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Standard Time
STANDARD TIME
THE PEOPLE
THE LANGUAGES & RELIGIONS
THE WEATHER
GETTING AROUND
Becak ("BEH-chuck") is a tricycle (pedicab) transportation mode for short distances such as residential areas in many cities. In some areas,the driver is sitting at the back of the passenger, but in some areas (like Medan) the driver is sitting on the side of the passenger. Good communication skills is integral to prevent getting overcharged on these rides. Often, sly drivers try to get some more money out of you after you've reached your destination, so be sure that you know how much it costs beforehand.
Note that there are no becak in Jakarta. Instead, the motorized bajaj (BAH-jai), somewhat similar to the Thai tuk-tuk, serves the same function. In some other provinces (eg. North Sumatra, Aceh) you can also find motorbikes with sidecars, known as bentor (short for becak bermotor).
Getting around : By Boat
Indonesia is all islands and consequently ferries have long been the most popular means of inter island travel. The largest company is PELNI, which visits practically every inhabited island in Indonesia.
Getting around : By Bus
The major types of buses are air-conditioned bus (AC) and non-air-conditioned bus (non-AC or "economy class"). The air-conditioned chartered buses can be rented with its drivers for a tourist group. Indonesian bus companies offer intercity and interprovince routes. The interprovince routes usually include transportation to other islands mainly between Java and Sumatra.
Getting around : By Car
Indonesian driving habits are generally atrocious. Lanes and traffic lights are happily ignored, passing habits are suicidal and driving on the road shoulder is common. Buses are particularly bad, as they both speed like maniacs and stop without warning to pick up fares. Pedestrians can be found crossing the road anywhere, even across highways. Police tend to concentrate on extracting bribes, not actually
doing anything about the mess.
That said, renting a car in Indonesia is cheap compared to renting in other countries, and despite recent fare hikes gas remains cheap (fixed price for gasoline is Rp 4500/litre and price of diesel fuel is Rp 4300/litre). To drive a car yourself, an International Driver Permit is required, but it is strongly recommended that you consider renting a car with driver, because the additional cost is quite low and having a traffic accident in Indonesia will certainly spoil your trip.
Road condition and road maintenance in Indonesia is poor. If you go outside major cities, you should use a four-wheel drive car (Kijang jeeps are popular). During rainy season, major roads in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi are flooded for several weeks. Several important, old bridges in Sumatra had collapsed recently.
Traffic moves on the left in Indonesia.
Getting around : By Ojek
If you're in such a hurry that you're willing to lose a limb to get there, then ojek motorcycle taxis might be the ticket for you. Ojek services consist of guys with bikes lounging around street corners, perhaps identified with a colored, numbered jacket, who usually shuttle short distances down alleys and roads but will also do longer trips for a price. Haggle furiously.
Getting around : By Plane
The only rapid means of long-distance travel within Indonesia is the plane. The largest domestic carriers are state-owned Garuda and private competitor Lion Air, but in recent years a host of low-cost competitors have sprung up, including Adam Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Batavia Air, Mandala and many more. Routes for less popular destinations and routes (particularly in eastern Indonesia) are served by Garuda's little buddy Merpati, memorably summarized as "It's Merpati and I'll fly if I want to", AirFast, Sriwijaya, Jatayu and more, often flying smaller planes. If you really get off the beaten track, eg. settlements in Papua, there are no scheduled services at all and you'll need to charter a plane or hitch rides with missionaries.
Prices are low by international standards, with more or less any domestic return flight available for under US$100 even on short notice, and fares for a fraction of that if you plan ahead. The hardest part is often finding what carriers serve what route and making a reservation, as many companies have not yet discovered the joys of the Internet, much less set up online booking engines. When traveling off the beaten track, it's imperative to reconfirm early and often, as frequencies are low and paid-up, occasionally even checked-in passengers are bumped off with depressing regularity if a VIP happens to show up. Make sure you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before the departure time.
Getting around : By Train
PT Kereta Api runs trains across most of Java and some parts of Sumatra. The network was originally built by the Dutch, and few new lines have been built since the Independence. Double-tracking of the most congested lines have been done, though, and is still ongoing. Maintenance is spotty and derailments and crashes occur occasionally. Java by far has the best railway network, with trains connecting the capital city of Jakarta with other main cities, i.e. Surabaya both via Semarang on the north coast and via Yogyakarta and Solo through the southern main line. Bandung is connected to Jakarta by some 30 trains per day, and is itself connected to Surabaya through Yogyakarta. Bali has no railway lines, but there are trains from Surabaya to Banyuwangi,
connecting with ferries to the island.
Sumatra's networks are concentrated on the northern (around >Medan) and the southern (Palembang) parts of the island. Passenger trains on the
island are much less frequent than in Java.
Type of service: 1. Air-conditioned Eksekutif class 2. Bisnis 3. Ekonomi classes are also available for the more budget-conscious traveler, but comfort and safety are noticeably less (due to congestion and length of travel time).
No sleeping car service is provided in Indonesia, and the best accommodation provided is air-conditioned, adjustable reclining seats in the Argo and other eksekutif class trains.
Ticket reservations can be made one month in advance, although generally tickets will still be available almost to the last minute. An exception is the very busy Lebaran season, in which time it is not advisable to travel due to the extremely high demand for tickets. No on-line ticket reservation is available, but availability can be gleaned on PT Kereta Api's ticketing site.
Generally, trains in Java travel through scenic areas, and travelers not in a hurry should consider the length of the journey and the sceneryas a bonus to his ravels. However, theft is common, particularly on overnight journeys, so padlock your doors if possible.
VISAS & PASSPORT
The Nationals of the :
1. South Africa
2. The United States of America
3. Argentina
4. Australia
5. Austria
6. Bahrain
7. Belgium
8. Holland
9. Brazil
10. Bulgaria
11. Cyprus
12. Denmark
13. The United Arab Emirates
14. Estonia
15. Finland
16. Hungary
17. India
18. United Kingdom
19. Iran
20. Ireland
21. Islandia **
22. Italy
23. Japan
24. Germany
25. Cambodia
26. Canada
27. South Korea
28. Kuwait
29. Laos
30. Liechtenstein
31. Luxembourg
32. Maldives
33. Malta
34. Mexico
35. Egypt
36. Monaco
37. Norway
38. Oman
39. France
40. Poland
41. Portugal
42. Qatar
43. People's Republic of China
44. Russia
45. Saudi Arabia
46. New Zealand
47. Spain
48. Suriname
49. Sweden
50. Switzerland
51. Taiwan
52. Greece
Those 52 countries will be able to apply for a VoA valid for either 3 or 30 days upon arrival in Indonesia. A 7-day visa will cost $USD10 while a 30-day visa will cost $USD25.
The 11 countries that retain visa-free status and need not purchase a VoA are:
1. Thailand
2. Malaysia
3. Singapore
4. Brunei Darussalam
5. the Philippines
6. Hong Kong
7. Macao
8. Chile
9. Morocco
10. Peru
11. Vietnam.
Citizens of countries not on the VoA or Visa Free lists are required to apply for a visa at the nearest Indonesian embassy, consulate or foreign mission.
Process for Obtaining a Visa on Arrival (VoA)
Visitors from countries with Visa-On-Arrival status will go to new 'VoA Counters' to have their passports stamped with the on-arrival visa before going to the Immigration Clearance Desk. An official bank will be attached in the VoA counters. Payment can only be made in US dollar bank notes or Indonesian Rupiahs equivalent. Payment by Credit-Card is under discussion and to be determined. In the bigger airports, like Jakarta and Bali, several rows of VoA counters will be provided.
Overstaying your Visa
Overstaying a tourist visa (or any visa) is a serious offense in Indonesia. Fines, blacklisting, confinement and deportation are all possible penalties for infractions. Please take this seriously! If you inadvertently overstay your visa go immediately to an immigration office, once you realize it, and explain the circumstances. Delaying the report will only make the situation worse. There are only a few 'legitimate' reasons for overstay - the main one being inability to travel due a verified illness or injury. Also beware of the 30-day counting trap! Immigration officials count the 30-day period as: you arrive on the 1st day with a 30-day VoA, and you must leave on the 30th day (not the 31st day or the first of the next month etc.)
CURRENCY
In the reverse direction, money changers will be happy to turn your dirty rupiah into spiffy dollars, but the spread is often considerable (10% is not unusual). Be very careful dealing with moneychangers, who are very adept at distracting your attention during the counting process and short-changing you as a result. As a precaution, consider bringing a friend along to watch over the transaction very carefully.
Be aware of moneychangers who offer great rates. They will quote you one price, and start counting stacks of Rp.20,000 notes, and ask you to count along with them. This is a ploy to confuse and shortchange you. If they realize you are onto them, they will tell you that they have to subtract 6-8% for "commission" or "taxes".
ATMs are common in any major cities in Indonesia especially in the capital of the provinces such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan, Denpasar, etc.
Be careful when using credit cards, as cloning and fraud are a major problem in Indonesia. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, but American Express can be problematic. At smaller operations, surcharges of 2-5% over cash are common.
Currency : Currency
Indonesia's currency is the rupiah (IDR), abbreviated Rp. The rupiah's value plummeted during the 1997 economic crisis and has slowly drifted downward ever since, and as of 2006 you need more than Rp 9,000 to buy one US dollar. The trailing three zeros are often abbreviated with rb (ribu, thousand) or even dropped completely, and for more expensive items you will often even see jt (juta, million).
The largest banknote is Rp 100,000, which may only be US$10 but is still inconveniently large for most purchases. Next in the series are Rp 50,000, Rp 20,000, Rp 10,000, Rp 5,000 and finally Rp 1,000. Bill size is the easiest way to distinguish them, as the designs — all pale pastel shades of yellow, green and brown — are confusingly similar and the smaller bills in particular are often filthy and mangled. (The new 2004-2005 series of notes has, however, corrected this to some extent.) A chronic shortage of small change — it's not unusual to get a few pieces of candy back instead of coins — has been to some extent alleviated by a new flood of plasticky aluminum coins, available in denominations of Rp 500, Rp 200, Rp 100, Rp 50 and the thoroughly useless Rp 25. Older golden metallic versions are also still floating around, and you may occasionally even run into a sub-1000 banknote. Bills printed in 1992 or earlier are no longer in circulation, but can be exchanged at banks.
US dollars are the second currency of Indonesia and will be accepted by anyone in a pinch, but are typically used as an investment and for larger purchases, not buying a bowl of noodles on the street. Many hotels quote rates in dollars, but all accept payment in rupiah. Singapore dollars are also widely accepted, especially in more touristy areas.
Indonesia's currency is the rupiah (IDR), abbreviated Rp. The rupiah's value plummeted during the 1997 economic crisis and has slowly drifted downward ever since, and as of 2006 you need more than Rp 9,000 to buy one US dollar. The trailing three zeros are often abbreviated with rb (ribu, thousand) or even dropped completely, and for more expensive items you will often even see jt (juta, million).
The largest banknote is Rp 100,000, which may only be US$10 but is still inconveniently large for most purchases. Next in the series are Rp 50,000, Rp 20,000, Rp 10,000, Rp 5,000 and finally Rp 1,000. Bill size is the easiest way to distinguish them, as the designs all pale pastel shades of yellow, green and brown are confusingly similar and the smaller bills in particular are often filthy and mangled. (The new 2004-2005 series of notes has, however, corrected this to some extent.) A chronic shortage of small change it's not unusual to get a few pieces of candy back instead of coins has been to some extent alleviated by a new flood of plasticky aluminum coins, available in denominations of Rp 500, Rp 200, Rp 100, Rp 50 and the thoroughly useless Rp 25. Older golden metallic versions are also still floating around, and you may occasionally even run into a sub-1000 banknote. Bills printed in 1992 or earlier are no longer in circulation, but can be exchanged at banks.
US dollars are the second currency of Indonesia and will be accepted by anyone in a pinch, but are typically used as an investment and for larger purchases, not buying a bowl of noodles on the street. Many hotels quote rates in dollars, but all accept payment in rupiah. Singapore dollars are also widely accepted, especially in more touristy areas.
CONSULATES/EMBASSY OFFICES
Bina Mulia I building, 7th Floor, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav.10, 12950 Jakarta, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 520-1131 Fax: (62-21) 520-1955
E-mail: emchijak@rad.net.id
Australian Embassy
Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav C15-16 Kuningan Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
Tel:(6221)25505555 Fax:(62 21) 522 7101 E-mail: public.affairsjakt@dfat.gov.au
Canadian Embassy
Wisma Metropolitan I, 5th Floor Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 29 Jakarta 12920, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 525-0709 Fax: (62-21) 571-2251
Consulate of Canada (Surabaya)
c/o Maspion Group, Jl. Kembang Jepun No. 38-40, Surabaya
Phone: 3544330 Fax: 3544331
Embassy of Afghanistan
Jl. Dr. Kusumaatmaja SH No. 15 Menteng, Jakarta Pusat 10310 Indonesia
Tel: Tel: (62-21) 314-3169 Fax: (62-21) 335-390
Embassy of Algeria
Jl. H. R. Rasuna Said Kav. 10-11 Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan 12950 Indonesia
Tel: (62-21) 525-4719, 525-4809 Fax: (62-21) 525-4654
Embassy of Argentina
Menara Mulia Building, 19th floor Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto Kav. 9-11 Jakarta Selatan 12930 Indonesia Tel: (62-21) 526-5661, 526-5662 Fax: (62-21) 526-5664 E-mail: embargen@cbn.net.id
Embassy of Austria
Jl. Diponegoro No. 44, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 338-090, 338-101 Fax: (62-21) 390-4927 E-mail: auambjak@rad.net.id
Embassy of Bangladesh
Jl. Denpasar Raya No. 3, Blok A-13 Kav. 10, Kuningan Jakarta 12950, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 525-1986, 522-1574 Fax: (62-21) 526-1807 E-mail:bdootjak@rad.net.id
Embassy of Belgium
Deutsche Bank Building, 16th Floor ?Jl. Imam Bonjol No. 80, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 316-2030 (Hunting)Fax: (62-21) 316-2035
E-mail: jakarta@diplobel.org
Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Menara Imperium, 11th Floor, Suite D-2 Metropolitan Kuningan Super Blok Kav. 1 Jl. H. R. Rasuna Said Jakarta 12980, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 8370-3022, 8370-3029 Fax: (62-21) 8370-3029
Embassy of Brazil
Menara Mulia Building 16th Floor, Suite 1602 ?Jl. Jenderal Gatot Subroto Kav. 9-11 Jakarta 12390, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 526-5656, 526-5657, 526-5658 Fax: (62-21) 526-5659 E-mail: brasemb@rad.net.id
Embassy of Brunei Darussalam
Wisma GKBI, Suite 1901 Jl. Jenderal Sudirman No. 28 Jakarta 10210, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 574-1437, 574-1438, 574-1439, 574-1470, 574-1471,
574-1472 Fax: (62-21) 574-1463
Embassy of Bulgaria
Jl. Imam Bonjol No. 34-36, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 390-4048 Fax: (62-21) 390-4049
Embassy of Cambodia
Panin Bank Plaza, 4th Floor, Jl. Palmerah Utara #52, 11480 Jakarta, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 548-4840/548-3716 Fax: (62-21) 548-3684
Embassy of China
Jl. Mega Kuningan No. 2, Karet Kuningan Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 576-1039 Fax: (62-21) 576-1034 (General), 576-1051 (Commercial Section), 576-1046 (Military Attache Office)
Embassy of Colombia
Central Plaza Building, 16th Floor Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 47 Jakarta 12920, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 525-6446, 570-1422 Fax: (62-21) 520-7717
E-mail: emcolin@rad.net.id
Embassy of Cuba
Jl. Opal Blok K-1, Permata Hijau Taman Puri Jakarta 12210, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 530-4293 Fax: (62-21) 5367-6906
E-mail: cubaindo@cbn.net.id
Embassy of Egypt
Jl. Teuku Umar No. 68, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 314-3440, 335-350, 230-5346 (Commercial Office), 230-4909 (Press Office) Fax: (62-21) 314-5073, 326-177 (Commercial Office),
310-8017 (Press Office)
Embassy of Finland
Menara Rajawali, 9th Floor Jl. Mega Kuningan Lot No. 5.1 Kawasan Mega Kuningan Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 576-1650 (Hunting) Fax: (62-21) 576-1631, 576-1654 (Commercial Section) E-mail: sanomat.jak@formin.
Embassy of France
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 20 Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 314-2807, 314-3338 (Consular Section) Fax: (62-21) 314-3338, 392-9678 (Consular Section)
Embassy of Germany
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 1, Menteng Jakarta10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 390-1750 Fax: (62-21) 390-1757
E-mail: germany@rad.net.id
Embassy of Great Britain
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 75 Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 315-6264 Ansaphone 315-6264 Fax: (62-21) 392-6263 (Chancery), 314-1824 (Development), 390-2726 (Development), 390-2726
(Defence), 315-4061 (Commercial), 390-7493 (Management)
Embassy of Greece
Plaza 89, 12th Floor Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. X-7 No. 6, Kuningan Jakarta 12940, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 520-7776 (Hunting) Fax: (62-21) 520-7753
E-mail: grembas@cbn.net.id
Embassy of Holy See
Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur #18, J akarta Pusat, Indonesia, (P.O. BOX 4227)
Phone: (62-21) 0384-1142/381-0736 Fax: (62-21) 384-1143
Embassy of Hungary
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. X/3, Kuningan Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 520-3459, 520-3460 (after office hours) Fax: (62-21) 520-3461
E-mail: huembjkt@rad.net.id
Embassy of India
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. S-1, Kuningan Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 520-4150, 520-4152, 520-4157 Fax: (62-21) 520-4160
E-mail: eoiisi@indo.net.id
Embassy of Iraq
Jl. Teuku Umar No. 38, Menteng Jakarta 10350, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 390-4067, 390-4068, 390-4069 Fax: (62-21) 390-4066
Embassy of Italy
Jl. Diponegoro No. 45, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 337-445 (Hunting 3 lines), 323-490 (Consular Section), 337-440 (Ambassador's Secretary) Fax: (62-21) 337-422
E-mail: italemba@rad.net.id
Embassy of Jordan
Jl. Denpasar Raya Block A -13, Kav.01-02, Kuningan, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 520-4400/520-4401 Fax: (62-21) 520-2447
E-mail: jordanem@cbn.net.id
Embassy of Korea
Jl. Jenderal Gatot Subroto # 57, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia, (P.O. BOX 4187 JKTM) Phone: (62-21) 520-1915 Fax: (62-21) 525-4159
Embassy of Kuwait
Jl. Denpasar Raya Blok A-XII No. 1, Kuningan Timur Jakarta 12950, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 520-2477, 520-2478 Fax: (62-21) 520-4359, 522-4931
Embassy of Lebanon
Jl. YBR V/#82, Kuningan, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 526-4306 Fax: (62 -21) 520 7121
Embassy of Malaysia
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. X/6, # 1-3 Kuningan, 12950 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 522-4947 Fax: (62-21) 522-4974
Embassy of Mali
Jl. Mendawai III/ # 18, Kebayoran Baru, 12130 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 720-8472/ 726-8504. Fax: (62-21) 722-9589
Embassy of Mexico
Menara Mulia Building, Suite 2306, Jl. Gatot Subroto Kav. 9-11, 12930 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 520-3980 Fax: (62-21) 520-3978
Embassy of Morocco
Kuningan Plaza, South Tower Suite 512, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. C 11-14, Kuningan, 12950 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 520-0773/520-0956 Fax: (62-21) 520-0586
Embassy of Myanmar
Jl. Haji Agus Salim # 109, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 314-0440/ 327-684 Fax: (62-21) 327-204
Embassy of Nigeria
Jl. Taman Patra XIV/# 11-11A, Kuningan Timur, 12950 Jakarta, Indonesia, (PO BOX 3649).
Tel: (62-21) 526-0922/526-0923 Fax: (62-21) 526-0924
Embassy of Pakistan
Jl. Teuku Umar # 50, Menteng, Jakarta 10350, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 314-4008/314- 40 09/314-4011 Fax:(62-21) 310-3947/310-3946/310-3945
Embassy of Papua New Guinea
Panin Bank Centre, 6th floor, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman # 1, Jakarta 10270, Indonesia. Tel: (62-21) 725-1218 Fax: (62- 21) 720-1012
Embassy of Peru
Bina Mulia Building 2, 3rd floor, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. 11, Kuningan, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 520-1176/520-1866 Fax: (62-21) 520-1932
Embassy of Poland
Jl. Diponegoro # 65, Menteng, 10310 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 314-0509 Fax: (62-21) 327-343
Embassy of Romania
Jl. Teuku Cik Ditiro # 42A, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 310-6240/310-6241 Fax: (62-21) 390-7759
Embassy of Russia
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. X-7/1-2, Kuningan, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 522-2912/522-2914/522-5195 Fax: (62-21) 522-2916/522-2915
Embassy of Saudi Arabia
Jl. M.T. Haryono, Kav. 27, Cawang Atas, 13630 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 801-1553/801-1537 Fax: (62-21) 801-1527
Embassy of Slovakia
Jl. Prof. Moh.Yamin, SH # 29, Menteng , 10310 Jakarta, Indonesia, (PO BOX 1368). Tel: (62-21) 310-1068/315-1429 Fax: (62-21) 310-1180
Embassy of Spain
Jl. Haji Agus Salim # 61, Menteng, 10350 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 335-937/335-940/335-771/314-2355 Fax: (62-21) 325-996
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Jl. Diponegoro # 70, Menteng, Jakarta 10310, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 314-1018/ 316-1886 /391-9364/315-1686 Fax: (62-21) 310-7962
Embassy of the Czech Republic
Jl. Gereja Theresia No. 20, Menteng Jakarta 10350, Indonesia P.O. Box 1319
Phone: (62-21) 390-4075, 390-4076, 390-4077 Fax: (62-21) 336-282
E-mail: jakarta@embassy.mzv.cz
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Jl. H.O.S. Cokroaminoto 110, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 331-378, 331-391, 334-637 Fax: (62-21) 310-7860
E-mail: irembjkt@indo.net.id
Embassy of The Philippines
Jl. Imam Bonjol # 6-8, Menteng, 10310 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 310-0302/314-9329/310-0334 Fax:(62-21) 315-9773/315-1167
Embassy of The State of Qatar
Jl. Taman Ubud I/ No. 5, Kuningan Timur, Jakarta, 12920 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 527-7751/527-7752 Fax: (62-21) 527-7754
Embassy of Tunisia
Wisma Dharmala Sakti, 11th floor, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman # 32, Jakarta 10220, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 570-3432/570-4220 Fax: (62-21) 570-0016
Embassy of Turkey
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. 1, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 525-6250/ 526-4143/ 522-7440/522-8879 Fax: (62-21) 522-6056/527-5673
Embassy of Ukraine
Jl. Simprug Permata I/No. 39, 12220 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 726-7575/720-5356 Fax: (62-21) 726-6969
Embassy of Venezuela
Menara Mulia, Suite 2005, 20th floor, Jl. Jenderal Gatot Subroto Kav. 9-11, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 522-7547/525-7548 Fax: (62-21) 522-7549
E-mail: evenjakt@indo.net.id
Embassy of Vietnam
Jl. Teuku Umar # 25, Menteng, 10350 Jakarta, Indonesia. Tel: (62-21) 910-0163/315-8537/310-0358/310-0359/310-1805 Fax: (62-21) 314-9615
Embassy of Yemen
Jl. Yusuf Adiwinata # 29, Menteng, 10350 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 390-4074/310- 8029/ 310- 8035 Fax: (62-21) 390-4946
Embassy of Yugoslavia
Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto # 109, Menteng, 10310 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 314-3560/ 334-157 Fax: (62-21) 314-3613
General Consulate of Japan
Menara Thamrin, 7th-10th Floor Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav. 3 Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 324-308 (8 lines) Fax: (62-21) 325-460, 3190-6928 (Coordination Section), 325-076 (Protocol), 315-2859 (Political Section), 315-7152 (Economic Section), 315-7156 (Visa Section), 324-820 (Information and Culture Section), 3190-0873 (Accounting Section), 315-7150 (Administrative Section)
Representation of the European Commission
Wisma Dharmala Sakti, 16th Floor Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 32 Jakarta 10220, Indonesia P.O. Box 6454 JKPDS
Phone: (62-21) 570-6076 Fax: (62-21) 570-6075
E-mail: mailto@delidn.cec.eu.int
Royal Danish Embassy
Menara Rajawali, 25th Floor Jl. Mega Kuningan Lot No. 5.1 Jakarta 12950, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 576-1478 (Hunting) Fax : (62-21) 576-1535
E-mail: dkemb9@cbn.net.id
Royal Embassy of Cambodia
Jl. Kintamani Raya C-15 No. 33 Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 919-2895 Fax: (62-21) 520-2673
Royal Thai Embassy
74, JI Imam Bonjol, Jakarta Pusat 10310, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 390-4052, 314-7925 Fax: (62-21) 310-7469
STANDARD TIME
CST is Central Standard Time (Darwin Time) and will be used throughout the Rally for all communications and time keeping and is the time referred to in these instructions. CST is GMT +9:30.
THE PEOPLE
Indonesia’s earliest hominid inhabitant is popularly referred as Java Man, or Homo Solvencies, a member of the species Homo Erectus, who inhabited the old world about 1.7 million years ago.
A direct ancestor of the species Homo sapiens, Java Man was an omnivore and food gatherer who lives in caves and open campsites, and was the first creature to know the use of fire. He also produce can elaborate stone toll kit composed of choppers, axes and adzes.
Remains of Pithecanthropus erectus and Homo soloensis, found on Java, are evidence of the early presence of marginal branches of humanity in this area at a very ancient time. Later it became a zone of settlement and passage for various races moving eastward from the southern Asian mainland.
The most recent migrations, starting perhaps 4,000 years ago, were those of Malay peoples, belonging to the southern of oceanic, Mongoloid branch. In successive waves the occupied the archipelago, blotting out almost completely the earlier dark skinned races in the western part and occupying less intensively the eastern islands, resulting there in a racial mixture of Malay, Melanesian and Papuan.
Modern Indonesians, although not a homogenous racial group, can be characterized by their rather short stature, light to dark brown pigmentation and monocephalic heads with sleek black hair, wide noses and rather thick lips. Negroid features are prominent in eastern Indonesia, the result of interbreeding with the Papuans.
The population of modern Indonesia is composed of a large number of different peoples at varying levels of civilization, from the hunting tribes in the interior of Kalimantan to the highly skilled farmers of Java, Bali and some sections of Sumatra.
The growing national unity was solidified in 1928 during the Dutch colonization, when the Indonesian people have pledged as “one nation, having one country, and having one national language : Indonesia”.
According to the motto as engraved on the national coat of arms, Indonesia is proud of its unity in diversity, or Bhineka Tunggal Ika. The Indonesia people are proud of their diverse historical traditions, customs, languages, culture, religions and peoples. And the state’s Five Principles, or Pancasila, consists of Belief in One Supreme God, Humanity, Unity of Indonesia, Democracy and Social justice.
The officially respected monotheistic religions are Islam (embraced by around 85 percent of the whole population), and the rest embrace Christian, Protestant, Catholic, Buddhism and Hinduism.
Seventeen languages groups are recognized in Indonesia, all belong to the Malayo-Polynesian family, except that of North Halmahera, which is a member of the widely divergent Papuan group.
A direct ancestor of the species Homo sapiens, Java Man was an omnivore and food gatherer who lives in caves and open campsites, and was the first creature to know the use of fire. He also produce can elaborate stone toll kit composed of choppers, axes and adzes.
Remains of Pithecanthropus erectus and Homo soloensis, found on Java, are evidence of the early presence of marginal branches of humanity in this area at a very ancient time. Later it became a zone of settlement and passage for various races moving eastward from the southern Asian mainland.
The most recent migrations, starting perhaps 4,000 years ago, were those of Malay peoples, belonging to the southern of oceanic, Mongoloid branch. In successive waves the occupied the archipelago, blotting out almost completely the earlier dark skinned races in the western part and occupying less intensively the eastern islands, resulting there in a racial mixture of Malay, Melanesian and Papuan.
Modern Indonesians, although not a homogenous racial group, can be characterized by their rather short stature, light to dark brown pigmentation and monocephalic heads with sleek black hair, wide noses and rather thick lips. Negroid features are prominent in eastern Indonesia, the result of interbreeding with the Papuans.
The population of modern Indonesia is composed of a large number of different peoples at varying levels of civilization, from the hunting tribes in the interior of Kalimantan to the highly skilled farmers of Java, Bali and some sections of Sumatra.
The growing national unity was solidified in 1928 during the Dutch colonization, when the Indonesian people have pledged as “one nation, having one country, and having one national language : Indonesia”.
According to the motto as engraved on the national coat of arms, Indonesia is proud of its unity in diversity, or Bhineka Tunggal Ika. The Indonesia people are proud of their diverse historical traditions, customs, languages, culture, religions and peoples. And the state’s Five Principles, or Pancasila, consists of Belief in One Supreme God, Humanity, Unity of Indonesia, Democracy and Social justice.
The officially respected monotheistic religions are Islam (embraced by around 85 percent of the whole population), and the rest embrace Christian, Protestant, Catholic, Buddhism and Hinduism.
Seventeen languages groups are recognized in Indonesia, all belong to the Malayo-Polynesian family, except that of North Halmahera, which is a member of the widely divergent Papuan group.
THE LANGUAGES & RELIGIONS
The Sumatrans include the Acehnese, Batak and Gayo-Alas in the north and Minagkabau in the centre, Lampung in the south and the Malay along the east coast , all speaking distinct language, the Malay, officially recognized as the lingua franca, spoken all over the country, which by nature incorporating Dutch, Arabic, English and Sanskrit and regional languages of their own.
The Minagkabaus, an enterprising people, are best known for their curious combination of a traditional matriliny with the Islam religion.
On Java Three distinct languanges are spoken.: Sundanese in the western uplands, Javanese in the middle and east, except for areas opposite the island of Madura, where Maduranese prevails.
In Kalimantan, Malay speaking people live along the coast and Dayaks, speaking a variety of Kalimantan languages, live in the interior.
South west Sulawesi is the homeland of the Makasarese, but these intrepid seafarers are also found in the coastal settlements of east Kalimantan and many eastern islands. The differ in speech from the Torajas in the central highlands of Sulawesi and from the Minahasas in northern tip.
The Balinese and their neighbors on Lombok and west Sumbawa constitute still another group and several more are found in the eastern Nusa Tenggara (Flores, Timor Etc) and in Maluku islands.
In addition to the indigenous there are the Chinese, who belong to various south Chinese dialect group. The great influx from the China mainland was a response to the need for wage labor in western enterprises from 1870 to 1930 during the Dutch colonial era.
Many among the Chinese are business people and some of them intermarried with Indonesians but retained their Chinese culture, except for some who are now embracing Christianity, even Islam, Hindu or Buddhism.
In west Kalimantan the Chinese came in the 18th century to mine gold and remaines as farmers and shopkeepers. In Bangka and Bilitung a large number of Chinese work in the tin mines.
Religious freedom is guaranteed by the constitution. The great majority of the Indonesias are Sunni Muslims of the Shafiite School. Intense devotions to Islam prevails among the Aceh, Minagkabau, Sundanese and the Banjarese.
Most of the Javanese have fused Islam with earlier Hindu and Buddhist beliefs, while else where it is often only a thin veneer over animism.
Balinese Hindus number about 2,000,000 and Christians 12,500,000, among them the majority of the Bataks (in north Sumatra), part of Torajas (centre Sulawesi), all Minahasa (north Sulawesi) and Ambonese (Maluku), some of the Dayaks (interior Kalimantan), and large group of Flores, Timor, and nearby islands slightly more than half are Protestant and the rest Catholics. The rest of population, much less in number, embraces Buddhism.
The latest estimate based on the national census gave a population figure of Indonesia around 216,000,000 people, compared to the figure in 1945, when the country proclaimed her independence, which was 60,000,000 or more than tripled in half a century.
Until early 1990s the huge population of the country sometimes is being judged as strong hindrance to the national development.
By now the economist and the demographic experts are the opinion, instead of being a burden, the country’s population is recognized as one of the most important elements among its national assets.
Manpower is now being judged as the engine of the national development. Most of the population is the backbone of the national development plan, and more than a couple of millions of the population are now working in other courtiers, earning foreign currencies to be enjoyed by their families at home.
The Minagkabaus, an enterprising people, are best known for their curious combination of a traditional matriliny with the Islam religion.
On Java Three distinct languanges are spoken.: Sundanese in the western uplands, Javanese in the middle and east, except for areas opposite the island of Madura, where Maduranese prevails.
In Kalimantan, Malay speaking people live along the coast and Dayaks, speaking a variety of Kalimantan languages, live in the interior.
South west Sulawesi is the homeland of the Makasarese, but these intrepid seafarers are also found in the coastal settlements of east Kalimantan and many eastern islands. The differ in speech from the Torajas in the central highlands of Sulawesi and from the Minahasas in northern tip.
The Balinese and their neighbors on Lombok and west Sumbawa constitute still another group and several more are found in the eastern Nusa Tenggara (Flores, Timor Etc) and in Maluku islands.
In addition to the indigenous there are the Chinese, who belong to various south Chinese dialect group. The great influx from the China mainland was a response to the need for wage labor in western enterprises from 1870 to 1930 during the Dutch colonial era.
Many among the Chinese are business people and some of them intermarried with Indonesians but retained their Chinese culture, except for some who are now embracing Christianity, even Islam, Hindu or Buddhism.
In west Kalimantan the Chinese came in the 18th century to mine gold and remaines as farmers and shopkeepers. In Bangka and Bilitung a large number of Chinese work in the tin mines.
Religious freedom is guaranteed by the constitution. The great majority of the Indonesias are Sunni Muslims of the Shafiite School. Intense devotions to Islam prevails among the Aceh, Minagkabau, Sundanese and the Banjarese.
Most of the Javanese have fused Islam with earlier Hindu and Buddhist beliefs, while else where it is often only a thin veneer over animism.
Balinese Hindus number about 2,000,000 and Christians 12,500,000, among them the majority of the Bataks (in north Sumatra), part of Torajas (centre Sulawesi), all Minahasa (north Sulawesi) and Ambonese (Maluku), some of the Dayaks (interior Kalimantan), and large group of Flores, Timor, and nearby islands slightly more than half are Protestant and the rest Catholics. The rest of population, much less in number, embraces Buddhism.
The latest estimate based on the national census gave a population figure of Indonesia around 216,000,000 people, compared to the figure in 1945, when the country proclaimed her independence, which was 60,000,000 or more than tripled in half a century.
Until early 1990s the huge population of the country sometimes is being judged as strong hindrance to the national development.
By now the economist and the demographic experts are the opinion, instead of being a burden, the country’s population is recognized as one of the most important elements among its national assets.
Manpower is now being judged as the engine of the national development. Most of the population is the backbone of the national development plan, and more than a couple of millions of the population are now working in other courtiers, earning foreign currencies to be enjoyed by their families at home.
THE WEATHER
Indonesia is a tropical country, and the climate is fairly even all year round. There is no such thing as an autumn or winter, the year being roughly divided into two distinct seasons, 'wet' and 'dry'.
The East Monsoon, from June to September brings dry weather while the West Monsoon, from December to March, brings rain. The transitional period between these two seasons alternates between gorgeous sun-filled days and occasional thunderstorms.
Even in the midst of the wet season temperatures range from 70°F to 90°F, except at higher altitudes which can be much cooler. The heaviest rainfalls are usually recorded in December and January. Average humidity is generally between 75% and 100%.
The East Monsoon, from June to September brings dry weather while the West Monsoon, from December to March, brings rain. The transitional period between these two seasons alternates between gorgeous sun-filled days and occasional thunderstorms.
Even in the midst of the wet season temperatures range from 70°F to 90°F, except at higher altitudes which can be much cooler. The heaviest rainfalls are usually recorded in December and January. Average humidity is generally between 75% and 100%.
GETTING AROUND
Becak ("BEH-chuck") is a tricycle (pedicab) transportation mode for short distances such as residential areas in many cities. In some areas,the driver is sitting at the back of the passenger, but in some areas (like Medan) the driver is sitting on the side of the passenger. Good communication skills is integral to prevent getting overcharged on these rides. Often, sly drivers try to get some more money out of you after you've reached your destination, so be sure that you know how much it costs beforehand.
Note that there are no becak in Jakarta. Instead, the motorized bajaj (BAH-jai), somewhat similar to the Thai tuk-tuk, serves the same function. In some other provinces (eg. North Sumatra, Aceh) you can also find motorbikes with sidecars, known as bentor (short for becak bermotor).
Getting around : By Boat
Indonesia is all islands and consequently ferries have long been the most popular means of inter island travel. The largest company is PELNI, which visits practically every inhabited island in Indonesia.
Getting around : By Bus
The major types of buses are air-conditioned bus (AC) and non-air-conditioned bus (non-AC or "economy class"). The air-conditioned chartered buses can be rented with its drivers for a tourist group. Indonesian bus companies offer intercity and interprovince routes. The interprovince routes usually include transportation to other islands mainly between Java and Sumatra.
Getting around : By Car
Indonesian driving habits are generally atrocious. Lanes and traffic lights are happily ignored, passing habits are suicidal and driving on the road shoulder is common. Buses are particularly bad, as they both speed like maniacs and stop without warning to pick up fares. Pedestrians can be found crossing the road anywhere, even across highways. Police tend to concentrate on extracting bribes, not actually
doing anything about the mess.
That said, renting a car in Indonesia is cheap compared to renting in other countries, and despite recent fare hikes gas remains cheap (fixed price for gasoline is Rp 4500/litre and price of diesel fuel is Rp 4300/litre). To drive a car yourself, an International Driver Permit is required, but it is strongly recommended that you consider renting a car with driver, because the additional cost is quite low and having a traffic accident in Indonesia will certainly spoil your trip.
Road condition and road maintenance in Indonesia is poor. If you go outside major cities, you should use a four-wheel drive car (Kijang jeeps are popular). During rainy season, major roads in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi are flooded for several weeks. Several important, old bridges in Sumatra had collapsed recently.
Traffic moves on the left in Indonesia.
Getting around : By Ojek
If you're in such a hurry that you're willing to lose a limb to get there, then ojek motorcycle taxis might be the ticket for you. Ojek services consist of guys with bikes lounging around street corners, perhaps identified with a colored, numbered jacket, who usually shuttle short distances down alleys and roads but will also do longer trips for a price. Haggle furiously.
Getting around : By Plane
The only rapid means of long-distance travel within Indonesia is the plane. The largest domestic carriers are state-owned Garuda and private competitor Lion Air, but in recent years a host of low-cost competitors have sprung up, including Adam Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Batavia Air, Mandala and many more. Routes for less popular destinations and routes (particularly in eastern Indonesia) are served by Garuda's little buddy Merpati, memorably summarized as "It's Merpati and I'll fly if I want to", AirFast, Sriwijaya, Jatayu and more, often flying smaller planes. If you really get off the beaten track, eg. settlements in Papua, there are no scheduled services at all and you'll need to charter a plane or hitch rides with missionaries.
Prices are low by international standards, with more or less any domestic return flight available for under US$100 even on short notice, and fares for a fraction of that if you plan ahead. The hardest part is often finding what carriers serve what route and making a reservation, as many companies have not yet discovered the joys of the Internet, much less set up online booking engines. When traveling off the beaten track, it's imperative to reconfirm early and often, as frequencies are low and paid-up, occasionally even checked-in passengers are bumped off with depressing regularity if a VIP happens to show up. Make sure you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before the departure time.
Getting around : By Train
PT Kereta Api runs trains across most of Java and some parts of Sumatra. The network was originally built by the Dutch, and few new lines have been built since the Independence. Double-tracking of the most congested lines have been done, though, and is still ongoing. Maintenance is spotty and derailments and crashes occur occasionally. Java by far has the best railway network, with trains connecting the capital city of Jakarta with other main cities, i.e. Surabaya both via Semarang on the north coast and via Yogyakarta and Solo through the southern main line. Bandung is connected to Jakarta by some 30 trains per day, and is itself connected to Surabaya through Yogyakarta. Bali has no railway lines, but there are trains from Surabaya to Banyuwangi,
connecting with ferries to the island.
Sumatra's networks are concentrated on the northern (around >Medan) and the southern (Palembang) parts of the island. Passenger trains on the
island are much less frequent than in Java.
Type of service: 1. Air-conditioned Eksekutif class 2. Bisnis 3. Ekonomi classes are also available for the more budget-conscious traveler, but comfort and safety are noticeably less (due to congestion and length of travel time).
No sleeping car service is provided in Indonesia, and the best accommodation provided is air-conditioned, adjustable reclining seats in the Argo and other eksekutif class trains.
Ticket reservations can be made one month in advance, although generally tickets will still be available almost to the last minute. An exception is the very busy Lebaran season, in which time it is not advisable to travel due to the extremely high demand for tickets. No on-line ticket reservation is available, but availability can be gleaned on PT Kereta Api's ticketing site.
Generally, trains in Java travel through scenic areas, and travelers not in a hurry should consider the length of the journey and the sceneryas a bonus to his ravels. However, theft is common, particularly on overnight journeys, so padlock your doors if possible.
VISAS & PASSPORT
The Nationals of the :
1. South Africa
2. The United States of America
3. Argentina
4. Australia
5. Austria
6. Bahrain
7. Belgium
8. Holland
9. Brazil
10. Bulgaria
11. Cyprus
12. Denmark
13. The United Arab Emirates
14. Estonia
15. Finland
16. Hungary
17. India
18. United Kingdom
19. Iran
20. Ireland
21. Islandia **
22. Italy
23. Japan
24. Germany
25. Cambodia
26. Canada
27. South Korea
28. Kuwait
29. Laos
30. Liechtenstein
31. Luxembourg
32. Maldives
33. Malta
34. Mexico
35. Egypt
36. Monaco
37. Norway
38. Oman
39. France
40. Poland
41. Portugal
42. Qatar
43. People's Republic of China
44. Russia
45. Saudi Arabia
46. New Zealand
47. Spain
48. Suriname
49. Sweden
50. Switzerland
51. Taiwan
52. Greece
Those 52 countries will be able to apply for a VoA valid for either 3 or 30 days upon arrival in Indonesia. A 7-day visa will cost $USD10 while a 30-day visa will cost $USD25.
The 11 countries that retain visa-free status and need not purchase a VoA are:
1. Thailand
2. Malaysia
3. Singapore
4. Brunei Darussalam
5. the Philippines
6. Hong Kong
7. Macao
8. Chile
9. Morocco
10. Peru
11. Vietnam.
Citizens of countries not on the VoA or Visa Free lists are required to apply for a visa at the nearest Indonesian embassy, consulate or foreign mission.
Process for Obtaining a Visa on Arrival (VoA)
Visitors from countries with Visa-On-Arrival status will go to new 'VoA Counters' to have their passports stamped with the on-arrival visa before going to the Immigration Clearance Desk. An official bank will be attached in the VoA counters. Payment can only be made in US dollar bank notes or Indonesian Rupiahs equivalent. Payment by Credit-Card is under discussion and to be determined. In the bigger airports, like Jakarta and Bali, several rows of VoA counters will be provided.
Overstaying your Visa
Overstaying a tourist visa (or any visa) is a serious offense in Indonesia. Fines, blacklisting, confinement and deportation are all possible penalties for infractions. Please take this seriously! If you inadvertently overstay your visa go immediately to an immigration office, once you realize it, and explain the circumstances. Delaying the report will only make the situation worse. There are only a few 'legitimate' reasons for overstay - the main one being inability to travel due a verified illness or injury. Also beware of the 30-day counting trap! Immigration officials count the 30-day period as: you arrive on the 1st day with a 30-day VoA, and you must leave on the 30th day (not the 31st day or the first of the next month etc.)
CURRENCY
In the reverse direction, money changers will be happy to turn your dirty rupiah into spiffy dollars, but the spread is often considerable (10% is not unusual). Be very careful dealing with moneychangers, who are very adept at distracting your attention during the counting process and short-changing you as a result. As a precaution, consider bringing a friend along to watch over the transaction very carefully.
Be aware of moneychangers who offer great rates. They will quote you one price, and start counting stacks of Rp.20,000 notes, and ask you to count along with them. This is a ploy to confuse and shortchange you. If they realize you are onto them, they will tell you that they have to subtract 6-8% for "commission" or "taxes".
ATMs are common in any major cities in Indonesia especially in the capital of the provinces such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan, Denpasar, etc.
Be careful when using credit cards, as cloning and fraud are a major problem in Indonesia. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, but American Express can be problematic. At smaller operations, surcharges of 2-5% over cash are common.
Currency : Currency
Indonesia's currency is the rupiah (IDR), abbreviated Rp. The rupiah's value plummeted during the 1997 economic crisis and has slowly drifted downward ever since, and as of 2006 you need more than Rp 9,000 to buy one US dollar. The trailing three zeros are often abbreviated with rb (ribu, thousand) or even dropped completely, and for more expensive items you will often even see jt (juta, million).
The largest banknote is Rp 100,000, which may only be US$10 but is still inconveniently large for most purchases. Next in the series are Rp 50,000, Rp 20,000, Rp 10,000, Rp 5,000 and finally Rp 1,000. Bill size is the easiest way to distinguish them, as the designs — all pale pastel shades of yellow, green and brown — are confusingly similar and the smaller bills in particular are often filthy and mangled. (The new 2004-2005 series of notes has, however, corrected this to some extent.) A chronic shortage of small change — it's not unusual to get a few pieces of candy back instead of coins — has been to some extent alleviated by a new flood of plasticky aluminum coins, available in denominations of Rp 500, Rp 200, Rp 100, Rp 50 and the thoroughly useless Rp 25. Older golden metallic versions are also still floating around, and you may occasionally even run into a sub-1000 banknote. Bills printed in 1992 or earlier are no longer in circulation, but can be exchanged at banks.
US dollars are the second currency of Indonesia and will be accepted by anyone in a pinch, but are typically used as an investment and for larger purchases, not buying a bowl of noodles on the street. Many hotels quote rates in dollars, but all accept payment in rupiah. Singapore dollars are also widely accepted, especially in more touristy areas.
Indonesia's currency is the rupiah (IDR), abbreviated Rp. The rupiah's value plummeted during the 1997 economic crisis and has slowly drifted downward ever since, and as of 2006 you need more than Rp 9,000 to buy one US dollar. The trailing three zeros are often abbreviated with rb (ribu, thousand) or even dropped completely, and for more expensive items you will often even see jt (juta, million).
The largest banknote is Rp 100,000, which may only be US$10 but is still inconveniently large for most purchases. Next in the series are Rp 50,000, Rp 20,000, Rp 10,000, Rp 5,000 and finally Rp 1,000. Bill size is the easiest way to distinguish them, as the designs all pale pastel shades of yellow, green and brown are confusingly similar and the smaller bills in particular are often filthy and mangled. (The new 2004-2005 series of notes has, however, corrected this to some extent.) A chronic shortage of small change it's not unusual to get a few pieces of candy back instead of coins has been to some extent alleviated by a new flood of plasticky aluminum coins, available in denominations of Rp 500, Rp 200, Rp 100, Rp 50 and the thoroughly useless Rp 25. Older golden metallic versions are also still floating around, and you may occasionally even run into a sub-1000 banknote. Bills printed in 1992 or earlier are no longer in circulation, but can be exchanged at banks.
US dollars are the second currency of Indonesia and will be accepted by anyone in a pinch, but are typically used as an investment and for larger purchases, not buying a bowl of noodles on the street. Many hotels quote rates in dollars, but all accept payment in rupiah. Singapore dollars are also widely accepted, especially in more touristy areas.
CONSULATES/EMBASSY OFFICES
Bina Mulia I building, 7th Floor, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav.10, 12950 Jakarta, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 520-1131 Fax: (62-21) 520-1955
E-mail: emchijak@rad.net.id
Australian Embassy
Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav C15-16 Kuningan Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
Tel:(6221)25505555 Fax:(62 21) 522 7101 E-mail: public.affairsjakt@dfat.gov.au
Canadian Embassy
Wisma Metropolitan I, 5th Floor Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 29 Jakarta 12920, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 525-0709 Fax: (62-21) 571-2251
Consulate of Canada (Surabaya)
c/o Maspion Group, Jl. Kembang Jepun No. 38-40, Surabaya
Phone: 3544330 Fax: 3544331
Embassy of Afghanistan
Jl. Dr. Kusumaatmaja SH No. 15 Menteng, Jakarta Pusat 10310 Indonesia
Tel: Tel: (62-21) 314-3169 Fax: (62-21) 335-390
Embassy of Algeria
Jl. H. R. Rasuna Said Kav. 10-11 Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan 12950 Indonesia
Tel: (62-21) 525-4719, 525-4809 Fax: (62-21) 525-4654
Embassy of Argentina
Menara Mulia Building, 19th floor Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto Kav. 9-11 Jakarta Selatan 12930 Indonesia Tel: (62-21) 526-5661, 526-5662 Fax: (62-21) 526-5664 E-mail: embargen@cbn.net.id
Embassy of Austria
Jl. Diponegoro No. 44, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 338-090, 338-101 Fax: (62-21) 390-4927 E-mail: auambjak@rad.net.id
Embassy of Bangladesh
Jl. Denpasar Raya No. 3, Blok A-13 Kav. 10, Kuningan Jakarta 12950, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 525-1986, 522-1574 Fax: (62-21) 526-1807 E-mail:bdootjak@rad.net.id
Embassy of Belgium
Deutsche Bank Building, 16th Floor ?Jl. Imam Bonjol No. 80, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 316-2030 (Hunting)Fax: (62-21) 316-2035
E-mail: jakarta@diplobel.org
Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Menara Imperium, 11th Floor, Suite D-2 Metropolitan Kuningan Super Blok Kav. 1 Jl. H. R. Rasuna Said Jakarta 12980, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 8370-3022, 8370-3029 Fax: (62-21) 8370-3029
Embassy of Brazil
Menara Mulia Building 16th Floor, Suite 1602 ?Jl. Jenderal Gatot Subroto Kav. 9-11 Jakarta 12390, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 526-5656, 526-5657, 526-5658 Fax: (62-21) 526-5659 E-mail: brasemb@rad.net.id
Embassy of Brunei Darussalam
Wisma GKBI, Suite 1901 Jl. Jenderal Sudirman No. 28 Jakarta 10210, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 574-1437, 574-1438, 574-1439, 574-1470, 574-1471,
574-1472 Fax: (62-21) 574-1463
Embassy of Bulgaria
Jl. Imam Bonjol No. 34-36, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 390-4048 Fax: (62-21) 390-4049
Embassy of Cambodia
Panin Bank Plaza, 4th Floor, Jl. Palmerah Utara #52, 11480 Jakarta, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 548-4840/548-3716 Fax: (62-21) 548-3684
Embassy of China
Jl. Mega Kuningan No. 2, Karet Kuningan Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 576-1039 Fax: (62-21) 576-1034 (General), 576-1051 (Commercial Section), 576-1046 (Military Attache Office)
Embassy of Colombia
Central Plaza Building, 16th Floor Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 47 Jakarta 12920, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 525-6446, 570-1422 Fax: (62-21) 520-7717
E-mail: emcolin@rad.net.id
Embassy of Cuba
Jl. Opal Blok K-1, Permata Hijau Taman Puri Jakarta 12210, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 530-4293 Fax: (62-21) 5367-6906
E-mail: cubaindo@cbn.net.id
Embassy of Egypt
Jl. Teuku Umar No. 68, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 314-3440, 335-350, 230-5346 (Commercial Office), 230-4909 (Press Office) Fax: (62-21) 314-5073, 326-177 (Commercial Office),
310-8017 (Press Office)
Embassy of Finland
Menara Rajawali, 9th Floor Jl. Mega Kuningan Lot No. 5.1 Kawasan Mega Kuningan Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 576-1650 (Hunting) Fax: (62-21) 576-1631, 576-1654 (Commercial Section) E-mail: sanomat.jak@formin.
Embassy of France
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 20 Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 314-2807, 314-3338 (Consular Section) Fax: (62-21) 314-3338, 392-9678 (Consular Section)
Embassy of Germany
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 1, Menteng Jakarta10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 390-1750 Fax: (62-21) 390-1757
E-mail: germany@rad.net.id
Embassy of Great Britain
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 75 Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 315-6264 Ansaphone 315-6264 Fax: (62-21) 392-6263 (Chancery), 314-1824 (Development), 390-2726 (Development), 390-2726
(Defence), 315-4061 (Commercial), 390-7493 (Management)
Embassy of Greece
Plaza 89, 12th Floor Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. X-7 No. 6, Kuningan Jakarta 12940, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 520-7776 (Hunting) Fax: (62-21) 520-7753
E-mail: grembas@cbn.net.id
Embassy of Holy See
Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur #18, J akarta Pusat, Indonesia, (P.O. BOX 4227)
Phone: (62-21) 0384-1142/381-0736 Fax: (62-21) 384-1143
Embassy of Hungary
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. X/3, Kuningan Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 520-3459, 520-3460 (after office hours) Fax: (62-21) 520-3461
E-mail: huembjkt@rad.net.id
Embassy of India
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. S-1, Kuningan Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 520-4150, 520-4152, 520-4157 Fax: (62-21) 520-4160
E-mail: eoiisi@indo.net.id
Embassy of Iraq
Jl. Teuku Umar No. 38, Menteng Jakarta 10350, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 390-4067, 390-4068, 390-4069 Fax: (62-21) 390-4066
Embassy of Italy
Jl. Diponegoro No. 45, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 337-445 (Hunting 3 lines), 323-490 (Consular Section), 337-440 (Ambassador's Secretary) Fax: (62-21) 337-422
E-mail: italemba@rad.net.id
Embassy of Jordan
Jl. Denpasar Raya Block A -13, Kav.01-02, Kuningan, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 520-4400/520-4401 Fax: (62-21) 520-2447
E-mail: jordanem@cbn.net.id
Embassy of Korea
Jl. Jenderal Gatot Subroto # 57, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia, (P.O. BOX 4187 JKTM) Phone: (62-21) 520-1915 Fax: (62-21) 525-4159
Embassy of Kuwait
Jl. Denpasar Raya Blok A-XII No. 1, Kuningan Timur Jakarta 12950, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 520-2477, 520-2478 Fax: (62-21) 520-4359, 522-4931
Embassy of Lebanon
Jl. YBR V/#82, Kuningan, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 526-4306 Fax: (62 -21) 520 7121
Embassy of Malaysia
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. X/6, # 1-3 Kuningan, 12950 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 522-4947 Fax: (62-21) 522-4974
Embassy of Mali
Jl. Mendawai III/ # 18, Kebayoran Baru, 12130 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 720-8472/ 726-8504. Fax: (62-21) 722-9589
Embassy of Mexico
Menara Mulia Building, Suite 2306, Jl. Gatot Subroto Kav. 9-11, 12930 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 520-3980 Fax: (62-21) 520-3978
Embassy of Morocco
Kuningan Plaza, South Tower Suite 512, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. C 11-14, Kuningan, 12950 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 520-0773/520-0956 Fax: (62-21) 520-0586
Embassy of Myanmar
Jl. Haji Agus Salim # 109, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 314-0440/ 327-684 Fax: (62-21) 327-204
Embassy of Nigeria
Jl. Taman Patra XIV/# 11-11A, Kuningan Timur, 12950 Jakarta, Indonesia, (PO BOX 3649).
Tel: (62-21) 526-0922/526-0923 Fax: (62-21) 526-0924
Embassy of Pakistan
Jl. Teuku Umar # 50, Menteng, Jakarta 10350, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 314-4008/314- 40 09/314-4011 Fax:(62-21) 310-3947/310-3946/310-3945
Embassy of Papua New Guinea
Panin Bank Centre, 6th floor, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman # 1, Jakarta 10270, Indonesia. Tel: (62-21) 725-1218 Fax: (62- 21) 720-1012
Embassy of Peru
Bina Mulia Building 2, 3rd floor, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. 11, Kuningan, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 520-1176/520-1866 Fax: (62-21) 520-1932
Embassy of Poland
Jl. Diponegoro # 65, Menteng, 10310 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 314-0509 Fax: (62-21) 327-343
Embassy of Romania
Jl. Teuku Cik Ditiro # 42A, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 310-6240/310-6241 Fax: (62-21) 390-7759
Embassy of Russia
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. X-7/1-2, Kuningan, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 522-2912/522-2914/522-5195 Fax: (62-21) 522-2916/522-2915
Embassy of Saudi Arabia
Jl. M.T. Haryono, Kav. 27, Cawang Atas, 13630 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 801-1553/801-1537 Fax: (62-21) 801-1527
Embassy of Slovakia
Jl. Prof. Moh.Yamin, SH # 29, Menteng , 10310 Jakarta, Indonesia, (PO BOX 1368). Tel: (62-21) 310-1068/315-1429 Fax: (62-21) 310-1180
Embassy of Spain
Jl. Haji Agus Salim # 61, Menteng, 10350 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 335-937/335-940/335-771/314-2355 Fax: (62-21) 325-996
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Jl. Diponegoro # 70, Menteng, Jakarta 10310, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 314-1018/ 316-1886 /391-9364/315-1686 Fax: (62-21) 310-7962
Embassy of the Czech Republic
Jl. Gereja Theresia No. 20, Menteng Jakarta 10350, Indonesia P.O. Box 1319
Phone: (62-21) 390-4075, 390-4076, 390-4077 Fax: (62-21) 336-282
E-mail: jakarta@embassy.mzv.cz
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Jl. H.O.S. Cokroaminoto 110, Menteng Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 331-378, 331-391, 334-637 Fax: (62-21) 310-7860
E-mail: irembjkt@indo.net.id
Embassy of The Philippines
Jl. Imam Bonjol # 6-8, Menteng, 10310 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 310-0302/314-9329/310-0334 Fax:(62-21) 315-9773/315-1167
Embassy of The State of Qatar
Jl. Taman Ubud I/ No. 5, Kuningan Timur, Jakarta, 12920 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 527-7751/527-7752 Fax: (62-21) 527-7754
Embassy of Tunisia
Wisma Dharmala Sakti, 11th floor, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman # 32, Jakarta 10220, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 570-3432/570-4220 Fax: (62-21) 570-0016
Embassy of Turkey
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. 1, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 525-6250/ 526-4143/ 522-7440/522-8879 Fax: (62-21) 522-6056/527-5673
Embassy of Ukraine
Jl. Simprug Permata I/No. 39, 12220 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 726-7575/720-5356 Fax: (62-21) 726-6969
Embassy of Venezuela
Menara Mulia, Suite 2005, 20th floor, Jl. Jenderal Gatot Subroto Kav. 9-11, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 522-7547/525-7548 Fax: (62-21) 522-7549
E-mail: evenjakt@indo.net.id
Embassy of Vietnam
Jl. Teuku Umar # 25, Menteng, 10350 Jakarta, Indonesia. Tel: (62-21) 910-0163/315-8537/310-0358/310-0359/310-1805 Fax: (62-21) 314-9615
Embassy of Yemen
Jl. Yusuf Adiwinata # 29, Menteng, 10350 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 390-4074/310- 8029/ 310- 8035 Fax: (62-21) 390-4946
Embassy of Yugoslavia
Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto # 109, Menteng, 10310 Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 314-3560/ 334-157 Fax: (62-21) 314-3613
General Consulate of Japan
Menara Thamrin, 7th-10th Floor Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav. 3 Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 324-308 (8 lines) Fax: (62-21) 325-460, 3190-6928 (Coordination Section), 325-076 (Protocol), 315-2859 (Political Section), 315-7152 (Economic Section), 315-7156 (Visa Section), 324-820 (Information and Culture Section), 3190-0873 (Accounting Section), 315-7150 (Administrative Section)
Representation of the European Commission
Wisma Dharmala Sakti, 16th Floor Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 32 Jakarta 10220, Indonesia P.O. Box 6454 JKPDS
Phone: (62-21) 570-6076 Fax: (62-21) 570-6075
E-mail: mailto@delidn.cec.eu.int
Royal Danish Embassy
Menara Rajawali, 25th Floor Jl. Mega Kuningan Lot No. 5.1 Jakarta 12950, Indonesia Phone: (62-21) 576-1478 (Hunting) Fax : (62-21) 576-1535
E-mail: dkemb9@cbn.net.id
Royal Embassy of Cambodia
Jl. Kintamani Raya C-15 No. 33 Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
Phone: (62-21) 919-2895 Fax: (62-21) 520-2673
Royal Thai Embassy
74, JI Imam Bonjol, Jakarta Pusat 10310, Indonesia.
Tel: (62-21) 390-4052, 314-7925 Fax: (62-21) 310-7469