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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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