Sightseeing, Activities and Adventure
Indonesia is enormous. It is the world's most expansive archipelago, stretching east to west almost 5,000 km from Sumatra to Indonesian Papua, and north to south almost 1,800 km from the Sabah - Kalimantan border to Roti Island off Timor. To give an idea of the scale of the country, the distance from east to west is similar to the distance between England and Iran. So, as you can imagine, there are quite a few things to do!
Culture lovers will often visit the city of Yogyakarta to marvel at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Borobudur Temple and the other 9th-century Hindu temples at Candi Prambanan. Those staying in Bali can seek out the 'Mother Temple of Bali', the Besakih Temple built over a thousand years ago on the slopes of Mount Agung.
As you can imagine, the nation's capital holds many cultural treasures such as the National Museum and National Gallery, as well as the large local market, Pasar Baru. Also in Jakarta is the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, a park that celebrates the cultural diversity of the country. Set in over 100 hectares of land, this park includes representations of Indonesia's 27 provinces and their outstanding cultural and architectural characteristics.
Tana Toraja in Sulawesi has become a popular place for travellers to visit to witness the unusual celebrations of life that characterise their funerals. Fascinating features of this culture include cave graves, hanging graves and baby tree graves.
National parks worthy of note include the Ujung Kulon National Park in Java which is another UNESCO world heritage site. It is an area of abundant plant and animal life which arose as a result of the 1883 eruption of Mt Krakatau. Tanjung Putting National Park in Kalimantan is famed for its 4 research centres for the study and rehabilitation of primates including the iconic orang-utan. Another iconic creature of Indonesia is the Komodo dragon, found only on the islands of Komodo and Rinca, which you can visit to see and learn all about these fabled dragons. There is such a wealth of choices of holiday locations and activities that many tourists return to take multiple dive packages in this vast and diverse country.
For some great ideas on what to see and things to do in Indonesia, apart from scuba diving, visit: The Ministry of Tourism website.
Time Zones
There are 3 time zones in Indonesia - +7 hrs GMT (+12 hrs EST) for Java, Sumatra and west and central Kalimantan, +8 hrs GMT (+13 hrs EST) for Bali, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara and south and east Kalimantan, and +9 hrs GMT (+14 hrs EST) for Maluku and Indonesian Papua.
Business Hours in Indonesia
Banks are open Monday to Friday from 08:00 hrs to 16:00 hrs and in some places on Saturdays until around 11:00 hrs.
Electricity
Electricity is 220v / 50 Hz AC. Sockets accommodate 2 round prongs, the same as in most European countries. It's advisable to bring your own plug adaptor kit if required. Power is usually reliable but there are occasional blackouts.
Communications
Internet cafes are popular in the main cities and tourist areas but connection speeds are slow. Most of the dive resorts in Indonesia do offer free internet access.
Kantor Telkom, the government-run telecommunications company, has offices in many cities and towns. Most of these are open 24 hours and are the cheapest places to make international and long distance calls. For international direct dialling use 001 + country code + area code + phone number. The country code for Indonesia is 62.
Post offices are open Monday to Friday from 08:00 hrs to 15:00 hrs, and Saturday until around 13:00 hrs. In the larger cities main post offices are often open extended hours. Indonesian postal services are unreliable. Important items can be sent by express mail service (EMS). This is faster and safer but the cost is higher.
Codes of Behaviour
Indonesians make allowances for western ways, especially in the main tourist vacation areas, but there are a few things to bear in mind when dealing with people. The left hand is considered unclean as it is used to wash after visiting the toilet, so never hand over or receive things with this hand as it will be viewed as offensive. Shake hands, right handed of course, when introduced to anyone when both arriving and leaving.
A person's head is regarded as the seat of the soul and therefore sacred, so patting your dive guide on their head will also cause offence. Similarly, talking to someone with your hands on hips is considered a sign of contempt, anger or aggression. It's rude to point with your fingers so rather beckon someone with your palm down - a bit like waving your dog to heel!
When eating with Indonesians, do wait until you are asked to begin by your host, and it is also considered impolite to refuse a drink.
Tipping and bargaining
Tipping is not normal practice but is expected for special service. Generally if someone goes to extra trouble for you a tip is welcome.
Bargaining is common game in Indonesia, with the exception of diving (of course!), restaurant meals, transport and sometimes accommodation, where the fee is generally fixed.
When bargaining, unless you're sure about the price you want to pay, it's probably best to ask the seller their asking price. Your response could be anything from ? to ?s of this price. Don't show too much interest and keep it friendly. Be prepared to walk away and quite often you will be called back and offered the price you previously suggested.
Clothing
Indonesia is hot and humid so light, loose cotton clothing is most recommended. When exploring the night-life, tight dresses, shorts, and miniskirts are no problem. However, naked sunbathing or topless appearance in public places is considered offensive, especially when you are outside the main tourist resort areas. You must wear conservative clothing when in temples or mosques.
Criminality in Indonesia
The vast majority of Indonesians are honest people with a strong sense of right and wrong. Tourism however, does attract pickpockets and thieves the world over so to ensure an enjoyable stay, use some common sense. Be aware and don't leave valuables unattended.
Officials
Police corruption is widespread, however the chances are you will not have any dealings with them unless you are "guilty" of a traffic offence. You have 2 options - either pay the fine that goes and stays in the policeman's back pocket, or tough it out and run the risk of a very prolonged and arduous session at the local station. Show respect for the police and don't take an aggressive approach as it will only make matters worse.