Travel Tips

Passport

Check your passport expiry date. Indonesia requires that your passport be valid for six months following your date of arrival. Before passing through immigration you will fill out a disembarkation card, half of which you must keep to give to immigration when you leave the country.
At the time of research, nationals and passport holders of Israel were not permitted to enter the country unless special authorisation had been granted from the Immigration Office in Indonesia.

Immigration

Visas are required except for the nationals of 48 countries namely Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom (Great Britain), United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Venezuela, Yugoslavia and Taiwanese holding MFA//M passports. The visa requirement is also waived for other nationals from friendly countries, attending a conference which has received official approval.

Visa free entry is for maximum of 60 days and is not extendable. Entry and departure must be through the airports of Polonia (Medan), Simpang Tiga (Pekanbaru), Hang Nadim (Batam), Tabing (Padang), Soekarno-Hatta (Jakarta), Husein Sastranegara (Bandung), Juanda (Surabaya), Adisumarmo (Solo), Ngurah Rai (Denpasar), Eltari (Kupang), Supadio (Pontianak), Sepingan (Balikpapan), Sam Ratulangi (Manado), Pattimura (Ambon), Hasanuddin (Makassar), Selaparang (Mataram), and Frans Kaisiepo (Biak), and the seaports of Belawan (Medan), Batu Ampar and Sekupang (Batam), Tanjung Priok (Jakarta), Tanjung Mas (Semarang), Tanjung Perak (Surabaya), Benoa and Padangbai (Bali), Bitung (North Sulawesi), Ambon (Maluku), and Tanjung Pinang (Bintan). There is only one land gateway, Entikong in West Kalimantan.

For other ports of arrival or departure, visitors must have visas, For others, tourist visas for thirty days can be obtained form any Indonesian embassy or consulate. Two photographs are required and a small fee is charged. Possession of passports is a must to all visitors to Indonesia valid for at least six months with proof of onward passage, either return or through tickets.

Weather

Indonesia has two seasons, the dry season from June to October and the rainy season from November to March. There are occasional showers during the transitional periods and the general maximum temperature is 33°C (62°F) and the general minimum 21°C (41°F). Humidity is high at all times.

Custom

Customs allow on entry a maximum of one liter of alcoholic beverages, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco and a reasonable amount of perfume per adult. Cameras, video cameras, portable radios, cassette recorders, binoculars and sport equipment are admitted provided they are taken out on departure. They must be declared to Customs. Prohibited are firearms, narcotics drugs, pornography, Chinese printing and medicines, transceivers and cordless telephones. Films, pre-recorded video tapes and laser disks must be screened by the Censor Board.

There is no restriction on import or export of foreign currencies and travelers checks, however, the import and export of Indonesian currency exceeding IDR. 5.000.000,- is prohibited. Airport authority levies an airport tax  for travelers on international  and domestic routes.

Shopping and Tipping

At most hotels a service charge of 10% is added to the bill. In restaurants where a service charge is not additional, a tip of 5 to 10% would be appropriate depending on the service and type of establishment. An airport or hotel porter expects Rp. 5,000 per bag.

Tipping taxi drivers or leaving the change is appreciated but not mandatory. It is advisable to carry small change as taxi drivers are often short of change. The big cities have shopping complexes, supermarkets and department stores where prices are fixed. They stay open from 8.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. everyday and some even on Sunday. At small shops bargaining might be necessary.


Food and Health

The Indonesian staple food is rice steamed boiled or fried. Some accompanying dishes can be pepper hot - big red pepper or small green ones - so it is advisable to ask before ordering. Please be inform to also ask the price before ordering. There are many restaurants specializing in European, American and Oriental cuisine including the fast food restaurants.

A variety of beverages (both imported or locals) are available everywhere including very good Indonesian beer. Keep to bottled drinks if doubtful of water served in restaurants. Travelers coming from infected areas are required to submit International certificates of valid smallpox, cholera and yellow vaccinations.


Dress Code

In business circles, wearing a suit is the norm for both men and women. For formal occasions, either a suit or a long-sleeved, good quality, batik shirt are recommended for men, whilst evening or cocktail dresses are suitable for women. As Indonesia is primarily a Muslim country, modesty in dress is advised; remember to cover up if you intend visiting a mosque.

Local Customs

Indonesia has a high Muslim populace and it is important to understand and respect the local beliefs. Scanty clothing is not advisable in public places in deference to local customs. Shorts are not allowed in mosques and women should have their arms and head covered.

Offices

Most government offices are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Commercial offices and businesses are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Saturdays. Hours for businesses and commercial offices are staggered.

Electricity

Cities run on 220 volts, 50 cycles AC system. Rural areas may only be able to provide 110 volts.