50,000 in a fancy bar, but a common bar/restaurant price for bintang is Rp 25,000-35,000 for a large 0.65-litre bottle.

Wine is expensive and only available in expensive restaurants and bars in big hotels. Almost all of it is imported, but there are a few local winemakers of varying quality in Bali whose wine is cheaper. 30 per cent of alcoholic beverages are imported and the new tax regime for imported alcoholic beverages is 150 per cent of the base price and 90 per cent of the base price for imported beers.

Various traditional alcoholic drinks are also available:

• Tuak – Sugar palm wine (15% alcohol)
• Arak – the distilled version of Tuak, up to 40%.
• Brem Sweet sticky rice wine Balinese style

Be careful when choosing what and where you buy – homemade liquor can contain all kinds of nasty contaminants. In May 2009, 23 people, including four tourists, were killed by adulterated or possibly accidentally contaminated, illegally supplied arak distributed in Java, Bali and Lombok. In many other cases, tourists were blinded or killed by methanol in drinks. If you want to save money in Indonesia, don’t do it by buying the cheapest alcohol you can find.

Indonesia’s currency is the Rupiah (IDR), abbreviated Rp.

The largest note is the red Rp100,000, which is considered impractically large for most purchases. Other notes include the Rp50,000 (blue), Rp20,000 (green), Rp10,000 (purple), Rp5,000 (brown) and Rp2,000 (grey). The Rp1,000 note has been abolished and is currently being replaced by a coin. While the new, colourful large notes are easy to distinguish, the smaller notes and the pre-2004 large notes are all confusingly similar in pale pastel shades of yellow, green and brown, and often filthy and defaced to boot. The chronic shortage of small change – it is not uncommon to get a few sweets back instead of coins – has been somewhat alleviated by a flood of new coins in denominations of Rp1,000 and Rp500. The Rp200, Rp100, Rp50 and the utterly useless Rp25 were withdrawn from circulation during 2012. Older gold metal versions are also still in circulation. Notes printed in 1992 or earlier are no longer in circulation, but can be exchanged at banks.

US dollars are Indonesia’s second currency and are accepted by anyone in a pinch, but they are typically used as an investment and for larger purchases, not for buying a bowl of noodles on the street. Many hotels offer prices in US dollars, but all accept payment in rupiah and some that offer in USD then try to convert the bill to rupiah to pay. Many are likely to use a slightly unfavourable rate when doing so. If you pay a bill in Indonesia with a credit card, it will be charged to your account in rupiah, regardless of the currency you were quoted. Besides the US dollar, Singapore dollars and other major international currencies are also accepted for cash payment, especially in border areas.

Banks and money changers are widely available on Java, Bali and Lombok, but can be a headache everywhere else, so stock up on rupiah before heading to any of the outer islands. Money changers are very picky about the condition of the notes, and pre-2006 dollars or imperfect notes (torn, crumpled, stained or marked in some way) are usually rejected. Banks will most likely reject all pre-2006 US currency. Counterfeit US dollars are a big problem in the country and the older your dollars are, the lower the exchange rate. You will get the highest exchange rate for dollars issued in 2006 or later, and the exchange rate will drop for dollars that are outside a very narrow range of perceived acceptability. For dollars issued in 1996, there are even different exchange rates depending on the serial number. Banks and money changers in the outer islands are sparse and charge commissions of 10-20% if you can find them.

In the opposite direction, money changers will gladly exchange your dirty rupiah for fancy dollars, but the margin is often considerable (10% is not uncommon). Be very careful when dealing with money changers who are very adept at diverting your attention during the counting process, thereby shortchanging you. As a precaution, take a friend with you to watch the transaction closely. Be wary of money changers who offer good prices. They will quote you a price and then start counting stacks of Rp 20,000 notes and ask you to count along. This is a ploy to confuse and undercut you. When they realise you are onto them, they will tell you that they have to deduct 6-8% for “commission” or “taxes”.

ATMs (pronounced ah-teh-em in Indonesia) of the Plus/Cirrus or Alto international networks can be found in all major Indonesian cities as well as tourist destinations, although charging approximately $2 per transaction. Each withdrawal depends on the machine, maximum 15 pieces or 30 pieces of paper money. The limit for debit card withdrawals depends on the bank, usually Rp 10 million or Rp 15 million, including merchant withdrawals for one day. ATMs are stocked with Rp 50,000 notes (there is often a sticker on the ATM) or Rp 100,000 notes, but larger notes can be harder to share, especially in rural, non-touristy areas. For ATM withdrawals with a credit card, the limit depends on the bank issuer. During the domestic tourist season, there can be heavy traffic congestion, so some ATMs may run out of cash and wait for replenishment.

Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, but American Express can be problematic. For smaller establishments, surcharges of 2-5% over cash are common. Be careful when using it, cloning and fraud are a big problem in Indonesia.

Life in Indonesia is cheap as long as you are willing to live like an Indonesian. For example, Rp 12,000 will get you a meal on the street or a pack of cigarettes, 3 km in a taxi or three bottles of water. Always insist on using the taxi meter, and on the rare occasions when there isn’t one, look closely, it may be there but inconspicuously covered up. A tourist is often encouraged to negotiate the price. Avoid this, but if there is no other option, try to get at least 50%-70% of the original price.

Fancy restaurants, hotels and the like charge 10% state sales tax plus a variable service charge. This may be marked with “++” after the price or simply written in tiny letters at the bottom of the menu.

Tipping is not common everywhere in Indonesia. You will notice that some areas and businesses discourage it, while others encourage it or there is a neutral view on it. In popular tourist areas, especially Java and Bali, tipping is often encouraged. Tipping is certainly not compulsory in Indonesia, but if you feel you want to reward the person who helped you because they did a great job or went the extra mile, consider it if it is not openly discouraged. You can try asking people, but you may not get a clear answer.

It is up to your judgment to decide how much you will give, Rp10,000 could actually buy a meal in this country, and in many professions, many people struggle . Generally, Indonesians do not tip themselves unless the service was exemplary. If you do tip, make sure you give it directly to the person concerned, usually this is done by handing over the money folded and in a slightly cupped right hand and placing it directly in your own hand. This is done without embellishment, as if it were a quick, light handshake, and usually without announcement, watch out for the locals, it is usually quite a discreet exchange.

In some cultures it is also common to refuse something a few times (3 is a common number) before accepting it, but there are cultural nuances that will tell you if it is politeness or a refusal of a tip.

Finally, remember that some people deliberately tell stories about how hard their life is in order to get a tip. If the person offered these stories with little or no prompting and was quite detailed, you should be careful.

While in the West most commercial places close on Sunday, this is not the case in Indonesia. Most visitors come on weekends (and national holidays). So if you plan to visit Indonesian malls and shopping centres, weekdays (Monday to Friday) are the best time. Midnight shopping with discounts is also common in some of the more than 100 malls/plazas in Jakarta, one of the most populous shopping centres in the world. Almost all original, high-end branded goods can be found in the luxury and large shopping malls, where prices are comparable to those in Singapore. Tanah Abang is the largest textile and clothing shop in Southeast Asia, attracting Africans and people from the Middle East who buy by the package (usually 20 pieces for one variety). ITC in Mangga Dua, Jakarta has more quality clothes and you can either buy in one piece or in a package. Malaysians flock to Bandung for more conservative and Islamic designs.

Shopping centres and shops usually open at 09:00 or 10:00, and street shops (and traditional markets) open as early as 06:00; both close at around 21:00-22:00, 7 days a week. Traditional markets open in the morning and end at midday, but are also open 7 days a week. Twenty-four-hour shops such as mini-markets are common in the larger towns and some built-up regional areas. Notable exceptions are Idul-Fitri (Lebaran, festival marking the end of Ramadan), when most shops close or open up to two or three days later (although this is probably less true in non-Muslim majority areas such as North Sulawesi and Bali), and Indonesian Independence Day on 17 August. To a lesser extent, this also applies to Christmas, especially in Christian-majority areas (North Sulawesi and parts of North Sumatra) and Chinese-majority areas (such as Glodok or Mangga Dua in Jakarta), as a large number of Indonesian Chinese living in major cities are Christian.

Haggling over prices is the norm in most places, even in seemingly nice shops, so be prepared to negotiate. If you think you’re getting a good price based on what you would pay at home – you’re probably paying too much. Try an initial counter offer of 50-70% on what they are offering and then work from there. Clever sellers will ask YOU to start bidding, which puts you at a disadvantage. You can always try to walk away to see if they will cooperate and give you a better price. However, haggling is usually not allowed in supermarkets and expensive shops unless you are buying something very expensive, such as electronics or a car.

Multicultural Indonesia celebrates a variety of religious holidays and festivals, but most celebrations are effectively confined to small areas (e.g. the Hindu festivals on Bali). All Indonesians, regardless of religion, get a day off on these holidays:

• 1 January: New Year’s Day (Tahun Baru Masehi)
• A day between mid-January and mid-February: Tahun Baru Imlek (Chinese New Year). The festivals are mainly confined to Chinese-populated areas
• One day in March: Nyepi (Hindu New Year). It is not advisable to be in Bali on this day. The whole island is closed on this day, even the airport and the ports. Non-observers are at least advised not to be outdoors.
• A Friday in March or April: Wafat Isa Al-Masih (Good Friday). The Catholic communities on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara perform the Stations of the Cross before this day. It is advisable to travel to this area.
• 1 May: Hari Buruh Internasional (International Labour Day)
• A Thursday in May: Kenaikan Isa Al-Masih (Ascension Day)
• A day in May or June: Waisak (Vesak Day). Some Buddhist monks lead a pilgrimage to the infamous Borobudur temple.
• 17 August: Hari Kemerdekaan (Independence Day). Raising of the flag at home and in most communities, traditional Indonesian games with prizes!
• 25 December: Hari Natal (Christmas Day)

(Muslim holidays can be moved back by 11 days each year):

• Tahun Baru Hijiriah (Islamic New Year)
• Maulid Nabi (Birth of the Prophet Muhammad)
• Isra Miraj (Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad)
• 2 days holiday Idul Fitri (Eid, end of the 30-day fasting period Ramadhan)

Note that the government also makes up to 6-7 days in a row (including Sunday and the Eid holidays) each year. The rule of thumb is a few days before and after the Eid holidays or the day between two holidays, so 3 days off.

The most important time of the year is the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. During this period of 30 lunar days, Muslims refrain from bringing anything to their lips (food, drink, smoking and even medicine) between sunrise and sunset. People get up early to eat enough for the day before sunrise (sahur), go to work late and leave early to be back home in time to break the fast (buka puasa) at sunset. Generally, this activity usually begins with a snack of something sweet, which is followed by a complete and snack until bedtime. In theory, people are not supposed to overeat during this time, as the point of fasting is to experience what it is like to be extremely poor, but some Muslims do not comply. Non-Muslims, as well as travelling (musafir), sick or menstruating and engaged in heavy labour (buruh or kuli) Muslims are exempt from fasting, but it is polite not to eat or drink in public.

Many restaurants close, but those that remain open during fasting keep a low profile, often with curtains covering the windows, but in strictly Islamic areas vendors close completely and do not open until 4pm. All forms of nightlife, including bars, nightclubs, karaoke and massage parlours, usually close at midnight, and (especially in more pious areas) some choose to remain closed altogether. Business travellers will notice that things move even slower than usual, and especially towards the end of the month, many people will take holidays. When you are hanging out with Indonesians, they might not say anything out of courtesy if you eat or drink in front of them, however, you really should at least ask permission first and avoid it if possible except when it is openly and clearly requested.

The highlight at the end of the month is the two days of Idul Fitri (Indonesian: Lebaran), when pretty much the whole country takes a week or two off to go home and visit family, in a ritual known locally as Mudik, meaning “going home”. This is the few time of year when Jakarta has no traffic jams, but the rest of the country does, with all means of transport packed and travel time can easily be three times the norm. All government offices (including embassies) and many shops close for a week or even two, and travel in Indonesia is best avoided if at all possible. Most, if not all, shops are closed on this holiday, and many that do open start late due to Eid al-Fitr prayers.

On the whole, apart from the street vendors and touts, Indonesians are polite people (if not exactly what you’re used to), and adopting a few local conventions will make your stay much easier.

• A general tip for getting along in Indonesia is that in Indonesian culture it is extremely important to save face. If you get into an argument with someone, forget about trying to “win” or argue and blame the person. You will get better results if you always remain polite and humble, never raise your voice, smile and ask the person to find a solution to the problem. Rarely, if ever, is it appropriate to try to blame or accuse. However, if someone is clearly corrupt or obstructive, a letter or phone call to or meeting with someone higher up can fix the problem. How far up you need to go is variable.
• It is best to speak diplomatically. Do not criticise the 6 state-recognised religions and do not make statements that could be interpreted as an attempt to exert political influence. Similarly, defamatory statements (even if true) about local businesses should be avoided. It is a well-known fact that in court it has nothing to do with the letter of the law, but with who bribes the judges the most. In other words, you should not be confrontational with the locals – they will only consider you rude and you will not be respected or noticed.
• Smile and nod your head or greet people as you walk around – if you don’t, you will be cast in a dubious light and seen as rude or stuck-up. Consider a few factors, however, because smiling is also often used in normal circumstances to hide embarrassment, sadness, anger, confusion and other emotions.
• When you meet someone, whether for the first time ever or just the first time that day, it is customary to shake hands – but in Indonesia this is not a knuckle crunching, just a light touching of the palms, often followed by bringing the hand close to the chest. Meetings often begin and end with everyone shaking hands with everyone. However, do not try to shake hands with a Muslim woman unless she offers her hand first. It is respectful to bow slightly (not a full bow) when greeting someone who is older or in a position of authority.
• Never use your left hand for anything! It is considered very rude as Muslims use their left hand to wash their privates after going to the toilet. This is especially true when you are shaking someone’s hand or handing them something. It can be hard to get used to, especially if you are left-handed. Although occasionally there are special greetings which are given with both hands. If you are forced to hand something to someone with your left hand, you should apologise: “Maaf, tangan kiri,” (excuse me for using my left hand).
• Avoid touching a person’s head, as it is considered a sacred part of the body in some cultures. Do not point your finger at someone, but use your right thumb or a fully open hand. Do not stand or sit with your arms folded or on your hips as this is a sign of anger or hostility.
• Take your shoes off outside before entering a house, unless the owner explicitly allows you to leave them on. Even then, it might be more polite to take them off. Don’t put your feet up when sitting and don’t try to show the bottom of your feet to anyone – this is considered rude. Don’t walk in front of people, walk behind them. If others are sitting while you walk around them, it is customary to bow slightly and lower one hand to ‘cut’ through the crowd; avoid standing upright.
• And if it all seems terribly complicated, don’t worry too much about it – Indonesians are a laid-back bunch and don’t expect foreigners to know or understand the finer points of local etiquette. If you wonder about a person’s reaction or see a strange gesture that you don’t understand, they will appreciate it if you ask them directly (later casually, kindly and humbly) rather than ignoring it. Generally, such a question is more than an apology; it shows trust.
• Do not assume that everyone has the same opinion about the Soeharto regime as you do. While many people criticise this era for corruption, dictatorship and racism, especially towards Chinese Indonesians, many still praise it for economic growth, stability and cheap prices for products. It is better to judge the opinion of the speaker before approaching the subject.
• Don’t be surprised if some locals interact with foreigners, especially those of European descent, in a way that can be taken as “rude and over the top”. They might call you a “bule” (literally: albino) and do things like stare at you constantly, take photos with you, greet you laughing and then ask you questions to some extent. You may also see some form of astonishment or amusement because they are doing something they assume you are not doing. This is not meant as an insult, but as a form of curiosity.
• A few Buddhist and Hindu temples and houses may have a swastika somewhere. They are religious symbols, not a form of anti-Semitism or support for Nazism.

Indonesia is a conservative country and modest clothing is advisable. In most Bali and Lombok beaches, locals are used to foreigners parading around in bikinis (never topless or nude), however elsewhere women are advised to keep their legs and cleavage covered and act as locals do when bathing. Covering the hair is unnecessary, although it is encouraged in Aceh. Wearing shorts or miniskirts is unlikely to cause real offence, but such clothing is sometimes associated with sex workers. Men can also gain respect by wearing a long-sleeved collared shirt and trousers when dealing with the bureaucracy; a tie is not usually worn in Indonesia.

Indonesia has about 300 ethnic groups, each with a cultural identity developed over centuries and influenced by Indian, Arab, Chinese and European sources. Traditional Javanese and Balinese dances, for example, incorporate aspects of Hindu culture and mythology, as do wayang kulit (shadow puppet) performances.

Textiles such as batik, ikat, ulos and songket are produced throughout Indonesia in different styles depending on the region. In October 2009, Indonesian batik was recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and declared a National Costume. Currently, Indonesia has 7 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage objects, including wayang puppet theatre, Indonesian kris, batik and angklung.

Woodcarving traditions exist in many parts of the country, with exceptional examples in Jepara in Central Java, Bali and Asmat. Traditional carpentry, masonry, stone and woodworking techniques and decorations are also widespread in Indonesian vernacular architecture, and numerous traditional house styles have been developed. There is a great diversity of traditional houses and settlements among Indonesia’s several hundred ethnic groups, each with their unique history.The popularity of the Indonesian film industry peaked in the 1980s and dominated cinemas in Indonesia, although it declined significantly in the early 1990s. Between 2000 and 2005, the number of Indonesian films released annually increased steadily.

Its architecture is a reflection of the variety of cultures that have influenced Indonesia as a whole. The invaders, the colonizers, the missionaries, the merchants, and the traders have all brought with them cultural changes which have had a deep impact on both architectural styles and techniques. While the most dominant influences on Indonesian architecture are traditionally Indian, Chinese, Arabic, and European architectural impacts have also been significant.

Indonesia’s traditional houses have been the center of a web with customs, and social relationships, as well as traditional laws, taboos, myths, and religions that hold local villagers together. The house forms the centre of the family and its community and is the starting point for many activities of its inhabitants. Traditional houses occupy a prominent position in society based on their social significance.

Examples of Indonesian vernacular architecture, including Tongkonan of the Toraja, Rumah Gadang and Rangkiang of the Minangkabau, Pendopo pavilion in Javanese style with Joglo style roof, longhouses of the Dayak, various Malay houses, Balinese houses and temples, and various styles of Lumbung (rice barns).

Music in Indonesia predates historical records. Various indigenous Indonesian tribes incorporate chants and songs accompanied by musical instruments into their rituals. Typical Indonesian instruments have included angklung, kacapi suling, siteran, gong, gamelan, degung, gong kebyar, bumbung, talempong, kulintang and sasando.

The diverse world of Indonesian musical genres is the result of the people’s musical creativity and subsequent cultural encounters with foreign musical influences in the archipelago. In addition to distinct indigenous musical forms, several genres can trace their origins to foreign influences, such as gambus and qasidah from Middle Eastern Islamic music, keroncong from Portuguese influences, and dangdut – one of the most popular musical genres in Indonesia – with notable influence from Hindi music as well as Malay orchestras.

Today, the Indonesian music industry enjoys nationwide popularity. Thanks to the shared culture and understandable language between Indonesian and Malay, Indonesian music also enjoys regional popularity in neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. However, the overwhelming popularity of Indonesian music in Malaysia had alarmed the Malaysian music industry. In 2008, the Malaysian music industry called for the restriction of Indonesian songs on Malaysian radio programmes.

Traditional dances in Indonesia reflect the rich diversity of the Indonesian people. The dance traditions in Indonesia, such as Javanese, Sundanese, Minangkabau, Balinese, Malay, Acehnese and many other dances are ancient traditions, but also vibrant and dynamic traditions. Several royal houses, the istanas and keratons, still survive in some parts of Indonesia and have become a haven for cultural preservation. The obvious difference between court dance and ordinary folk dance traditions is most evident in Javanese dance. Courtly traditions are also found in Balinese and Malay courts, which usually convey sophistication and prestige. Both Java and Bali have deeper roots in their Hindu-Buddhist heritage, in contrast to Sumatra’s courtly culture, which, along with the remnants of the Sultanate of Aceh and Palembang, are more influenced by Islamic culture.

Dances in Indonesia have their origins in rituals and religious cults, according to many scholars. Such dances are usually based on rituals such as the war dances, the dance of the medicine men, the dance to summon rain or agricultural rituals such as the Hudoq dance ritual of the Dayak. In Bali, dances have become an integral part of Hindu Balinese rituals. Sacred ritual dances are only performed in Balinese temples, such as the sacred Sanghyang dedari and the Barong dance.

The folk dance of the common people is more about social function and entertainment value than ritual. The Javanese ronggeng and the Sundanese jaipongan are the best examples of these folk dance traditions. Both are social dances that serve entertainment rather than ritual. Randai is a folk theatre tradition of the Minangkabau people that includes dance, music, song, drama and the martial art of silat. Certain traditional folk dances have evolved into mass dances with simple but structured steps and movements, such as the Poco-poco dance from Minahasa and the Sajojo dance from Papua.

Sports in Indonesia are generally male-oriented and spectator sports are often associated with illegal gambling. The most popular sports are badminton and football. Indonesian players have won the Thomas Cup (the men’s badminton world team championship) thirteen of the twenty-six times it has been held since 1949, as well as numerous Olympic medals since the sport was granted full Olympic status in 1992. Indonesian women have won the Uber Cup, the female equivalent of the Thomas Cup, three times, in 1975, 1994 and 1996. Liga Super Indonesia is the leading football club league in the country.

On the international stage, Indonesia had limited success, although in 1938 it became the first Asian team to qualify for the FIFA World Cup as the Dutch East Indies. In 1956, the football team participated in the Olympic Games and played out a hard-fought draw against the Soviet Union. At the continental level, Indonesia once won the bronze medal in football at the 1958 Asian Games. Indonesia’s first appearance in the Asian Cup was in 1996. The Indonesian national team qualified for the AFC Asian Cup in 2000, 2004 and 2007, but failed to reach the next round.

Basketball has a long history in Indonesia and was part of the first Indonesian national games in 1948.Boxing is a popular martial arts spectacle in Indonesia. In racing, Indonesia has the first Indonesian to compete in Formula 1, Rio Haryanto.

Pencak Silat is an Indonesian martial art and was included in the Southeast Asian Games in 1987, with Indonesia emerging as one of the leading forces in the sport. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia is one of the major sporting powers, having won the Southeast Asian Games 10 times since 1977.

Media freedom in Indonesia increased significantly after the end of President Suharto’s rule. During this time, the now-disbanded Ministry of Information monitored and controlled the domestic media and restricted foreign media. The television market includes ten national commercial stations and provincial stations that compete with the public TVRI. Private radio stations broadcast their own news and foreign stations provide programmes. The number of internet users was reported at 25 million in 2008, and internet usage was estimated at 12.5% in September 2009. 30 million mobile phones are sold annually in Indonesia, 27 % of which are local brands.

Indonesian cuisine is one of the most vibrant and colourful cuisines in the world, full of intense flavours. It is diverse, partly because Indonesia is made up of some 6,000 populated islands out of a total of 18,000 islands in the world’s largest archipelago, and more than 300 ethnic groups call Indonesia home. There are many regional cuisines, often based on indigenous culture and foreign influences such as Chinese, European, Middle Eastern and Indian models. Rice is the main staple food and is served with side dishes of meat and vegetables. Spices (especially chilli), coconut milk, fish and chicken are basic ingredients.

Some popular Indonesian dishes such as nasi goreng, gado-gado, sate and soto are ubiquitous in the country and are considered national dishes. However, the official national dish of Indonesia is Tumpeng, which was selected in 2014 by the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Industries as the dish that combines the diversity of Indonesia’s different culinary traditions. Another popular Indonesian dish is Rendang, which is one of the many Minangkabau cuisines along with Dendeng and Gulai.

In 2011, rendang was voted “Worlds Most Delicious Food” by CNN. Rendang is made from beef that is slowly cooked with coconut milk and a mixture of lemongrass, galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chillies, then braised for a few hours to make it tender and tasty. Another fermented food like oncom, which is similar to tempeh in some ways but uses a variety of bases (not just soy) created by different mushrooms, and is especially popular in West Java.

Indonesia has been and continues to be hit by all sorts of plagues: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, terrorism, civil wars, plane crashes, corruption and crime all make the headlines with depressing regularity. However, it is important to keep a sense of proportion and remember the size of Indonesia: a tsunami in Aceh will not cause the slightest ripple along the beaches of Bali, while street battles in restless Central Sulawesi would be irrelevant among the jungles of Papua.

Unlike many other Southeast Asian countries, scams are relatively rare, especially in the less touristy areas. However, be equipped with common sense as this practice can be common in places with a large influx of foreign visitors, such as Bali.

Crime in Indonesia

The crime rate has increased in recent years, but fortunately it remains mostly non-violent and firearms are rare. Robberies, thefts and pickpocketing are common in Indonesia, especially in markets, on public transport and at pedestrian crossings. Avoid flashing jewellery, gold watches, MP3 players or large cameras. Thieves have been known to steal laptops, PDAs and mobile phones at internet hotspots.

Crime is rampant in local and long-distance public transport (buses, trains, boats). Do not accept drinks from strangers as they may be laced with drugs. Choose your taxis carefully in cities (hotel taxis are often best), lock the doors when inside and avoid using mobile phones, MP3 players, PDAs or laptops at traffic lights or in traffic jams.

Do not put valuable items in checked baggage as they may be stolen by baggage handlers. Do not leave valuable items in an empty hotel room and use the hotel’s locker instead of the room safe. Do not withdraw large amounts of cash from banks or ATMs. Guard your belongings carefully and consider carrying a money clip instead of a wallet.

Corruption in Indonesia

Indonesia is notorious for corruption. Officals sometimes can ask for uang suap (bribes), tips, or “gifts” – Indonesian phrases are uang kopi or uang rokok, meaning literally “coffee money” and “cigarette money” – in order to boost up their meager wages. Acting as if you don’t understand them sometimes might actually work. Some officials have been known to ask for furniture or anything your company sells, or for “blue” films. Even members of the Ministry of Religion have been known to extort money from newly married couples of mixed nationalities. In general, be polite, smile, ask for an official receipt for all the “fees” you are supposed to pay, more politeness and more smiles and there will be no problems. Keep calm and be patient. If you feel you have been overcharged, you should write a polite letter of complaint or request to the person’s boss. Many expatriates have done this with positive results, including a formal apology and refund of the money, and some offices will expedite the matter for you in the future just to avoid another loss of face. Even if you are dealing with immigration or the police, for example, it is best to know all the laws that affect you and bring a photocopy with you. It is not uncommon for them not to know, or at least pretend to know, the laws that directly affect them, and some have the audacity to throw a thick book of laws on the table and demand that you show them the law you are referring to.

Standard payment rate for minor offenses ( not carrying passport, losing exit card, small or imaginary traffic violations) are 50,000 Rp. It is common for the police to ask for silly amounts at first or threaten you with going to the station, but stay calm and they will be more reasonable. Also note that if your taxi/bus/car driver is pulled over, a fine or bribe is not your problem and it is best not to get involved. (If it is clear that the police acted unreasonably, your driver will certainly not mind if you compensate him afterwards).

A single bribe can lead to a seemingly never-ending chain of demands, even if all you wanted to do was give a thank-you gift. Many government officials still consider it their right to receive such money and feel not an ounce of shame or guilt; indeed, they can be outrageously brazen if you fall for them. Just say no.

Carrying identification papers is important. However, it is recommended that if an officer on the street asks for your passport, for example, you present a photocopy instead. Some officials have been known to hold documents hostage to make sure they do what they want you to do.

Civil wars and terrorism in Indonesia

There are a number of provinces in Indonesia in which separatist organizations have taken up armed struggle, particularly in Aceh and Papua. But in 2005, after the 2004 tsunami, Aceh agreed to be a special region of Indonesia with its Sharia law and Aceh is like a state but not a country. Moreover, in Maluku, the central part of Sulawesi, sectarian clashes between Sunnis and Shiites or Ahmadiyyas, as well as between the local population and transmigrants from Java/Madura, occur frequently. Violent demonstrations are common during elections in Indonesia, and the Indonesian military has also been known to use violence against protesting crowds. Watch the breaking news for updates as conflict breaks out. In 2015, general elections are held on the same day in many areas and open campaigning is being reduced to cut costs, reducing tensions.

Although most demonstrations and riots take place in Jakarta, provincial capitals and even smaller towns are not immune. In case you see them, avoid it and go to another part of the city or return to your hotel. Bali with Balinese tourist concern is always quieter than the other location of Indonesia.

While the vast majority of unrest in Indonesia is a purely local affair, terrorist bombings targeting Western interests have also occurred in Bali and Jakarta, most notably the 2002 bombing in Kuta that killed 202 people, including 161 tourists, as well as the Australian Embassy and the J.W. Marriott Hotel was bombed twice. Bombings of non-tourist sites also occur, but mostly use low-yield bombs. After the 2002 bombings with about 1.2 tonnes of explosives, there are no more serious bombings and individual bombings (sometimes unrelated to a specific group) perpetrate bombings with less than five kilograms of explosives and the target is no longer tourists but police or government offices. To minimise the risk, avoid all tourist-oriented nightclubs and restaurants without strong security measures.

Still, you are far more likely to die in a road accident or from a tropical disease than from a random terrorist attack in Indonesia, so while you should be cautious, there is no need to be paranoid.

Drugs in Indonesia

Visitors are greeted at airports with cheery “Death to Drug Traffickers” signs, and recent cases have seen lengthy prison sentences for simple possession. In one high-profile case, nine Australian heroin dealers (known as the “Bali 9”) were caught and two of them were executed, while the other seven remain in prison. While other foreigners were executed for drug trafficking, drugs are still widespread.

The most common is marijuana (known as ganja, gels or cimeng), which is not only sold to tourists but also used as food in some parts of the country, especially in Aceh. At some popular tourist destinations, such as Kuta Beach, you may be repeatedly offered drugs for sale.

Heavy drugs are widely used in the nightlife scene, in particular in Jakarta and Bali, as well as elsewhere. Ecstasy, cocaine and crystal methamphetamine are widely used and punished just as harshly by the Indonesian police.

Magic mushrooms are openly advertised in parts of Bali and Lombok and although the Indonesian legal position on this is unclear, purchase and consumption is unwise.

It is highly advisable to steer clear as arrests and drug busts are commonplace and you really don’t want to get involved with the Indonesian justice system; thanks to the anti-corruption campaign, you can no longer count on getting bribed and escaping a harsh or even far worse punishment. You are better off going to Amsterdam if you want to get high.

Natural disasters in Indonesia

Indonesia is a chain of highly volcanic islands scattered along the Ring of Fire, so earthquakes are frequent and tsunamis and volcanic eruptions all too common. On 26 December 2004, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake struck the coast of Aceh, sending tsunami waves up to 30 metres high across the Indian Ocean. Hundreds of thousands died and many more were displaced. Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta spews ash almost every year. Some years the ash reaches far into the city of Yogyakarta and deadly hot smoke cascades into villages, as happened in 2010. Most of the country is unfortunately prone to this type of disaster, with the exception of the east coast of Sumatra, the north coast of Java, Kalimantan, South Sulawesi and South Papua.

From a realistic point of view, there is very little you can do to avoid any of these risks. In the event of an earthquake, you must be prepared. But volcanoes, unlike earthquakes, are much more predictable. The local media and authorities usually have a good warning of how active the volcano is and will be. Stay away from areas around the volcano and change your travel plans if the situation is imminent.

In case you are near volcanic activity – pay attention to media reports about where it is dangerous, check warning signs and escape routes in hotels. Always look out for areas of volcanic activity and evacuate if told to do so. However, if you get caught in a cloud of volcanic ash from a distant eruption, cover your mouth and nose immediately and then seek shelter in an enclosed place with a strong roof.

During indoor earthquakes, hide under stable objects or run outside if you are near the door, and stay away from high objects outdoors. Any earthquake greater than a magnitude 6.5 that lasts for a long time usually triggers a tsunami warning (usually by siren or loudspeaker). Even if you do not hear a warning, in the event of a persistent and violent quake you should immediately move away from the coast and seek higher ground.

Indonesia is not prone to organised tropical systems, yet heavy rains with thunderstorms and (sometimes swirling) winds can occur, especially during the rainy season when they are fairly frequent. Landslides occur on mountain slopes or cliffs, and flooding in lowlands or former deltas can be serious and persistent. Although there are rarely weather reports in any form of media, it is a good idea to pack an umbrella if it is supposed to rain, or to watch for any signs of an incoming storm, such as dark, piled-up and puffy clouds.

During heavy rain, when volcanic ash accumulates in recently erupted volcanoes, a lahar dingin (a very dangerous mudslide with stones and boulders) can occur.

Wildlife danger in Indonesia

Crocodiles and poisonous snakes are found throughout Indonesia, although they are rare in most areas. Cobras and green tree snakes are generally the most common. As most locals do not know the difference between venomous and harmless snakes, snakes are aggressively slaughtered in many places, and in some places they are sold as food, especially cobra and python meat.

Komodo dragons can be very dangerous if harassed. They are only found on the island of Komodo and some neighbouring islands of Flores.

Scorpions, whip scorpions, crabs, spiders and certain other animals, including weevils, can be found all over the country and, while they can be unpleasant, they are generally not fatal. Nevertheless, seek professional help if you are bitten or develop a mysterious rash.

Large predators are becoming increasingly rare, Sumatran tigers are seriously threatened along with most other large animals, and even small jungle cats are now hard to find. Birds, with the exception of certain species that have little commercial value, are absent from areas once flooded with a variety of species.

LGBT travelers in Indonesia

Attitudes towards homosexuality vary widely. There are no laws against homosexuality in Indonesia, with the notable exception of Aceh, where it is illegal only for Muslims. Cosmopolitan Jakarta and Bali boast gay nightclubs, and bencong or banci (transvestites and transsexuals) seem to have a special place in Indonesian culture, even to the extent of being hosts and MCs of television shows, as well as special districts where these types of pekerja seks komersial {PSK} (prostitute or gigolo) offer their services – albeit illegally. However, in strictly Islamic areas such as Aceh, homosexuals can legally be punished with the cane, although the law only applies to Muslims. In general, gay visitors should err on the side of discretion; while violence against homosexuals is a blessed rarity, you may still face nasty comments and unwanted attention.

The bad news is that any known disease can occur anywhere in Indonesia – the good news is that you most likely won’t be travelling there. Malaria prophylaxis is not necessary for Java or Bali, but is advisable if you are travelling to remote areas of Sumatra, Borneo, Lombok or eastern areas for long periods. Dengue fever can be transmitted anywhere and the use of insect repellent (DEET) and mosquito nets is highly advisable. Note that the usual advice of setting the air-conditioning to the lowest setting to deter mosquitoes doesn’t work – they just fly under the covers and enjoy your body heat while sucking up a bloody cocktail; a fan on medium or high is much more effective. But all efforts are no guarantee that you are safe, vacinne is in trial in Thousand Islands people, the best way to overcome before and during infection is always drink plenty of water due to one of the side effects is internal dehydration (leakage of blood plasma) and sometimes someone never realise s/he has been infected, the virus will last in 5 days due to self limited life, even without any treatment. But if you are infected and recognise it, surely getting a doctor is the best way.

Hepatitis B is also common, especially in Lombok and the Lesser Sunda Islands. It is advisable to get vaccinated before arriving in Indonesia, but hepatitis B cannot be transmitted through food. Food hygiene is often questionable and vaccination against hepatitis A and possibly typhoid is a wise precaution. Both types of hepatitis vaccination should be administered 6 months before your trip. Seek medical attention if apparent traveller’s diarrhoea does not subside within a few days or is accompanied by fever.

Air quality in major cities, especially Jakarta and Surabaya, is poor, and the seasonal haze (June to October) from forest fires in Borneo and North Sumatra can also cause breathing problems. Remember, to bring your medication and your nebulizer/inhaler if you have asthma.

Polio has now been eradicated in Indonesia. Bird flu has also made headlines, but outbreaks are sporadic and limited to people handling live or dead poultry in rural areas. Eating cooked chicken seems to be safe.

In many cases, the local Indonesian healthcare system does not meet Western standards. While a short-term stay in an Indonesian hospital or medical centre for simple health problems is unlikely to be noticeably different from a Western facility, serious and critical medical emergencies will push the system to its limits. However, some hospitals in major cities have received international accreditation. In fact, many wealthy Indonesians often opt to travel to neighbouring Singapore to receive more serious medical care. SOS-AEA Indonesia (24-hour emergency number +62 21 7506001) is specialized in treating expats as well as having English staff on duty, but the charges are quite expensive. In any case, travel medical insurance that includes medical evacuation back to the home country is highly recommended. Before going to a hospital for non-emergencies, it is advisable to find out which hospitals are good and which are not.

In case you require a specific medication, you should bring the medication in a container/bottle of it, accompanied by the doctor’s prescription, if possible. Indonesian customs officials may ask for the medicine. If you need additional medication in Indonesia, take the container to an apotek (pharmacy) and mention the active ingredients of the medicine if possible. Medicines are usually manufactured locally under different brand names but contain the same ingredients, the ingredients are always written in smaller type next to the brand names. Pay attention to the correct dosage of the medicine and be aware that small toko obat (not apotek) knowingly sell “recycled” (expired) medicine at low prices.

For routine traveller complaints, you can often find dokter (doctors) in the cities. These small clinics are usually walk-in, although you should expect a long wait. Most clinics open in the afternoon (from 16:00). Emergency rooms (UGD/IGD) in hospitals are always open (24 hrs). Most hospitals have outpatient clinics (08:00-16:00). In some hospitals, pre-payment, payment on account or a certain amount with a blocked credit card is expected for treatment.

Be warned that the doctors/nurses may not speak English well enough to describe an appropriate diagnosis or may be reluctant to give one. Be patient and take a good phrase book or translator with you. Ask for the name and dosage of medicines prescribed, as some doctors over-prescribe to inflate their own commission, antibiotics are often prescribed inappropriately, and vitamins are often given generously.

HIV in Indonesia

Indonesia has a high HIV prevalence rate. (0.5% of the population in 2014) However, most infections occur among injecting drug users, followed by sex workers. Always protect yourself before engaging in risky activities.