Introduction
Indonesia boasts 17,700 islands streching 3,200 miles (5,120 km) between Australia and the Asian Mainland.
Population and Language
Over 200 million people reside in 27 provinces. However, approximately 110 million of these people are concentrated on about 7% of the total area (Java, Bali and Madura).
Indonesia's tropical climate has two seasons
- the dry season from May to October and the wet season from November to
April. Occasional rain fall occurs in the dry season as there are rays
of sunshine in the wet season. Average temperatures range f rom 68°
to 86° or 20° to 30°C
.
Passport
and Visas
Visitors to Indonesia must have a valind
passport (at least 6 month prior to experation) and return tickets. No
Visa requirements for nationals of: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei,
Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines,
New Zealand, Singapore,South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand,
United Kingdom, United States of America and West Germany.
Maximum stay for tourists from these countries:
60 days with entry and departure through:
| Airports: | Medan, Batam, Pekanbaru, Padang, Jakarta, Bali, Manado, Ambon, Biak,Ku pang, Pontianak, Balikpapan and Surabaya; |
| Seaports: | Medan, Batam, Jakarta, Surabaya, Semarang, Riau, Bali, Manado, and Ambon. |
A visa is required through any other entry-points. Nationals from countries other then listed above can obtain 30-day tourist visas from any Indonesian embassy or consulate abroad.
Health Certificates
Yellow fever vaccination are necessary for visitors coming from infected areas.
Two litres of alcoholic beverages per adult, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco. Photographic equipment and typewriters must be declared and are admitted provided they are taken out on departure. Prohibited from entry are the following items: narcotics, arms and ammunition, TV sets, radio and radio casette recorders, pornography, fresh fruit, printed matters in Chinese characters and Chinese medicine. All movie films and video casettes will have to be deposited for review by the Film Censor Board. There is no restriction on import and export of foreign currencies and travellers cheque; however, import or export Indonesia currency exceeding Rp 50,000,- is prohibited.
Airport Tax
Airport tax levied on passengers for international
travel is Rp 17,000,-. While for travel within Indonesia it varies from
one region to another with an average of Rp 3,500,- for each departure.Top
Transportation
Most major hotels have scheduled airport shuttels available at a cost of
approximately 4,000 Rp per person. Metered Taxis are operating in Jakarta,
Surabaya, Bandung, Semarang and Solo. Elsewhere, other forms of transportation,
which required setting the fare in advance, include minicars for two passengers,
"bemos" or small buses covering regular routes and "becaks" powered by
human energy. Trains operate in Java and parts of Sumatra. Garuda Indonesia
has an extensive networkof dailyflights to all major cities in the 27 provinces.
These flights are supplemented by domestic air services on Merpati, Nusantara,
Mandala and Bouraq .
The local currency is the Rupiah. Foreign currencies can easily be exchanged in all major tourist areas.
Service oriented businesses should be tipped according to the quality of the service. Advisable tip: 10%.
Informal ight fabrics are recommended due to the warm, humid climate. It is recommended to bring a sweater or light jacket for travel to mountain areas. Shorts and beachwear are not considered appropriate except at sports facilities and on the beaches, and never appropriate for visits to temples, mosques and other places of worship.
| Government offices: | |
| Monday - Thursday | 8 am to 3 pm |
| Friday | 8 am to 11.30 am Saturday |
| Saturday | 8 am to 2 pm |
| Business offices | Monday - Friday 8 or 9 am to 4 or 5 pm Some offices are open half day on Saturday. |
| Banks: | Monday - Friday 8 am to 3 pm |
As in China, rice heads the list. Coconut milk and hot chili peppers are popular cooking ingredients nationwide. Tastes range from very spicy dishes of meat; fish and vegetables to those that are quite sweet. The most popular dishes are "nasi goreng" (fried rice) which is otten served for breakfast, lunch or dinner, "satay" barbequed meat or chicken on skewers and "gado-gado", a vegetable salad with a pean ut sauce.All are most compatible with internationaltastes. Inthemaintouristcenters and cities, restaurants catering to international visitors are many, from fine continental grill rooms to Japanese specialty restaurants. Chinese restaurants are found in all towns throughout Indonesia. Tropical and subtropical fruits are available yearround. Bottled drinking water can be purchased everywhere.
Many of Indonesia's main cities have department stores, supermarkets and large shopping complexes, open generally from 9 am to 8 pm, where fixed prices prevail. In local markets and small shops bargaining is the rule.
Time
Indonesia streches across three time zones: Western Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, West and Cen tral Kalimantan) + 7 GMT Central Indonesia (Bali, South and East Kalimantan, Sula wesi, Nusa Teng gara) + 8 GMT East Indonesia (Maluku and Irian Jaya) , +9 GMT
Electricity
Most hotels use 220 volts 50 cycles and two-pronged plugs. However it is not uncommon to find some hotels using 110 volts, particularly in the provinces. Check before using an appliance. Some hotels supply adaptors on request.
Communication
Long distance calls within Indonesia may
be made by direct dialing through International Direct Dial (IDD) in major
cities or through operator-assisted calls. Telex and fax services are readily
available in major hotels and larger cities.Top
Culture
and Traditions Indonesians are a very friendly and polite
people. Handshaking is customary, for both men and women, on introduction
and greeting, smiling is a national characteristics. The population is
predominantly Moslem. Nevertheless, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism
and other religions are freely practiced. Traditional customs form a major
part of family and community life. The use of the left hand to give or
receive is considered ill-mannered. Likewise crooking your finger to call
someone is impolite.
| January 1 | New Year |
| Feb 20, 21 | Idul Fitri Festival |
| March 21 | Seclusion Day / Saba New Year |
| April 5 | Good Friday |
| April 28 | Idul Adha Great Day |
| May 16 | Ascention day of Christ |
| May 19 | Hijriah New Year |
| June 2 | Waisak Day |
| July 28 | Maulid of Prophet Mumammad |
| August 17 | National Independence Day |
| Dec 8 | Isra Miraj of Prophet Muhammad |
| December 25 | Christmas Day |