Indonesia Travel Advice

General travel information for Indonesia

Continent: Asia

Geographical location: Southeast Asia, an island state located between the Malay Peninsula, the Philippines and Australia in the Indian Ocean

Highest elevation: Puncak Jaya in New Guinea (4,884 m above sea level)

Longest river: Kapuas (1143 km)

Form of government: Republic System of

Government: Presidential democracy

Languages: The official language is Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesian)

Neighboring countries: Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Palau, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Australia

Capital: Jakarta

Area: Approx. 2 million km²

Population: Approx. 264 million people (2018)

Population density: 125 residents per km²

Religions: Approximately 87% Islam, 9% Christians, 2% Hinduism, 1% Buddhism and Taoism, 1% Confucianism, natural religions

Currency: Rupiah (IDR); One euro is around 17 IDR. Travel

Climate: tropical, hot and humid

Time zone: UTC +7 to UTC +9

Area code: +62

Country code: ID / IDN

Electricity: In Indonesia the sockets of type C, F and G used. The mains voltage is 230V with a 50Hz change interval.

Check a2zdirectory for old history of Indonesia and agooddir for modern history of Indonesia.

Culture and attractions in Indonesia

Indonesia has been subject to different cultural influences in the course of history and due to the large number of peoples of Indonesia there are great differences between the cultures of the individual regions.

Indonesian culture (music, literature, painting) was first shaped by Buddhism in the 9th and 10th centuries, and increasingly by Hinduism from the 13th century. As early as the 2nd century AD, India developed a trade relationship with Java and brought Indian cultural influences to this region. In the 5th century the first Hindu kingdom was established in Indonesia, a second, the kingdom of Majapahit, gained in importance from 1300 and increasingly took over control of the Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya, the center of the Mahayana, which was established in Sumatra in the 7th century – Buddhism. The Buddhist Sailendra dynasty also established the kingdom of Mataram on Java in the 9th century. Indian Buddhism, Hinduism and the animistic religions of Java each produced their own architectural styles, which, among other things in the largest Buddhist building in the world in Borobudor and the Hindu temples of Prambanan and on the Dieng Plateau on Java. Hinduism and Buddhism survived to this day only on the islands of Bali and Lombok, where an indigenous, but predominantly Hindu, mixed culture has developed.

The first Chinese cultural influences were brought to Indonesia by china and silk traders. Later the Chinese also worked in the numerous gold mines in Indonesia and probably influenced the architectural style of various regions of Indonesia with their bazaar architecture, such as the typical longhouses on Borneo.

From the 15th century, more and more Arab traders visited Indonesia and the conversion to Islam began. This also introduced traditional Islamic customs in Indonesia.

The Indonesian culture stems from the well-known textile dyeing process of batik, which is still used today to artistically decorate textiles with various flower and bird motifs, spirals and imaginative structures and which is an export product from Indonesia.

The creation of the Pawukon or Wuku calendar with a cycle of 210 days goes back to the time of the Javanese ancient religions.

Modern cultural life in Indonesia focuses on the urban centers of Jakarta, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Bandung and other cities in Java as well as Ubud on Bali. The young, active art scene is attracting worldwide attention. In addition, however, old forms of culture such as dance, shadow play and gamelan music are also cultivated.

The diverse sights of the island kingdom of Indonesia can only be reproduced in part. Every island has its very special natural beauties and cultural monuments and in particular the numerous national parks can be recommended for visits.

Bali: stepped rice terraces on mountain slopes, volcanic landscapes, tropical vegetation, long sandy beaches, dazzling temple festivals and friendly people in a colorful culture.
Java: Hindu and Buddhist temples (e.g. the UNESCO World Heritage Site Borobudur), national parks in the mountains and on the coast, often still active volcanoes (the best known is Mount Bromo), miles of sandy beaches, synthesis of different cultures. The city of Yogyakarta is home to many sights, e.g. buildings from the Dutch colonial era.
Sumatra: many national parks, mountains with volcanoes and mountain lakes
Lombok: the quieter, more pristine Bali
Gilli Islands: 3 small islands on which no motorized vehicle can be found. Small cafes line the coast, reggae is played and the main means of transport are horse-drawn carriages. Here you can relax.

Fixed-date holidays in Indonesia

Most holidays in Indonesia are Islamic and do not have a fixed date. The date of the Islamic holidays is based on the Islamic lunar calendar and therefore shifts from year to year

Jan. 1st New Year

May 1st Labor Day

June 1st Pancasila

Aug 17th Independence Day

Dec 24th Christmas Eve

Dec 25th Christmas

Medical information for Indonesia

For legal reasons, we as a tour operator are not allowed to communicate any binding medical information for Indonesia and therefore refer to the information provided by the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Robert Koch Institute and the German Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health

Travel advice for Indonesia

You can obtain current travel and safety information, information on entering and leaving the country, as well as special criminal information and recommendations for your stay in Indonesia from the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Foreign mission in Indonesia

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Jakarta (There are other consulates general in Makassar, Medan, Sanur and Surabaya.) Administrative

District / consular district: Indonesia

Place: Jakarta

Street address: Jalan MH Thamrin No. 1, Jakarta

Postal address: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Jalan MH Thamrin No. 1, Jakarta 10310, Indonesia

Phone: +62 21 39 85 50 00, for emergencies +62 811 152526

Fax: +62 21 398 55130

Email: Contact form

Website: http: //www.jakarta.diplo. de /

Official languages in the host country: Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia); Timor-Leste: Tetum, Portuguese

Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Berlin

(there are other honorary consulates in Hamburg, Bremen, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart and Munich)

Place: Berlin