Indonesia’s currency is the rupiah, abbreviated Rp (ISO code: IDR).

• Coins: Rp100, Rp200, Rp500, Rp1,000
  
• Bills: Rp1,000 (yellow), Rp2,000 (gray), Rp5,000 (brown), Rp10,000 (purple), Rp20,000 (green), Rp50.000 (blue), and Rp100,000 (red). These color conventions (except Rp1,000) are valid for the new circulation distributed in January 2017 and the old circulation.

While the new, colourful large-denomination notes are easy to tell apart, the smaller notes and pre-2004 large notes are all confusingly similar pale pastel shades of yellow, green and brown and often filthy and mangled to boot. A chronic shortage of small change — it’s not unusual to get a few pieces of sweets back instead of coins — has been to some extent alleviated by a flood of new coins, available in denominations of Rp1,000 and Rp500. The Rp200, Rp100, Rp50 and the thoroughly useless Rp25 were withdrawn during 2012. Older golden metallic versions are also still floating around. Notes printed in 1992 or earlier are no longer in circulation, but can be exchanged at banks.

US dollars are the second currency of Indonesia but are typically used as an investment and for larger purchases and not for buying a bowl of noodles on the street. By law, however, all transactions are required to be conducted in rupiah, as are all posted rates in your hotel or transportation booking receipt; many hotels that quote in USD then seek to convert the bill into rupiah for payment, likely using a somewhat disadvantageous rate.

Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels and larger restaurants and stores. Some credit card terminals may offer the choice between the charge being made in rupiah, or in the currency of the card-issuing country. Most well-established stores also accept debit card payments including foreign ones issued by MasterCard or Visa. Stored value cards issued by banks are useful for both shopping in convenience stores and public transport, though its extensive usage is still somewhat limited outside of the biggest cities.

Aside from the US dollar, Singapore dollars, Malaysian ringgit, and other major international currencies are also widely accepted for a cash settlement, especially in border areas and major tourist areas.

In line with western Europe, the meanings of points and commas are exactly inverse to the English custom; a comma is used to indicate a decimal while a period is used to indicate a thousand. Thus Rp35.000 would indicate thirty-five thousand rupiahs. Especially in speaking however, the three trailing zeros are sometimes omitted.

Changing money:

Banks and money exchange are widely available on Java, Bali and Lombok, but can be a major headache anywhere else, so load up with Rupiah before heading off to any outer islands. While most major currencies of the world are readily accepted in large cities with tourists & business hotspots like Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali, many small money exchange kiosks outside these cities are only ready to convert to rupiah from US dollars or to some extent: Singapore dollar, Malaysian ringgit, and Saudi Arabian riyal. Money exchanges are very picky about bill condition, and pre-2006 dollars or any imperfect bills or (ripped, wrinkled, stained, or marked in any way) will normally be rejected. Banks will most likely reject any pre-2006 US currency. Counterfeit US dollars are a huge problem in the country and as a result the older your dollars are, the lower the exchange rate. You will get the highest exchange rate for dollars issued in 2006 or later and the exchange rate drops for dollars for currency outside a very narrow range of perceived acceptability. There are even different exchange rates according to the serial number for dollars from 1996. Banks and money exchanges on outer islands are sparse and will charge commissions of 10-20% if you can find them.

In the reverse direction, money changers will be happy to turn your rupiah into dollars, but the spread is often considerable (10% is not unusual). Be very careful dealing with money changers, who are very adept at distracting your attention during the counting process and short-changing you as a result. As a precaution, consider bringing a friend along to watch over the transaction very carefully. Be aware of money changers who offer great rates. They will quote you one price, and start counting stacks of Rp20,000 notes, and ask you to count along with them. This is a ploy to confuse and shortchange you. If they realise you are onto them, they will tell you that they have to subtract 6-8% for “commission” or “taxes”.

ATMs:

ATMs (pronounced ah-teh-em in Indonesia) on the international Plus/Cirrus or Alto networks are common in all major Indonesian cities and tourist destinations. Every withdrawal amount depends on the machine, maximum 25 or 30 pieces of banknotes. Limitation withdrawal is usually Rp10 to 15 million per day but may also depend on your respective home bank. Machines are loaded with Rp50,000 or Rp100,000 banknotes as indicated on the machine; the bigger notes can be harder to split, especially in rural non-tourist areas. Nonetheless, have some stash of cash with you, especially outside large towns, as the ATM may occasionally run out of cash.

Cards:

Visa, MasterCard and JCB debit/credit cards are widely accepted, but American Express can be problematic. At smaller operations, surcharges of 2-5% over cash are common. Beware when using cards with magnetic strips, as they may be subject to cloning and fraud in Indonesia, but the newest cards with chips are relatively safe from cloning and fraud.

Alternately, if you wish not to hold too much cash, ask for a stored value card issued by multiple banks across the country; you do not need to open an account at the respective bank. They are very useful for shopping at convenience stores, as it also helps the cashier with them not having to look for coins. In addition, many transportation options, including all toll roads, Jakarta’s Transjakarta buses and parking inside buildings, can only be paid using this card.

BY PLANE:

Indonesia’s vast area and lack of fixed links between islands mean that the only rapid means of long-distance travel within Indonesia is by plane. State-owned carrier Garuda Indonesia is a full-service airline and thus usually comes out as the most expensive, but offers seamless connection between its extensive domestic networks and international flights. Lion Air is a low cost carrier (LCC) that has plenty of flights to a specific destination, though major delays occur sporadically. Wings Air is a subsidiary of Lion Air is also a LCC. Other low-cost competitors include Citilink, Garuda Indonesia’s subsidiary, and Indonesia AirAsia.

A new regulation requires passengers on low-cost flights to bring only exactly 7 kg (15 lb) of carry-on baggage for free, and the rest must be in checked baggage, which must be paid. Until nowadays only Lion Air and Wings Air implements this new regulation and checked baggage fees is per 5 kg (11 lb).

Sriwijaya Air is one of the airlines that serve middle class flights, between full board and low cost carrier, with more spacious leg room compared to low cost carriers, and also has modest on board meals.

Routes for a few less popular destinations are usually served by Air Fast, Susi Air, Trigana, Express Air, and Wings Air (a Lion Air subsidiary), operates mostly propeller aircraft to smaller airports. If you really get off the beaten track, e.g. settlements in Papua, there are no scheduled services at all and you’ll need to charter a plane or seek rides with missionaries or mining company workers.

Prices are low by international standards, however their ranges are capped by the government. Many airlines tend to decrease their price a week before flight if the plane is not full enough up to the bottom price limit – so you may try that and get a cheaper fare, if you’re not on a tight schedule and do not need to go during a public holiday, a weekend or Monday morning. When travelling off the beaten track, it may assist to reconfirm early and often, as frequencies are low and paid-up, occasionally even checked-in passengers are bumped off with depressing regularity. Be sure to arrive at the airport by 90 minutes before your low-cost flight departs, in line with regulations noted on the ticket, and 45 minutes before your full-service airline flight departs. Due to the aviation boom, airports have not been able to keep up with the air traffic. While many airports have been renovated and refurbished by adding gates and expanding the terminal building, a lot of them still have only one runway that the aircraft must backtrack to take off, sometimes delaying subsequent departures & arrivals.

A few airlines also enable passengers to pay their ticket fares in cash at minimarts by showing their ticket or confirmation number.

BY BOAT:

Indonesia is all islands and consequently boats have long been the most popular means of inter-island travel. Ferries may take you on long trips lasting days or weeks, or short jumps between islands for several hours. However, not all destinations are served daily. Some destinations, such as Karimunjawa from Semarang and the Thousand Islands from North Jakarta, offer yacht services, which are faster, safer and more comfortable. The prices are, of course, higher.

The largest company is the state-owned PELNI, whose giant ferries visit practically every major inhabited island in Indonesia on lengthy journeys that can take a week from end to end. PELNI uses European-built boats, which are large enough to deal with rough seas and have a good safety record. Ship capacity varies from 1000 to 3000 passengers. PELNI ferries were once famous for their overcrowding but this is no longer an issue since the company began a policy of place-numbered tickets. All fares include 3 very basic meals per day.

Most PELNI ships today have only a single class, ekonomi. Only one vessel, the MV Kelud, operating between Jakarta and Medan, retains the traditional fare configuration, consisting roughly of:

• 1st class, around US$40/day: two beds per cabin, private bathroom, TV, aircon
• 2nd class, around US$30/day: four beds per cabin, private bathroom, aircon
• ekonomi, around US$15/day: bed in a dormitory

For those with time, traveling in PELNI ekonomi class is the cheapest, greenest and most authentic way to see Indonesia. Most Western tourists will also find the experience deeply uncomfortable. Dormitory accommodation is invariably dirty, sometimes unbearably hot, with blaring music, screaming babies, bright strip-lighting day and night, and toilets that are best left unvisited. Since the removal of 1st and 2nd class, PELNI has become the domain of poorer Indonesians alone. Foreign tourists are now vanishingly rare and will be the center of attention for all other passengers. This is an authentic experience which only the hardiest, most open-minded and gregarious travelers should attempt.

In addition to PELNI’s slow boats, ASDP runs fast ferries (Kapal Ferry Cepat, rather amusingly abbreviated KFC) on a number of popular routes. Both PELNI and ASDP tickets can be booked via travel agents and at their respective offices, usually situated near ports.

Last but not least, there are also countless services running short island-to-island hops, including between Merak in Java to Sumatra’s Bakauheni (hourly), Java and Bali (every 15 min) and Bali and Lombok (near-hourly). In general, schedules on these short-hop services are notional, creature comforts sparse and safety records poor. Try to check what, if any, safety devices are on board and consider postponing your trip if the weather looks bad. As maintenance is poor and overloading is common, sinkings are all too common on ferries run by smaller companies, with reports of such each year, so try to stick to the larger ones if possible.

Food on ferries varies from bad to inedible, and journey times can stretch well beyond the schedule, so bring along enough to tide you over even if the engine stalls and you end up drifting for an extra day. If you have trouble with motion sickness, buy some medicine such as Dramamine or Antimo.

Ferries have different classes of seats, with the most expensive (and cleanest) section on top with comfortable seats and windows for a nice frontal view, followed by second class behind that in a separate room that is more cramped and dirtier with less comfortable seating, and third class is usually on the lower decks and is the worst. Different ferries may have their own organisation. Of course, vehicles are housed below on the main deck.

You may get hassled by people on board trying to extract extra money under some dubious excuse. Feel free to ignore them, although on the upside, it may be possible to bribe your way to a better class of accommodation.

In some places, even smaller boats, such as outriggers, glass-bottom boats, sailboats, motorboats and fishing boats, may be the only form of transport available, and prices can vary from a small amount to tens of dollars. Be prepared by finding out the prices and routes ahead of time and always haggle. Some of these boats can be rented out for fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving and touring.

BY YACHT:

With more than 17,000 islands, Indonesia can be considered a paradise for a yacht journey, although be aware that there are pirates near the border of the Southern Philippines. Typically no typhoons occur in this region and the maximum wave height is only 2.5 meters for the inner seas of the country, suitable for even a small yacht. The worst season is from December to February.

BY TRAIN:

PT Kereta Api, +62 21 121, the government-owned train company, runs trains across most of Java and some parts of Sumatra. The network was built by the Dutch, but the lines have only been revitalized then expanded since Independence. Maintenance quality is acceptable, and derailments and crashes occur rarely. As railroads are state-run companies, the customer service is polite but not always interested in pleasing the customer in the case of a problem.

Java has by far the best railway network, with trains connecting the capital city, Jakarta, with other main cities such as Surabaya, Semarang, Yogyakarta and Solo. Jakarta also has a line of commuter trains within the metro area. Bandung is connected to Jakarta by some 20 trains per day, and is itself connected to Surabaya through Yogyakarta. Bali has no railway lines, but there are trains to Banyuwangi, connecting with ferries to the island. Generally, the trains travel through scenic areas, and travelers not in a hurry should consider the length of the journey and the scenery as a bonus to their travels, although some slums are built around tracks. Commuter trains have no reserved seating and unlimited standees, so they can be crowded; beware of pickpockets. Other intercity trains have reserved seats and require passengers to check in before boarding; passengers are at low risk from theft on such trains.

Sumatra has train lines in Aceh and Medan in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Lampung and South Sumatra. These are unfortunately not connected – traveling cross-island by train is not possible – and run less frequently than in Java.

Class of service:

While all trains are air conditioned, not all of them are properly designed to accommodate persons with certain disabilities and senior citizens. In every train excluding commuter trains, you can also purchase food either on board or at the time of booking.

• Eksekutif Priority class has eighteen flat-reclining seats with features and services not unlike business class in airplanes.
• Eksekutif class has assigned seating only and you should be prepared with full-length clothes as the temperature is usually rather low (perhaps 18° C). These trains feature paired reclining seats with foot rests (and, for a group of four, you can have the paired seats turned to face each other), televised entertainment (when the TV isn’t broken and the signal is good) and you can ask for blankets and pillows during the trip.
• Bisnis class has a bit similar seats with “Ekonomi” but with forward-facing seats and more comfortable seats than typical economy class.
• Ekonomi Premium class has a much nicer car than Ekonomi class and a slight reclining seat. Seat configuration is 2-2.
• Ekonomi classes are also available for the most budget-conscious traveller. Cheaper prices usually get older coaches (with 3-2 config) which originally were not air-conditioned, while more costly prices usually got newer coaches (with 2-2 configuration). Both older and newer coaches are using “face to face” seats in the middle section of the car.

Commuter trains have sideways seating with poles and hand straps for standing passengers and, during peak hours, can be very crowded, although they are usually air-conditioned and usually have cars at either end for women only.

Train stations are guarded by train police, who wear drab uniforms, but there may also be regular police or, rarely, military personnel.

Tickets can be purchased 30 days in advance, although generally, they will still be available at the last minute. An exception is the very busy Eid-Al-Fitr season when the tickets are sold in minutes due to the extremely high demand for tickets. Online ticket reservation is available on the official website. You may need to provide a photocopy of your identification at the time of purchase for all intercity trains except the commuter trains.

Sometimes, discounts are offered for particular lines, but you have to order well in advance to get them. Senior citizens ages 60 and above are eligible for a 20% discount. Be sure to check that your ticket is correct before you leave the ticketing window. You can also buy tickets at minimarts and post offices and won’t be charged for the administration fee, but they don’t sell reduced fare tickets. Payment with a debit/credit card is possible with a minimum payment of Rp50,000.

The ticket reservation from the official PT Kereta Api website and mobile app is only available in Indonesian. A common problem shared with many booking services was the rejection of foreign-issued credit cards used for payment. An alternative way to reserve your train ticket is through the booking portal tiket.com, with an English language interface and fewer glitches with payment. Passengers can also buy a ticket or check in at kiosks (12 hours to 10 minutes before departure) in front of the station.

Larger train stations usually have multiple platforms and regular service to many cities, but the smallest stations only have infrequent stops and one platform. Be sure to ask in advance which platform you’ll need to go to. While you are waiting, most stations have stores and restaurants where you can buy food and drink to be consumed on board before boarding. After the boarding gate, there are only limited food stalls. The boarding gate closes 3 minutes before the train’s departure. Previously, vendors (asongan) would jump on the train and hawk their wares until the train started to leave. This was intrusive and noisy, although certainly convenient for passengers and vendors alike. As of 2016, vendors are not allowed on the train, but in small stations, many still block the entrances to the cars while they call out to passengers inside. But with more express trains, the vendors are relatively diminishing.

Toilets vary between squatting toilets or sit-down toilets without proper seats. Most executive trains have bidets to wash your posterior with and a sink, and using a squatting toilet can require a balancing act. Bring your own (wet) tissue, because if available, the tissue maybe is not in the normal condition. The toilets generally release directly onto the tracks, so using them while at a station is forbidden.

Passengers travelling in groups (preferably about 20 people) can charter a special train car with traditional decoration, better toilets and lounging seats, with a tailored itinerary for selected destinations.

BY BUS:

The use of luxury long-distance buses is a new trend, very comfortable with air suspension and can stop wherever you want. Most services depart in the afternoon or evening, and arrive the following morning at their destination. The term “luxury” means that there are limited reclining seats with ample leg and a footrest and/or leg rest and get one dinner or supper. Some buses have a personal 10″ display and some even have beds. When travelling by bus from Banda Aceh in Sumatra to Bali, the bus company can arrange the ferry, and include the fare in the bus ticket.

Inter-city buses are often run by cooperatives of drivers or by private companies (of which there are many of both) and follow specific routes – but they may deviate from their route if you ask, usually for a little bit extra. They can be either luxurious or deteriorating; in some places, such as Bali and Kupang, bus drivers take a great deal of pride in their vehicles by decorating them and taking good care of them. A bus ticket will usually cost from about Rp75.000 for an economy van (6 people) or Rp150.000 for an executive class coach (up to double-decker size). They can pick you up at a spot near their depot or terminal for free if you can’t get to their designated departure point. In case of a mealtime, the bus will get off at a rest stop where everyone is expected to dine at the same restaurant; some bus companies may have included the meal cost in your fare.

It is possible to charter buses. The air-conditioned chartered buses can be rented with its drivers for a tourist group and, in fact, any size city bus will take on a charter assignment if the money is right. Indonesian bus companies offer intercity (antar kota) and inter-province (antar propinsi) routes. The inter-province routes usually include transportation to other islands mainly between Java and Sumatra and Java and Bali. In several cities, the government offers its own line, DAMRI, which comes in medium and large sizes and is always air-conditioned, and tends to be in better condition.

On occasion, there are reports of drivers and conductors colluding with criminals, but this usually happens at night or in desolate places. There are also reports of hypnotists robbing people of their possessions, and street vendors selling drugged beverages and drinks to waiting passengers at stops and terminals, who then become victims of crimes. Long, overnight journeys are particularly dangerous. Guard your bags like a hawk. In the wilder parts of the country (notably South Sumatra), inter-province buses are occasionally ambushed by bandits.

There is a way to reserve bus ticket through the booking portal bosbis.com, with an English language interface option. Passengers can buy a bus ticket from multiple bus operators to many cities in Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Lombok. Otherwise, walking up to an inter-city bus terminal or a bus depot for a last-minute reservation is still feasible.

There can be many intra-city bus systems, depending on the city. Angkot is the staple for all major cities where passenger sit sideways on a minivan. Buses and BRTs can be found on larger cities. However, if you see a bus that’s of poor quality (deteriorating paint & dusty windows), it is advised not to ride them as their safety standard is compromised.

By scheduled travel or shuttle:

Mini shuttle is the latest mode of Indonesian transportation, growing inline with the new toll roads and better highways. The travel, as locals call it, uses various AC minibus with passengers from 6 to 12 persons on reclining seats and run based on ‘point to point’ routes. It means every operator has their own (multiple) departure point at the cities they serve. The most developed route is between Jakarta and Bandung with ticket prices varying from Rp80,000 to Rp110,000 depending on convenience, seat pitch and luxury.

The scheduled travel is generally more expensive than the regular inter-city buses, but is faster and has multiple departure/arrival points. Your belongings are more secure, but expect to pay additional fees for surfboards and bulky packages. You can book at the respective companies, but last minute passengers are sometimes welcomed.

BY CAR:

Self drive:

Driving in Indonesia is rarely rewarding. You may wish to avoid it unless you have prior experience.

Indonesian driving habits are generally atrocious and the rule is “me first,” often signalled by using the horn or lights, or sometimes not at all. Lanes and traffic laws are happily ignored, passing habits are suicidal and driving on the road shoulder is common. Emergency vehicles are often ignored simply because all their space has already been used, making a ride in an ambulance a chancy proposition. Drivers tend to pay the most attention to what they can see in front of them and peripherally, and far less to what is behind their peripherals and to the rear. Mirrors may or may not be consulted before lane changes. Distances between vehicles tend to be small and drivers are noted for their ability to squeak by with almost no space, but side view mirrors are frequent victims of such acts. Bumper to bumper driving at high speed is frequent; practice defensive driving and always be ready to brake suddenly if necessary. The number one cause of death and injury on the road, however, is motorcycle accidents. Traffic drives on the left in Indonesia, at least most of the time. Please beware of motorcycles passing on the left, especially when you turn left.

Renting a car in Indonesia is cheap compared to renting in many other countries, costing from US$12.5/day, and fuel costs remain relatively low, due to a low (fuel) tax. A litre of subsidized fuel is Rp6,450 for octane 88 quality (Premium brand), but the other fuel are not subsidized and depend on international oil crude price, Rp7,800 for octane 90 (Pertalite). For affluent citizens, there are more expensive varieties of petrol with octanes 92 (Pertamax) at Rp10,400 and 98 (Pertamax Turbo) at Rp12,250. Starting in 2000, all drivers of new vehicles in Indonesia were encouraged to use at least octane 90 to avoid knocking off high compression ratio machines.

Gas stations are abundant, every 5–10 kilometres (3.1–6.2 mi). They have reasonably clean toilets, but usually only in squat pots. Deposit Rp2,000 in the box as you enter or leave. Most larger gas stations will have ATMs and a minimarket.

Fueling is not self-service. The station has employees who will fill-up for you and receive your payment.

To drive a car in Indonesia yourself, a current home-nation-issued driver’s license of the appropriate class must be carried, plus an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) of that same class. There are no exceptions to this unless you are holding an Indonesian SIM (driver’s license) of the appropriate class. Careful consideration must be given, however, as many travel insurance policies may only acknowledge responsibility if the driver has an applicable home-issued license, with the fully matching IDP.

Road conditions and maintenance are rudimentary outside major cities and certain tourist destinations. During the rainy season, major roads in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi are often flooded or blocked by a landslide for several days. Toll roads, which are of better quality, spans along Java with coverage outside the island limited to the biggest towns. All toll roads in Indonesia require users to pay at the toll gates using a prepaid card, which can be bought and topped up at certain convenience stores such as Indomaret or Alfamart.

Seat belts must be worn especially in the front seat, especially in big cities in Indonesia, although this law is often unenforced.

Having a trash bin in the car is advisable to reduce littering, especially in Bandung, where such a rule is implemented.

Rental with driver:

Consider renting a car with a driver; the additional cost is quite low, approximately Rp150,000 or less, plus three square meals a day for Rp20,000 to Rp25,000 each, and an optional room and board. Having a driver also reduces your chance of having an accident for they know how to pass the frantic traffic and know a faster way to reach your destination.

This option can be time- and cost-effective, and allow you to travel and see places beyond the public transport network.

BY MOTORCYCLE:

In many parts of Indonesia, such as Bali and Yogyakarta, it is possible for tourists to rent a motorcycle to get around. Prices are usually around Rp50,000-60,000; negotiate a price and seek a discount for longer rental periods. An automatic is normally provided. Engine capacity will be in the range of 110cc to 125cc. Be sure to check over the vehicle first and confirm that it has a current Surat Tanda Nomor Kendaraan (STNK, which is proof of registration and legality).

People who rent the motorcycles may be unconcerned with whether or not you have a driver’s license, however, to ride a motorcycle in Indonesia, a current home nation issued driver’s license of the appropriate class must be carried, plus an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) of that same class. There are no exceptions to this unless you are holding an Indonesian Surat Izin Mengemudi (SIM C), which is the local license for a sepeda motor (motorbike). Careful consideration must be given to being provided with a SIM C if not also possessing an appropriate home-issued license and IDP. Many travel insurance policies may only acknowledge responsibility if you possess an applicable home issued license, with the fully matching IDP. A ‘moped’ classification or endorsement is not sufficient, it must be a full license.

By law, helmets are required to be worn, so make sure they provide them for you. Having an accident while not wearing one will also likely void your travel insurance policy, or provide some serious policy complications if making a claim. It is also required have your headlamp and tail lamp illuminated at all times.

Be sure to drive defensively as most road users are quite reckless and an astounding number of the visitors to Indonesian hospital emergency rooms and morgues were only recently sitting on a motorbike.

BY TAXI:

For a group of two to four people, a conventional taxi may be the best choice for relatively short journeys. Taxi fares in Indonesia are relatively cheap and relatively uniform across the country. The flagfall is among Rp7,000 and Rp 8,500 and subsequent kilometer is among Rp 4,000 to Rp4,500, but rises higher if you are trapped in a traffic jam (when the taxi stop due to traffic jam, it will cost about Rp45,000/hour). Despite the price scheme, mostly you are still required to pay a minimum fare if you are going for short distances or booking by phone, usually indicated by the respective companies, but usually Rp25,000 and stated on the dashboard. Most people recommend Blue Bird taxis for their convenient booking, polite drivers and safe driving. Blue Bird Taxis are available in many of the main cities and when Blue Bird exist, all (other) taxies run its meter well. In the other cities when Blue Bird do not exist, some taxi drivers are naughty: they use meter, but will still charge you more (sometimes more than twice) with explanation is common to pay more as they mention. Ask first before you get into the taxi, ‘sesuai argo tidak’ (pay same with the (argo)meter or not).

In every major city in Indonesia, taxis are abundant even in rush hours. Nowadays with abundant taxis and traffic jams, the taxi drivers prefer to wait order by phone calling through call center or receive order directly from a customer through EasyTaxi or GrabTaxi apps using their smartphones and are known as online taxis. The nearest driver will pick you up. Only qualified taxi companies and drivers are allowed in the system and all is monitored by GPS from their HQ.

Most conventional taxis use sedans or multi purpose vehicles with 1,500 centimeter cubed engines. Most online taxis use city cars or multi purpose vehicles with 1,000 to 1,200 centimeter cubed engines. As a result, regular taxis are more comfortable, have more leg room and are more spacious. However, online taxis charge only 2/3 of the tariff of a regular taxi tariff; their drivers are usually more educated than regular taxi drivers, and many online taxi drives own the cars they drive. And they’re much less likely to behave inappropriately than regular taxi drivers.

BY RIDE-HAILING SERVICE:

Ride-hailing for both cars and motorbikes, powered by smartphone apps, has quickly become popular in more than 200 Indonesian cities. Locally owned Go-jek and Malaysian-owned Grab divide up the market between them, with Gabir (Garuda Biru) – originally from Malaysia – being a newcomer in the online ride-hailing service. There are some other regional operators especially in the motorcycle-sharing sector, including Ojesy who only accept female customers.

Most motorbike drivers would wear a uniform jacket of the respective companies, many don’t so as not to provoke conventional taxis. License plates are in most cases the same as shown in the app; if not usually the driver will tell you beforehand or call out your name at the arranged pick-up spot. If in doubt, ask for their name or tell them from their face. Only one passenger at a time for a motorbike; if travelling as a group, compare the prices between ordering a multitude of them or just order a single car – the latter can usually fit up to 4 people, with larger cars can fit up to 6 people but usually more expensive.

It is worth getting an Indonesian SIM card with a data package for your phone, so you can use them. As most drivers have limited English, it is worth spending some time to learn enough Indonesian, or other relevant regional languages, to talk to the driver who may call or chat you to ask your precise location and how to identify you.

There have been tensions between conventional taxis (both car and motorbike) and ride-hailing services, and drivers may be unwilling to pick up in certain places, especially near taxi ranks. If you insist on ordering one, try walking a bit further away from where it’s prohibited. Most drivers may already know this and will simply ask you to do so.

In addition to passenger services, both Gojek and Grab can be used to deliver food from partner restaurants to your place or to ship items to another place. The former can also be used to order Bluebird taxis. Payment can be made by cash, although using their dedicated E-Wallet earns you discounts.

BY ANGKOT:

Angkot (acronym for angkutan perkotaan or ‘city transport’) is a type of public minivan that is available in all cities and large towns, and often in rural areas (then sometimes called angdes, ‘village transport’). They follow a fixed route (usually marked by a colour or number), but there is no fixed schedule and there are no fixed stops. To get on, simply raise your hand. To get off, simply shout “Kiri!” to the driver, so he will pull over on the left (Indonesian: kiri) side of the road. The price within a city is usually Rp2,000 to 5,000. It is best to ask a local which angkot route to take, and how to recognise the location you want to get off.

BY BAJAJ:

Less common than the becak, and found only practically in Jakarta city is the Indian bajaj (BAH-jai), which the new ones are blue painted (likes BlueBird Taxi color), with a black roof. This small, three-wheeled vehicle is powered by CNG, so it is quieter than the old 2-power strokes bajajs which it are not exist anymore, because it follow replacement program with more old bajajs are replaced by one new bajaj, so the new bajajs are not so many as old bajajs before. The driver sits in front and the passengers (up to 3 small adults) in the back. The cabin is covered by a canvas roof and there is a windshield and, while doors don’t have windows and are half-height, the sides and back of the roof may have soft plastic windows. You may ask the driver to take you somewhere else for an extra fee, and they may be willing to take you on a viewing and/or shopping tour for even more money. If you take a shopping tour, they will generally guide you to specific venues with which they have informal agreements that give them extra income from your purchases, or perhaps a free meal.

As with most small forms of transport, communication and haggling skills are important, and it is best to know the price before talking to a driver.

BY MOTORCYCLE TAXI:

Ojek (OH-jeck) is not always comfortable and can only take one passenger and not much luggage, but can weave through traffic. Traditional ojek that wait at a fixed point (ojek pangkalan) outside a market or station have a negotiated fare system. Communication and haggling skills are important, and it is best to know the going rate for a trip before you talk to a driver. The price is Rp10,000 to Rp15,000 for four kilometres, but negotiating is important. Some drivers will agree to a price but then try to extort additional money at the end of the journey by claiming it is common to pay more than the agreed price, and acting angrily. The threat of violence is low, the aim is more to humiliate, but do be wary.

In some areas, ojek may be the only public transportation available. Getting off the main road into rural villages, for example, if the road condition is too poor for cars or buses. You do not have to go too far out of the big cities to experience this. Prices may be a little high due to the monopoly, but rural drivers may be more honest than in big cities.

Ride-sharing apps have revolutionised the ojek industry, starting with Go-jek and now adopted by other providers such as Grab. Prices are competitive, fares are transparent and there is an opportunity to complain if service is poor. The minimum charge is between Rp 7,000 and Rp 12,500 and additional charges are no more than Rp 3,000 per kilometer. One effort to fight back has been ojek argo which uses taxi meters.

Online ojek cover more than 200 cities/towns across Indonesia and are available 24 hours a day in big cities and some tourist areas with night life.

BY BECAK:

Becak (“BEH-chahk”) is a colourfully decorated tricycle (pedicab) transportation mode for short distances such as residential areas in many cities. The passengers’ seat can be covered by a convertible-style canvas or plastic roof, and they sometimes add a sheet of clear plastic in front during rainstorms. In some areas, the driver is sitting behind the passenger, but in some areas (like Medan) the driver sits to the side . Some drivers have started to outfit their becak with small motors.

Good communication and haggling skills are integral to assure you get to your destination and to prevent getting overcharged on these rides. Some sly drivers try to get some more money out of you after you’ve reached your destination, ensure you know how much it costs beforehand. You can hire a group of becak if you’re in a group, or you can even hire them to transport belongings, blocks of ice, groceries, building materials etc. You may ask the driver to take you somewhere else for an extra fee, and they may be willing to take you on a viewing and/or shopping tour for even more money. If you take a shopping tour, they will generally guide you to specific venues with which they have informal agreements that give them extra income from your purchases, or perhaps a free meal.

There are no becak in Jakarta or Bali. Instead, the motorised bajaj (BAH-jai), somewhat similar to the Thai tuk-tuk, serves the same function. In other provinces (e.g. North Sumatra, Aceh, Gorontalo) you can also find motorbikes with sidecars, known as bentor or bemo (short for becak bermotor). The latter can be called on-demand the same way as the ride-sharing apps (see above).

Becak is the most expensive form of public transport, and nowadays, it’s rarely used except by elderly women who are carrying goods from traditional markets; the younger would take ojek if they are carrying fish or other smelly products, or otherwise use angkot. In some cities such as Yogyakarta, the use of the becak has diminished so much, they are used almost exclusively by tourists.

ON FOOT:

A typically unpopular way to explore what the world has to offer is by foot. Especially in a big city with all the traffic frenzies and small alleys in many others, walking can be a dramatically faster and more efficient option, although the hot humid air may still tempt you to use a taxi. However, most cities do not have properly marked sidewalks or even none at all, the best thing you can do is walk along its rim. Especially in big cities, cross only at the marked crosswalks or use the overhead bridge if you do not want to get caught in an accident.

BY HORSECART:

Horsecarts, called delman (DEL-mahn), dokar (DOE-car) or andong (AHN-dong) depending on where in Indonesia you are, and the shape of the vehicle. Not available everywhere, but are more common than one might think. In some places, such as Gili Air (Lombok) where motorised vehicles are both impractical and forbidden, they are the only form of transport, but you can also find them in large cities like Jogjakarta. They generally follow a specific route but you may ask the driver to take you somewhere else for an extra fee, and they may be willing to take you on a sightseeing or shopping trip for even more money.

If you take a shopping trip, they will generally guide you to specific venues with which they have informal agreements that give them extra income from your purchases, or perhaps a free meal.

As with most small forms of transport, communication and haggling skills are important, and it is best to know the price before talking to a driver.

The horses are not always very well cared-for and may be in poor physical condition.

EAT:

With 17,000 islands to choose from, Indonesian food is an umbrella term covering a vast variety of regional cuisines found across the nation. But, if used without further qualifiers, the term tends to mean the food originally from the central and eastern parts of the main island Java. Now widely available throughout the archipelago, Javanese cuisine features an array of simply seasoned dishes, the predominant flavorings the Javanese favor being peanuts, chillies, sugar (especially Javanese coconut sugar) and various aromatic spices.

All too often, many backpackers seem to fall into a rut of eating nothing but nasi goreng (fried rice), and perhaps commonly available Javanese dishes, but there are much more interesting options lurking about if you’re adventurous enough to seek them out. In West Java, Sundanese dishes composed of many fresh vegetables and herbs are commonly eaten raw. Padang is famous for the spicy and richly-seasoned Minangkabau cuisine, which shares some similarities to cooking in parts of neighbouring Malaysia, and eateries specialising in the buffet-style nasi padang are now ubiquitous across the nation. The Christian Batak people and the Hindu Balinese are great fans of pork, while the Minahasa of North Sulawesi are well known for eating almost everything, including dog and fruit bat, and a very liberal usage of fiery chillies even by Indonesian standards. Tamed Muslim-friendly versions of all three can be found in the malls and food courts of many Indonesian cities, but it’s worth it to seek out the real thing especially if you happen to be in these regions. And by the time you get to Papua in the extreme east of the country, you’re looking at a Melanesian diet of boar, taro and sago.

There are some foods that you should be aware of for their strong flavors, such as terasi (tuh-RAH-see), which is dried shrimp paste, and has a strongly fishy taste, and pete (puh-TAY), which is a treeborn legume that has a strong flavour that lingers and affects the smell of urine, feces and flatulence. Terasi especially is a common ingredient in many types of food, including petis, chili pepper sauce, and a number of dishes and sauces, and pete is sometimes added to chili pepper sauce and certain dishes, although it is only seasonally available. Add to this a variety of dried, salted, fishy seafoods, including seaweed. The chili pepper, rawit, has a very strong flavour similar to Tabasco sauce, is strongly spicy and frequently used in many dishes. A Sundanese favourite is oncom (OHN-chohm) and is composed of peanuts that have been fermented in a block until they are colourfully covered with certain types of fungus; this food doesn’t just look mouldy but also tastes mouldy and is an acquired taste.

In Jakarta, Bali and some other big cities, franchises of Asian, European and American restaurant chains are common, with Kentucky Fried Chicken as the pioneer, following by McDonald’s. You can also find modest to expensive restaurants with speciality of Thailand, Korean, Middle East, Africa, Spain, Russian foods and so on.

Dietary restrictions:

The vast majority of Indonesian restaurants serve only halal (comply with Muslim restrictions) food. This means no pig, rat, toad or bats, among others. This includes Western fast food chains like McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Wendy’s, and ethnic restaurants such as Padangnese restaurants. The main exception is ethnic restaurants catering to Indonesia’s non-Muslim minorities, especially those serving Batak, Manadonese (Minahasan), Balinese and Chinese cuisine, so enquire if unsure. Although Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country, Muslims do not form the majority everywhere. If you are in areas mainly populated by other religious groups such as Christians or Hindus, most of the local restaurants and stalls will not be halal, and you will need to spend some effort seeking out a halal establishment.

Strict vegetarians and vegans will have a tough time in Indonesia, as the concept is poorly understood and avoiding fish and shrimp-based condiments is a challenge. Tahu (tofu aka soybean curd) and its chunkier, indigenous cousin tempe (soybean cake) are an essential part of the diet, but they are often served with non-vegetarian condiments. For example, the ubiquitous sambal chili pastes very often contain shrimp, and kerupuk crackers with a spongy appearance, including those always served with nasi goreng, nearly always contain shrimp or fish. (Those that resemble potato chips, on the other hand, are usually fine.) You can, however, ask them to make something without meat, which can be indicated by asking for “vegetarian” or “tanpa daging dan/atau hasil laut (seafood)”. Restaurants are usually willing to take special orders.

Kosher food is virtually unknown in Indonesia, and there are no kosher eateries.

Eating etiquettes:

Eating with your hand (instead of utensils like forks and spoons) is very common. The basic idea is to use four fingers to pack together a little ball of rice and other things, which can then be dipped into sauces before you pop it in your mouth by pushing it with your thumb. There’s one basic rule of etiquette to observe: Use only your right hand, as the left hand is deemed as impolite (see Respect). Don’t stick either hand into communal serving dishes: instead, use the left hand to serve yourself with utensils and then dig in.

However, eating by hand is frowned upon in “classier” places. If you are provided with cutlery and nobody else around you seems to be doing it, then take the hint.

Equally common are chopsticks, forks, spoons and knives, although knives are somewhat rare, except for upscale restaurants.

It is considered polite and a sign of enjoyment to eat quickly, and some people view burping as a compliment.

Places to eat:

Eating on the cheap in Indonesia is cheap indeed, and a complete streetside meal can be had for over Rp5,000. However, the level of hygiene may not be up to Western standards, so you may wish to steer clear for the first few days and patronise only visibly popular establishments, but even this doesn’t guarantee cleanliness as cheap can equal popular. If the food is served buffet style without heat, or is left out in dishes or pans, it is best to enquire as to how long ago the food was prepared, or just avoid it entirely, otherwise you may get diarrhea or even food poisoning. It isn’t impossible for a food to have been left out for more than a day and only infrequently heated up to boiling, especially in village households. It’s usually up to you to get the attention of the staff if you want to order, need something or want the bill – even in some expensive restaurants.

There are travelling vendors who carry a basket of pre-prepared food (usually women), or who carry two small wooden cabinets on a bamboo stick (usually men), who may serve light snacks or even simple meals, some of which are very cheap and enjoyable, but hygiene is questionable.

The fastest way to grab a bite is to visit a kaki lima, literally “five feet”. Depending on whom you ask, they’re named either after the mobile stalls’ three wheels plus the owner’s two feet, or the “five-foot way” pavements. These can be found by the side of the road in any Indonesian city, town or village, usually offering up simple fare like fried rice, noodles, meatball soup, siomay (dimsum) and porridge. At night, a kaki lima can turn into a lesehan eatery simply by providing some bamboo mats for customers to sit on and chat, but they may provide plastic stools or even benches, and tables, depending on their location and modus operandi.

A step up from the kaki lima is the warung (or the old spelling waroeng), a slightly less mobile stall offering much the same food, but perhaps a few plastic stools and a tarp for shelter. Some warung are permanent structures.

One of the big questions for the above three choices is hygiene: where do they get clean water to wash dishes, where do they go to use a toilet (a nearby river or ditch), where do they wash their hands and just how clean are they. Typhoid fever is a common problem for eaters here, as are hepatitis and food poisoning. Indonesians have been exposed to poorly prepared/spoiled food for most of their lives, so they are rarely affected by diarrhoea and food poisoning.

A rather more comfortable option is the rumah makan (lit: eating house), a simple restaurant more often than specializes in a certain cuisine. Padang restaurants, easily identified by their soaring Minangkabau roofs, offer rice and an array of curries and dishes to go along with it. Ordering is particularly easy: just sit down, and your table will promptly fill up with countless small plates of dishes. Eat what you want and pay for what you eat.

Buffets (prasmanan or buffet) and steam-boat restaurants are self-service choices, but the former should be approached warily (see above).

Another easy mid-range option in larger cities is to look out for food courts and Indonesian restaurants in shopping malls, which combine air-con with hygiene if rather predictable/boring food.

A restoran indicates more of a Western-style eating experience, with air-con, table cloths, table service and prices to match. Especially in Jakarta and Bali, it’s possible to find very good restaurants offering authentic fare from around the world, but you’ll be lucky to escape for under Rp100,000 a head.

Menus in more expensive restaurants may be organised by appetisers, main courses, desserts and drinks; but, in lesser establishments, the organisation is often by the main or most important ingredient.

Makanan Pembuka (appetisers). These are usually not separated and will primarily contain finger foods like French fries and other fried foods, as well as things like internal organs and eggs grilled on skewers, krupuk, and small items.

Makanan Utama (main course). Typically, you’ll see: nasi (rice), lauk pauk (side dishes which generally include a source of carbohydrates), mie (noodles), sapi (beef), ayam (chicken), kambing (goat), ikan (fish) or hasil laut (seafood), sometimes with particular fish being given their own section, such as gurameh (giant gurami), cumi-cumi (squid), kepiting (crab), kerang (shellfish like mussels), udang (shrimp), and sayuran or sayur mayur (vegetables). Sometimes you’ll see kambing mistranslated as sheep (which is domba), so be aware of that. Less often, you’ll see domba, gurita (octopus) swike (frog legs – only in certain restaurants as it is haram), vegetarian, srimping (scallops), tiram (oysters) and babi (pig – only in certain restaurants as it is haram, or forbidden to Muslims). Sop/soto/bakso (soups) and selada (tossed and vegetable salads, but it also means lettuce) will also usually be listed here.

Other commonly used words usually refer to either the type of cooking: bakar (grilled), panggang (baked), (the first two are sometimes used interchangeably) goreng (fried or deep-fried), rebus (boiled), kukus or tim (steamed), tumis (sauteed), presto (pressure-cooked), kendi (claypot), cah (stir-fry), and hotplate.

Or something about the recipe: kuah (with broth), tepung (batter-fried), and kering (dry).

Or about flavour: polos or hambar (plain/bland), asam (sour), manis (sweet), pedas (spicy), asin (salty), pahit (bitter), and gurih (salty and a bit sweet, like MSG, or salty and oily).

Makanan Penutup (desserts): Not every place will have them, but starting with rumah makan and above, most will have something. It may just be some traditional desserts, but you’re likely to see something familiar, like es krim (ice cream) and buah-buahan (fruits) or selada buah (fruit salad).

Minuman (beverages). The bare minimum will be air (water, which could be from a bottle or just boiled, and may be hot, warm, tepid or cold), air mineral/botol (mineral/bottled water), teh (tea), minuman berkarbonasi (soda or carbonated beverages) and kopi (coffee). Better places will have es buah, jus (juice), and various local drinks.

Common words you will see for beverages include: tawar (plain/without sugar or other additives), manis(sweet), panas (hot), and dingin (cold).

DRINK:

Quite a few Indonesians believe that cold drinks are unhealthy, so specify dingin when ordering if you prefer your water, bottled tea or beer cold, rather than at room temperature.

Juices:

Fruit juices — prefixed by jus for plain juice, panas for heated (usually only citrus drinks), or es if served with ice (not to be confused with the dessert es buah); are popular with Indonesians and visitors alike. Just about every Indonesian tropical fruit can be juiced.Jus alpukat, found only in Indonesia, is a tasty drink made from avocados, usually with some condensed chocolate milk or, at more expensive places, chocolate syrup poured around the inside of the glass prior to filling it. For a total refreshment, you can try air kelapa (coconut water), easily found at virtually every beach in the country. An oddity is “cappuccino juice” which, depending on where you buy it, can be very delicious or forgettable. There are sometimes a variety of colorfully (and confusingly) named mixed juices.

Coffee and tea:

Indonesians drink both kopi (coffee) and teh (tea), at least as long as they have had vast quantities of sugar added in. An authentic cup of coffee, known as kopi tubruk, is strong and sweet, but let the grounds settle to the bottom of the cup before you drink it. Some coffees are named after areas, like kopi Aceh and Lampung. No travel guide would be complete without mentioning the infamous kopi luwak, coffee made from coffee fruit which have been eaten, the beans partially digested and then excreted by the luwak (palm civet), but even in Indonesia this is an exotic delicacy costing upwards of Rp200,000 for a small pot of brew. However, conservationists advise against this drink due to the cruel conditions in which many of the civet cats are kept. But now many stalls in the shopping malls serve up to 20 combinations of coffee beans and produce with grinding and coffee maker for less than Rp20,000, but be ready to stand when you drink it.

Tea (teh) is also quite popular, and the Coke-like glass bottles of the Sosro brand of sweet bottled tea and cartons and bottles of Fruit Tea are ubiquitous, as is Tebs, a carbonated tea. In shopping areas, you can often find vendors selling freshly poured large cups of tea, often jasmine, such as 2Tang or the stronger Tong Tji jasmine, fruit and lemon teas for as little as Rp2,000.

Jamu:

The label jamu covers a vast range of local medicinal drinks for various diseases. Jamu are available in ready-to-drink form, in powder sachets or capsules, or sold by women walking around with a basket of bottles wrapped to them by a colourful length of Batik kain (cloth). Most of them are bitter or sour and drunk for the supposed effect, not the taste. Famous brands of jamu include Iboe, Sido Muncul, Jago, and Meneer; avoid buying jamu from the street as the water quality is dubious. Some well-known jamu include:

• galian singset — weight reduction
  
• beras kencur (from rice, sand ginger and brown sugar) — cough, fatigue
  
• temulawak (from curcuma) — for liver disease
  
• gula asem (from tamarind and brown sugar) — rich in vitamin C
  
• kunyit asam (from tamarind, turmeric) — for skin care, canker sores

Chase a sour or bitter jamu with beras kencur, which has a taste slightly reminiscent of anise. If you’d like a semeriwing (cooling) effect, request kapu laga (cardamom) or, for heating, add ginger.

Traditional drinks:

• Wedang Serbat – made from star anise, cardamon, tamarind, ginger, and sugar. Wedang means “hot water”.
  
• Ronde – made from ginger, powdered glutinous rice, peanut, salt, sugar, food coloring additives.
  
• Wedang Sekoteng – made from ginger, green pea, peanut, pomegranate, milk, sugar, salt and mixed with ronde (see above).
  
• Bajigur – made from coffee, salt, brown sugar, coconut milk, sugar palm fruit, vanillin.
  
• Bandrek – made from brown sugar, ginger, pandanus (aka screwpine) leaf, coconut meat, clove bud, salt, cinnamon, coffee.
  
• Cinna-Ale – made from cinnamon, ginger, tamarind, sand ginger and 13 other spices.
  
• Cendol/Dawet – made from rice flour, sago palm flour, pandanus leaf, salt, food colouring additives in a coconut milk and Javanese sugar liquid.
  
• Talua Tea/Teh Telur (West Sumatra) – made from tea powder, raw egg, sugar and limau nipis.
  
• Lidah Buaya Ice (West Kalimantan) – made from aloe vera, French basil, javanese black jelly, coconut milk, palm sugar, pandanus leaf, sugar.

Alcohol:

Bintang Beer is Indonesia’s most famous beer brand.
Islam is the religion of the majority of Indonesians, but alcohol is widely available in most areas, especially in upscale restaurants and bars. Public displays of drunkenness are strongly frowned upon and in the larger cities are likely to make you a victim of crime or get you arrested by police. Do not drive if you are drunk. The legal drinking age is 21 and supermarkets have begun enforcing ID checks for alcohol purchases.

In staunchly Islamic areas such as Aceh alcohol is banned and those caught with alcohol can be caned.

Indonesia’s most popular tipple is Bintang bir (beer), a standard-issue lager available more or less everywhere, although the locals like theirs lukewarm. Other popular beers include Bali Hai and Anker. In mid-April 2015, supermarkets and mini markets accross Indonesia are “clean”, meaning they no longer sell alcoholic drinks. However, cafes, bars and restaurants with appropriate licenses can continue to sell alcoholic drinks, including hard liquor. Tourist areas are exempted at the discretion of each regent and mayor, who can decide which area with small vendors or ‘warung’ can serve/sell 1-5% alcohol drinks. They can cost as much as Rp50,000 in a fancy bar, but a more usual bar/restaurant price for Bintang is Rp25,000-35,000 for a big 0.65 litre bottle.

Wine is expensive and only available in expensive restaurants and bars in large hotels. Although you can still find some wines in the big supermarkets within some big malls in big cities. Almost all of it is imported, but there are a few local vintners of varying quality on Bali whose wine is cheaper. 30 percent of alcohol drinks are imported and new taxation scheme of imported alcohol drinks are 150 percent of base price and 90 percent of base price for imported beers.

Various traditional alcoholic drinks are also available:

• Tuak — sugar palm wine (15% alcohol)
  
• Arak — the distilled version of tuak, up to 40%
  
• Brem Balinese style sweet glutinous rice wine

Exercise some caution in choosing what and where to buy — homemade moonshine may contain all sorts of nasty impurities. In May 2009, 23 people, including four tourists, were killed by adulterated, or possibly inadvertently contaminated illicitly-supplied arak distributed in Java, Bali and Lombok. In many other cases, tourists have been blinded or killed by methanol in drinks. If you want to save money in Indonesia, don’t do it by buying the cheapest alcohol you can find. Buying them at supermarkets would usually be the safest option.

Accommodation options at popular travel destinations like Bali and Jakarta run the gamut from cheap backpacker guesthouses to some of the most opulent (and expensive) five-star hotels and resorts imaginable. Off the beaten track, though, your options will be more limited. Probably the most common lodging choice for backpackers is the losmen, or guesthouse, which also go by the names wisma or pondok. Often under US$15/night, basic losmen are fan-cooled and have shared bathroom facilities, usually meaning Asian-style squat toilets and bak mandi (water storage tank) baths, from which you ladle water over yourself (do not enter one or use it as a sink.) Very small losmen, essentially homestays or rented rooms, are known as penginapan. For a longer stay, try a kost (boardinghouse) with similar facilities, if not better – though many only accept a specific gender with perempuan/wanita/cewek for ladies and pria/laki-laki/cowok for gents.

The next step up on the scale are cheap or budget hotels, usually found even in the smallest towns and cities, typically near transport terminals and tourist areas. These may have some more little luxuries like air-conditioning, hot water, wi-fi and even a mini breakfast, but a few are often depressing otherwise, with tiny, often windowless rooms. Prices can be quite competitive with losmen and kost, starting at USD20/night. Some reliable local chains include POP!, Amaris by Santika and Favehotel.

Hotels of sufficient quality and facilities are berbintang (starred), a room can cost as little as USD30 to USD45 in big cities, 5 star hotel rooms can hover around USD70 per night. Prices fluctuate depending on the season; the high season is typically during the June & July and December school holidays and long weekends, while the low season is ironically during the Idul Fitri period where most went to their family homes instead of staying in a hotel (this is an exception in tourist areas). Hotels that do not qualify for a star (melati) can charge you for less than USD30, with of course more inferior amenities.

By law, all hotels have to display a price list (daftar harga). You should never have to pay more than the list says, but discounts are often negotiable, especially in the off season, on weekdays, longer stays, etc. If possible, book in advance as walk-in prices are often higher.

If you are staying at sharia (Muslim) hotels or small establishments at religiously conservative areas such as Aceh and West Sumatra, be aware that you may be asked to produce a marriage certificate, which you can simply show on your smartphone. This is because of the local customs that only people of the same gender can occupy one room. The words “Syariah” (Sharia) or “Halal” in a hotel advert are clear flags that unmarried couples will be turned away.

Large hotels though would often avoid this process.

Oleh-oleh:

Indonesia has a strong tradition of taking a little something back with you, for family and friends and work colleagues, if you have been travelling. This is oleh-oleh (OH-lay OH-lay). It is usually the local speciality food or produce. In Medan it is squash made from the local passionfruit. In Bali it has traditionally been salakfruit.

But they don’t have to be traditional. A trend in Surabaya has been for super-thin, super-crispy almond and cheese cookies, newly on the market.

Many places that have not had a specific product to offer have generated one, in order to cash in. As a result there are a lot of fried crackers on offer. But it is far from limited to that.

Keep your eye open for interesting things, some of them are quite delicious.