Indonesia Travel Guide & Advice

Around the equator lies a vast archipelago of tropical islands, each with its own unique people, culture, architecture and religion. Each island has its own unique landscape with jungle, rainforests, lakes, active volcanoes and paradise beaches. Everywhere you go you’ll feel the sultry tropical air, smell the aromatic spices as you meet the friendly islanders in their saddle houses, becaks or horse and carts, working in the rice paddies or carrying fruit offerings to the temple. Indonesia is also one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world, and the nature is truly amazing. On land you can see things like orangutans, tigers and the famous Komodo dragons, and underwater the coral reef and aquatic life are among the very best in the world.

There’s a tropical climate in Indonesia with just two seasons. The dry season starts in April and lasts until October, which is the best time to travel, though monsoon season, from November and March is fine to travel as well. It’s quieter than in the high season and the rain is generally limited to a couple of hours at the end of the day. On most of the islands there’s little difference between the winter and summer, with temperatures averaging 25C-30C all year round.

British passport holders should have at least 6 months validity left on their passports, beyond their intended departure date. For more information on UK passports please refer to www.ukpa.gov.uk.

All British passport holders require a short stay Indonesian tourist visa of either 7 or 30 days, which are easily arranged on arrival at the main international airports or seaports. The 7 day visa costs US$10, and the 30 day visa costs US $25, please note these can not be extended without leaving the country. Your passport must have one clear page available, as the visa takes up an entire page, and you must possess an onward ticket out of Indonesia.

Alongside the general Indonesia health information and advice, ensure that you have the correct vaccinations for where you are going on holiday and remain as healthy as possible before you leave. Of course it's important that you avoid becoming ill while you are on holiday. When you're away on holiday remain alert: when in doubt, consult a doctor.

There are many options for transport in Indonesia. There are several bus connections between the larger cities and villages and boat connections between the islands, either by catamaran (fast) or ferry (not so fast). In the major cities you can use a taxi or a bemo. If you want to really immerse yourself in the Indonesian traffic you can hire a scooter or car (on Bali), but make sure the vehicles are adequately licensed. You’ll also need an international driver’s licence.

Domestic flight routes between the various islands in the archipelago are served by several different airlines for which ticket prices can vary tremendously, but so can the service.

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