Indonesia lies along the equator in the area between the Indian- and Pacific Oceans north of Australia. Comprising of 18 110 islands, 6 000 of them inhabited, Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. Situated on the western rim of the Ring of Fire, Indonesia has more than 400 volcanoes, of which 130 are considered active, as well as many more undersea volcanoes.
With so many islands, each one more beautiful than the other, Indonesia is a whole lot more than just the popular island of Bali. We have only scratched the surface, but urge you to try and visit at least one other island to start to experience the diversity that Indonesia has to offer. We spent a month visiting the islands of Java, Bali, Gili-Air, and Gili-T over May / June 2016 and another month revisiting Bali, Gili Islands, and this time Lombok over August / September 2019 and we will definitely be back for more!
INDONESIA QUICK FACTS
Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Current conversion rate here.
Electricity: 230V AC electricity. Power outlets are both round two-prong sockets (type C and type F). Be sure to carry a universal travel adaptor so you can still use all your electronic devices. If you are from a country with 110V as a standard be aware that you will need a voltage converter.
Safety: Most parts of Indonesia are very safe to travel in. Indonesia is susceptible to many forms of natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods and tsunamis. Petty crime such as pickpocketing and bag snatching is a common issue, especially in public crowded places like bus and train stations, so keep your belongings close. Always make use of official taxi services such as Blue Bird rather than hailing a taxi from the street as there are many tax-related scams, where taxi drivers drive off before you get a chance to take your luggage. In areas where the party scene is big, drink spiking is a common problem. Political events such as elections are often times of violent and messy demonstrations that you should avoid. Whatever you do, don’t travel without travel insurance! We would suggest checking out World Nomads or SafetyWing, for travel insurance as they have the best coverage for active travellers.
Language: The official language of Indonesia is Indonesian, which is spoken in the vast majority of the country. With more than 700 living languages spoken across Indonesia, English is also widely spoken, particularly in the more touristy areas. Even though English is less common in some more remote areas, it’s easy enough to get by in most of Indonesia.
INDONESIA PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
17 August, Independence Day
Business openings and work schedules may be significantly affected by Waisak Day (Visakaha Day), Chinese New Year, and Christian and Islamic holidays and festivals.
FESTIVALS IN INDONESIA
Being a diverse country, multicultural Indonesia celebrates a vast range of religious holidays and festivals. Many of these are however limited to small areas, for instance, the Hindu festivals of Bali.
Independence / National Day - Indonesia’s biggest national festival is celebrated on the 17th of August. Usually, there will be a grand parade in the capital city, Jakarta.
Ramadan & Idul Fitri - The most significant season of the year is the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. For 30 days, devout Muslims refrain from eating and drinking between sunrise and sunset. People get up early to stuff themselves before sunrise (sahur), go to work late, and take off early to get back home in time to breakfast (buka puasa) at sunset. During this time it is polite to refrain from eating or drinking in public. Many restaurants close during the day. During Ramadan, all forms of nightlife close by midnight or stay closed entirely. The month of Ramadan ends with the two days of Idul Fitri (also known as Lebaran). Almost the entire country takes a week or two off to head back home to visit family in a ritual known locally as mudik, meaning going home. This is the one time of the year when Jakarta has no traffic jams, but the rest of the country does, with all forms of transport packed to the brim. All government offices, including embassies, and many businesses close for a week or two, and travelling around Indonesia is best avoided during this time.
Nyepi - Nyepi directly translates to “Day of Silence”. This is the Balinese / Saka New Year, and although the date changes every year, it is generally in March. This is a day of fasting and meditation and you will find everything closed in Bali on this day. Over the preceding days, you will see people of Bali scrubbing clean statues, while ceremonies and various other rituals are held.
Kesodo / Kasada Ceremony - Hundreds of thousands of Tenggerese gather at the active crater of Mount Bromo, in East Java, during the month of August in order to ask for blessings and another year free of volcanic eruptions. They will present offerings of rice, fruits, vegetables, animals, and other local produce to the God of the Mountain.
Waisak - This special day is in commemoration of the birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha and is observed sometime during the full moon of May / June. While the whole of Indonesia is decorated very beautifully, in Borobudur (the largest Buddhist monument in the world) the day will be celebrated by thousands of monks and pilgrims.
BEST TIME TO VISIT INDONESIA
Straddling the Equator, Indonesia is a warm-weather destination. Although there are theoretically two seasons, namely the rainy season and the dry season, the dry season is far from dry, it just rains a little less! The air is pretty much always warm and humid. For most of the country (including Java and Bali), the dry season is April / May to September / October, while the wet season is October / November to March / April.
The best months for diving off the coast of Bali, Lombok, or the Komodo National Park are April to September, and you should try to avoid the rough seas particularly in January & February.
In the highlands, temperatures will, of course, be cooler, and the mountain peaks of Papua (some above 5 000m altitudes) can even be snow-covered. If you plan to climb one of Indonesia's many volcanoes, such as Mt Bromo on Java, Mt Rinjani in Lombok, or Tana Toraja in Sulawesi, then the dry season is recommended, and also remember to bring a jacket as temperatures are much cooler.
May to September is thus usually the best time to visit Indonesia for mostly dry and sunny days. There are some regional exceptions:
Java - The dry season from May to September to climb the mountains of Bromo or Ijen.
Bali - The dry season from April to September, but try to avoid the busiest tourist months of April, July, and August.
Nusa Tenggara, Lombok, Flores, Komodo National Park, Sumba - The dry season from April to September to climb Mt Rinjani or dive off the coast of Lombok, Gili Islands and the Komodo National Park.
Sumatra - Sumatra is a fairly large island, so weather conditions vary across the island. Medan and North Sumatra are more tropical and the heaviest rainfall is typically from October to January. Palembang and South Sumatra experience drier weather from April to October and rain from November to March.
Sulawesi - Sulawesi experiences slightly different weather patterns depending on where you are on the island. In Toraja and the southern part of the island monsoon rains typically falls from November to April. Manado and the northern regions experience rainfall all year round, with the driest months from July to October.
Kalimantan - The southern regions of Kalimantan are generally the driest and the rainforest-covered interior area is significantly wetter. The dry season is from June to September, with August and September being the driest. Light rains typically fall from March to May, with heavier rains from November to January. Orangutans can be spotted in the Tanjung Puting National Park throughout the year, although during the rainy season they do seek shelter and thus tend to be more elusive.
West Papua & Raja Ampat - West Papua and the islands of Raja Ampat can be visited year-round; there isn’t really an off-season. Rainy season across the islands of Raja Ampat differs from the rest of Indonesia. There is a higher chance of rainfall and strong winds from June to September, which is not ideal for boat journeys or diving. The wettest months in the Baliem Valley are May and June, however, brief heavy downpours can be expected year-round.
The Moluccas - Weather conditions across the central Molucca islands of Ambon and Seram differ from the rest of Indonesia. Best visited from October to May, these islands experience rainfall from June to September. Weather patterns across the southern Molucca islands of Kei, Aru, and Tanimbar, and the northern islands of Ternate, Tidore, and Halmahera are similar to the majority of Indonesia. These islands are best visited from May to September.
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