Planning a trip to Indonesia

Visa and entry requirements

All travellers to Indonesia must be in possession of a passport valid for at least six months after arrival and tickets proving onward passage. Some immigration officials will require six blank passport pages, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Visitors from countries not approved as either visa-free or eligible for visa-on-arrival must obtain a 30-day tourist visa from their local Indonesian embassy or consulate before entering Indonesia.

Visa-free: Visitors from the following 12 countries automatically receive a 30-day visa permit free upon arrival in Indonesia: Brunei, Chile, Ecuador, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Visa-on-arrival: Regulations are constantly changing. At press time, 65 countries have been approved for visa-on-arrival (voa). Currently the fees are US$10 for 7 days or US$25 for 30 days. It is recommended that you check with your local Indonesian embassy or consulate in advance of travelling for current regulations. 

The visa-on-arrival can be extended one time for a maximum 30 days and cannot be converted into a different visa. The only way to stay longer in Indonesia than your visa allows is to leave the country and come back in again, the nearest place being Singapore. Alternatively, apply for a 60-day visa at an Indonesian embassy or consulate before arriving in Indonesia. For further information, check the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Department website: www.kemlu.go.id.

Travel permits 

A surat jalan (travel permit) is required for visits to the interior of Papua. After landing in Sentani, hire a car at the airport and go directly to the police station in Jayapura (a 45-minute drive), where travel permits are processed. Have on hand 2–4 passport-sized photos (depending on the number of places you plan to visit), photocopies of your passport, and your embarkation card. (Expatriate residents need a copy of their kitas instead of the embarkation card.) 

When applying for the surat jalan, be certain to list all of the places you plan to visit in the interior – Baliem Valley, Asmat, Wasur, for example – and make photocopies of it. You will have to leave one copy at each area visited, as police checkpoints often ask for it, even in non-restricted areas.

Permits are also required to enter all national parks. In some parks there is an officer on the premises, but in others permits must be obtained prior to arrival. Check locally for regulations before visiting any national park.

Embassies and consulates

Australia: Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. 15–16, Jakarta; tel: 021-2550 5555; www.indonesia.embassy.gov.au.

Canada: Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Kav. 29, World Trade Center 6th floor, Jakarta; tel: 021-2550 7800; www.canadainternational.gc.ca.

New Zealand: Sentral Senayan 2, Floor 10, Jl. Asia Afrika, No. 8, Jakarta; tel: 021-2995 5800; www.mfat.govt.nz.

Singapore: Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. X-4, No. 2, Kuningan, Jakarta; tel: 021-2995 0400; www.mfa.gov.sgl.

UK: Jl. M.H. Thamrin, No. 75, Menteng, Jakarta; tel: 021-2356 5200; www.gov.uk/world/indonesia.

United States: Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan, No. 5, Jakarta Pusat, Jakarta; tel: 021-3435 9000; https://id.usembassy.gov.

Transport

Getting to Indonesia

By air

The vast majority of international flights arrive either at Sukarno-Hatta International Airport (also spelled Soekarno-Hatta), 20km (13 miles) west of Jakarta on Java, or Ngurah Rai Airport, near Denpasar, Bali. In addition, there are international arrivals using smaller aircraft at major cities throughout the country. For example, Yogyakarta (Jogja) has direct flights to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Garuda Indonesia is the national carrier, covering both international and domestic routes. In addition to the government-owned Merpati Nusantara, which primarily focuses on domestic routes, there are privately owned regional airlines, making travelling to and from, as well as within, Indonesia easier than ever before. For domestic flights, it is advisable to check with a reliable travel agent in Indonesia (often found in hotels) as schedules change frequently. 

Singapore is a major hub in the region, with a number of flights to various Indonesian destinations. Singapore-based SilkAir (a sister company of Singapore Airlines), AirAsia (Malaysia-based) and Lion Air (Indonesia-based) offer direct flights from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Hong Kong to several of Indonesia’s larger cities.

Departing Indonesia: reconfirm international reservations prior to departure as instructed by the airline (not all require you to do this). Arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to departure. International departure tax varies from one airport to another and must be paid in rupiah. The average is about Rp 150,000.

By sea

If you’re one of the lucky ones with plenty of time (and money), an ocean cruise to Indonesia should not be missed. Luxury cruise lines offer fly/cruise arrangements that allow you to fly to Bali and other ports, then catch a ship on the way home, or vice versa. Contact a travel agent in your home country to see which cruise operator is offering Indonesia as part of its itinerary.

Batam and Bintan islands (Sumatra) are served by high-speed ferries which connect to Singapore. There are also ferry connections from Penang and Malacca in Malaysia to Medan and Dumai in Sumatra respectively.

By land

The only access by road is at Entikong, between Kalimantan and Sarawak, Malaysia. Entry point is at the Pontianak–Kuching expressway. You may need a visa to cross into Malaysia.

Getting around Indonesia

By road

Every Indonesian city, town and village has inexpensive public transport: buses, minivans (bemo), horse-drawn carts (andong, cidomo, dokar), becak (pedicabs) or ojek (motorcycles). All except Jakarta’s Transjakarta buses can be flagged down anywhere on the street. Enquire what the fare is before getting in. Between towns on all islands, public buses run frequently. A few are safer than others, but all except the air-con express varieties (most with reclining seats, videos and toilets) are noisy and crowded.

The alternative is to hire a taxi, car or minivan, which would allow stops along the way. The hire of a car and driver can be arranged at even the smallest losmen (homestay) at rates by the day. Negotiate better rates if you are booking a vehicle for a week or longer, but note that you are responsible for the driver’s food and lodging, and for the petrol.

The quality of the roads varies greatly, and distances in kilometres are irrelevant when calculating time over mountainous routes. Don’t bother driving, as the experience is not worth the effort of having to deal with near-manic drivers.

By air

Note that in remote areas, flights may not be connected to a central reservations system, so it’s best to purchase tickets in the town itself rather than pre-book them from a larger city. Seats are not always assigned in advance. Be sure to get a computer printout with a confirmation number on it, and reconfirm all domestic flights to be sure they are on schedule. Domestic departure tax is set locally, so varies from airport to airport. The average is about Rp 40,000.

By sea

Pelni (Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia; www.pelni.co.id), the state-owned shipping company, serves about 30 ports, with each ferry accommodating 1,000–1,500 passengers in four classes. They are basic and often dangerously overloaded. Pelni tickets can be purchased at their local offices or at travel agencies. There are also privately owned ferry services to many small port towns. Check with a ticketing agency locally for schedules and prices.

In bad weather, especially during the rainy season (Oct–Apr), the seas can be quite rough, particularly between Sumatra and Java, Bali and Lombok, and around Komodo, and all ferry runs may be cancelled. Enquire at the local ticketing office if the weather looks ominous.

By train

There is a reasonable railway network in Java, and a more limited one in Sumatra, but train services are virtually non-existent elsewhere.

Health and safety

Yellow fever vaccinations are required if arriving within six days of leaving or passing through an infected area. Check with your home GP regarding vaccinations for other ailments such as typhoid, cholera and hepatitis A and B. Also check the WHO website for health updates (www.who.int/ith/).

All water must be made safe before consumption. Bottled purified water is readily available in even the smallest villages, but if caught in a bind, bringing water to a rolling boil for 20 minutes is an effective method of sterilisation. All fruit should be peeled before being eaten; avoid raw vegetables.

Most drugs are available at pharmacies (apotik) in Jakarta and major cities without prescription, but if you need special medication, bring adequate supplies with you. International-standard medical treatment and specialist care is available in Jakarta and Bali at hospitals and clinics.

Money and budgeting

Currency

Rupiah (Rp) come in bank note denominations of 100,000; 50,000; 20,000; 10,000; 5,000; 1,000; 500 and 100. Coins come in 1,000, 500, 200, 100 and 50 rupiah. Change is often not available in smaller shops. Carry a variety of coins and small notes, especially when travelling outside cities.

Changing money

Bring only new notes (no coins), as practically no one will change dirty or marred bank notes. The best exchange rate is usually obtained at money-changers, found at the airports of all major cities. Hotels usually offer a lower rate, and banks often offer even worse rates.

Particularly in Bali, where illegal money-changers know every scam in the book, stick to those advertising themselves as “Authorised”. Count your money before leaving the counter and get a receipt. It is advisable to convert most of your money in the cities before moving towards the interior. Leftover rupiah is easily changed back into foreign currency at departure. US$1 is roughly equivalent to Rp 9,500.

MasterCard and Visa are accepted in most large hotels and shops. Diner’s Club and American Express are less prevalent. Don’t be surprised if an additional 3–5 per cent “handling charge” is added to the bill; this is an accepted practice. ATMs are found everywhere in the larger cities. 

What to read

A Tale from Bali by Vicki Baum (Periplus, 1999). First published in 1937, this classic tale of love and death in Bali is set against the backdrop of turmoil faced by the Balinese in their struggle against the Dutch colonialists.

The Buru Quartet by Pramoedya Ananta Toer (Penguin, 1990-1997, English translations). A four-part series (“This Earth of Mankind”, “Child of all Nations”, “Footsteps” and “House of Glass”), the first volume was originally recited orally by Toer while a political prisoner, and all four were banned in Indonesia for many years. The series tells the multifaceted story of Indonesia’s birth as a nation through the eyes of Javanese citizens in what has been called “one of the 20th century’s great artistic creations”.

The Year of Living Dangerously by C J Koch (St Martin’s Press, 1978). Also banned in Indonesia for many years and later made into a film, this is the tale of a nation in crisis with the wayang kulit as a backdrop. Masterfully told.

Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded August 27, 1888 by Simon Winchester (HarperCollins, 2003). Geologist Winchester puts an entirely new perspective on the iconic 1888 eruption of Krakatoa that was followed by an immense tsunami that killed nearly 40,000 people, and does it in language that laymen can comprehend.

Tropical Herbs and Spices of Indonesia by Wendy Hutton (Periplus Editions, 1997). This handy pocket-sized book with photos is ideal for identifying the exotic spices used in Indonesian cooking and their scientific classifications.

Zoo Quest for a Dragon by David Attenborough (Lutterworth Press, 1957). A classic travel tale of Attenborough’s journey to Indonesia in the 1950s to capture Komodo dragons for London Zoo, the people he met and the animals he saw.

The Island of Ball by Miguel Covarrubias (Periplus, 1999). First published in 1937, this book is still regarded by many as the most authoritative text on Bali and its intriguing culture and people.

Dance and Drama in Bali by Beryl de Zoete and Walter Spies (Oxford, 1973). Spies lived in Bali for 12 years from 1927 and was an accomplished painter, musician and dance expert; de Zoete was trained in European dance. This important book documents the history of Balinese dance and drama.