For a pleasurable and convenient trip to Indonesia, follow these useful travel tips:

Health: Immunization against hepatitis A is recommended for all travelers. Depending on length of stay and itinerary, vaccination for Japanese encephalitis, rabies, typhoid and hepatitis B may be needed. Malaria and dengue fever exist in many parts of the country. Therefore take adequate protection mosquito bites and keep anti-malarial medicine with yourself. Drink water only from sealed bottles, and avoid swimming in freshwater lakes or streams as disease-causing organisms such as schistose may be present. Take precautions against heat and humidity. Wear sunscreen and a hat and drink lots of water.

Dress Code: In business circles, wearing a suit is the norm for both men and women. For formal occasions, either a suit or a long-sleeved, good quality, batik shirt are recommended for men, whilst evening or cocktail dresses are suitable for women. As Indonesia is primarily a Muslim country, modesty in dress is advised; remember to cover up if you intend visiting a mosque.

Local Customs: Indonesia has a high Muslim population and it is important to understand and respect the local beliefs. Scanty clothing is not advisable in public places in deference to local customs. Shorts are not allowed in mosques and women should have their arms and head covered.

Bali is predominantly Hindu and it is very important that travelers respect the local customs.

Offices: Most government offices are open from 8 AM to 4 PM Monday through Friday. Commercial offices and businesses are open 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday, and 8 AM to 1 PM for Saturdays.

Electricity: Cities run on 220 volts, 50 cycles AC system. Rural areas may only be able to provide 110 volts.

Important Dos and Don'ts

• Calling people by crooking your finger is considered impolite
• Patting someone on the head is not done among adults and should even be avoided with children
• Climbing over monuments or places of worship is considered highly disrespectful. (In Bali, waist sashes should be worn when visiting temples)
• Take off your shoes when entering a mosque or temple
• Take off your sunglasses inside someone's house, unless you have an eye disease
• Use your right hand when receiving something from or giving something to someone. Talking with one's hands on one's hips is considered impolite

Best Time to Visit Indonesia - Indonesia experience moderate climate conditions all throughout the year. There are mainly two seasons in Indonesia - wet and dry - weather conditions may vary from one place in Indonesia to the other. So it is advisable to visit Indonesia depending on the season and reason. Best time to visit Indonesia is during dry season between April and October. The humidity is relatively less and weather is pleasant at this time of the year. Though travel in the wet season is possible in most parts of Indonesia, it can be a deterrent to some activities.

Main tourist seasons in Indonesia are end of Ramadan, Christmas and mid-June to mid-July, there is large number of tourist visiting destinations such as Java, Bali, Sumatra and Sulawesi during this periods. Tourist is also advised not to visit the country during Eid-ul-fitr as it is regarded as on the major holidays in the country. So traveling to Indonesia in dry season is considered best.

VISA ON ARRIVAL (VoA)

This facility is available for nationals  of certain countries to obtain a visa up to 30 days (including days of arrival and departure).

To obtain this visa on arrival, your passport must be valid for at least six months. The payment of this visa can be in Euros or Dollars from different countries as well as by credit card "Visa or Mastercard."

An Airport Departure Tax of 250,000 IDR per person is required.

CUSTOMS REGULATIONS

Caution these rules are subject to change without notice!

Prohibited items:

The import of arms, drugs and pornography is strictly prohibited in Indonesia. Animals are strictly forbidden to prevent the spread of rabies.

Alcohol and tobacco:

You are only authorized to bring maximum one liter of alcohol, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco and a reasonable amount of perfume in Indonesia. Photographic equipment, typewriters, laptops and radios are allowed,  provided that they are taken out on departure. All these should be declared by a customs declaration form that must be completed before arrival.

Currencies, etc.:

Another issue is the import and export of currency: it is not allowed to import or export Indonesian currency more than 5 million IDR.

In addition, the export of valuables is controlled.

We recommend  to ask permission to customs before purchase!

Genuine antiques, tortoise shell, crocodile skins and ivory should not be taken out of Indonesia.