Travel Tips
MOBILE PHONE / SIMCARD DATA
Starting Januari 2018, all Foreigners with Tourist Visa who would like to get New simcards to make calls or send text messages must register it to Network provider office and showing valid passport, However, you can get Data Simcard for Internet and for Data Simcard, there's no need to register it, it's widely available, There are a few providers (Telkomsel, Indosat and XL), Telkomsel is the best, but telkomsel can only be used at the city you purchase, Indosat and XL can be used nationwide.
HERE'S USEFUL PHRASES
SAYA MAU KARTU SIMCARD XL atau Indosat Untuk Internet = I’d like to get XL or Indosat Data Simcard
BERAPA = how much is it ?
Tolong pasang = Please, put it to my mobile.
BERAPA = How much is it ?
TERIMA KASIH = Thank yoyu
Visa On Arrival and 60 day visa
Anyone from most countries can get a 30 day visa on arrival for FREE, sometimes immigration ask for the return ticket, if you would like to get 60 day visa, you need to apply it before you come, you can apply in your home country (takes longer and ask for many documents), if you apply in neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand etc they do not ask many things and it is faster and it takes around 3 days, sometimes 2 or even 1 day.
BANDUNG AIRPORT
If you would like to skip Jakarta, BANDUNG is a very good alternative, a few airlines such as Air Asia fly from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, as Bandung has a small airport, you get through customs and immigration fast, and you can get visa on arrival in Bandung too.
Bandung has a good transportation hub, 90 minutes by bus to Cianjur, 6 hours bus rideto Pangandaran Beach, 7 hours train ride to Yogjakarta, overnight bus ride to Dieng Plateu of WONOSOBO city.
There are also many flights to major cities in the country such as Denpasar, Medan, Surabaya. Etc.
Book everything far in advanced for high season (June, July and August) 2018
June to August is high season, because of Local school holiday, and Moslem new year, and for tourists, it's high season because of European Summer Holiday.
Getting accommodation, train ticket, airfare can be difficult without advanced booking and also it is more expensive if you try to book them too close during High Season.
May 12 , it will be a holiday because of the start of Ramadhan (Fasting Month) book everything during these times, after May 16, it isn’t too busy.
June 15 is moslem new Year (Idul Fitri), local will have 2 weeks holiday, 1 week bedore and 1 week after, starting from June 8, local will travel in Java from west, Jakarta, Bandung etc to the east (Yogjakarta, Surabaya etc), if you are travelling from west java to east java, avoid traveling by bus, take the train or fly, if you are traveling from east java to west java, it's very easy, local don't travel this way, from June 15 to June 24, the whole java is very busy, traffic is very jammed, avoid travelling by bus at this time, fly or take train.
Best way to Pangandaran from Bnadung
Indonesian Railway Company (KAI) has a big discount for Bandung to Banjar train, if you buy train ticket at the station 2 hours before departure, it's only Rp,70.000, there are 2 trains in the morning, LODAYA PAGI 7.20am, and 8.30 am Argo wilis 8.30am, Argo wilis is more comfortable than Lodaya Pagi, do not book on line, online booking ticket is around Rp,260.000.
Trains get to Banjar at around.11.30 am, and to Pangandaran is just another 2 hours bus ride.
Money Matters
Be careful with 10 thousand note and 100 thousand note they look rather similar
Protecting your credit card.
If your credit card has RFID (chip), someone can easily steal your credit card data and pin number, even though the credit card is in the wallet, special RFID READER can be hidden in someone pocket, and steal your credit card data, get this credit card defender. If you don’t have this, wrap your credit card in aluminums foil, it will block the signal.
ATM MACHINE.
Recently many European Debit Cards have problem getting cash out of ATMs in Indonesia, have spare debit card or Credit card.
There are 2 types of ATM, the one with Rp,100.000 sign, allow you to withdraw up to Rp,2.500.000, and the one with Rp,50.000, which allows only up to Rp,1.250.000 for each withdrawal.
Changing the money.
The official and the unofficial money changer give better rate than the Bank, it takes longer to change it in the Bank, they ask for the copy of the passport.
$100 or €100 note has the highest rate than any other denomination, keep them nice and crisp.
always count the money before leaving, especially changing money at the airport, very often they are too short.
PUBLIC TOILET & TOILET PAPER
There are no toilet paper in public toilet in Indonesia, so always take toilet paper with you, in every petrol station, there is a toilet, they are usually quite clean.
Booking flight on line
Below is major airlines for domestic flights as well as international flights around south east asia, airasia is the easiest airline to book on line, others have some problem sometimes with credit card payment, Lion Air in Particular.
www.lionair.co.id www.airasia.com
www.mandalaair.com www.sriwijayaair.com
www.merpati.co.id www.citilink.co.id
Booking Train ticket.
You can book train ticket on line now www.kereta-api.co.id, unfortunately, the website is in Indonesian, and do not accept non-Indonesian Credit Card, we can help you booking train ticket on line, please, email us, adventurecianjur@gmail.com
Bsic Indonesian Phrases.
Most Indonesian do’t speak English, being able to speak few words or sentences Indonesian, they will appreciate that, and local tend to be friendlier and they tend not to overcharge.
Apa kabar ? baik How are you ? Fine
Saya dari ------------------------------ I an from -----------
Saya mau ke --------------------------- I am going to ---------------
Saya CAPE ---------------------------- I am tired
SAYA KEPANASAN I am hot
Maaf excuse me
TERIMA KASIH Thank you
SAMA-SAMA You’re welcome
SAYA MAU ----- I’d like to buy/have---------------
BERAPA ? how much is it ?
KENAPA MAHAL ? why is it expensive ?
Jangan mahal dong please, give a good price
GA MAU No, Thanks
ORANG DISINI RAMAH The people here are nice & friendly
SAYA KENYANG I am full
JANGAN NGEBUT ! SAYA TAK MAU MATI Don’t drive fast I don’t want to die
NAMANYA SIAPA ? What’s your name ?
MAU KAMANA ? Where’re you going ?
TIDAK NO
YA YES
BULE WESTERNERS
ADA APA ? What’s up ?
BOHONG it’s a lie
MASIH JAUH Is it still far ?
Masih Lama How long is it before it’s ready ?
SUNDANESE PHRASES (only in west java)
KUMAHA DAMANG ? SAE How are you ? Fine
ABDI TI ------------------------------ I an from -----------------
ABDI BADE KA --------------------------- I am going to ------------------
ABDI CAPE ---------------------------- I am tired
ABDI KAPANASAN I am hot
PUNTEN excuse me
NUHUN Thank you
SAMI-SAMI You’re welcome
ABDI HOYONG ----- I’d like to buy/have-----------------
SABARAHA how much is it ?
KUNAON MAHAL ? why is it expensive ?
MOAL ! NUHUN ! No, Thanks, Iwon’t buy,I won’t need it
JALMI DIDIEU SAE—BAGEUR The people here are nice & friendly
ABDI WAREG I am full
TONG NGEBUT ! ABDI ALIM MAOT Don’t drive fast, I don’t want to die
SAHA NAMINA What’s your name ?
BADE KAMANA ? Where’re you going ?
HENTEU NO
MUHUN YES
BULE-BULE westerners
AYA NAON ? What’s up ?
MANGGA BYE / Ok
BOHONG it’s a lie
How to have a good time in Indonesia.
These are few things you need to know so that you can be mire prepared for your Indoneasian Trip
Rubber Time.
Indonesian are not punctual, when they say bus leave at 10m it means around 10 and it can stretch to 12, this also apply when you have appointments, on many things they are not on time except Flights and trains.
Indonesian Standard.
Indonesian standard is not as high as western standard, Internet, Telephone, Mobile network, electricity and ATM can be unreliable, so do not postpone using internet or getting cash out of ATM, do not leave it until last minute.
They give you wrong direction.
I f you ask for direction to many people, they all can give you different direction, in Indonesian Culture, especially in east and central java , it’s hard for them to say, Sorry, I don’t know.
Many Indonesian are not very direct.
Most Indonesian sometimes are very concerned if they upset others, if they don’t like something or someone they don’t say directly, instead they go around and beat around the bush.
They don’t express or say their dislike, if they think that it may upset someone.
Be willing to get your picture taken
Most Indonesian have dark brown skin, they think dark brown skin is ugly, many Indonesian women buy whitening skin, cause they like to have fair skin, they also like blonde hair, blue eyes and pointed nose, if you have those, they will ask you to get your picture taken with them, be willing to do it, it will please them.
Smile A lot.
Indonesian like you if you smile a lot.
Learn a few words of Indonesian.
If you can say a few words or phrases of Indonesian, they appreciate it, this can help you not to be overcharged
Stay Healthy while traveling.
the most common illness while in Indonesia is stomach upset, street food is cheap but not hygienic, many of our guests become vegetarian while in Indonesia to reduce the risk of stomach upset. whenever you can try to do the work out, it will help to keep you in a good shape, drink plenty of water to keep the system clean.
Things can be unreliable.
What you can do now, do it, if you need to withdraw the money from ATM, you need to withdraw it the day before you need the money, not all ATM will accept your card, the same as internet, do it when internet connection is good, don't leave it to the last minute.
Be FLEXIBLE
Don't expect things to be the same at home, the way things work is different, do not take things too seriously when you are on holiday, do not judge, do not say things or do things if you don't feel good, feel good first then take action, be VERY FLEXIBLE, Indonesia is a great country to exercise your patience and flexibility.