Indonesia is an amazing exotic country, which is located on both sides of the equator on the islands of the Malay Archipelago and the western part of the island. New Guinea borders the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Its entire territory is spread over thousands of islands, of which there are about 17,500. Half of all the islands are inhabited. The most famous of them are Lombok, Bali, Java, Sulawesi, Timor, New Guinea – each of them is interesting and unique in its own way.
Indonesia’s coastline is quite diverse, from coral reefs to sandy beaches. The outer shores, washed by the Indian Ocean, are high and rocky, while the inner ones are located in lowlands with mangroves and rice fields.
It seems that time has stopped in Indonesia, because the memory of ancient civilizations is kept in this country – the rituals and traditions of the tribes that inhabited this territory many centuries ago have been preserved here. And on some islands, tribes that lead a nomadic lifestyle still live today.
Climate of Indonesia:
The seasons in Indonesia practically do not differ from each other – the temperature throughout the year is 28-32 ° C. The coldest month is June – +26-28˚С. Only in mountainous regions at an altitude of 3000 meters above sea level can the temperature drop to 0˚С. In Indonesia, two seasons can be distinguished: rainy – from November to February and dry – from March to October. Humidity is quite high, averaging between 75% and 95%, but is surprisingly easy to bear.
Time in Indonesia:
According to thesciencetutor, Indonesia has three time zones. So, time in Sumatra, oh. Java, in the Western and Central part of the island of Kalimantan in the summer ahead of Kiev by 4 hours. Time in Bali, South and East parts of the island of Kalimantan and Sulawesi in the summer is ahead of Kiev by 5 hours, In the Maluku Islands – time in the summer is ahead of Kiev by 6 hours.
Currency of Indonesia:
Indonesian rupiah: 9000 – 9500 RUP = 1 USD
The Indonesian rupiah was introduced in 1945. By 1950, it had supplanted the Dutch guilder and the rupee of the Japanese occupation government. Now banknotes of the 2000-2010 sample are in circulation in denominations of 100 thousand rupees, 50 thousand, 20 thousand, 10 thousand rupees, 5 thousand, 2 thousand and 1 thousand rupees. All banknotes are the same in width equal to 65 mm. The shortest banknote is 1000 rupees (140 mm), and the longest is 100 thousand (152 mm).
Population of Indonesia:
With a population of approximately 210 million, Indonesia is a multiethnic country. Indonesians, Indians, Chinese, Javanese, Sunds, Madurians, Malays – such peoples inhabit this amazing country. They all speak numerous languages and dialects. This could not but affect the architectural appearance: among the historical and mythical buildings in Indonesia, one can see Hindu and Buddhist temples of stunning beauty, cathedrals and mosques.
Religion in Indonesia:
There are many religions in Indonesia. So the majority of the population professes Islam – 87%. The rest of the population is divided into Protestants and Catholics. However, on many islands, they still remain true to the Buddhist and Hindu worldview, and on the island of Bali, the main religion of Hindu is a unique mixture of a number of religious movements.
Indonesian language:
The official language is Indonesian.
But in tourist areas you will be understood in English and German.
Customs control in Indonesia:
It is forbidden to import drugs, weapons, pornographic products, printed publications in Chinese and Chinese medicines, It is forbidden to export antiques, rare plants and animals, antiques, products without a certificate (wood carving)
Permitted to import each adult – 2 liters of alcoholic beverages, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco, a small amount of perfume or toilet water. Cars, photographic equipment, typewriters and tape recorders must be included in the declaration upon entry and must be taken back.
Tipping in Indonesia:
There is no official tipping system in Indonesia. But in large expensive hotels and restaurants, they usually include a 10% service charge in the price. If there is no extra charge, then you can leave 5-10% of the bill if you really liked the service.
It is customary for porters at the airport to leave from 2000 to 5000 rupees (approximately 0.20 – 0.50 dollars), depending on the size of the luggage
It is not customary to leave a tip for taxi drivers as well as passing cars, but it is customary to round the amount to the nearest 500 rupees.
The amount of tips for the guide is up to you.
Water supply:
In Indonesia, water is undrinkable, but most hotels provide bottled drinking water for free.
Internet in Indonesia:
Almost all hotels provide wired Internet connection services as well as WI FI in the rooms.
The WI FI network can also be found in cafes, restaurants, shopping centers, train stations and airports. A password may be required to connect. It can be found in the administration of the hotel, restaurant or other institution where you are. In all cities in Indonesia, there are many Internet cafes with wired internet, called Internet or Warnet. The cost of the Internet is 2-3 dollars. for 1 hour.
Telephony in Indonesia:
Mobile communications are available in all cities of Indonesia. Roaming from Ukraine is very expensive, so it will be more economical to purchase a Telkomsel card. Top-up vouchers can be bought at many shops and kiosks in the cities as well as on the islands. The card must be registered. You can contact the seller or one of the local residents for this.
Also in Ukraine, you can purchase a Travel Sim card, with which you can call Ukraine at competitive rates.
It is better to make internal calls from pay phones that operate with phone cards (sold in supermarkets, post offices and newsstands).
You can call from Indonesia to Ukraine from a hotel room or from specialized telephones in call centers.
To call from Indonesia to Ukraine from landlines and cellular networks, dial: 00-<+380>-<city code>-<subscriber number>.
To call to Indonesia from Ukraine from a landline phone, dial: 0-0-62-<area code>-<phone number>
Mains voltage:
The mains voltage is 220 volts, the frequency is 50 hertz.
Emergency phone numbers in Indonesia:
Ambulance – 118
Police – 110
Fire – service – 113
Help Desk – 108
Red Cross – 2-64-65
Transport in Indonesia:
Boats and traditional boats run between the islands. You can use the services of local air carriers: Garuda, Mandala, Merpati, Bouraq, Sempati – this is the most convenient, fastest way to travel around the archipelago. Trains are available on the islands of Java and Sumatra. The bus is a convenient and relatively cheap way to get around. Most buses are air conditioned.
You can also rent a car, motorbike or bicycle, large hotels have representatives of international and local car rental companies. It should be remembered that traffic in Indonesia is on the left side, so be careful while driving.
With a taxi, it is better to negotiate the cost of the trip in advance.
Precautions in Indonesia:
No special vaccinations are required to enter Indonesia.
Severe punishment in Indonesia is provided for the importation, purchase, sale and use of drugs. It should be remembered that some actions may offend their religious and national feelings. So pointing at a person or object with a finger or foot is considered rude. Indonesians consider the head to be the most important and important part of the body, so you should not touch their head, even if it is a friendly gesture. Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim country, and therefore the following rules should be observed: you can not wear too short skirts or shorts, sunbathe without the top of a swimsuit.
