General Information
This page indexes our collection of tips and advice for Indonesia. Use the links below to find out more information to help you plan your trip.
Getting There & Getting Around
- Indonesia Visas
- Don't forget to get your visa! You probably need one to visit Indonesia, including Bali. Read this page for costs, including visa-on-arrival procedures.
- Getting Around Indonesia
- Indonesia is a big country. If you plan to see more than a tiny bit of it, then you'll need to know about the domestic airlines and cruise companies.
Electricity in Indonesia
Power throughout most of Indonesia is 220 to 240 Volts AC. Power outages can be frequent during the rainy season. Power plugs are recessed receptacles taking two round prongs. Bring an adapter with you.
Indonesian Money & Currency
The currency of Indonesia is the Rupiah. For more information on money and exchange, see our full article.
Taxes, Tipping & Service Charges
In big tourist areas such as Bali, restaurants will normally add tax and service charges on to the menu prices printed in the menu. This can add up to around 21% so be sure to check the menu when ordering to avoid surprises. Where a service charge is not automatically added on, you may wish to tip 5% to 10% for good service.
Safety & Security in Indonesia
Anybody visiting Indonesia is wise to think about their safety and security. The good news is that, given a minimum of precautions, you can have a perfectly safe and enjoyable trip to anywhere in Indonesia. More...
In this section
Being a nation of islands, you can really only get to Indonesia by air or by sea.
Indonesia By Air Although there are actually several international airports in Indonesia, most tourists coming by air enter through either Jakarta or Bali. Many international carriers service one or both destinations. Additional cities can be reached by air from Singapore, where flights are often cheaper. You may be well served to get the cheapest flight you can to Singapore, then book onward travel from there.
Most visitors to Indonesia will require a visa. The only exception are people carrying passports from one of the other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), who get a 30 day visa free entry. Passport holders from 36 countries can apply for a visa on arrival.
Indonesia Visa on Arrival Tourists holding passports from North American, European Union or Gulf Cooperation Council countries can apply for a visa on arrival.
Your main options for getting around Indonesia are by air, if you're in a hurry, or by sea, if you have plenty of time to get from place to place.
Indonesian Airlines As a huge country made up of a huge number of islands, it's no wonder that Indonesia hosts a plethora of domestic air carriers. Some are small. Some are big. Batavia Air Small domestic airline. At last check, web site had no English language version and no online reservation capability.
The currency of Indonesia is the Rupiah. See the converter below for current exchange rates.
Bills come in denominations of 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 Rupiah. A number of the bills were revised in early 2006, featuring very bright colors. Old bills are still in circulation, so check your change very carefully.
Coins come in 50, 100 and 500 Rupiah denominations. As with bills, there are a few different versions, but the most common ones in circulation are made of extremely light metals.
Anybody visiting Indonesia is wise to think about their safety and security. The good news is that, given a minimum of precautions, you can have a perfectly safe and enjoyable trip to anywhere in Indonesia.
In all major cities, such as Jakarta, Surabaya or Bali, hotels, shopping malls and other places that may attract large numbers of people have security precautions in place. These generally include visual searches of all vehicles entering the parking areas and security checks (looking in bags, metal detectors) on all people entering the buildings.
$page->page_head(" in Indonesia"); $page->menu(); ?> Power throughout Indonesia is 220 to 240 Volts AC. Power outages can be frequent during the rainy season. Power plugs are recessed receptacles taking two round prongs. Bring an adapter with you.
Note that most electronic devices, such as digital cameras and notebook computers have adapters that will take any voltage from 100 to 240 volts. You generally don't need a power converter, you just need an adapter for the plug.
A break during a white-water rafting trip in Bali. Most outdoor activities in Indonesia naturally involve water, whether its in the ocean or on its way there. The main choices include:
Surfing Windsrufing Diving & Snorkeling Whitewater Rafting Trekking Most guidebooks will have more information about these activities. There are many professional guides available in the most popular tourist destinations.
