Indonesia Travel Essentials
Visa rules, ATM strategy, transport cheat sheets, SIM cards, safety tips, packing lists, and the cultural etiquette that turns a good trip into a great one.
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We've made every mistake in this guide at least once — from running out of rupiah on a remote island to missing a temple ceremony. After exploring Indonesia together, Jenice and I have figured out the practical side so you don't have to learn the hard way. This is the cheat sheet we wish someone had handed us on our first Bali trip.
— Scott & Jenice
Visa & Entry Requirements
5 tips30-Day Visa-Free
Citizens of 150+ countries (including USA, UK, Canada, Australia, EU, Japan, South Korea) can enter the Indonesia visa-free for 30 days. You just need a passport valid for at least 6 months and a return or onward ticket.
Extending Your Stay
Visit any Bureau of Immigration (BI) office — they're in Manila, Cebu, Davao, Boracay, and most tourist areas. A 29-day extension costs ~₱3,030 ($54 USD). You can extend up to 36 months total without leaving the country.
Documents to Carry
Always lock your passport in your hotel safe when you're out exploring — carry a photocopy on your phone or on paper instead. Hotels will ask for your passport at check-in, but after that it should stay locked up. Some domestic flights require a valid ID, so carry your passport on inter-island travel days only.
Arrival Cards
The Indonesia uses e-Travel registration — complete your eTravel form online before arrival at travel.gov.ph. You'll get a QR code to show at immigration. It's free and takes about 5 minutes.
Global Entry / SENTRI
If you're a US citizen, get Global Entry or a SENTRI pass before your trip — it's about $120 for five years and worth every penny. We got ours living in SoCal for the Mexico border crossings, but the real payoff is coming home through NAIA or any international airport. After 20+ hours of travel, three or four jumbo jets land at the same time and the immigration line is massive. Global Entry gets you through in minutes instead of an hour-plus. It pays for itself after two trips.
Money & ATMs
6 tipsATM Strategy
Only use bank ATMs (BDO, BPI, Metrobank) — never non-bank ATMs. Withdraw the maximum amount each time (₱10,000–20,000 per transaction) to minimize the ₱200–250 fee per withdrawal, and store the cash in your hotel safe. Some US banks reimburse ATM fees — I use a Fidelity Cash Management card exclusively over there and never pay a fee.
Split Your Cards
ALWAYS bring two or three ATM cards and credit cards on your trip. Only carry one of each when you go out — keep the backups locked in your hotel safe. The Indonesia is very safe, but things fall out of pockets, bags get left behind, and if you lose your only card, your trip is over. We learned this the hard way.
Cash Is King
Outside Manila, Cebu, and major tourist hubs, many restaurants, tricycles, markets, and guesthouses are cash-only. Always carry enough pesos to cover 2–3 days of expenses, especially on islands and in rural areas.
GCash & Digital Payments
GCash is the Indonesia' dominant mobile wallet — accepted at convenience stores, some restaurants, and even sari-sari shops. Foreign tourists can download the app but may need a local SIM to register.
Daily Budget Ranges
Backpacker: ₱1,500–2,500/day ($27–45 USD) — hostels, street food, public transport. Mid-range: ₱4,500–8,000/day ($80–145 USD) — hotels, restaurants, private tours. Luxury: ₱11,000+/day ($200+ USD) — resorts, fine dining, private boats.
Exchange Tips
Change money at banks or licensed money changers in malls (SM, Ayala, Robinsons) for the best rates. Airport exchange counters have poor rates. Never exchange money with street changers.
Getting Around
6 tipsDomestic Flights
Lion Air, Batik Air, Garuda Indonesia, and Citilink connect 30+ Indonesian airports. Garuda is the premium carrier; Lion Air and Citilink are budget options. Jakarta (CGK) and Bali (DPS) are the main hubs. Book 1–3 weeks ahead — fares can be very cheap but luggage is often extra.
Ferries & Fast Boats
ASDP Indonesia Ferry operates government car ferries between major islands. Fast boats (speedboats) connect Bali to Lombok (2 hours), Gili Islands (1.5 hours), and Nusa Penida (45 minutes). Book fast boats at the port or via Gili Bookings. Public ferries are cheap but slow — overnight crossings are common for Java-Bali-Lombok.
Ojek & Local Transport
GoJek and Grab are the ride-hailing apps that transformed Indonesian cities. Order ojek (motorcycle taxi) for quick cheap trips or GoCar/GrabCar for longer rides. Bali has specific "ojek zones" — negotiate at official stands or use the apps. Becak (cycle rickshaws) and bemo (minibuses) serve local routes in smaller cities.
Tricycles & Habal-Habal
Tricycles (motorcycle with sidecar) are the local taxi — ₱20–50 ($0.35–0.90 USD) for short rides, more for longer distances. Habal-habal (motorcycle taxis) are common on smaller islands. Always agree on the price before getting on.
Grab (Ride-Hailing)
Download the Grab app before your trip and add your international credit card when you land. Grab works well in Clark, Angeles City, and most of Luzon, plus Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, and Bacolod — metered fares, no haggling, air-conditioned cars. It's the safest and most predictable option for city transport. Not available in smaller towns.
Scooter & Car Rental
Available in most tourist areas for ₱300–500/day ($5–9 USD) for scooters, more for cars. An international driving permit (IDP) is technically required. Helmets are mandatory. Roads can be rough and unpredictable — only rent a scooter if you're an experienced rider. Important: rental shops may ask to hold your passport as a deposit — never hand it over. Offer a photocopy instead and walk away if they insist. They almost always come running after you. Your passport stays in the hotel safe, always.
SIM Cards & Connectivity
4 tipsYou Probably Don't Need a Local SIM
Most US carriers now include free data and texting in the Indonesia — T-Mobile, Google Fi, and AT&T International Day Pass all work. Calls are usually $0.20/minute, but don't call anyone unless it's an emergency. Install WhatsApp and Viber before your trip — that's how Filipinos communicate and how you'll message hotels, tour operators, and drivers.
eSIM & Local SIMs
Most newer phones are eSIM only, so you can't pop in a physical SIM anyway. If your carrier doesn't cover the Indonesia, grab a Globe or Smart eSIM through their app or buy a tourist SIM at NAIA or Mactan airport for ₱300–500 ($5–9 USD) with 10–15 GB of data. SIM registration requires your passport.
Data Coverage
4G/LTE works in most cities and tourist areas. 5G is limited to Metro Manila. Globe has better coverage in tourist areas; Smart is stronger in rural and remote areas. Load up via GCash, convenience stores, or the carrier's app — packages run ₱50–299 ($1–5 USD) for 2–10 GB.
WiFi Reliability
Hotel and cafe WiFi is generally usable in cities and major tourist areas (5–20 Mbps). Remote islands and mountain towns can be slow or unavailable. Your mobile data is the backup plan — and the reason we always make sure our US carrier coverage is sorted before we land.
Safety & Health
6 tipsTravel Insurance
Non-negotiable. Get a policy that covers medical evacuation — the best hospitals are in Manila and Cebu, and a medevac flight from a remote island can cost $10,000+. We use SafetyWing for every trip — it's affordable, covers nomads and short-trippers alike, and you can sign up even after you've left home. We've thankfully never had to file a claim, but having it is peace of mind every time we board that plane.
Tap Water
Don't drink tap water anywhere in the Indonesia. Bottled water costs ₱15–25 ($0.25–0.45 USD) and is available everywhere. Ice in restaurants is usually purified (tubular or hollow ice is safe; irregular chunks may not be).
Hospitals & Clinics
Major cities have quality private hospitals: Makati Medical Center and St. Luke's (Manila), Chong Hua (Cebu), Davao Doctors Hospital (Davao). Smaller islands may only have basic rural health units — another reason for medevac insurance.
Dengue & Mosquitoes
Dengue is present year-round, especially during rainy season (Jun–Nov). Use mosquito repellent with DEET, wear long sleeves at dusk, and choose accommodation with screens or air conditioning. No vaccine is widely recommended for travelers.
Typhoon Season
June through November is typhoon season, with August–October being peak months. The eastern seaboard (Samar, Leyte, eastern Luzon) gets hit hardest. Monitor weather via PAGASA (weather.gov.ph) and airline alerts. Flights and ferries get cancelled — always have buffer days.
General Safety
The Indonesia is generally safe for tourists. Use common sense: avoid flashing expensive items, don't walk alone in unfamiliar areas at night, and keep valuables in a hotel safe. Petty theft (pickpocketing) is the main risk in crowded areas.
Packing Essentials
22 tips📋 Interactive Packing Checklist
Before you read our gear picks below, use our interactive Indonesia packing list — 60+ items you can check off as you pack, filtered by season and activities. It's the fastest way to make sure nothing gets left behind.
Reef-Safe Sunscreen
Many marine sanctuaries now require reef-safe sunscreen (no oxybenzone or octinoxate). Bring your own — it's expensive and hard to find locally. We use this reef-safe SPF 50+; you will burn faster than you expect near the equator.
Mosquito Repellent
Bring DEET-based repellent (40% concentration or higher). Local brands like OFF! are available but international brands with higher concentrations work better. Essential for evenings and island stays.
Waterproof Dry Bag
An Osprey ultralight dry bag (10–20L) protects your phone, wallet, and camera during island-hopping, boat rides, and sudden downpours. You'll use this every single day.
Power & Voltage Warning
The Indonesia uses Type A and Type B plugs (same as USA/Japan) but at 220V — NOT 110V like the US. Your phone chargers and laptops are dual-voltage and will work fine. Do NOT bring any appliances — I plugged in a Keurig and it popped the circuit breaker instantly. Hair dryers, curling irons, and anything with a heating element will fry unless it's rated 110–240V. Bring a travel power strip with USB ports for brownout-prone areas.
Rain Jacket or Poncho
Even in dry season, afternoon showers happen. A lightweight packable rain jacket beats an umbrella for island-hopping and hiking. During wet season (Jun–Nov), rain is a daily certainty.
Footwear
Skip the flip-flops for walking around town — sidewalks can be uneven and one stubbed toe can ruin your day. Closed-toe Crocs or Keen Newport sandals are what we wear daily. Save the flip-flops for the beach and hotel. For waterfall hikes, rocky shores, and wet boat landings, strapped sandals work well. Closed-toe hiking shoes for volcano treks and mountain trails.
First Aid & Hydration
Pack a small first aid kit — bandages, antiseptic, Imodium, and pain relievers. Bring electrolyte tablets for dehydration — the heat and humidity will drain you faster than you think. We always keep a bottle of Gatorade in the hotel fridge. You can buy Gatorade and Pocari Sweat at any 7-Eleven or convenience store across the country.
Clothing & Sun Protection
Pack lightweight UV-rated rashguards and a cooling UV hat — the equatorial sun is no joke and you'll be outside all day. Cargo shorts are a must. My cargo short system is battle-tested: loose pesos in front right pocket, large bills in right cargo pocket, one credit card in front left, phone in left cargo. You don't want to be pulling out a money clip to buy a dollar beer.
Swim & Snorkel Gear
Bring 2–3 swim trunks with pockets so they can dry between days — nothing worse than putting on a wet suit in the morning. Grab a water wallet for cash and your room key, and keep your phone dry in a waterproof phone pouch. Bring your own mask and snorkel — the rental masks at most places are scratched and leak. We use the Cressi Big Eyes Evolution mask and Cressi Supernova dry snorkel (Jenice prefers the Cressi Baron). You can rent fins anywhere. Pack water shoes for snorkeling and rocky beaches.
Plane Outfit & Layers
Wear a tracksuit or sweatsuit on the plane — the flight is 15+ hours and the cabin gets cold. It also doubles as your cool-weather layer for mountain destinations like Sagada, Baguio, and Mt. Pulag where temps drop into the 50s–60s°F at night. Bring a Cabeau travel pillow for the flight — worth every penny on a Manila red-eye.
Packing & Day Bag
Use packing cubes to organize your bag — one for clean clothes, one for dirty, one for swim gear. You'll be living out of your suitcase and moving between islands constantly. For daily exploring, a crossbody sling bag keeps your essentials accessible and secure — phone, cash, sunscreen, and water bottle all within reach without a bulky backpack.
Motion Sickness (Boats)
Inter-island RORO ferries and bancas (outrigger boats) in the Indonesia can be rough in certain weather windows — especially on open-water crossings in the Visayas and Sulu Sea. Sea-Band acupressure wristbands are non-medicated and safe for extended use, so you can wear them all day on back-to-back island hops without the drowsiness of Dramamine.
GoPro Dome Port
El Nido and Coron are world-famous for half-above/half-below ocean shots — clear water on one side, limestone karsts on the other. A TELESIN dome port for GoPro 9–13 captures the split shot cleanly without distortion. It's the single piece of gear that separates forgettable underwater video from the shot you'll frame and hang on a wall.
Inflatable SUP
Siargao's Cloud 9 area and Palawan's lagoons are perfect SUP water. An iROCKER All-Around 11' inflatable SUP rolls into a backpack-sized bag and skips the $60/day resort rental — over a 5-day stay, it pays for itself twice over. Palawan's El Nido lagoons are glassy at sunrise, which is exactly when you want to be on the water before the tour boats show up.
Floating Phone Case
A CaliCase floating waterproof phone case is essential for banca island hops — your phone stays dry and floats if you drop it overboard. The touch-screen works through the case, so you keep shooting without taking it out. One dropped phone on a remote island is a very expensive lesson.
Triple Zip Dry Bag
For protecting phones, wallets, and documents on banca boats and during island-hop tours, a GLBSUNION triple-zip dry bag gives you three layers of waterproofing. The banca-style outrigger boats take spray regularly and don't always have covered compartments — anything you care about needs to be in a dry bag.
Sleep Aid
The Indonesia is a 14–17 hour flight from North America, and NAIA jet lag is brutal. OLLY Sleep melatonin gummies help reset your clock fast — take them at local bedtime for the first two nights and you'll adjust within 48 hours instead of spending half your trip groggy.
Flight Comfort (Long-Haul)
Manila connects via a 14–17 hour flight from North America — the longest common transpacific route. A Flypal inflatable foot rest relieves lower back pressure on those long legs and turns economy into something close to bearable. Pair it with Sockwell compression socks to prevent swelling and deep vein discomfort on flights over 10 hours.
GaN Charger
One Anker 735 GaN 65W charger replaces your laptop brick, phone charger, and camera charger in a single plug. Essential when your resort room has one or two outlets and you're managing a phone, tablet, GoPro, drone, and earbuds. It's dual-voltage so it works on Indonesia 220V without an adapter.
Electronics Organizer
A BAGSMART electronics organizer keeps cables, SD cards, chargers, and adapters in one flat case that fits in your day bag. When you're moving between islands every two days, not having to dig through a tangled mess of cables saves real time. All your electronics go into one pouch — it's the packing upgrade that makes island-hopping actually enjoyable.
Apple AirTags
An Apple AirTag 4-pack tracks your checked bag, day bag, camera bag, and passport wallet. Bags do get separated on the commuter flights between Manila, Cebu, and regional airports — with an AirTag in each bag, you know exactly where everything is before you even reach baggage claim.
Language & Cultural Etiquette
6 tipsBasic Bahasa Indonesia
"Terima kasih" (thank you), "Apa kabar?" (how are you?), "Berapa harganya?" (how much?), "Di mana?" (where?), "Bir" (beer), "Air" (water), "Toilet" (restroom). Even a few words earn massive goodwill and better prices in markets.
Respect & Greeting
A slight bow and pressing your right hand to your chest while greeting is a sign of respect. "Bapak" (sir) and "Ibu" (ma'am) are polite address forms. Remove shoes when entering a home or temple. In Bali, temple visits require a sarong — usually available to borrow at the entrance.
Tipping Norms
Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory. 10% at restaurants if no service charge is included. Rp 20,000-50,000 ($1.25-3 USD) for hotel staff. Rp 50,000-100,000 ($3-6 USD) for tour guides. Round up for Grab and GoJek rides. Indonesians remember generous guests.
Temple & Mosque Dress Codes
Cover shoulders and knees when visiting temples and mosques — Indonesia is predominantly Muslim. In Bali specifically, temples require a sarong and sash (provided at major temples). Some sites prohibit women during menstruation — signs are posted at entrances.
Gotong Royong — Community Spirit
Indonesian culture values community cooperation (gotong royong). Locals are warm and helpful — don't be surprised if strangers offer directions, share food, or go out of their way to assist. Hospitality is genuine, not performative. Accepting it graciously builds real connections.
Regional Languages
Bahasa Indonesia is the national language, but 700+ regional languages are spoken. Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese are the most widely spoken regional languages. English is common in tourist areas of Bali, Lombok, and major cities. In rural areas and smaller islands, Bahasa Indonesia is your best tool.
Some links on this page are affiliate links — we earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend gear we personally use on our Indonesia trips. Full disclosure.
Gear We Recommend
🎒 Gear We Recommend for Indonesia
Raja Ampat and Komodo marine parks strictly enforce reef-safe sunscreen. Zinc oxide protects the coral that makes these places extraordinary.
Island hopping in Komodo means open boat transfers. One wave and your camera is gone. This is the single most important gear item for Indonesia.
Bali villas and beach resorts provide towels. Gili Islands guesthouses, temple visits, and Komodo boat tours often don't. Dries in 20 minutes in the tropical sun.
Nusa Penida snorkeling, Bali rice paddy walks in the rain, Komodo boat spray. Your phone sees water daily in Indonesia.
Indonesia uses Type C and F plugs (European round 2-pin). US/UK/Australian plugs don't fit without an adapter. Get a universal with USB-A and USB-C ports.
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Start Planning →Frequently Asked Questions
Many nationalities can get a Visa on Arrival (VoA) at major Indonesian airports — costs around $35 USD for 30 days, extendable once for another 30 days. US, UK, Australian, Canadian, and EU passport holders qualify. Some nationalities get visa-free entry for 30 days. Check the latest requirements as Indonesia updates visa policy regularly.
Indonesia is generally safe for tourists in popular destinations like Bali, Lombok, and Java. Petty theft can occur in crowded areas — use common sense with valuables. Traffic in cities like Jakarta and Bali is chaotic — be cautious crossing roads. Avoid swimming at beaches with strong currents (Kuta Beach in Bali has notorious rips). Political demonstrations occasionally occur in Jakarta.
Budget travelers: $25-45 USD/day covers guesthouses, warung food, and local transport. Mid-range: $70-150 USD/day for hotels, restaurants, and activities. Luxury: $200+/day for private villas and guided experiences. Bali is more expensive than Java or Lombok. Withdraw rupiah from ATMs (BCA, BNI have good rates). Notify your bank before traveling.
Credit cards are accepted at hotels, upscale restaurants, and malls in tourist areas. However, most warungs, markets, local transport, and smaller businesses are cash-only. Always carry Rp 200,000-500,000 ($12-30 USD) in cash. Visa and Mastercard work where cards are accepted. ATMs dispense rupiah — typical withdrawal limit is Rp 2-3 million per transaction.
Between islands: domestic flights (Lion Air, Garuda, Batik Air) or ferries/fast boats. Within Bali: rent a scooter ($5-8/day) or hire a private driver ($35-50/day). Within Java: trains are excellent (KAI app). In cities: Grab and GoJek (ride-hailing) are safe and metered. For island-hopping: public ferries or chartered speedboats.
Yes — a local SIM card is essential. Telkomsel (Simpati), XL, and Indosat are the main providers. Buy a SIM at the airport for Rp 50,000-150,000 ($3-9 USD) with data included. Telkomsel has the best coverage nationwide including rural areas. 4G is widespread in tourist areas; remote islands may have limited connectivity.