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Borobudur, Java
Indonesia in its region.svg
Flag of Indonesia.svg
Quick Facts
Capital Jakarta
Government Republic
Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Area total: 1,904,569km²
water: 93,000km²
land: 1,811,569km²
Population 245,452,739 (July 2006 est.)
Language Indonesian (official) and countless regional languages.
Electricity 220V/50Hz (Schuko Euro plug)
Country code +62
Internet TLD .id
Time Zone GMT+7 through GMT+9



With 18,110 islands, 6,000 of them inhabited, Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. About 240 million people live in this fourth most populous country in the world — after China, India and the USA — and by far the largest country in Southeast Asia. Indonesia also has the largest Muslim population in the world. Indonesia's population is on course to overtake the US and become the third largest before 2044. In the decade that ended in 2010, population growth remained high at 1.49% each year but there is substantial Muslim opposition to boosting family planning.

Indonesia markets itself as Wonderful Indonesia as their Indonesia Tourism project slogan, and the slogan is quite true, although not necessarily always in good ways. Indonesia's tropical forests are the second-largest in the world after Brazil, and are being logged and cut down at the same alarming speed. While the rich shop and party in Jakarta and Bali, decades of economic mismanagement have left much of the population living on less than USD2/day. However, the country is developing rapidly and the World Bank poverty figures have decreased fourfold in the past decade [2][3]. Infrastructure in much of the country remains rudimentary, and travelers off the beaten track will need some patience and flexibility.

According to the “Energy Access” Working Group Global Network on Energy for Sustainable Development, in 2001, 53.4% of the Indonesian population had access to electricity and they consumed 345kWh for each person in a year. In the same year the residents of nearby Singapore had 100% access and they consumed 6,641 kWh. A very large percentage of the Indonesian population remain reliant upon wood for a cooking fuel. The central government has in recent years instituted a program of LPG gas access to use as a replacement for the burning of bio-mass sources for cooking.


The temples of Prambanan (c. 10th century)

The early, modern history of Indonesia begins in the period from 2500BC to 1500BC with a wave of light brown-skinned Austronesian immigrants, thought to have originated in Taiwan. This Neolithic group of people, skilled in open-ocean maritime travel and agriculture are believed to have quickly supplanted the existing, less-developed population.





On 17 Aug 1945 Sukarno read the Proklamasi or Declaration of Independence and the Panitia Persiapan Kemerdekaan Indonesia (PPKI) moved to form an interim government. A constitution, drafted by the PPKI preparatory committee was announced on 18 August and Sukarno was declared President with Hatta as Vice-President. The PPKI was then remade into the KNIP (Central Indonesian National Committee) and the KNIP became the temporary governing body. The new government was installed on 31 August 1945. Indonesia's founding fathers Sukarno (Soekarno) and Hatta declared the independence of the Republic of Indonesia.


In September 1950 Natsir and the Masyumi party led the first government of fully independent Indonesia. Sukarno returned again to the role of President and over time came to assert greater power in that role. For a time Indonesia used a provisional constitution modelled upon that of the US which also drew heavily on the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On 26 September 1950 Indonesia was admitted to the newly formed United Nations. The 1950 constitution appears to have been an attempt to set up a liberal democractic system with two chambers of parliament. Later in 1955, still under this provisional constitution, Indonesia held its first free election.


From their initial declaration of independence Indonesia claimed West Papua as part of their nation, but the Dutch held onto it into the 1960s, and in the early sixties there was further armed conflict over that region. After a UN-brokered peace deal, and a referendum, West Papua became part of Indonesia and was renamed as Irian Jaya, which apocryphally stands for Ikut (part of) Republic of Indonesia, Anti Netherlands. It's now called simply Papua, but the independence movement smoulders on to this day.

Sukarno's tribute to independence and unity — National Monument, Jakarta


The US, confronted by an archipelago apparently in the grasp of emerging Indonesian nationalism sought to gain and maintain control over the important resources and shipping routes of the region. They viewed Indonesia as potentially unstable and in a power vacuum left in the wake of the Japanese defeat in Indonesia. The Dutch, their nation ravaged by the European war were unable to fully reclaim their colony and maintain control over the rising tide of Indonesian nationalism.



The new order[edit]


The coup[edit]


The purges[edit]


Suharto and the subsequent Reformasi[edit]

When the information concerning the widespread killings was eventually released it was shrouded in mystery. The US intelligence agencies and the CIA were later found to be complicit in supplying names and addresses of the PKI members to the Indonesian army, Suharto operatives and CIA-funded Muslim death squads, who hunted the leftists down and murdered them. Declassified US files have since shown that the US government was giving covert aid to Suharto and the death squads to conduct the widespread purges across Indonesia. Following Suharto's rise to power, US interests in the region were secured and their influence over the RI and the nation's resources continued into the new century.

Under Suharto from 1966 to 1997, Indonesia enjoyed stability and economic growth, but most of the wealth was concentrated in the hands of a small, corrupt, elite and dissent was brutally crushed. During the Asian economic crisis of 1997 the value of the Indonesian rupiah plummeted, halving the purchasing power of ordinary Indonesians. In the ensuing violent upheaval, now known as Reformasi, Suharto was brought down and a more democratic regime installed.

Post Reformasi 1998[edit]









Wayang kulit shadow puppetry, Solo






Religion in Indonesia is a mixed pot and an interesting field in itself to be investigated by the more culturally conscious visitor. 80-88% of the population of Indonesia state their religion as being Islam (Sunni) making it numerically by far the largest religion in the nation and Indonesia the largest Muslim-majority country in the world. Nevertheless, Indonesia officially remains a secular state. Islamic religious orthodoxies vary vastly across the Indonesian archipelago, but also within the same island, with the vibrant political heart of the country, Java, being a case in point. Although Indonesia has a well-deserved reputation for practicing a relaxed, syncretic, form of Islam, there has been a recent trend towards a more pious observance of religious practices, particularly in the devout state of Aceh, the only region in the country where shari'a law applies. Accordingly, the prevalence of Islamic dress codes changes dramatically depending on where you are, from strict (parts of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi) to nearly non-existant (larger cities, especially Jakarta). However, you will find that the majority of Muslim women will balance between the two, opting for little more than a colorful headscarf, the Hiljab, which is worn in a variety of creative fashions, as a matter of private interpretation and style. In fact, despite being nominally Muslim, a lot of Indonesians tend to have a chilled approach to religion, and many local stories and customs which are Hindu, Buddhist or animist in origin are faithfully preserved by much of the population.


Indonesian national law decrees that all citizens of the Republic must declare their religion and that the declared religion must be one of the five that are officially sanctioned by the state, but after reformation Confucianism is now recognized (formerly it was lumped in with Buddhism, Protestantism and Roman Catholicism), alas not for Ahmadiyya Islam and Shia Islam. This results in obvious distortions. For example, many animist practitioners notionally call themselves Muslim or Christian for the benefit of the state bureaucracy and many Muslims in rural areas also have their traditional way of life which greatly influences their practice of Islam.


Ramadan dates

  • 24 Apr–23 May 2020 (1441 AH)


Multicultural Indonesia celebrates a vast range of religious holidays and festivals, but many are limited to small areas (eg, the Hindu festivals of Bali). The following covers public holidays applied nationwide regardless of their belief.



Other Muslim holidays include Idul Adha (the sacrifice day), Isra Mi'raj Muhammad SAW, Hijra (Islamic new year) and Maulid Muhammad SAW. Christian holidays include Christmas, Ascension Day, Good Friday, while the Hindu New Year of Nyepi (March-April) brings Bali to a standstill and Buddhists get a day off for Imlek (Chinese New Year) in Jan-Feb and Waisak (Buddha's birthday), celebrated with processions around Borobudur. Non-religious holidays include New Year (1 Jan), Independence Day (17 Aug), Labor Day (1 May) and Pancasila Day (1 June).




In the highlands temperatures will naturally be cooler, and there are even snow-covered peaks in Papua, whose mountains can soar above 5000m. Bring a jacket along if planning to visit, for example, Mount Bromo on Java or Tana Toraja in Sulawesi.







The nation of Indonesia is almost unimaginably vast: More than 17,000 islands providing 108,000 kilometres of beaches. The distance between Aceh in the West and Papua in the East is more than 4,000km (2500 miles), comparable to the distance between New York City and San Francisco. Laying on the western rim of the Ring of Fire Indonesia has more than 400 volcanoes, of which 130 are considered active, as well as many undersea volcanoes. The island of New Guinea (on which the Indonesian province of Papua is located) is the second largest island in the world.


Regions of Indonesia
Sumatra (Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau, Riau Islands, Jambi, Bengkulu, Bangka-Belitung, South Sumatra, Lampung)
Wild and rugged, the 6th largest island in the world has a great natural and cultural wealth with more than 40 million inhabitants. This region consist of 10 provinces (including Riau Islands and Bangka-Belitung) that becomes habitat for various endangered species including elephants, rhinos, and tigers. It has strong cultural identity as shown by major ethnics like Batak, Malay, and Minang, as well as the minor ones like Mentawai and Kubu. The dynamic life of Sumatrans can be felt across the island and its provincial capital cities, from Medan, Palembang, Pekanbaru, Padang, Bandar Lampung, Jambi, Banda Aceh, Bengkulu, Pangkal Pinang, to Tanjungpinang, as well as cities like Batam, Bukittinggi, Tanjung Pandan, Lubuklinggau, Lhokseumawe, and Pematang Siantar.
Kalimantan (West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, North Kalimantan)
Java (and West Java, Banten, Jakarta, Central Java, East Java)
Sulawesi (South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, Gorontalo, North Sulawesi)
Nusa Tenggara (West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara)
Maluku (North Maluku, Maluku)
Papua (West Papua, Papua)
The western half of the island of New Guinea, with mountains, forests, swamps, an almost impenetrable wilderness in one of the most remote places on earth.


  • Banda Aceh —visit Tsunami Museum and Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, the mosque that survived from Earthquake and Tsunami in 2004. Female visitors must wear a veil
  • Medan —visit the Istana Maimun (Maimoon Palace) in the noon to see the inside of the Palace. you can find pork around here, the name they usually use is Babi Panggang Karo
  • Padang — famous for Jam Gadang
  • Pekanbaru
  • Jambi
  • Palembang — a bustling metropolis in southern Sumatra and the oldest city of the country with rich cultural heritage.
  • Tanjung Pandan — the main city of the island of Belitung
  • Pangkal Pinang — enjoy local food, that contains fresh seafood and many of beach with white sand
  • Banten
  • Jakarta — the perennially congested capital which is also the largest city of the country
  • Bandung — university town in the cooler highlands of Java
  • YogyakartaJava's cultural hub and the access point to the mighty temples of Prambanan and Borobudur
  • Surabaya — a port city in Java. scorching hot but with extremely friendly locals, a gate to the island of Madura.
  • Malang
  • Banjarmasin — the largest town on with a rich architectural heritage
  • Manado — Christian city at the northeastern tip of Sulawesi, famous for diving
  • Semarang — the capital of Central Java, with a blend of Javanese, Chinese, and Dutch influences
  • Makassar (Ujung Pandang) — the gateway to Sulawesi
  • Jayapura — the capital of Papua and a gateway to the highlands
  • Ubud - The cultural center of Bali

Other destinations[edit]

...there be dragons

This is a limited selection of nine of Indonesia's top sights outside of its cities:

  • Baliem Valley - superb trekking into the lands of the Lani, Dani and Yali tribes in remote Papua
  • Bunaken - one of the best scuba diving destinations in Indonesia, if not the world
  • Lake Toba - the largest volcanic lake in the world

Get in[edit]

Dealing with Immigration serves as a useful introduction to the Byzantine complexity of Indonesia's bureaucracy. The long and short of it, though, is that most Western travellers can get a visa on arrival for USD35 at virtually all common points of entry (Java, Bali, etc), so read on only if you suspect that you don't fit this description.

There are three ways of entering Indonesia:

  • Visa waiver (non-extendable). Show your passport, get stamped, that's it. Applies to citizens of 169 countries.
  • Visa on arrival (extendable). Pay 35 USD on arrival, get a visa in your passport and get it stamped.



Also note that the days a visa holder is within Indonesia are counted with the day of entry being day 1, not day 0. This means that by 24:00 (twelve midnight) on the night of the day of arrival you have been in Indonesia for one day. If you enter at 23:59 (11:59pm) then 2 minutes later you have been in Indonesia for 2 days.

Immigration officials may claim that a 30-day visa-on-arrival means that you must leave before 30-days (ie on the 29th day or before). Be careful about this.

Customs in Indonesia is usually quite laid-back. You're allowed to bring in one litre of alcohol, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100g of tobacco products, and a reasonable quantity of perfume. Amounts of money carried in excess of 100 million rupiah, or the equivalent in other currencies, have to be declared upon arrival or departure. In addition to the obvious drugs and guns, importing pornography and fruit, plants, meat or fish is (technically) prohibited. Indonesia imposes the death penalty on those caught bringing in drugs.

Indonesia Immigration maintains its own website. The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore (KBRI Singapore) also has some good information on Customs and Immigration requirements.


Visa waiver[edit]

Indonesia allows visa free entry to the citizens of 169 countries as of July 2016. The nationals of these countries who are going on holiday, attending conventions or engaging in similar such activities are allowed to stay in Indonesia of up to 30 days without a visa. This type of visa cannot be extended, transferred or converted to any other kind of visa; nor can it be used as a working permit. Those visitors eligible under the visa waiver program have a visa issued at the Indonesian border checkpoints with that issuance subject to the discretion of the visa officer. The visa is not for employment and is not extendable. The citizens of the following countries are eligible: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica (Commonwealth), Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao, People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe [4]. These visas cannot be extended or converted to another type of visa. Visa-free entries are only permitted via the following ports of entry:

  • Airports: Aceh, Maimun Saleh Airport (SBG); Aceh, Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport (BTJ); Bali, Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS); Bangka-Belitung, H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin Airport (TJQ); Batam, Hang Nadim International Airport (BTH); Java, Bandung, Husein Sastranegara International Airport (BDG); Java, Jakarta, Halim Perdana Kusuma International Airport (HLP); Java, Jakarta, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK); Java, Semarang, Ahmad Yani International Airport (SRG); Java, Solo, Adi Sumarmo International Airport (SOC); Java, Surabaya, Juanda International Airport (SUB); Java, Yogyakarta, Adi Sucipto International Airport (JOG); Kalimantan (East), Balikpapan, Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Airport (BPN); Kalimantan (North), Tarakan, Juwata International Airport (TRK); Kalimantan (West), Pontianak, Supadio International Airport (PNK); Kupang, El Tari International Airport (KOE); Lombok, Lombok Praya International Airport (LOP); Maluku, Ambon, Pattimura Airport (AMQ); Papua, Biak, Frans Kaisiepo International Airport (BIK); Papua, Merauke, Mopah Airport (MKQ); Papua, Timika, Mozes Kilangin Airport (TIM); Riau, Pekanbaru, Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport (PKU); Sulawesi (North), Manado, Sam Ratulangi International Airport (MDC); Sulawesi (South), Makassar, Hasanuddin International Airport (UPG); Sumatra (North), Kualanamu International Airport (KNO); Sumatra (North), Medan, Polonia International Airport (MES); Sumatra (North), Sibolga, Dr. Ferdinand Lumban Tobing (Pinangsori) Airport (FLZ); Sumatra (South), Palembang, Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport (PLM); Sumatra (West), Padang, Minangkabau International Airport (PDG).
  • Seaports: Achmad Yani, Ternate; Amamapare, Tembagapura; Anggrek, Gorontalo; Bandar Bentan Telani Lagoi, Tanjung Uban; Bandar Sri Setia Raja, Bengkalis; Bandar Seri Udana Lobam, Tanjung Uban; Batam Centre, Batam; Batu Ampar, Batam; Bagan Siapi-Api, BaganSiapi-Api; Belawan, Belawan; Benete, Sumbawa Besar; Belakang Padang, Belakang Padang; Biak, Biak; Boom Baru, Palembang; Celukan Bawang, Singaraja; Citra Tri Tunas, Batam; Ciwandan, Cilegon; Dumai, Dumai; DwiKora, Pontianak; Gunung Sitoli, Sibolga; Jambi, Jambi; Jayapura, Jayapura; Kabil, Batam; Kendari, Kendari; Kota Baru, Kota Baru; Kuala Enok, Tembilahan; Kuala Langsa, Aceh; Kuala Tungkal, Jambi; Kuala Tanjung, Tanjung Balai Asahan; Lauren Say, Maumere; Lembar, Mataram; Lhokseumawe, Lhokseumawe; Malahayati, Aceh; Malundung, Tarakan; Manado, Manado; Marina Teluk Senimba, Batam; Marore, Tahuna; Miangas, Tahuna; Merauke, Merauke; Nongsa Terminal Bahari, Batam; Nusantara Pare-Pare, Pare-Pare; Nusantara, Tahuna; Padang Bai, Bali; Panarukan, Panarukan; Pangkal Balam, Pangkal Pinang; Panjang, Bandar Lampung; Pantoloan, Palu; Pasuruan, Pasuruan; Pemangkat, Sambas; Probolinggo, Probolinggo; Pulau Baai, Bengkulu; Sabang, Aceh; Samarinda, Samarinda; Sampit, Sampit; Samudera, Bitung; Sekupang, Batam; SelatLampa, Ranai; Semayang, Balikpapan; Siak Sri Indrapura, Siak; Sibolga, Sibolga; Sintete, Sambas; Soekarno-Hatta, Makassar; Sorong, Sorong; Sri Bayintan, Tanjung Pinang; Sri Bintan Pura, Tanjung Pinang; Sungai Guntung, Tembilahan; Tanjung Benoa, Denpasar; Tanjung Balai Karimun, Tanjung Balai Karimun; Tanjung Emas, Semarang; Tanjung Gudang, Pangkal Pinang; Tanjung Harapan, SelatPanjang; Tanjung Intan, Cilacap; Tanjung Kelian, Pangkal Pinang; Tanjung Lontar, Kupang; Tanjung Pandan, Bangka Belitung; Tanjung Perak, Surabaya; Tanjung Priok, DKI Jakarta; Tanjung Uban, Tanjung Uban; Tanjung Wangi, Jember; Tarempa, Tarempa; Teluk Bayur, Padang; Teluk Nibung, Tanjung Balai Asahan; Tembilahan, Tembilahan; Tri Sakti, Banjarmasin; Tual, Tual; Tunon Taka, Nunukan; Yos Sudarso, Ambon; Yos Sudarso, Cirebon.
  • Land crossing: Aruk, Sambas; Entikong, Entikong; Metamauk, Atambua; Mota’ain, Atambua; Nanga Badau, Sanggau; Napan, Atambua; Skouw, Jayapura.

Visa on arrival[edit]

All visitors entering Indonesia by way of visa-on-arrival must have a return to point of origin, or onward destination ticket on their person when passing through immigration into the country (E-tickets are acceptable), or be able to present sufficient evidence of the means to obtain one to an Immigration official. This is often checked, and visitors who are unable to fulfil this requirement may be denied entry. Transit visas are available from Indonesian embassies and consulates and may be provided at the border under some (limited) circumstances. Often airlines carrying passengers to Indonesia may decline boarding for a departure to an Indonesian entry point if this cannot be provided.




Visa on arrival fees: A visa on arrival is issued for a stay of up to 30 days, the cost is USD35, but can be paid in all major currencies. In general, the VOA is extendable once for an additional 30 days. This can be done in an immigration office inside Indonesia for an officially published fee of IDR250,000, it is recommended to do this ten days prior the visa expiration date. No other currency is accepted at the immigration office. the fee is IDR250,000 paid in cash. Extending the VOA can be a complicated arduous process and allow yourself a few trips to the immigration office before your application is admitted for processing. The processing period takes 3 working days. Your application will consist of several documents including

  1. Photocopy of your passport, original visa-on-arrival and your passport itself
  2. Payment in Cash
  3. Letter from the hotel or host your are staying with confirming you are a paying guest or an invited guest if staying with a friend. This letter must be in Bahasa and signed by an Indonesian national along with a photocopy of their Kita (National Indonesian ID card) This person will also be your Indonesian "sponsor" on your application form, they will have to give their address email and phone number.
  4. Plane or boat ticket out of Indonesia within the 30 days of the extension period.

Credit cards, Visa and MasterCard, maybe accepted in Jakarta and Bali, but don't count on this service being available there, it is not normally available elsewhere. Note that some entry points, mainly at land or sea entry points, issue non-extendable VOA (ports in the Riau Archipelago being notable examples).





Visa before arrival[edit]



By plane[edit]

Beware the departure tax
Travellers departing on international flights have to pay a Passenger Service Charge (departure tax) in Rupiah, so be sure to stash away enough to pay it. The amount varies by airport, but can be as much as IDR200,000 (approximately USD 17) in the airports in Bali (DPS) or Jakarta (CGK). Starting Sep 2012, the airport tax in Indonesia will to be included in ticket price for Garuda airlines flights. Other airlines may decide to follow the lead of Garuda but it should be understood this is an initiative of the individual airlines rather than a broadly mandated change of policy by either the individual airport operators or the Indonesian department of transport.

Update: Since 1 October 2014 Garuda Indonesia has officially separated airport tax in the price of its tickets. In the two years since the inclusion of airport tax in its ticket, the carrier had claimed to have lost IDR2.2 billion each month since the inclusion of airport tax had created a perception that the airline’s ticket price is relatively more expensive compared to its competitors'.

Update : Effective from 1 March 2015, Passenger Service Charge already included on ticket on All airlines in Indonesia.



Travel to Indonesia from America costs around USD1,000. As travel from most of Europe or anywhere in the USA will take over 20h, many flights stop in Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei or Singapore before arriving in Jakarta. Sydney, though, is just 6-8h away.


Among the LCC carriers providing services to Indonesia are AirAsia, which has excellent coverage of Indonesia from its hubs in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta (Indonesia Air Asia), as well as Singaporean competitors Tiger Airways/Tiger Mandala, Jetstar Asia/Valuair and SilkAir. SilkAir is actually a full-service, full-fare regional airline, but they often have very good promotions if you book in advance.

Indonesian carrier LionAir [6] provides flights international flights between Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur-Surabaya, Penang and Medan and between Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore and Jakarta, and is often the cheapest option (cheaper than AirAsia and others). Australia and New Zealand are also serviced by LCC airlines including Jetstar [7] sharing the Jetstar Asia network, Virgin Australia [8], Indonesia AIr Asia [9]. It is worthy of note that Lion Air has engaged in a massive fleet upgrade program buying a large number of Boeing 737-900ER series and ATR72-500 series turbo props. The steady replacement of their previously rather clunky old fleet of very well used Boeing and MD aircraft is revitalising Indonesia's 2nd largest carrier. Lion air currently operate 62 new 737-900ERs with 133 more 737-900ERs, 7 of the 737-800NG series and 201 Boeing 737 MAX 9 on order. Lion Air have announced plans to position themselves as a major regional airline when sufficient aircraft are delivered.

The only Medium service airline in Indonesia, Sriwijaya Air[10] also had some limited regional routes from Penang to Medan and Dili to Denpasar. They also had some flights to Ipoh, Kuala Terengganu(from Medan), Chongqing, Ningbo, Nanjing, Chengdu, Wuhan and Wenzhou(from Denpasar) but only as seasonal charter flight(but some routes to China reported to be regularly operating soon). They also ever flying to Singapore from Jakarta, unfortunately they ceased this route from 2013. Even their aircraft is quite old(737-300,400,500), but their aircrafts seems to be good maintained and there is no any notable incident in last 5 years. Recently Sriwijaya Air also adds some newer 737-800NG and 737-900ER to fleet to replace their ageing 737-300 and 737-400.

By boat[edit]


From Singapore

  • Frequent ferries from Tanah Merah ferry terminal to Tanjung Pinang and Bandar Bintan Telani Lagoi (Bintan Resorts) on Bintan.

From Peninsular Malaysia

From Sabah, Malaysia

From Philippines


By land[edit]





Get around[edit]

By plane[edit]

Domestic airport tax
Airport tax (service charge) is paid in cash on check-in. Charges vary by airport, but IDR25,000-40,000 for domestic flights is typical. From 1 March 2015, Airport taxes already included on ticket.

Merpati Airlines ceased to operate
As of May 2014, the budget airline has suspended all operations due to financial issues.

Mandala Airlines ceased to operate
As of July 2014, the budget airline has suspended all operations due to financial issues.

The only rapid means of long-distance travel within Indonesia is the plane. The largest domestic carriers are state-owned Garuda [11] and private competitor Lion Air [12], and Sriwijaya Air [13] but in recent years a host of low-cost competitors have sprung up, including Indonesia Air Asia [14], Garuda's low-cost subsidiary Citilink [15] and many more.

Routes for less popular destinations and routes (particularly in eastern Indonesia) are served by AirFast [16], Sriwijaya Air [17] and more, often flying smaller planes. If you really get off the beaten track, eg. settlements in Papua, there are no scheduled services at all and you'll need to charter a plane or hitch rides with missionaries. Previously also served by Merpati Nusantara, but this airline ceased its operation in 2014.



Of late there has been considerable improvement in the safety standards and recently Garuda Indonesia has been allowed to fly into Europe. Lion Air has reportedly inducted 178 new 737 900 ER planes which now service not only domestic but also international routes. Unfortunately if you're looking at its reliability, Lion Air had a very poor On Time Performance compared with other airlines in Indonesia. Moreover in February 2015, Lion Air also had a massive delay with almost all flights delayed for more than 6 hours or even cancelled. Garuda has also changed its livery and added new aircrafts. Adam Air and few other companies have been closed and their licences withdrawn. With entry of low cost carriers like Indonesia Air Asia the cost of travel has further reduced. Another airline that should be considered to fly with is Sriwijaya Air as there is (almost) no any notable incident invloving this airline, and ocassionaly they offer cheaper prices but with better services than other LCC's.

By boat[edit]

PELNI route map

Indonesia is all islands and little infrastructure so akin to the Philippines, ferries have long been the most popular means of inter-island travel. Unlike Philippines, Indonesia rarely suffers from typhoons, but does have some intense storms or dry spells. While short runs may be run by various companies, the largest company (state run) is PELNI, whose giant ferries visit practically every inhabited island in Indonesia on lengthy journeys that can take two weeks from beginning to end.


Last but not least, there are also countless services running short island-to-island hops, including Merak-Bakauheni (hourly) from Java to Sumatra, Ketapang-Gilimanuk (every 15min) between Java and Bali and Padangbai-Lembar (near-hourly) between Bali and Lombok, as well as in between the Riau Islands. Besides such ferries, there are also tours that organize their own boats, such as Perama Tours, or modern hulking cruise ships from Singapore or Australia that dock in places such as Bali.

In general, schedules are notional, creature comforts sparse and safety records poor. Try to check out what, if any, safety devices are on board and consider postponing your trip if the weather looks bad. For extended trips this may be impossible to judge, for safety reasons breaking up into shorter trips may be preferable. Maintenance can be poor and overloading is common, sinkings are all too common on ferries run by smaller companies, so try to stick to the larger ones if possible. Basic food on ferries can be bought beforehand by numerous vendors where people queue to board, especially the ubiquitous nasi bunkus, often wrapped in leaves to protect and prevent delay spoilage. Onboard ferries, especially for longer journeys, there is often a food stall where food can be purchased. However, do not expect gourmet as hygiene and freshness may not be taken seriously. In general Indonesians do not take to travel well, seasickness especially among children may occur, journey times can stretch well beyond the schedule. If its a 12 hour or more trip, make sure you bring along enough to tide you over even if the engine stalls and you end up drifting for an extra day. Oddly it may be very hot and stuffy on board or on deck, but as Indonesia is vast, strong winds with a bit of a wind chill sakit angin are also possible depending on exact routes and weather conditions.


By train[edit]

PT Kereta Api runs trains across most of Java and some parts of Sumatra. The network was originally built by the Dutch and few new lines have been built since independence. Double-tracking of the most congested lines has been done, though, and is still ongoing. Maintenance is spotty and derailments and crashes occur occasionally.

Java has by far the best railway network, with trains connecting the capital city of Jakarta with other main cities, eg Surabaya both via Semarang on the north coast and via Yogyakarta and Solo through the southern main line. Bandung is connected to Jakarta by some 30 trains per day, and is itself connected to Surabaya through Yogyakarta. Bali has no railway lines, but there are trains from Surabaya to Banyuwangi, connecting with ferries to the island.


Type of service:

  1. Air-conditioned Eksekutif (first) class
  2. Air-conditioned Bisnis (second) class
  3. Air-conditioned Ekonomi (third) classes are also available for the more budget-conscious traveler, but comfort is noticeably low (due to congestion and length of travel time). Be assured though, all Indonesian trains are safe.


Ticket reservations can be made three months in advance, although a few generally tickets will still be available almost to the last minute. An exception is the very busy Lebaran season, in which time it is not advisable to travel due to the extremely high demand for tickets. On-line ticket reservation is available via websites such as Traveloka and Tiket, or you can get only the booking code and pay at the stations, post offices, train ticket agents, Indomaret group, Alfamart group and Railcard & Railbox. Some travellers may have issues using their overseas bank cards to pay online at the aforementioned websites, however, if you use Traveloka, you are able to reserve the ticket online and pay at a nearby Alfamart- a 40 minute countdown will begin once reserved. You can also directly buy ticket without booking code at these online ticket distributors. The ticket fares is depends on time departure (different even in one day) and peak season or not, so seems as airplane fare ticket, but you can choose your own train seat number. Better yet, buy the tickets through the official website,, or through their app. You will receive a booking code and you can pay your tickets at nearby Indomaret, Alfamaret or post office in a countdown of an hour.

Various food and beverage available for on train purchase. Try Nasi goreng parahyangan (Rp 38000). Trains from Jakarta have Hokben bento boxes (Rp 25000) on board. If you find that costly, just buy food at stalls nearby the stations. Nobody will stare at you eating nasi kucing in the train with your bare hands.

Generally, trains in Java travel through scenic areas, and travelers not in a hurry should consider the length of the journey and the scenery as a bonus to their travels. Some of the best scenery is from Jakarta to Bandung. However, in some areas outside the Bandung-Jakarta route, theft is uncommon, there are a lot of security guards on those trains, but always look after for your valuable belongings to prevent theft.

For backpackers and budget travelers, here's a trick. If you plan on taking a train journey, say, from Malang to Bandung or Yogyakarta, and if you don't rush, consider transfers. From Malang you may ride the Kahuripan train from Bandung or Yogyakarta to Blitar (Rp 84000) and then take the Penataran from Blitar to Malang (Rp 12000). The return journey is possible as of 2018. The direct ride will cost you at least Rp 140000. It is also a great idea to plan your journey and buy your tickets days ahead- tickets can be sold out when there's a coming football match, festival or election. Knowing the name of the train is a great advantage.

By bus[edit]

The major types of buses are air-conditioned bus (AC) which divides to Executive, Luxury, Economy and 'Tarif Biasa' buses; and non-air-conditioned bus (non-AC or "economy class"). The air-conditioned chartered buses can be rented with its drivers for a tourist group. Indonesian bus companies offer intercity and interprovincial routes. The interprovincial routes usually include transportation to other islands mainly between Java and Sumatra. Bus journeys in Indonesia are notoriously long, long enough it can take two or three days! You can even get a ride from Medan, North Sumatra to Jember, East Java; even to Bima, West Nusa Tenggara!

Bus maintenance for Executive buses is good, and drivers drive carefully, because they will be paid in commission basis and should bear the cost of repair if the bus struck something. Long, overnight journeys are convenient, because travellers can sleep and arrive in the morning. Using Executive bus is safe and secure because the assistant driver ia always counting the passengers and bus cannot pick someone during their trip. Long journeys do include free meals in the ticket. Be assured though, there are no more bus bandits in Indonesia. However expect some vendors and pengamens (entertainments).

Ticket reservation can be made through many bus tickets agency which located on many locations. The agency mostly located inside or outside bus stations on many cities on Indonesia. In the future, Indonesian Ministry of Transportation used Online Tickets to simplify reservation. Currently there is an Online Bus Tickets Portal called Bosbis. This portal serve bus tickets reservation to many routes in Indonesia across Java, Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan, and Nusa Tenggara. Passengers can book tickets with many bus operators choice like Pahala Kencana, Kramat Djati, Haryanto, Gunung Harta etc. Or else, you can always book through their agents or the bus station. At the time of departure you can choose to depart from the bus station or from the agents (yes, they will pick you up at the agents).

A word of caution. There are known incidents that people who don't buy tickets at the counters or through the agents getting ripped off by so called calo (brokers). Sometimes you are allured to buy a non-existent bus trip. The best thing that can happen is you will pay more than what you should. So as a precaution avoid them at all times. The transportation authority work hard to build better stations so the calo can be totally eliminated. As of 2018, only several bus stations are having serious calo problem, for example Ubung Terminal in Denpasar.

By point to point (scheduled) travel/shuttle[edit]


The most developed route is Jakarta to Bandung with ticket prices varying from Rp.54,000 to Rp.110,000 (USD 5.5 to 11.3) depending on convenience, leg space/room and luxuriousness. Every major city in Indonesia has travel agencies including Bali.[20][21]-Bali shuttle-bus operator other than Perama?


By car[edit]

Traffic drives on the left in Indonesia.

Indonesian driving habits are generally only slightly less atrocious than India or Vietnam. Lanes and traffic lights are happily ignored, passing habits are suicidal and driving on the road shoulder is common.

Many cars, especially those of older models, lack seat-belts and may come as a shock to the average Western traveller. The Indonesian government is slowly introducing the concept among the peoples.

Renting a car in Indonesia is cheap compared to renting in many other countries, and fuel costs remain relatively low, despite recent fuel price changes: the fixed price for gasoline (premium) is IDR6,450/L and for diesel (solar) is IDR5,150/L. Fuel price will increase very high, it can reach more than IDR12,000/L for gasoline if you buy it at a fuel kiosk on rural areas (far from the city and not in an official gas station). For example in remote areas such as palm tree plantations in Sumatera or Kalimantan, very rarely are there official gas stations there.

To drive a car yourself, an International Driver Permit is required in addition to your home country issued driving licence. Consider renting a car with a driver, the additional cost is quite low and having a traffic accident whilst driving in Indonesia will certainly spoil your trip.

Road conditions and road maintenance in Indonesia is poor, especially so outside the major cities. During rainy season, major roads in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi are often flooded for several weeks. Even if road conditions are good in major cities such as Jakarta, their driving habits are still dangerous, often causing traffic accidents.

By Becak, Bentor, Bemo[edit]

Becak in Bandung

Becak ("BEH-chahk") is a tricycle (pedicab) transportation mode for short distances such as residential areas in many cities. In some areas, the driver is sitting at the back of the passenger, but in some areas (like Medan) the driver is sitting on the side of the passenger. Good communication skills is integral to prevent getting overcharged on these rides. Often, sly drivers try to get some more money out of you after you've reached your destination, so be sure that you know how much it costs beforehand. Keep in mind that a becak can be an uncomfortable ride for someone who is tall if the top is up, but it's a great way to transport a lot of stuff.

Note that there are no becak in Jakarta or Bali and in other cities becak is allowed only in limited area or street. Instead, the motorized bajaj (BAH-jai), somewhat similar to the Thai tuk-tuk, serves the same function. There are two types of bajaj - one being the traditional and colorful bajaj from the past with plastic flaps for windows, while the newer ones, found in cities like Jakarta, are completely enclosed.

In some other provinces (eg. North Sumatra, Aceh) you can also find motorbikes with sidecars, known as bentor (BEN-tor, short for becak bermotor) or bemo (BAY-mo) . However, bemo also refers to another type of public transportation that is rarely seen; a fairly small, 3-wheeled truck painted blue with a rear-entry cab that can seat a few people. There is no door on the rear.

A becak is not cheap but, if you want to, you can get a becak in Malioboro, Yogyakarta for a city tour package.

By ojek[edit]

If you're in such a hurry that you're willing to lose a limb to get there, then ojek motorcycle taxis might be the ticket for you. Ojek services consist of guys with bikes lounging around street corners, perhaps identified with a coloured, numbered jacket, who usually shuttle short distances down alleys and roads but will also do longer trips for a price. Haggle furiously. In some remote area with bad and narrow road/path, we can use Ojek only. In major areas, such as Jakarta and Bali, you can download and use apps like Gojek, Grab, or Uber, which have transparent pricing and a variety of options, from motorbike to car.




Written phonetically with the Latin alphabet and with a fairly logical grammar, Indonesian is generally regarded as one of the easier languages to learn, and A.M. Almatsier's The Easy Way to Master the Indonesian Language, a 200 page small paperback, is an excellent starting point. It can be found in any Indonesian bookstore for less than USD3. That said, it is not by all means saying that Indonesian (and Malay) language is all that easy and to be underestimated; it has its own complexities (ie, verbs), but it is correct to say and presume that difficulties in learning Indonesian may not be comparable to those in, say, Russian or Mandarin.

Spoken Indonesian, however, is a bit different story. An Indonesian dialect in one area will most likely be to a certain extent influenced by the respective local language. Sole proficiency in (formal) Indonesian grammar (and vocabulary) does not guarantee you to easily blend in deep conversation with Indonesian. Indonesians tend to speak a high level of slang and colloquial language daily. One largest form of this 'language', the Jakarta dialect, is mostly spoken in and around Jakarta but widely understood (and sometimes also used) elsewhere in Indonesia.



While Indonesian is the lingua franca throughout the archipelago, there are thousands of local languages as well, and if you really get off the beaten track, you may have to learn them as well. Some ethnic Chinese communities continue to speak various Chinese dialects, most notably Hokkien in Medan and Teochew in Pontianak. And unlike in Chinese in Malaysia or Singapore, large part of Chinese Indonesians speak fluent Indonesian and converse regularly in Indonesian even among themselves - in fact a lot of Chinese Indonesians do not speak any Chinese dialect of all, and learn it as a foreign language (An increasingly number of predominantly-Chinese private schools teach Chinese (in this case Mandarin), either as compulsory or optional subject). The same thing can also be said to most Indonesian citizens of Arab, Indian, or Japanese ancestry among others.


Unlike in neighbouring Malaysia or the Philippines, English is generally not widely spoken, though this is often due to shyness. Hotel, airline, banking, cellular operator and other service staff generally speak an acceptable level of English, and English is widely spoken on the touristy island of Bali. English has been taught in schools consistently over the last couple decades, particularly in large cities (more rural areas teach their local language instead, or both), so anyone reasonably educated under the age of 25 will have had some sort of English practice. While they may be shy to attempt it, they will generally understand simple English. If you need surefire help, college students tend to be most eager/able to help out a passing foreigner needing a hand.

English language TV channels are available on most hotels. MetroTV (local TV channel) broadcasts news in Chinese from Monday to Friday at 07:00. MetroTV also broadcasts news in English from Monday to Friday at 07:30. TVRI (state owned TV station) broadcasts news in English from Monday to Friday at 16:30 in the afternoon. All schedules are in Waktu Indonesia Barat (WIB), which is 7h ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and includes the capital city of Jakarta.

Remember that Indonesians are an easy-going bunch, particularly toward foreigners, and will most likely praise your Indonesian even if it is meagre.

See[edit][add listing]

Natural attractions[edit]

The crater lake of Mount Rinjani in Lombok



An endemic Sumatran Orangutan in the Gunung Leuser National Park


Further east, Komodo Island is the home of the remarkable Komodo Dragon and a very diverse marine life. Close to the very eastern limit of Indonesia, the remote Lorentz National Park in Papua has a permanent glacier, and is the single largest national park anywhere in Southeast Asia.

Historical and cultural attractions[edit]


Pura Ulun Danu Bratan in Bali





Pontianak to Kuching

Do[edit][add listing]

Scuba diving[edit]


Spa treatments[edit]




Indonesia is a premier destination for travelling surfers.



All Indonesia's surf beaches are described in the beautifully photographed "Indo Surf and Lingo" surfing guidebook [22] together with comprehensive listings of the best surf camps and surf charter yachts.


There is no better way to immerse yourself into a different culture than volunteering. Indonesia offers many different opportunities for that, such as very important marine conservation projects or community and educational work. There are several ways to get in contact with the desired volunteer project, one of which is a comparison platform. On Volunteer World, [1]. for example, you can search and compare all volunteering options in Indonesia.  edit

Buy[edit][add listing]


The largest banknote is the red Rp 100,000, which may only be US$10 but is still inconveniently large for most purchases. Next in the series are Rp 50,000 (blue), Rp 20,000 (green), Rp 10,000 (purple), Rp 5,000 (brown), Rp 2,000 (gray) and finally Rp 1,000 (greenish-brown). The Rp 1,000 note is complimented with Rp 1000 coins. While the new, colorful large-denomination bills are easy to tell apart, the smaller bills and pre-2004 large notes are all confusingly similar pale pastel shades of yellow, green and brown and often filthy and mangled to boot. A chronic shortage of small change — it's not unusual to get a few pieces of candy back instead of coins — has been to some extent alleviated by a new flood of new coins, available in denominations of Rp 1,000, Rp 500, Rp 200 and Rp 100. Rp 50 and the thoroughly useless Rp 25 were being withdrawn in 2012. Older golden metallic versions are also still floating around. Bills printed in 1992 or earlier are no longer in circulation, but can be exchanged at banks. Currently the smaller coins are being withdrawn from circulation. Somehow, a series of new banknotes and coins were introduced in 2016, including the less-than-a-penny-worth Rp 100.

US dollars will be accepted by many in a pinch, but are typically used as an investment and for (very) large purchases, not buying a bowl of noodles on the street. Unlike some other South East Asian countries, you will do the vast majority of your spending in local currency and hence should carry a good supply of Rupiah, as most people will not know current exchange rates and worry about stringent rules banks and money changers impose on the condition of notes (see below). Many hotels quote rates in dollars, but all accept payment in Rupiah and many who quote in USD then seek to convert the billing into Rupiah for payment. Many will likely use a somewhat disadvantageous rate to do this. If you pay any bill in Indonesia with a credit card it will be charged to your account in Rupiah, regardless of the currency you were quoted. Aside from the US dollar, other major international currencies are also widely accepted for a cash settlement, especially in more touristy areas. Remember however, the law actually prohibit any usage of other currencies except rupiah within the border of the Republic according to Article 21, 23 and 33 of the Republic of Indonesia Law No 7 (2011) of which non-compliance is punishable by jail or Rp 200 million fine.

Changing money[edit]




ATMs (pron. ah-teh-em) on the international Plus/Cirrus networks are common in all major Indonesian cities and tourist destinations, but may be harder to come by in the backblocks. Beware of withdrawal limits as low as Rp.500,000 (~US$37) per day in some machines. As a rule of thumb, machines loaded with Rp 50,000 denomination notes (there's a sticker on ATM often) do not dispense more than Rp 1,500,000 (30 notes) per transaction even in Jakarta. Those with Rp 100,000 notes can give more, up to Rp 3,000,000 (many CIMB, PermataBank, HSBC, BII and some BRI machines; Commonwealth bank on Bali) at once. Note, however, that these notes can be harder to break, particularly in rural non-tourist areas. Bank branches are generally happy to break large notes taken from their ATMs up into smaller ones at no charge. For most ATMs, you can make repeated withdrawals up to the equivalent amount by your home country's bank. Say for example you withdraw Rp 50,000 from an ATM, which can dispense a maximum of Rp 50,000 per transaction. Once the ATM releases your ATM card; you can insert it back in and make another maximum withdrawal from that same ATM. Just keep in mind of the foreign transaction fees, if applicable, and daily withdrawal limits allowed by your bank.

Credit cards[edit]

Be careful when using credit cards, as cloning and fraud are a major problem in Indonesia. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, but American Express can be problematic. At smaller operations, surcharges of 2-5% over cash are common. Discover is not accepted. A good rule of thumb to minimize fraud is to use your credit card for larger purchases such as hotels, and use cash everywhere else.


Living in Indonesia is cheap, as long as you're willing to live like an Indonesian. For example, Rp 13,800 (about $1) will get you a meal in an angkringan or a packet of cigarettes or three kilometers in a taxi or ten cups of water. But as a tourist it is often necessary to haggle and negotiate a minimum of 50%-70% off an initial asking price, otherwise you will spend your money quickly.


Shopping time[edit]

While most commercial places close on Sunday in old Europe, it does not apply in Indonesia, which has a positively American attitude to Sundays as in Sundays are for Shopping. Most of them even have the largest visitors in Sunday (and national holidays) and shopping malls often become VERY crowded on Sunday. So if you plan to go to Indonesian malls and shopping centers, weekdays (Monday to Friday) is the best time to visit.



Eat[edit][add listing]

Spiced nasi kuning rice shaped into the ceremonial tumpeng cone and topped with beef floss abon







  • bubur, rice porridge with toppings, popular at breakfast


Noodles (mi or mie) come in a good second in the popularity contest. Worth a special mention is Indomie, no less than the world's largest instant noodle manufacturer. Several provinces even has their own Indomie flavours, such as the skipjack tuna flavor in North Sulawesi and tahu tek flavor in East Java. There are even vegan Indomie noodles (Mi goreng Vegan) if you want to make a healthier choice. The close second to Indomie is Mie Sedaap, while less varied, are also loved and widely available. A pack at the supermarket costs under Rp 3000. Some stalls even specialized in cooking instant noodles, and these stalls are called Warmindo or Warung Makan Indomie even though the brand of the noodle doesn't need to be Indomie.



Beef sate

Soups (soto) and watery curries are also common:

  • rawon, spicy beef soup, a speciality of East Java
  • sayur asam vegetables in a sour soup of tamarind

Main dishes[edit]

Gudeg, jackfruit stew served with an egg
Chinese-style tofu and seafood sapo claypot

Popular main dishes include:

  • ayam bakar, grilled chicken
  • ayam goreng, deep-fried chicken
  • cap cay, Chinese-style stir-fried vegetables
  • gado-gado, blanched vegetables with peanut sauce
  • gudeg, jackfruit stew from Yogyakarta.
  • ikan bakar, grilled fish
  • sate (satay), grilled chicken and lamb
  • sapo, Chinese-style claypot stew

Another common popular dish in Indonesia (mainly in larger cities) is the so-called gorengan. Literally means something fried, it is basically pretty simple: raw food dipped in rice flour starch mixed with salt, sugar, pepper, and sometimes green onion slices, and then deep-fried. What is fried may vary from banana, tofu, tempeh, sweet potato, cassava, etc. Gorengan is commonly sold in street hawkers, usually recognized through their specifically-designed carts. Gorengan usually comes with two variations: the sweet-taste gorengan (banana, sweet potato), and the salty-tasted one (cassava, tofu, tempeh). Both are usually consumed as snack, and the salty ones can also be served as the main dish (complementary to rice). In fact, gorengan is so popular that it is uncommon for official meetings and gatherings to serve it, at least during the break.

Being street food, however, you might need to be aware as the level of hygiene and cleanliness may be questionable. Also be wary that gorengan is commonly fried using the recycled cooking oil, that is the same portion of cooking oil used to fry gorengan over and over, and sometimes, unsold gorengan is fried repeatedly to keep it warm. As such, there are increasing concerns that regular and prolonged consumption of gorengan can lead to various health effects (the most serious being even cancer). That being said, gorengan is still very popular, because it is cheap - one piece of it can cost as low as 500 IDR for the small-sized cut, and 1000 IDR (around 10 cents US dollar) for the bigger one -, tasty, practical, and, in case a full meal is not immediately available, a few pieces of it can usually make you stuffed quickly due to carbohydrate it contains.






Mangos (mangga)
Snakefruit (salak)



Dietary restrictions[edit]



Eating by hand[edit]



Places to eat[edit]

A kaki lima serving up bakso meatball soup in Kuta, Bali

Eating on the cheap in Indonesia is cheap indeed, and a complete streetside meal can be had for under US$0.75 (Rp 10,000). However, the level of hygiene may not be up to Western standards, so you may wish to steer clear for the first few days and patronize only visibly popular establishments. If you are an adventurous foodie though, just prepare your activated charcoal tablets ready- really, you won't want to miss the flavors.

The fastest way to grab a bite is to visit a kaki lima, literally "five feet". Depending on whom you ask, they're named either after the mobile stalls' three wheels plus the owner's two feet, or the "five-foot way" sidewalks mandated during British rule. These can be found by the side of the road in any Indonesian city, town or village, usually offering up simple fare like fried rice, noodles and porridge. At night a kaki lima can turn into a lesehan simply by providing some bamboo mats for customers to sit on and chat. A better version of a kaki lima is angkringan, which looks like a cart, and can be found all over Java, especially Central Java and Yogyakarta. An usual angkringan fare consists of sate, nasi kucing (literally cat rice, it is a small portioned meal) and sometimes Indomie. Angkringan food are usually grilled over charcoal before serving (and that includes the rice!) and a typical meal- a full meal- sometimes costs only Rp 10000.

A step up from the kaki lima is the warung (or the old spelling waroeng), a slightly less mobile stall offering much the same food, but perhaps a few plastic stools and a tarp for shelter. Usually people sell bakso (meatballs) or chicken porridge in these outlets.




Drink[edit][add listing]

Avocado juice (jus alpukat) with a squirt of chocolate syrup and condensed milk






Coffee and tea[edit]

Tehbotol Sosro, Indonesia's answer to Coca-Cola

Indonesians are enthusiastic coffee drinkers, perhaps unsurprisingly as the country boasts one of the largest varieties of coffee beans worldwide, after Brazil and Ethiopia. From the Acehnese Gayo to the renown Toraja, virtually every region has some quality coffee to offer to an expanding market. Traditionally, coffee is consumed in its tubruk version (coarsely ground) in simple street-side establishments, often with copious amounts of sugar added to it (be sure to specify "tawar" or "tanpa gula" if you wish it bitter). In recent years, the explosion of café culture has brought this to the next level, and numerous coffee houses are mushrooming in most Indonesian cities, ranging from small coffee outlets catering to students to elegant and hip coffee venues. All kinds of coffee, from plain tubruk to V60, espresso and latte, enjoy equal popularity and are all based on local coffee productions. Although coffee can now be found at all times, Indonesians prefer to sip it as an evening drink over a chat with friends, being it at an air-conditioned cafe or in the smokey dim light of a street-side warkop. Last and least, no travel guide would be complete without mentioning the infamous kopi luwak, coffee made from beans which have been eaten, partially digested and excreted by the palm civet (luwak), but even in Indonesia this is an exotic delicacy costing upwards of Rp.200,000 (US$20) for a small pot of brew.

Tea is the next drink of choice for most Indonesians and, just like coffee, is produced locally in multiple varieties, the aromatic Jasmine being the most favoured. Unlike coffee, tea is usually consumed during meals, with or without ice, or it is offered as a welcome drink to guests.



  • galian singset — weight reduction
  • temulawak (from curcuma) — for liver disease

Traditional drinks[edit]







Various traditional alcoholic drinks are also available:

  • Tuak — sugar palm wine (15% alcohol)
  • Brem Balinese style sweet glutinous rice wine


Note that there are non-alcoholic, non-fermented drinks are named bir invented by the local youngsters in the Dutch colonial era. Bir kotjok or bir pletok Betawi are examples.




Recently a ban on smoking has been instituted for public places in Jakarta. Anyone violating this ban can be fined up to US$ 5000. If you want to smoke check with the locals by asking "Boleh merokok?" and looking around for no-smoking signs. Many shopping malls, office complexes and transport hubs have specialized smoking rooms.

Sleep[edit][add listing]


Off the beaten track, though, your options will be more limited. Probably the most common lodging choice for backpackers is the losmen, or guesthouse, which also go by the names wisma or pondok. Often under US$15/night, basic losmen are fan-cooled and have shared bathroom facilities, usually meaning Asian-style squat toilets and mandi (water tank) baths, from which you ladle water over yourself (do not enter one!). Very small losmen, essentially homestays or rented rooms, are known as penginapan. In some suburbs, don't even be surprised if there are actually free guesthouses that doesn't demand any cash from you. They however asks for books or stationery for local kids, or a few hours of teaching English to kids in turn of a night's stay.

The next step up on the scale are cheap Chinese-run hotels, usually found even in the smallest towns and cities, typically near transport terminals. These may have little luxuries like air-conditioning and hot water, but tend to be rather depressing otherwise, with tiny, often windowless rooms. Further up on the scale are the European-style luxuries, of which every city in Indonesia has at least one.

By law, all hotels have to display a price list (daftar harga). You should never have to pay more than the list says, but discounts are often negotiable, especially in the off season, on weekdays, longer stays, etc. You can book through any booking websites to get the best deals. Indonesia has some good local booking sites such as Traveloka or the newer


The Darmasiswa Program is a scholarship program funded by the government of Indonesia and open to all foreign students from countries with which Indonesia has friendly relations to study Indonesian languages, arts, music and crafts. Participants can choose to study at any of the state universities and colleges participating in the program. You can find many schools offering curriculum in foreign languages (mostly are, of course, English), one of the most notable of which is Sekolah Pelita Harapan in Jakarta. Some foreign government sponsored schools can also be found in Jakarta, teaching either in English or in their foreign native language. For university education in English, one can consider studying at Swiss-German University [26], Universitas Pelita Harapan [27], or President University [28], all of which are located in Jakarta.


In Indonesia, salaries vary from US$70 to more than US$10,000/month for the local people. The sales clerks that you see at luxurious shopping malls like Plaza Indonesia earns between US$210-240. This is very small even for the Indonesians. While the salaries for top executive level in multinational companies can be higher than US$10,000. Some adults above 20 stay with their parents to save money. Nevertheless, the main reason they stay with parents is it is considered impolite to leave parents on their own.

Expats usually earn higher salaries. An English teacher could make between Rp 10,000,000-20,000,000 (US$900-1800) and that is considered high by the local standard.

Stay safe[edit]




The crime rate has increased in recent years, but fortunately it remains mostly non-violent and guns are rare. Criminals are often professional in what they are doing. Robbery, theft and pickpocketing are common in Indonesia, particularly in markets, public transport and pedestrian overpasses. Avoid flashing jewelry, gold watches, MP3 players or large cameras. Thieves have been known to snatch laptops, PDAs and cellphones from Internet hotspot areas.




Remember to use your credit card judiciously. The overall level of credit card fraud is still comparably high, although the Indonesian government is fighting hard against it. Moreover, Indonesia does not have effective regulations in place to protect your personal data. Especially when using your credit card online, consider checking the company's reputation on review platforms such as the local to identify potential scams and stay safe.

Local Customs[edit]

Indonesian folklore and culture is based on animism and despite the country being largely islamic, there are still a substantial amount of citizens practising black arts and witchcraft. Should tourists unfamiliar with territories in rural areas and venture into it during dark, do not enter villages which are holding a procession such as stage theater or stage play. This is not for the ordinary being but for rural and folk beliefs of spirits and ancestors. Some may even be rituals for black arts. It is always best to be polite and not interfere with local customs and folk beliefs.




Civil strife and terrorism[edit]


While the great majority of civil strife in Indonesia is a strictly local affair, terrorist bombings targeting Western interests had taken place in Bali and Jakarta, most notably the 2002 bombing in Kuta that killed 202 people, including 161 tourists. In 2016 there were also bomb attacks in Jakarta. There is no need to be paranoid because this terrorism attack is very rare and Indonesia is still a safe country to visit though you need to be aware of pickpockets.



Visitors are greeted with cheery "DEATH TO DRUG TRAFFICKERS" signs at airports. Recent cases have seen long jail terms for simple possession, and two Australian heroin traffickers (part of the "Bali 9") were executed in 2015. Other foreigners have already been executed for drug trafficking— but drugs are still widely available.




It's highly advisable to steer well clear, as entrapment and drug busts are common and you really, really don't want to get involved with the Indonesian justice system; thanks to the anti-corruption drive, you cannot count on being able to bribe your way out anymore and escape a harsh or even far worse sentence. If someone asks you to carry, or even hold their bag, just say no!

Natural disasters[edit]



Around some popular tourist attractions, you may face a variety of tourist targeted scams in Indonesia. One common one involves unofficial guides at temples and at mountains. They offer to bring you around, seemingly for free. What happens is usually a low quality tour with an inflated tip demanded at the end. Transport scams are also common, especially at hubs which tourists use such as in Probolinggo, as well as ferry and boat ticket scams in Bali. Two other very infamous scams to watch out for include money changer scams in Bali and the batik/art school scam in Malioboro.


Crocodiles and poisonous snakes are present throughout most of Indonesia, although they are uncommon in most areas. Komodo dragons can be very dangerous if harassed, but are only found on Komodo Island and a few neighboring islands in Flores. When in coastal areas, saltwater crocodiles and sharks should be avoided. Do not go swimming at night, this is when sharks hunt. However, you will most likely not be harassed by them, crocodiles are more worrying.

Indonesia is also home to a wide variety of dangerous fish, ranging from venomous to poisonous when eaten. Always ask what kind of fish is on the menu, and avoid swimming in murky water. Coastal areas may have stingrays, surgeonfish, scorpionfish, cone snails, sea snakes, and other potentially dangerous animals.

Some areas also have tigers and leopards, though attacks from these are most likely rare due to the rarity of the animals themselves. Rhinos, elephants, and wild cattle should also be avoided.

LGBT travellers[edit]

Attitudes toward homosexuality vary vastly. Traditionally, Indonesians have held an attitude of tolerance towards sexual difference, especially transgenderism, and the Bugis of Sulawesi are known for recognizing five different genders. However, this has to be understood in the frame of a generally sex-shy culture, one in which public display of affection of any kind is strongly frowned upon. In addition to this, the recent mediatic attention given to LGBT rights has not worked in favour to more inclusive politics in their respect. Instead, it has led pressing conservative groups, both Islamic and Christian in origin, to portray LGBT matters as something "foreign" or "western" that had to be contained or even outlawed.

Despite these recent moves, homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, with the notable exception of Aceh province, where sharia law applies, and cosmopolitan Jakarta and Bali boast a sizeable scene of gay nightclubbing.

As a general rule, LGBT visitors should err on the side of discretion. While violence against homosexuals is a blessed rarity and chilled to open-minded attitudes are not infrequent, anti-LGBT rhetoric does seem to have found fertile ground across different sides of the social spectrum, making it an unpredictable encounter and, therefore, enforces the need for a good dose of circumspection.

Stay healthy[edit]

Break like the wind



The air quality in major cities, especially Jakarta and Surabaya, is poor, and the seasonal haze (June-October) from forest fires on Borneo and Sumatra can also cause respiratory problems. If you have asthma, bring your medicine and breather. In addition, with the exception of Bali, where smoking in public places such as restaurants is banned, smoking is not only allowed virtually everywhere, but it is impossible to escape the constant cloud of smoke in restaurants, shopping malls, and beside swimming pools.








Make Like A Bule
Indonesia's culture is somewhat alien to the west, so a list for etiquette would never be exhaustive. You can read and memorize them, or you can learn them as you go. For example, you could read somewhere that the front section of the bus is reserved for ladies in Jakarta. Or, as my friend and I discovered, the whole bus will laugh at you when you accidentally walk up there. Don't worry about this kind of thing. It actually makes everybody's day - we made a few friends after we did this. Other than laws or common-sense, breaking a rule won't get you in trouble.

Making friends is the single easiest way to learn local customs! Indonesians are a friendly bunch and you'll often be introduced to new acquaintances and their families. Many traditions and norms are implicit, so they won't take offense if you ask about how things work or what just happened. In return, don't be surprised if people - especially children - ask clueless questions about where you come from!

Caucasian travelers may find themselves being referred to as a bule - it's an informal term that originated from the term "white-skinned". It may be used to refer to clueless backpackers, but is also a common self-referential nod or in-joke. Rarely is it used in a derogatory sense.

Like anywhere in the world, treating people with a high level of respect goes a long way. Be kind and they will be kind in return. By and large (hawkers and touts don't count), Indonesians are a polite people and adopting a few local conventions will go a long way to smooth your stay.

One general tip for getting by in Indonesia is that saving face is extremely important in Indonesian culture. If you should get into a dispute with a vendor, government official etc, forget trying to argue or 'win'. Bringing 'malu', or shame, is highly frowned upon among all Indonesian peoples. Better results will be gained by remaining polite and humble at all times, never raising your voice, and smiling, asking the person to help you find a solution to the problem. Rarely, if ever, is it appropriate to try to blame, or accuse.

When meeting someone, be it for the first time ever or just the first time that day, it is common to shake hands — but in Indonesia this is no knuckle-crusher, just a light touching of the palms, often followed by bringing your hand to your chest. Meetings often start and end with everybody shaking hands with everybody! Some Muslim women may prefer a friendly smile and held nod over a handshake - it's safe to open with this gesture, and shake hands if offered. It is also respectful to bend slightly (not a complete bow) when greeting someone older or in a position of authority. Children may go to the extreme and kiss your hand or bow down to it.






Do not stand or sit with your arms crossed or on your hips. This is a sign of anger or hostility. If a guest, it is not polite to finish any drink all the way to the bottom of the glass. This indicates that you would like more. Instead, leave about a half of an inch/2 cm in the bottom of your glass and someone will most likely ask you if you would like more. A common follow-up gesture is to gulp down the rest of your drink right before leaving, down to an empty glass - this gesture implies that one appreciates the drink and wouldn't like to see it go to waste. This is often done while simultaneously standing up or after gathering your belongings.




Particularly for men, Batik, which comes in many shapes and forms for any price range, is often the most foolproof dress for anything semiformal and above - it's a great way to "blend into" the culture, and a foreigner wearing Batik is very well-received. Even white tie events will usually have some casual Batik wearers about. Darker Batik is usually more suitable for evening outings, while cheerful, colorful batik is for daywear.



Telephone calls[edit]

As getting a fixed line remains an unaffordable luxury for many Indonesians, wartel (short for warung telekomunikasi) can be found on most every street in Indonesia. (nowadays it's getting rare to find "Wartel" in Indonesia especially on bigger cities, as now many people prefer to use mobile phone rather than using "Wartel".)

If you have Global System Mobile (GSM) cellular phone, ask your local provider about "roaming agreement/facility" with local GSM operators in Indonesia (ie: PT Indosat [30], PT Telkomsel [31], PT XL Axiata [32]).

Making local calls 
Dial (telephone number)
Making long distance calls 
Dial 0-(area code)-(telephone number)
Making international calls 
You can make International calls through operator
dial 101 or 102.
Making long distance collect calls 
Dial 0871-(area code)
Connecting to the Internet 
Telkom Calling Card access number 
Dial 168

Mobile phones[edit]


The largest operators are Telkomsel [33] (brand Kartu HALO, simPATI, Kartu As), Indosat [34] (brands Matrix, Mentari, IM3), XL Axiata [35], 3 [36], and AXIS [37]. In general, Telkomsel has the best coverage (on remote islands of east Indonesia it can be the only option available) but higher rates. Coverage of 3 and Axis is patchy to non-existent outside of Java, Bali, and major cities elsewhere, but they are somewhat cheaper (3, being an international brand, has one of the lowest rates on international calls and cheap Internet packages as well). Indosat and XL are in the middle both in terms of coverage and prices. On Java and Bali, any SIM will work just fine.

After inserting a new SIM card, you will normally get the registration form (in Indonesian), which you must fill before activating it, the SIM won't work otherwise. Foreign ID/passport data may or may not be accepted by this form, and if it does not or you just can't manage it yourself - ask the vendor or a local friend to fill in it using their Indonesian government issued ID. You can also register it on your own passport, if you visit the operator's office. Recently some vendors require you to show your passport when buying a SIM card. This is not required when topping up credit.






Cheapest monthly Internet offers consistently originate from 3, whicn now offers a whole range of packages from Rp 10,000/month and Rp 50,000/year (AlwaysOn, includes free 50 Mb/month, additional quota can be purchased as needed in package starting from Rp 5,000/100 Mb to Rp 100,000/3 Gb, which are valid through the entire period, cheap night time (between 00:00 and 06:00) packages also available, the highest-priced being the Rp 50,000 for the 10Gb package.) to Rp 125,000 (incl. tax) for the 5Gb/month regular package. Their 3G signal, however, occasionally can fade by itself, leaving you with 2G or no signal for a while. In remote parts of Indonesia, there may be no coverage at all, and if you plan to spend much time outside of the main cities and tourist areas - consider buying another SIM, instead or in addition.

Those staying for a while on Bali or in major metropolitan areas, and having a laptop, may consider buying an EVDO modem (from Rp 150,000 for a locked, which can be used only with that particular operator and only in Indonesia, and from Rp 250,000 for an unlocked one). Of 5 Indonesian CDMA networks, currently 3 support broadband (EVDO) internet, namely TelkomFlexi [39], Esia [40], and Smartfren [41]. Prices are cheaper and quotas are larger than with GSM (unlimited from Rp 49,000/month on Flexi, "high speed" Rp 99,000/9 Gb on Smartfren, as an example), plus their 3G (EVDO) signal is often found in the area where GSM would be stuck on slow 2G network). Contrary to what some local people would say, you can use modem bought in one area (for example, Jakarta) of Indonesia while being in another (e.g. Bali), as long as there's network coverage and your card is already activated.

Word of caution: Smartfren's internet services are constantly slow, leading to mockery from nationals and even expats, leading some to call it "Smartpret", Smartfren + "kampret" (lit. schucks).

WARNING: If you are using a Telkomsel prepaid card (Telkomsel is the only option if you are going anywhere outside the main cities and Bali), be advised that their Internet packages can be a bit tricky. They have different packages for 3G and 2G connections and also combined packages. If you have a package for 3G connection and you are in an area where only 2G is available, they will charge you for using the internet from your nominal credit. However, if you have a 2G package, this works both for using the 3G and 2G network. It is best to buy a combined package. Having said that, their service is generally OK and 3G is available even in some pretty remote areas with 2G available virtually anywhere people live.

Telephone directories and information services[edit]

Other information services[edit]

Current time 
☎ 999
Information about Telecom services
☎ 162
Phone directory
☎ 108
Phone directory in other cities
☎ (Code Area) 108
Hello Yellow Phone Directory
☎ +62 21 7917 8108
Online Yellow Pages
Indonesian YellowPages [42]
Code area of large cities in Indonesia


Tourism Promotion Center[edit]



Here is a list of emergency numbers in Indonesia (please note that while these numbers are accessible for free from all non-mobile telephones, they may not be accessible from mobile phones [for mobile phones, you'd better use international mobile phones emergency number, 112]). Bear in mind, however, as they may not have English-speaking operators available when making any emergency numbers:

  • Police : ☎ 110
  • Fire department : ☎ 113
  • Ambulance : ☎ 118
  • Search and rescue team: 115.


Embassies, high commissions and consulates[edit]

The Departemen Luar Negeri (Deplu) or Ministry of Foreign Affairs [44] maintains a complete searchable database of diplomatic institutions. All embassies are located in Jakarta (see that article for listings), but a few countries maintain consulates general and honorary consulates elsewhere, mostly in Surabaya, Bali and port cities (eg. Malaysia in Pekanbaru, Philippines in Manado and so on).
