Indonesia

VISA AND OTHER PROCEDURES

You can apply for your visa at the nearest Indonesian embassy. Alternatively, you can get a visa on arrival at any of the most popular entry destinations – Jakarta and Bali – for around €20. 

HEALTH CARE

The risk of contracting malaria exists throughout the country and throughout the year. It is smaller in cities, and in the more touristy areas of Java and Bali, but it is more pronounced in other islands off Java and Sumatra, also in Lombok and in the province of West Papua. Premedication for malaria is recommended. 

For more information on traveling health, see the Health Portal of the Ministry of Health and Tropical and Traveler Medicine Clinic. In FitForTravel find country-specific health and disease prevention advice (in English).

TRAVEL TO INDONESIA

Airlines KLM e Emirates fly from Lisbon to Jakarta, with a single stopover, from €800. KLM operates a flight to Denpasar (Bali), with a single stopover in Amsterdam for around €1.200.

• Java: Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park; Borobodur temple
• Sulawesi: Tana Toraja; Bunaken National Marine Park
• Borneo (Kalimantan): Tanjung Puting; Sungai Mahakam
• Sumatra: Lake Danau Toba; Bukit Lawang; Mentawai Islands
• ​Band Islands
• Bali
• Lombok & Gili Islands
• Komodo
• ​Flowers (Kelimutu volcano)
• Baliem Valley (Papua)

INTERNAL FLIGHTS

If you have plenty of time and plan to travel to different areas of the vast Indonesian archipelago, you will have to resort to airlines that provide connections within the country. The national and most popular company is the Garuda. The panorama of airlines operating in Indonesia is quite unstable, but at the time of this text, the Lion Air a Air Asia, to Tiger Air and CitiLink, in addition to dozens of smaller ones with regional service. Depending on the distance covered, internal flights can cost from €40 to €250 (one way).

TRUCK

Buses run everywhere and are the livelihood of many families. As a rule, they work on the basis of “only part when it is full or overcrowded” but on the other hand, they have ridiculous prices and are perfect for living with Indonesians. The vast majority are noisy, smoky old museum vehicles without air conditioning. In Java, Sumatra and Bali, some companies provide medium and long-distance travel in more modern and comfortable buses. 

CAR RENTAL

Indonesian cities can prove exasperating places to drive cars or motorbikes. If, even so, you are determined to explore the islands of the archipelago at the wheel, know that you must drive with extreme patience and care to compensate for traffic jams, the poor quality of many roads, the permanent disrespect of local drivers for the rules and for others, and in certain areas, the imminent crossing of pedestrians, carts, animals and who knows what else.

Motorbike and motorbike rental is far more popular than car rental. It is normal for Indonesians with small rental businesses to approach foreigners to convince them to rent their motorbikes or even cars, as a rule, at very low prices, as little as €3 per day for a simple motorbike. A car costs significantly more if rented at a multinational company at an Indonesian airport (20€ or 30€ a day) but, assuming the risks involved, you may be able to rent a car for half from a small business. If you do, carefully examine anything involving insurance and surety bonds.

TRAIN

The rail network is limited to the islands of Java and Sumatra. In Java, trains are an excellent alternative to longer journeys by car or bus and are guaranteed to be more uncomfortable. In Sumatra, the rail network is more limited than in Java.

SHIP

As an archipelago nation, Indonesia is served by a huge fleet of ferries but safety records are far from the best. The company PELNI (outdated and barely functional site for passengers) has the best boats but also the highest prices. Ferry trips range from €9 per day in 4th Class (single bed in a stuffy dormitory) to €30 per day in first class (in a cabin with just two beds, air conditioning, TV, private bathroom).

The climate is tropical. The dry season starts in late April and ends around November. It is the ideal time to visit Indonesia when it rains less. Certain regions of Indonesia, such as the islands of Kalimantan and northern Sumatra, are significantly more rainy and experience little climatic variation throughout the year.

In Bali and the entire Nusa Tenggara archipelago, the difference between the rainy season and the dry season is marked, with some islands entering into long periods without rain. During the monsoon, from December to the end of April, the sky is often cloudy and it can rain for several days at a time. 

The national currency is the Indonesian Rupee (IDR). ATMs only exist in the biggest cities. Not all of them accept international cards and only the most sophisticated establishments (usually resorts) in the country are prepared to pay with credit cards. Indonesia is one of the most accessible countries in Asia. 

ACCOMMODATION

The stays have prices of all types, almost always leveled down and even more in low season. From €6 or €7, per night, per person in a double room in the most basic hotels in less touristy places, to many hundreds of euros per night in the finest resorts in Bali.

FOOD

A bottle of water costs around €0,25. Except for the most popular places in Bali, a full traditional meal in average restaurants and bars can cost less than €5. On the other hand, if you don't want to give up some refinement, you can spend a lot more at the best restaurants and resorts in Java, Bali and Lombok, for example.

INTERNET

Don't expect to find lots of free hotspots as you walk the streets. Mid-range hotels and resorts include internet access in their prices. If this is not the case for the one booking, you should have no difficulty finding an internet cafe with acceptable speeds, unless you travel too far to the east of the country (east of Nusa Tenggara, West Papua etc.)