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Home :: Travel Tips
 


Before Travel

-Tourist Visas
-Business Visas
-Special Visas
-Visa Upon Arrival

When you arrive

When you are in a Taxi

When you hire a vehicle

When you are at a hotel

Getting around

Useful Info
Emergency Phone Numbers
Useful Telephone Numbers
Health and Medicines
Tipping
Office Hours/Business Hours
Shopping Hours
Public Phones


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Before Travel
Make sure that you have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the arrival date with proof of onward passage
As for visas, please pay attention to the following :

Tourist Visas
There are about 40 countries granted free entry to Indonesia. Please check with the Indonesian Embassy in your country. The free entry valid for 60 (sixty) days and it is in-extendible

Business Visas
You may apply for a business visa, which valid for 28 (twenty-eight) days and extendible for maximum 6 months.

Special Visas
For some countries without diplomatic relationship, you may require special visas. Please contact the closest Indonesian Diplomatic office.

Visa Upon Arrival
The government may grant you a visa upon arrival which valid for 14 days and extendible for another 14 days.

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When you arrive

At the airport, watch your belongings during inspection at the x-ray conveyors To avoid problems when you pass the customs area, keep your medicines their original containers and if necessary, bring a copy your prescriptions. Since narcotics drugs are prohibited, please carry a letter from our doctor attesting to your need to take the drug Taxi reservation stand is available inside the International arrival hall. An airport surcharge, plus toll road fees will be added to the metered fare.

Warning :
Ignore taxi touts and other offers of transportation from unmarked ones. Some train or bus station has taxi reservation stands with a certain amount of surcharges applied. Otherwise, you can choose metered taxis that usually available outside the stations. When using porters to carry your bags, make sure you use the official ones who wear uniforms. Also remember their ID number that can commonly be seen at the back of their uniforms. Avoid arriving at night unless you have someone to pick you up

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When you are in a Taxi

It is safe to order a taxi by phone,
but if you hail a taxi on the street please do the following :
- Note the taxi's company name
- Note the taxi's number and the driver's ID


Make sure the drive agrees to take you to your destination If the driver tries to bargain instead of using the meter or claims his meter is broken, get out of the taxi and find another one. Or you can negotiate an acceptable fare.

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When you hire a vehicle
Several leading car rental companies are available, e.g. AVIS, Hertz and the local Blue Bird Company. They are available at most of five-star hotels and international airport (arrival terminals).
When you want to do self-drive, a valid international driving license is required.

Warning :
Be aware of streets that use 3 in 1 regulation which is obliged 3 people minimum in the car from 6.30 AM to 10AM. Try to get with universal door locks and power windows. Always to drive on the left and overtake only one the right. Always keep car doors and windows locked at all times. Thieves can snatch purses through open windows. Some car-jackers plot to make the tires flat. Then they may appear as "friends" ready to help and call some motorist for assistance. They usually working in groups, one person carrying on the pretence while others rob you.

Warning :
avoid using a cellular phone when you are in a car because it can attract car-jackers' attention.

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When you are at a hotel
Keep your hotel door locked at all times Do not leave valuable things in your hotel room while you are out. Highly recommended using the hotel's safety box.

Getting around
Avoid public demonstrations and other civil disturbances Try not to travel alone at night When you are lost, ask directions only from individuals in authority. Although Indonesians are a charitable people, the authorities discourage begging and begging in lines of traffic is illegal.

Warning :
Be aware that if you give to one you risk attracting a whole lot more. For security reasons it is better not to open the door or window of your car to anyone.

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Useful Info

Emergency Phone Numbers

Fire 113
Police 110
Ambulance 118
City Health Service 119

Useful Telephone Numbers
Directory Assistance 108
Operator for International Calls 101, 104 Directory Assistance for International Calls 102

Health and Medicines
International certificates of valid small pox, cholera and yellow vaccinations are required only from travelers coming from infected area. Anti Malaria pills or shot is necessary when you visit areas outside Java and Bali, however, mosquito's repellent is always useful. Do not drink water from the tab. Drink from the bottled water or drink boiled water.

Tipping
Major hotels add an 11% service charge and 10% government tax to bills. Where not required a tip of 5 to 10 % is satisfactory depending on the type of establishment. Giving tips to taxi driver is not mandatory, but rounding up the fares to the nearest RP 3,000,00 will be much appreciated.

Office Hours/Business Hours
Government offices open from 08.00 AM - 15.00 PM, Monday to Thursday, 08.00 AM - 11.30 AM on Friday. Business office hours vary. Some from 08.00 AM to 16.00 PM, others : 09.00 AM to 17.00. Most office closed on Saturdays. Bank hours are 08.00 AM or 08.30 to 16.00 hours - mostly Monday to Friday.

Shopping Hours
Retail hours vary considerably, though most shops open from 09.00 AM to 21.00 PM, seven days a week All department stores and many shops have fixed price policy, however, bargaining is expected in traditional markets and smaller shops.

Public Phones
Public phones counters are available in coins, cards, chips and (in some tourist areas) credit card. There are also some "wartel" or Telecommunication Kiosk where you can do IDD, long distance call, sending fax, etc., in big cities, you can also find some internet kiosk

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Bargaining
If you like to bargain, then you'll have lots of fun in the markets and souvenir shops of Jakarta. But don't get carried away. The idea of bargaining is to arrive at a mutually acceptable price, not to squeeze the shopkeeper into bankruptcy. Negotiate for what you're worth, but don't be abusive or patronizing, and don't walk away from a purchase for the sake of Rp 1,000! Bargaining is not universal, however, and more and more outlets are fixing the price of their merchandise.

Money Matters
Major world currencies in the form of cash or travelers cheques can be easily converted into Indonesian Rupiah at banks, authorized money changers or the cashier's desk of your hotel. Paper currency is available in denominations of 1000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 50000, 100000, while coins come in denominations of 25, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000. (You'll need to show your passport to exchange money, and make sure you count what you're given). Visa, Citibank, Dinerscard, StandardChartered card, Mastercard and American Express cards are accepted at most - not all - shopping centers and restaurants in Jakarta.

Climate

Lying some 8 degree (372 km) south of the equator, Indonesia has a tropical monsoon climate with two distinct seasons: wet (October to April) and dry (May to September). The typical day offers 12 hours of daylight and conditions are generally sunny throughout the year. Humidity averages about 75 percent, with an average daily temperature of 25 degree celcius to 30 degree celcius in the lowlands and 20 degree celcius to 25 degree celcius in the mountains. If you're staying overnight in the mountains, a light jacket or sweater will come in handy - Water temperature varies from 24 degree celcius to 26 degree celcius but can drop to as low as 16 degree celcius in deeper water. The wettest and coolest months are December and January and the driest and warmest are July and August.

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