Preparing to go to indonesia

PREPARING TO GO TO INDONESIA

CAPITAL
Jakarta

LANGUAGE
Bahasa Indonesia is the official language of Indonesia.

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

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

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

PREPARING TO TRAVEL

PASSPORT & VISA
A valid passport is required by all nationalities. You will need to obtain the Indonesia Tourist Visa. Nationals of most countries can apply for a tourist visa on arrival, which is valid for 30 days. You need at least one empty page in your passport for the stamp. Passports must be valid for 6 months and you should have proof of your return journey. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of the correct visas for your holiday and onward travel.
As of June 9, 2015 guests from the countries listed below will receive a free visa for 30 days when entering through the following designated borders: Soekarno Hatta Airport (CGK), Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS), Kuala Namu Airport (MES), Juanda Airport (SUB), Hang Nadim (BTH), Sri Bintan harbor (BINTAN), Sekupang harbor (BATAM), Batam Center harbor ( BATAM) and Tanjung Uban harbor (RIAU):
China, Russia, South Korea, Japan, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, South Africa.

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

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

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

Travellers cheques:
There is limited merchant acceptance but they can be exchanged at banks and larger hotels, although they are becoming less common and more difficult to exchange. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in US Dollars. American Express is the most widely accepted.

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

Currency restriction:
The import and export of local currency is limited to Rp5,000,000, amounts more than that must be declared. The import and export of foreign currency is unlimited. However, amounts exceeding the equivalent of Rp100,000,000 must be declared.

Currency exchange:
Although there should be no difficulty exchanging major currencies in the main tourist centres, problems may occur elsewhere. Watch out for on the street money changers who may try to trick visitors out of their cash. The easiest currency to exchange is the US Dollar. Do not accept notes with a lot of visible wear and tear as these may not be accepted by merchants.

Food and drink:
Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilized. Drinking bottled water is advised. Milk is unpasteurized and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised. Avoid dairy products that are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Indonesia Food and Drink
The staple diet for most Indonesians is nasi (rice), but this is swapped on some islands with other starchy foods such as corn, sago, cassava and sweet potatoes taking the place of rice. Whilst there is some similarity to other countries within the region, Indonesia’s location as a trade route means the diet has been highly influenced by other cultures like Spain, Portugal and China.
Indonesians like their food highly spiced - look out for the tiny and fiery hot red and green peppers often included in salads and vegetable dishes. Seafood is a regular feature on menus (with salt and freshwater fish, lobsters, oysters, prawns, shrimp, squid, shark and crab all available). Coconuts are often used for cooking. A feature of Jakarta is the many warungs (street stalls); each specialises in its own dish or drink.

Specialities:
Rijsttafel (a Dutch-invented smorgasbord of 12 various meat, fish, vegetable and curry dishes, sometimes served by 12 'maidens').

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

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

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

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

Best time to visit:
Indonesia has a tropical climate which is highly variable from area to area. The eastern monsoon brings the driest weather (June to September), while the western monsoon brings the main rains (December to March). Rainstorms occur all year. Higher regions are cooler. Temperatures average between 23°C (73°F) and 28°C (82°F) all year, but this tends to be humid heat, with humidity varying from 70% to 90%. Peak time for tourists to travel is in June, July and August, although prices will be higher; those travelling in the shoulder seasons of May and September could get lucky with both weather and prices.
Muddy roads can be a deterrent to travel in the wet season. Keep in mind that during local holidays public transport can be clogged, accommodation hard to find in holiday areas and businesses close.

Denpasar: (approx)

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

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

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

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