FAQ'S

Frequently Asked Questions (Fast Facts of Indonesia)

Where is Indonesia?

Indonesia is the largest archipelago and the fourth most populous country in the world. Consisting of five main islands (Sumatra, Jawa, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua) with 33 provinces, 30 smaller archipelagos, it has a total of 17,508 islands of which about 6,000 are inhabited. The Republic of Indonesia is located in Southeast Asia and stretches 5,150 km between the Australian and Asian continental mainland and divides the Pacific and Indian Oceans at the Equator. The name Indonesia is composed of two Greek words: “Indos” which means Indian and “nesos” meaning islands. The capital city of Indonesia is Jakarta. The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Malaysia. Other neighboring countries include Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

What’s the climate like?

Indonesia climate is distinctly tropical. The east monsoon from June to September brings dry weather while the west monsoon from December to March is moisture-laden Indonesia In General bringing rain. The transitional period between these two are interposed by occasional rainshowers, but even in the midst of the west monsoon season, temperatures range from 21 degrees C (70 F) to 33 degrees C. (90 F) except at higher altitudes which are much cooler. Heaviest rainfalls are recorded in December and January. Humidity is between 60-100 %.

Language and Dialects

There are more 583 languages and dialects spoken in the archipelago. There normally belong to the 350 different ethnic groups of the population. Bahasa Indonesia is the national language, written in Roman script and based on European orthography. In all tourist destination areas English is the number one foreign languages fairly spoken and written.

Food and Dining

The staple food of most of Indonesia is “nasi” (rice). On some of the island in eastern Indonesia, staple food traditionally ranged from corn, sago, cassava to sweet potatoes. Fish features prominently in the diet as fresh, salted, dried, smoked or a paste. Coconut is found everywhere and besides being produced for cooking oil, its milk - the juice from the white meat - is an ingredient for many dishes. Spices and hot chili Peppers are the essence of most cooking, and in some areas they are used generously such as in West Sumatra and North Sulawesi. Each province or area has its own cuisine, which vary in the method of cooking and ingredients. The Javanese cuisine is probably more palatable to the general taste and consists of vegetables, soybeans, beef, chicken and other varieties. The Sumatrans generally eat more beef compared to the other regions. West Sumatra particularly is known for its Padang restaurants found nationwide. Beside the hot and spicy food, these restaurants are known for their unique style of service. Further to the east, seafood features on the daily diet, either grilled or made into curries. In Bali, Papua and the highlands of North Sumatra and North Sulawesi pork dishes are specialities. Pork is ussually served in Chinese restaurants or non-moslem regions. There is a wide variety of tropical and sub-tropical fruits and vegetables all year round. Coffee and tea plantations are plentiful, growing on several islands, and served everywhere from fine restaurants to small village stalls. There are several breweries which produce local beer. Bali produces “brem” which is a rice wine, whereas Toraja has its “tuak” which is also known in North Sumatra. Most common nationwide are “sate” (skewered grilled meat), “gado-gado” (vegetable salad with a peanut sauce), “nasi goreng” (fried rice served at anytime) and “bakmi goreng” (fried noodles).

Travel Formalities

All travelers to Indonesia must be in possession of passport valid for at least six months from date of arrival and have proof (tickets) of onward or return passage.

Free Tourist Visa

Immigration authority will provide Free Tourist Visas for a period of 30 days to national s from 12 countries only on the basis of reciprocity. The countries are Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Chile, Morocco, Peru, Vietnam and Equador.

Visa on Arrival (VOA)

Visa on arrival is valid for 30 days and maybe extended under the permission of Indonesia is conditions as follows, the natural disaster happens in the place that is visiting by the tourist. And if, the tourist is sick or got an accident during other visiting. VOA Will be given to citizens of Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Canada, Finland, France, Germany,Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, New Zealand, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America, Austria, Belgium, India, Ireland, Kuwait, Luxemburg, Maldives, Egypt, Oman, Portuguese, Qatar, The People of Republic China, Russian, Saudi Arabian, Spain, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece , Iran, Iceland, Laos PDR, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Nederland, Suriname, Sweden, Aljazair, Czech, Slovakia, Fiji, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Panama, Slovakia, Slovenia, Rumania, Tunisia.

Entry ports where visa-on-arrival may be issued are the Soekarno-Hatta airport in Jakarta, Ngurah Rai airport in Bali, Sultan Syarif Hasim airport in Pekanbaru, Tabing airport in Padang, Juanda airport of Surabaya and the Sam Ratulangi airport in Manado. While authorized seaports are Batam, the Sekupang, Batuampar, Nongsa, Marina, Teluk Senimba, Bandar Brintan, Talani Lagoi and Bandar Sri Udana Labon in the Riau archipelago, Sri Bintan Pura in Tanjung Pinang, Belawan port and Sibolga in North Sumatra, Yos Sudarso Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, Teluk Bayur of Padang, Tanjung Priok at Jakarta, Padang Bai and Benoa in Bali, the port of Jayapura, Bitung, Tanjung Balai Karimun, Tanjung Mas in Central Java, Tenua and Maumere in East Nusa Tenggara, Pare-Pare and Soekarno Hatta port in South Sulawesi.

VISA Application at Indonesia Embassies or Consulates

Other nationals must apply for visa at Indonesia Embassies or Consulates in their home country. In addition, the visa cannot be replaced with any other of immigration letters. The visa shall then be administered by Visa Officer in the presence of the applicant concerned.

You may find Information on Indonesia embassies and consulates contact details at the Ministry of Foreign Affair website on the following direct-link: http://www.deplu.go.id/

1. Visas Of The Republic Of Indonesia:

   • A Visa of the Republic of Indonesia is issued in the form of a sheet of paper attached to a passport. The type of visa issued shall be based on the visa application.
   • A Diplomatic Visa or a Service Visa shall only be issued to the bearer of a Diplomatic Passport or a Service Passport. Applications for Diplomatic or Service Visas should be accompanied by diplomatic letters or official letters.
   • Visa applications may be done by proxy, except for Diplomatic or Service Visa applications.
   • A visa application should be submitted to an Embassy or Consular Office of the Republic of Indonesia or other official designated by Government of the Republic of Indonesia.
   • Visas shall be used within 90 (ninety) days, calculated from the date of issuance. Any foreign national who fails to use a visa within this designated period of time must submit a re-application for a new visa.

2. Competent Authorities And Officials:

   • The Immigration Attache at an Embassy or Consular Office of the Republic of Indonesia or other designated official (hereafter, Visa Officer) is authorized to issue or reject Diplomatic or Service Visa applications in accordance with the decision of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
   • The Visa Officer is authorized to issue or refuse requests for Transit Visas, Visit Visas, and Limited Stay Visas in accordance with the decision of the Director General of Immigration on behalf of the Minister of Justice.
     * The Director General of Immigration may fully authorize the Visa Officer to issue or reject applications for Transit Visas or Visit Visas.
   • The Visa Officer shall have the full authority to grant a visa to a foreign national who is in possession of a national passport or other valid travel document.
   • The Visa Officer, upon the approval of the Director General of Immigration, shall grant a visa to an individual not in possession of a national passport or other travel document (a stateless person).
   • Admission to Indonesia remains under the authority of the Immigration Officer at the port of entry.
   • For urgent cases, a Transit Visa or a Visit Visa may be issued at an Immigration Check Point.

3. General Visa Requirements:

   • Visa applications should be submitted to the Visa Officer after filling out the required form.
   • A visa application should be submitted along with the following:
     1. a valid passport;
     2. a round trip or through-ticket to country of destination;
     3. 2 (two) photographs, size 4 x 6 cm.
     4. proof or written guarantee of possession of sufficient funds for living expenses during entire stay in Indonesia.
     5. Payment of the visa fee.

4. The Approval of Visa Applications:

   A visa application shall be approved if the applicant:
   1. has fully complied with the requirements
   2. has paid the visa fee;
   3. is not included on the Blacklist.

5. The Rejection of Visa Applications:

   A visa application shall be rejected if the applicant:
   • has not fully complied with the requirements
   • is included on the Blacklist
   • can be included in any of the following categories, specified in Article 17 of Immigration Act No. 9/1992, which include any foreign national who:
     1. is known to be or suspected of being involved in international crime syndicate activities;
     2. has shown a hostile attitude toward the Government of Indonesia, or has taken actions which demean the name of the people and the country of Indonesia, in his/her own country or in any other country;
     3. is suspected of having committed actions in conflict with national security, public order, the morality, religious values, or the traditions or customs of the people of Indonesia;
     4. is under a request for extradition from another country, said person having tried to escape indictment or the execution of a punishment, having committed a criminal act which is also punishable according to Indonesian law;
     5. has previously been expelled or deported from the territory of Indonesia, or
     6. has been found to be suffering from a mental illness or a contagious disease hazardous to public health.
   • originates from a country which has no diplomatic relations with the Republic of Indonesia, unless otherwise established by Decision of the Minister of Justice.

6. The Finalization Process:

   • The visa will be stamped or attached in a national passport, or a non-national passport, or a legal travel document.
   • All completed, original copies of visa application forms certified by the Visa Officer will be sent collectively on the same day to the Director General of Immigration.
   • The number and date of visa issuance will be entered on the visa application form.
   • The visa shall be signed by the Visa Officer.
   • The passport with the newly issued visa will be returned applicant.

7. Special Procedure:

   Under certain circumstances, visa applications can be arranged for in Indonesia by the sponsor of the applicant concerned. In such cases, the sponsor should appear in person at the Head Office of the Directorate General of Immigration to begin the processing of the visa application as follows:
   • On behalf of the applicant, fill out and complete all visa requirements according to the type of visa, which includes a letter from the sponsor stating the purpose of the visit/invitation and a written statement guaranteeing the sponsor’s taking responsibility for the applicant during his/her stay in Indonesia;
   • Submit the visa application to the Visa Section of the Directorate of Immigration Traffic.
     
     In absence of any incriminating factors, the visa authorization for the applicant concerned shall be cabled, at the expense of the sponsor, to the overseas Visa Officer at the Indonesian Embassy or Consular Office at the applicant’s place of domicile.

Visit Indonesia Representative Offices in Your Country

1. AUSTRALIA

Ms. Alison Roberts-Brown [Country Manager] - arobertsbrown@aviareps.com
Mr. Craig J. Gibbons [PR & Marketing Manager] - CGibbons@aviareps.com
c/o Aviareps Oceania
Level 5 No. 68 Alfred Street, Milsons Point, Sydney, NSW, 2061, Australia
Phone: +61 2 9959 4277
Fax: +61 2 9929 4543
Website: www.visit-indonesia.com.au

2. CHINA – BEIJING

Ms. Cynthia Y. Zhou [Country Manager] - czhou@aviareps.com
Ms. Lena Yang [PR & Marketing Manager] - lyang@aviareps.com
c/o Aviareps Marketing Garden
Suite 81, Building 3
Jianguomenwai Diplomatic Compound
No.1 Xiushuijie, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100600, P.R.China
Phone: +86 10 8532 2805 ext. 191
Fax: +86 10 8532 3845
Website: www.visit-indonesia.com.cn

3. CHINA - GUANGZHOU

Ms. Brenda He [Country Manager] - hemiao@tlmchina.com
Ms. Janet Huang [Regional Manager] - huangjiayi@tlmchina.com, vito-guangzhou@tlmchina.com
c/o Travel Link Marketing
Room 2412, South Tower,
Guangzhou World Trade Centre,
Huan Shi Dong Road, Guangzhou 510095, P.R. China
Phone: +86 20 8760 9545
Fax: +86 20 8760 7895
Website: www.visit-indonesia.com.cn

4. FRANCE

Mr. Gael de la Porte du Theil [Country Manager] - gael@interfacetourism.com
Ms. Clarice Lasemillante [PR & Marketing Manager] - clarice.lasemillante@interfacetourism.com
c/o Interface Tourism
11 bis, rue Blanche, 75009 Paris, France
Phone: + 33 153 251 10
Fax: + 33 153 2511 12
Website: www.tourisme-indonesie.fr

5. GERMANY

Ms. Dorothea Hohn [Country Manager] - Hohn@gce-agency.com
c/o Global Communication Experts
Hanauer Landstr. 184, 60314 Frankfurt
Phone: +49 69 17 53 71 020
Fax: +49 69 17 53 71 011
Website: www.gce-agency.com

6. INDIA

Mr. Sanjay Sondhi [Country Manager] - visitindonesia@omtourism.com
Ms. Vani Singh [PR & Marketing Manager] - destinations@omtourism.com
c/o OM Tourism
G 1285, Chittranjan Park,
New Delhi – 110019, India
Phone: +91 11 4155 0854
Fax: +91 114 155 3034
Website: www.visitindonesia.co.in

7. JAPAN

Mr. Tadahiko Narita [Country Manager] - narita@vmc-j.net
Ms. Naomi Takahashi [PR & Marketing Manager] - naomi@vmc-j.net
c/o Vacation Marketing Corporation (VMC)
Tomii Bldg. 2Fl., 8-23 Sumiyoshi-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0065, Japan
Phone: +81 3 5363 0158
Fax: +81 3 3353 8521
Website: www.visitindonesia.jp

8. MALAYSIA

Mr. Muhammad Shafie [Country Manager] - shafie.obet@gmail.com
Mr. Nana Abdul Wahab [PR & Marketing Manager] - info@visit-indonesia.com.my
c/o Inspiring Destinations SDN BHD
Lot 125, 1st Floor
Wisma MPL
Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone: 603-21456411
Fax: 603-7728 5415
Website: www.visit-indonesia.com.my

9. MIDDLE EAST

Mr. Trevor Owen [General Manager] – trevor@martaconsulting.com
Ms. Nour Aridi [Account Manager] – nour@martaconsulting.com
c/o Marta Consulting
Office 103, Arjaan Al Sufouh Tower
Dubai Media City
P.O.Box 502855
Dubai, UAE
Tel.: +971 44 278 110
Fax: +971 44 278 109
Website: www.visitindonesia.ae

10. NETHERLANDS

Ms. Susan van Egmond [Country Manager] - susan@tmc-world.com
Mr. Mark Denslagen [Community Manager] - mark@tmc-world.com
c/o TMC Netherlands
Nieuwendammerkade 26G
1022 AB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Phone: +31 20 670 5211
Fax: +31 20 670 5357
Website: www.toerisme-indonesie.nl

11. REPUBLIC OF KOREA

Mr. Kim Soo-il - ksi@pufs.ac.kr
Mr. Cherry Kim – ccassis.k@gmail.com
Seoul: Richensia A206, Yoido-dong, Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Korea
Tel: (82) 70.4203.0041, HP: (82) 10.3580.0041, Fax: (02)761.5675
Busan: 4th Fl. Busan Indonesia Center, No.1900, Geumgog-dong, Bug-gu, Busan,
Tel:(82) 51.612.0041, HP: (82) 10.3580.0041, Fax: (82) 51.806.5674

12. RUSSIA

Ms. Helene Lloyd [Country Manager] - hl@tmiconsultancy.com
Ms. Elena Pechalova [PR & Marketing Manager] – lp@tmiconsultancy.com
c/o TMI Consultancy
Trubnaya street,12 | Moscow 107045 Russia
Phone: +7 495 787 2753
Website: www.tmiconsultancy.com

13. SINGAPORE

Mr. Sulaiman Shehdek - shehdek@hotmail.com, vito-singapore@hotmail.com
Mr. Shariff Tan – sharifftan@hotmail.com
SS Tourism Marketing
390 Victoria Street, #03-40
Golden Landmark Shopping Centre
Singapore, 188061
Phone: +65-629-88277
Fax: +65-629-88275
Website: www.visit-indonesia.sg

14. UNITED KINGDOM

Mr. Richard Hume [Country Manager] - Richard@humewhitehead.co.uk
Ms. Sarah Habicht [PR & Marketing Manager] – Sarah@humewhitehead.co.uk
c/o Hume Whitehead Limited
2nd Floor Magdalen House
148 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU
Phone: +44 (0)845 498 9982
Website: www.humewhitehead.co.uk

Travel Information

Transportation

Garuda Indonesia’s flagship airline serves to all major cities in Indonesia. They fly only jets and mainly wide-bodies. Many airlines serve domestic routes. PELNI (The National Passenger Line) crisscrossing the archipelago on fixed schedule. Main ticketing sales office is in Jl. Angkasa 18 Kemayoran Phone. (021) 4211921. Train travel across Java and Sumatra can be faster & cheapest Land transportation. Airport-City v.v Transportation Taxi fares are metered and will cost between Rp 60,000 to Rp 75,000 to the downtown area of the city where most large hotels are located. The air-conditioned airport bus service is approximately Rp 10,000 to any of the five city zones. Limousine services are provided by some of the leading hotels in the city. Faster and comfortable in Jakarta is Trans Jakarta bus service Rp 3,500.

Security

Additional security office have been deployed and metal detectors have been installed in most public area to ensure the safety of all visitors.

Office Hours

Government offices open from 8.00 a.m.to 4.00 p.m. from Monday to Friday in Jakarta and close on Saturday and Sunday. In the provinces they close at 3.00 p.m. and open on Saturday till 1.00 p.m. Business offices have staggered hours. Banks are open from either 8.00 or 8.30 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. Banks in hotels stay open longer hours, and mo ney changers till the evening. Shopping centers open from 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. everyday. In smaller towns, shops close for a siesta at 1 pm until 3 pm. Bargaining might be necessary especially in tourist area. A general rule of thumb is to aim for half the asking prices by opening with an offer lower than that but many sellers will my come down by 20%.

Currency

Rupiah (Rp) IDR: 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000. Coins IDR: 25, one way. At all major airport terminals, inquires about local transportation should be directed to the information counter. 50, 100, 500 US dollars and other major currencies in banknotes or travelers cheque are easily exchangeable in banks or at authorised money changers in main tourist destinations.

Airport Tax

An airport tax Rp 100,000 is imposed by the airport for travelers on international routes and Rp 30,000 for those on domestic routes.

Tipping

At most hotels and restaurants service charge 21% tax and service is added to the bill. An airport or hotel porter expects Rp 5,000 per bag. Taxi drivers will round up to the nearest Rp 500 or Rp 1,000. Leaving the change is appreciated but not mandatory. It is advisable to carry small change as taxi drives are often short of change.

Accomodation

In order to keep up with the growing number of visitors and the need for their comfort, more hotels all over Indonesia have been built, ranging from small bungalows for budget travellers to the luxurious tourist resort area.

Telephone

Dial 62 from outside Indonesia, then the city code and telephone number. Within Indonesia, the city code must be preceded by a zero (0) from most phones. To dial an international calls press 001 or 008 or find an International Direct Dial (IDD) in hotels or private telephone service (Wartel). For operator assistance dial 101 or 104. For general information in a province inside the country please dial (code area + 008) or dial 003 for time information.

Emergency Services

• Information dial 108
• Police dial 112
• Ambulance dial 11
• Fire Department dial 113

Time Zones

• Western Indonesia GMT+7 (Sumatra & Java)
• Central Indonesia GMT+8 (Bali, East Timor, East & South Kalimantan, Lombok, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara))
• Eastern Indonesia GMT+9 (Maluku & Papua)

Etiquette

It is inappropriate to use the left hand to eat or to give or receive anything.

Clothing

Dress is normally casual and light clothing is advisable due to the hot, humid climate. Trousers or slacks and shirts are generally considered appropriate but a jacket and tie are required for formal occasions or when making official calls. For certain formal occasion’s long sleeved batik shirts are acceptable. For travel to mountain areas, a light sweater or jacket is recommended. Halter tops and shorts are frowned upon in most places except around spots facilities or on the beach, proper decorum should especially be observed when visiting places or worship.

Public Holiday (2013)

• Jan 1 New Year's Day
• Jan 24 Maulud Nabi (Birth of Prophet Muhammad)*
• Feb 10 Chinese New Year
• Mar 12 Nyepi (Hindu New Year)* (Bali)
• Mar 29 Good Friday
• May 25 Vesak Day
• May 19 Ascension Day/Easter
• Jun 6 Isra Miraj (Prophet Muhammad’s Ascension)
• Aug 17 Independence Day
• Aug 8 - 9 Idul Fitri*
• Oct 15 Idul Adha*
• Nov 5 Islamic New Year*
• Dec 25 Christmas

*) According to the lunar calendar

Electricity

Power supply is usually 220 volts/50 cycles in the big cities, but 110 volts is still used in some region. Normal outlets are plugs with two rounded prongs. It is advisable to check before using your appliances.

Customs

Customs allow on entry a maximum of one litre of alcoholic beverages, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars of 100 grams of tobacco and a reasonable amount of perfume per adult. Cameras, video cameras, portable radios, cassette recorders, binoculars and sport equipment are admitted provided they are taken out on departure. They must be declared to Customs. Prohibited are firearms, narcotics drugs, pornography, Chinese printing and medicines, transceivers and cordless telephones, films pre-recorded video tapes and laser disks must be screened by the Censor Board. There is no restriction on import or export of foreign currencies and travelers cheques, however, the import and export of Indonesian currency exceeding Rp. 100 million rupiahs is prohibited.

Further information on customs and excise in Indonesia, log into www.beacukai.go.id.