DISCOVER
INDONESIA
The country where it’s simply inevitable to fall in love … with the warm people, the indigenous tribes, the stunning views, the food and the local traditions.
Indonesia is one of the most incredible countries you will visit in your life. Not only is it the world’s largest island country which is pretty impressing on its own but it’s also home to a whopping number of over 17,000 islands spread all over the Pacific and Indian oceans. Whether you’re an avid surfer, a diving enthusiast, an adrenaline junkie dying to hike up an active volcano or get lost in the jungles, Indonesia sure is the place for you to head out to on your next adventure to Asia.
Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Generally speaking, Indonesia is a safe country to travel through because due to the highly religious culture of the majority of the Indonesian population, violence and crime are relatively rare. Having said that, however, places popular among the tourists, such as Bali and the Gilis, are known to be prone to petty thefts so make sure to also carry the minimum on nights out or outdoor activities. Also make sure to get the necessary insurance to know you’re covered in case of bad scenarios.
If you travel for over a week, you’re bound to have to use an ATM. Only use ATM which are connected to a large bank, such as BRI and Mandiri. There have been cases of cards been hacked, predominantly from cards being used in the Gilis and Bali.
Indonesia is located in what is known as the “Ring of fire”. This means that the country is prone to volcanic activity which can lead to the formation of earthquakes and tsunamis. Having said that though, the country has experience in dealing with natural disasters and is quick to react if there are suspicions of a possible volcanic eruption.
If you travel for over a week, you’re bound to have to use an ATM. Only use ATM which are connected to a large bank, such as BRI and Mandiri. There have been cases of cards been hacked, predominantly from cards being used in the Gilis and Bali.
Indonesia is located in what is known as the “Ring of fire”. This means that the country is prone to volcanic activity which can lead to the formation of earthquakes and tsunamis. Having said that though, the country has experience in dealing with natural disasters and is quick to react if there are suspicions of a possible volcanic eruption.
Indonesia is a very religious country with not just one but seven official religions – Islam, Protestant Christianity, Roman-Catholic Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and the Bahá’í Faith. But what’s even more fascinating about Indonesia is that all these religions have found a way to thrive in conjunction with one another without causing unrest within the population.
This is largely why Indonesia is such a safe country to travel through. People deeply believe in and live by the values of their religion but also respect that not everyone believes in the same God and this balance in the society is fascinating. That being said, did you know that Java is predominantly Islamic, Bali is Buddhist and Flores is almost entirely Christian? So don’t be surprised if you get a somewhat different vibe in all these islands. But remember, wherever you go, you’ll meet incredible, genuine, friendly people ready to open the door to their house and welcome you in!
Depending on the places you are planning to visit and the duration of your trip, there will be vaccinations you may want to get. Before my trip to Indonesia, I made sure I was covered against Hep A & B, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Typhoid and Japanese Encephalitis (JE). From all the recommended vaccines the only one I did not get was Rabies. This is why I took extra caution around the monkeys which tend to be the most common source of the rabies infection. JE and Rabies are the two vaccines which cost the most since they are not offered by the national health service. However, I do believe that if you are traveling to anywhere in Southeast Asia for longer than 2 weeks, for your own peace of mind, it is highly recommended to get the JE jab. JE is transmitted by insects and it’s just so impossible to know what insects you’ll come across along the way and you really don’t want to panic every time you spot a few bites here and there.
Recommended
Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), Rabies
To check if your country is one of those 169, go over to this website and check with your local embassy just to be sure. If you want to stay longer than 30 days, you can either pay for a 30-day visa on arrival or can apply for the same before travelling. Both visa can then be extended for further 30 days for a fee.
Whether you enter the country with a visa or arrival or a tourist visa, do check and make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry. Otherwise, you might be refused entry.
The local transportation in Indonesia is something you would need to experience for yourself to fully understand the true meaning of a “travel adventure” in the context of getting from A to B. From jumping into rustic buses in Bali and pulling over local “bemos” (mini vans) in Flores to riding on air-conditioned modernized trains in Java and Grab scooter taxis on all major islands, transportation in Indonesia differs massively from island to island and one means of transport to the other.
The good thing to know is that one way or another, there will always be a local transport to get you to the place you’re headed to. Regular ferries operate between the major islands and local buses take passengers on anything between 30min to 10-hour journeys in the most remote places in Flores. As exciting and fun as local transport is though, you will likely need to fly within the country too so I highly recommend downloading the Skyscanner App and Traveloka. Thanks to Traveloka, I found the most amazing last minute deal (and I mean the day before I traveled) from Bali to Labuan Bajo.
Other essential Apps to download before you travel:
Transportation (i.e. the scooter taxi): Grab
Accommodation: Booking.com, AirBnB
PLANNING TIPS
Indonesia is a very traveler friendly destination but the country is so enormous and offers so much variety and inexplicable adventures that unless you really plan your trip, you can easily miss out on some of the most incredible adventures to have and places to visit in Indonesia.
Of all the countries in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is one of the cheapest, if not the cheapest, to travel through. Although a lot of people still associate Indonesia with the luxurious villas and exclusive beaches in Bali, the truth is that a lot of the country is still very rural and largely undiscovered, thus priced at very low prices.
However how much or how little you spend will largely depend on your travel style and the places you visit. Naturally, places such as Bali and the Gilis are a lot more expensive in general than the less popular islands of Java and Lombok for example. Flores is increasingly becoming popular which, to my surprise, has resulted in particularly high prices for the very low quality of almost all services, especially accommodation.
Below is the minimum price that you can expect to pay for the main essentials.
1 day scooter: 60k IDR
8h Bus Ticket: 80k IDR
Dorm: 100k IDR
Budget Private Room: 170k IDR
Dinner in Warung: 25k IDR
Western Food in Restaurant: 120k IDR
Good coffee: 30k IDR
Snorkeling: 350k IDR
Diving: 1m IDR
1 Surf Lesson: 250k IDR
Inarguably, one of the coolest things about Indonesia is that whenever you go, it’ll be warm and sunny. Even if you happen to go during the rainy season, you’re still guaranteed that you won’t need to put on layers and wrap up warmly, apart from the few times you’ll wake up in the middle of the night to hike up a volcano or cross the jungle to see the awakening wildlife.
But unless you’re just going to Indonesia to just chill on the beach and relax, you will have a really active adventurous trip which will revolve around all sorts of different activities so you need to be prepared with the essentials. Some of the absolute must-haves are a sarong to cover your knees and shoulders before going into a temple, sturdy hiking boots because let’s be honest if you don’t hike up a volcano whilst in Indonesia, why are you even going there 😀 and a lightweight waterproof jacket that you can fold up and bring everywhere with you if you are visiting Indonesia during the rainy season. It can be sunny and beautiful, yet still pouring with rain.
Indonesia is one of the best countries for solo travelers. People are extremely friendly and genuinely helpful and they’re particularly welcoming towards female travelers who, from my experience, they feel they need to protect in some way. Everywhere I traveled, I was greeted with a warm kind smile and asked if I needed help. Don’t be alarmed when men ask you where you are going. Use your judgment, but from my personal experience, people would only ask you that because they actually want to help you with directions and that’s ok!
If I have to give you only one piece of advice it would be to SMILE. And I mean, to smile a lot! Indonesians are warm-blooded people. They love connecting with positive, happy people and unless your face shows them you’re the kinda person that deserves their hospitality, then how are they gonna know you’re kind, respectful and genuine!
BEST ADVENTURES TO HAVE
Indonesia is a country you can spend months and months in and never get bored. With so many islands to choose from and so many things to have a go at, you can easily plan a very active trip. From hiking, diving, water rafting, and orangutan watching, to surfing, scootering, and snorkeling, Indonesia is the ultimate package of some of the world’s most incredible adventures.
Check out the top things to do in Indonesia.
With over 120 active volcanoes spread across its islands, Indonesia truly is the hikers’ heaven. From easy couple-hour treks to hikes that would literally take you days to get to the top, Indonesia offers a huge variety of opportunities to get your hiking boots on and hit the trails. But hiking here isn’t like the normal trek you’d do in the Alps, the Himalayas or any other mountain range soaring high up in the sky.
The hikes in Indonesia involve going up ”live” active volcanos which we’d all hope won’t decide to make a grant appearance by erupting right when we’re on the trail but the feeling of knowing there is a tiny chance they might do really makes trekking in Indonesia world-class adrenaline soaked adventure.
Regardless of how much time you have, definitely start with a trek to see the sunrise over Mount Bromo in Java, a hike to the iconic mountains of Rinjani (Lombok), Merapi (Java) and Batur (Bali) or take an easy trek to see the Kelimutu lakes in Flores
Buddism and Hinduism are two of the most defining religions in Indonesia so it probably doesn’t come as a huge surprise that Indonesia is the home of the world’s biggest Buddhist temple, located at the heart of Java, Borobudur. The temple not only impresses with its phenomenal size and architecture but also it’s history, dating back from a period prior to the birth of Cambodia’s iconic Angkor Wat.
A few things can compete with the experience of watching the sunrise at Borobudur and with that, I doubt anyone would disagree. Just a few miles away from Borobudur is Prambanan temple which is the largest Hindu temple complex in central Java and undoubtedly one of the coolest places to visit in Indonesia.
Although not as grand in terms of size and history, my favorite temple in Indonesia is a mini Borobudur like temple located near Lovina in Bali, called Brahmavihara-Arama.
LOOK FOR TRADITIONAL VILLAGES IN FLORES
As I was travelling through Flores I realized how few people venture further from the Komodo National Park and the Kelimutu lakes and leave this unbelievably diverse island without seeing the best of it all. Travelling along some of the bumpiest roads, trekking into the jungles and connecting with the real locals as I was trying to reach the traditional villages of Wae Rebo, Tololela and Bena was the most incredible thing I did in Flores and is the one thing I just cannot recommend strongly enough. All villages are quite different both in terms of the people that you’ll meet there, the crafts that people keep themselves busy with, the houses that they live in, the stories they’ve got to share. Be warned however that if you go to Wae Rebo only, you will not experience the authentic life of the tribe because the village is largely transformed as a result of tourism, unlike Tololela and Bena which are further south from Labuan Bajo (the base for Komodo) and have preserved the authenticity and warm-heartedness of the indigenous people.
MEET THE KOMODO DRAGONS
If there is one thing you know about the island of Flores, I bet it’s that it’s home to the legendary Komodo National Park which is the only place in the whole wide world where you can see the world’s most gigantic lizard, aka the Komodo dragon.
Terrifying at first sight but pretty lazy and disinterested during most of the day, these massive creatures are a must-see. It’s one thing to see such deadly enormous animals in a zoo or somewhere so far they can’t reach you if they badly wanted to but standing a few meters away from them, in their habitat, surrounded by nothing else but a deserted island full of wild animals serving as lunch and dinner, is a whole other level of thrill.
And as if that isn’t enough, most tours from Labuan Bajo sail around some of the most amazing places you will see in your life, such as Padar Island and Pink beach.
Bali is, of course, the base for anyone looking to indulge in affordable luxury, stunning beaches, all year round beautiful weather, but also some of the best waves in the world. The most famous places to get your surfing on are Canggu, Kuta, and Uluwatu, all located on the southern part of Bali. The best part is, you don’t have to be a pro to complete for the waves because depending on which surfing spot you hit, there’s likely be a suitable wave for most levels. You can rent a board and go catch the waves on your own or you can take a surfing class. Or why not even join the enthusiasts who stick around for a little longer and join a surfing camp to learn from the pros.
But it’s not just Bali that’s high up on the surfers’ map. Lombok and the Mentawai islands just off the coast of Sumatra offer equally impressive spots with epic waves for you to ride and you’ll be pleased to know that it would come at a fraction of the price and crowds in Bali.
Most of Southeast Asia is cheap which means that you can treat yourself pretty much anywhere you go. From massages and skin treatments to yoga and meditation classes and retreats, Indonesia, and especially Bali is the place to truly let go and allow yourself to be pampered.
Ubud, in particular, is the place to head out to if you’re into yoga and meditation or if you’re simply curious to give it a try. Here you can find a lot of people who travel to Bali to join a retreat, eat organic food and connect with their inner self in a place so tropical and tranquil you might not ever wanna leave. With so many yoga studios in town though it can be overwhelming to choose where to go, so head over to Yoga Saraswati for a taste of yoga in a reasonably priced centrally located studio. I’ve been doing yoga for a bit over 4 years and I must admit that this studio has some of the best instructors I’ve ever practiced with so I was easily sold.
Indonesia is not only rich in culture, natural beauty, friendliness, and temples but it’s also hiding a big underwater treasure. Home to some of the world’s more beautiful and diverse snorkeling and diving spots, Indonesia is the perfect location to get your goggles on and look for marine life you’ve never seen before.
For the best snorkeling and diving spots, head over to Raja Ampat, the Nusa Islands and of course the Komodo National Park. Not only will you see some of the most colorful coral you’ve probably only watched on the Discovery channel, but with a bit of luck, you might even find yourself swimming with sharks, manta rays and giant sea turtles. If you want to get off the grid, go snorkeling on the less frequented Menjangan island!
If I had to pick just one thing that fascinates me the most about Bali, it will have to be the culture. Buddhism and Hinduism are religions spread in other corners of the world but I have never seen anything quite like the way these religions are practiced in Bali.
To really understand what I mean, look around to spot the little ”Thank you” flower pot offerings, attend a traditional kecak dance, or see a cremation service. For an evening of traditional kecak, head over to Ubud or Uluwatu where you can see local women and men dressed up in their grand costumes performing either at a temple or an outside stage. You will have to get a ticket for the show but for the cultural experience, it’s totally worth it.
I attended a cremation service and unlike my expectation of a whole day of grief, I was surprised by the joyfulness and inclusivity of the tradition which seemed to bring the entire village together.
Ok, maybe not an expert 😀 but give it a try at least. I haven’t personally done many cooking classes but honestly the cooking class I did in Bali was one of the most authentic, super fun, personable experiences I had on the island.
I was so fortunate to stumble upon Dewi at Caraway who was honestly one of the most genuine, warmhearted and friendly locals I met in Bali and her cooking class was like no other I had done before. The most amazing thing was that we all cooked together, as one big family throwing a massive grant Christmas dinner or something 😀 with so much flavour, colour and delicious smells flying around that we were all bonding quickly joined together by the love for tempeh, Indonesian curry and traditional Balinese peanut sauces 😀 For the full review of my cooking experience, go over to this post to have a read. It really is a super cool personal story!
You might think that I’m just being funny with my title but to let you in on a little secret, I’m not 😀 ! Poop coffee, aka kopi luwak is A real thing in Indonesia. A very expensive real thing, in fact haha! This coffee is produced in the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi by carefully collecting the feces from wild civets who snack on the Arabica coffee beans which then go through an expensive fermentation process inside the cats before their faeces get scavenged by the local farmers for coffee production. Due to the process being entirely manual, from collecting the feces to roasting the beans, the coffee is indeed pricey but if you want to learn more about the process, see real civets and treat yourself to a cup of kopi luwak, head over for a private (and surprising free) tour at Segara Windhu Coffee Plantations in Bali. Here you can taste all sorts of different teas and coffee (for free), including the legendary poop coffee (at a charge), and you can also buy some to take home if your pockets are deep enough to afford the treat of 100gr of coffee for about US$60.
LOCAL DISHES TO TRY
When it comes to culinary, Indonesia might not be the first country that comes to mind. Yet, there are a few dishes that the Indonesian are super proud of and which must definitely be on your menu when you’re traveling through Indonesia.
For a guide to all the traditional local recipes you have you try, read this post and make sure to dip your fingers into all of them!
MIE GORENG
Mie goreng is translated as ”fried noodles” and it actually is the exact same dish as the nasi goreng but served not with rice but with fried noodles. You can have it with chicken, prawns, tofu/ tempeh, or pork.