Indonesia

Indonesia is not just a paradise, but a massive nation made up of thousands of islands. With plenty of cultural, religious, and geographic diversity, Indonesia has an endless amount of places, people, and food to explore.

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Indonesia Travel Info

Language

Oceania is the most linguistically diverse region in the world, and Indonesia is no exception. With over 700 unique languages, it is the second most diverse linguistic country, next to Papua New Guinea. The Indonesian language—called Bahasa—is closely related to Malay. Nearly everyone can fluently speak Bahasa, but hundreds of other languages are still spoken by tens of millions of people on a day to day basis, including Javanese, Sundanese, and more. Although the Dutch colonized Indonesia for hundreds of years, the language has not persisted, and English has increasingly become commonly spoken. Especially in tourist areas like Bali, English is widely understood, but smaller islands are likely to have little to no English available.

Demographics

Like languages, Indonesia is incredibly diverse, with over 600 ethnic groups spread out over its 6,000 inhabited islands. Therefore, it’s hard to pin down unifying characteristics in a country that spans over 3000 miles. The people of Indonesia descended from the Austronesians of Taiwan, the first settlers of the Pacific islands, and spread out over thousands of years. The largest religion in Indonesia is Islam at 240 million, making it shockingly the largest Islamic country in the world. There are smaller populations of Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist groups, reflecting the diverse population of the nation. Additionally, there are sizable populations of immigrants from surrounding South East Asian countries, especially Malaysia, China, and Papua New Guinea.

Weather

Being a tropical nation, Indonesia sees consistent temperatures throughout the year. Though there is variation from east to west, the country has highs of 31 and lows of 25 year round. South East Asia sees a significant monsoon season from October to April, with massively increased monthly rainfall, and a dry season from April to September with milder popup storms. Because of the frequent rains and wind, the country is surprisingly cool, rarely exceeding low 30’s C.

Public Transit

Due to it’s massive size, widespread population, and island nature, public transit in Indonesia is mixed. On most smaller islands and cities, only cars are available. In many places, such as Bali, Grab is not allowed. If you plan on leaving Java, booking day tours, private taxis, or renting a car is recommended. Bali is currently building a metro, scheduled to open in 2028. Jakarta is the only city with a functioning metro currently, including a subway line, several light rail lines, and an airport link.

Indonesia FAQ

Like other South East Asian countries, Indonesia is significantly cheaper than western countries. Food, transportation, and lodging are very affordable. Popular tourist areas like Bali often have increased prices for foreigners, but it is usually still reasonable. If you are used to prices in Europe or North America, you will be surprised at how affordable traveling in Indonesia is.

This depends on your destination. In large cities like Jakarta, having a car is not recommended due to the difficulty of driving, parking, and congestion. Public transit and taxi’s are perfectly fine in Jakarta and Badung.

In Bali, having a car can be very useful, as the island is large with destinations far apart. Driving in Bali is very stressful, since roads are very congested and traffic laws are more of a suggestion. If you learn to flow with traffic, driving is a great way to get a lot done, as taxi’s are sparse, busses are non-existent, and Grab is not allowed to protect local taxi companies, making ride hailing challenging. If you do not rent a car, we highly recommend you to book day tours and charter rides in advance.

English proficiency in Indonesia is relatively high, especially in cities and tourist areas. Most companies and services will have English available in Jakarta and Badung. Due to the high tourism, Bali has very good English availability, especially at attractions, restaurants, and accommodations.

Indonesia’s temperature is very consistent throughout the year, however it is best to avoid monsoon season from October to April. The tourist season peaks in July and august, so for smaller crowds any time in April to May, or September to October is recommended.

Indonesia is often the first country foreigners visit in South East Asia. The most popular destination of Bali is safe. The violent crime rate is very low, and petty crime like pick pocketing is not worse than normal tourist areas. Remain aware of your surroundings and belongings, and you will not have issues. The largest issue are the usual tourist scams, do not engage with people offering advice, services, or products. Only take directions from attraction employees and only buy from established businesses. Jakarta is significantly more dangerous due to it’s very large population and density. As long as you stick to popular areas and out of dense neighborhoods/slums, there is no increased risk, although we do not recommend solo travel in Jakarta.

Indonesia is an incredibly large country with over 17,000 islands. There is simply no way to see everything. From our personal experience, we do not think it is necessary to visit big cities like Jakarta if you are only looking for Island paradise. Places like Yogyakarta or Bali require at least 3-4 full days to see a significant amount, but a week is highly recommended to get the most out of your visit. If you are a real adventurer, we recommend spending one day exploring Jakarta, one day trip into the Badung/Subang region, and spend the rest of your time in a cultural destination like Bali or Yogyakarta.

Travel Diaries

Discovering the BEST of Bali
We can’t believe THIS IS INDONESIA
Jakarta Surprised Us BIG TIME!