Asia

Indonesia

Quick facts

  • Full name: Republic of Indonesia
  • Capital: Jakarta
  • Largest city: Jakarta
  • Official language: Indonesian
  • Area: 1,904,569 km2
  • Population: 261,115,456 (2016)
  • Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) 1 (IDR) = 100 sen
  • Foreign tourists: 11.5 million (2016)
  • Travel risks and hazards: Natural hazards, dangerous animals, petty crime.

Indonesia is certainly most popular among tourists for one of its islands, namely Bali. Not only the island is a tourist haven, but the city of Denpasar on the south of the island also boasts the highest human development index in the entire country, higher even than Jakarta. Indonesia for a long time was part of the Dutch East Indies until the Japanese occupation and its aftermath which resulted in Indonesian independence.

Traveling info

All visitors traveling to Indonesia must have a valid passport. There are 169 countries which are allowed visa-free entry to Indonesia. (List in sources). Citizens of these nations may visit for a period of up to 30 days without a visa for tourist purposes solely. All other nationals are required to obtain a visa in order to enter the country. Those who are willing to drive in Indonesia must have their national driving permit and its translation in the form of an international driving permit. Beware that an IDP does not substitute for the national driving permit and both must be present whilst driving. Car rental companies in Indonesia usually require drivers to have at least two years of driving experience.

Environmental hazards

Indonesia is full of exotic and endemic animals which are famed throughout the world and their fame is not always positive. Some of the animals are responsible for a few deaths, yet it does not mean they are not dangerous. The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard on earth. The largest recorded specimen measured little over 3 meters and weighed in at 160 kg. These large lizards have venom which downs their prey, however, they mostly rely on their brute force attempting to kill their prey as soon as possible. There has been a popular misconception that komodo dragon down their prey with toxins in their saliva. Their animals have been known to attack humans fatally. And beware they are capable of outrunning people. Elephants and rhinoceros are large animals which can easily flip a car when angry. It is best to avoid them in the wild. There are 4 deadly snakes inhabiting the islands of Indonesia. The king cobra, temple viper, green pit viper, and the red-headed coral snake. All of these have venom which is easily capable of killing humans. There is a large insect known as the megalara garuda, although it is shrouded in mystery, one thing is known for sure, it is the largest wasp known so far and yes it does sting. Apart from dangerous land animals, there are numerous dangerous marine creatures such as the stone fish, blue-ringed octopus, and the Indonesian sea wasp. All of these are dangerous and capable of killing a grown adult by throwing them into a state of pain shock. The saltwater crocodiles are ever present throughout the islands. These gigantic reptiles are responsible for many deaths yearly. They inhabit both fresh and salt water and can be spotted far out in the sea and quite far inland, particularly in brackish marshes, rivers, etc. There is a possibility of shark attacks with the last 5 taking place in Bali. Indonesia is in a very vulnerable spot. It is located in the ring of fire meaning that earthquakes, volcano eruptions, tsunamis, and floods are common.

Health hazards

There is currently an outbreak of measles in Indonesia. All visitors are strongly recommended to get the routine vaccinations also known as MMR vaccines (measles, mumps, rubella). There is no risk of yellow fever in Indonesia however the government of Indonesia requires all visitors traveling from countries with a risk of yellow fever to present a proof of yellow fever vaccination upon entry. There are several other vaccines which are recommended but not required. These are, hepatitis A and B, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid and rabies vaccines. Malaria is also a risk in Indonesia. The disease is contracted through mosquito bites. There are drugs on prescription against the disease however there are no vaccines. To prevent contracting the disease it is important to protect against mosquito bites by using repellants or installing mosquito nets in the windows of your accommodation. Indonesia provides free healthcare for its citizens which is paid for by the taxpayers. Although public services in Jakarta and Bali offer a great quality of care, other areas receive much poorer services compared to those in more developed provinces. Private clinics again particularly in Jakarta and Bali provide excellent services however these come at a price. This also applies to public services for the expats. It is important to purchase medical insurance to cover potential medical services.
In case of an emergency dial 112.

Crime

Crime occurs in Indonesia however many Indonesians are reluctant on reporting, therefore, statistics are not perfectly exact. Most commonly reported crimes which affect both tourists and the locals are petty crimes such as pickpocketing, bag snatching, robbery and scams including taxi scams. Tourists should particularly be cautious in crowded areas, popular tourist spots and on public transport. Violent crime does take place however it is rare and even rarer when it comes to tourists. When it does it mostly occurs in nightclubs and bars, generally at night when people are too careless with their drinking. Although Bali and Jakarta do allow the sale of alcohol, certain places in Indonesia due to it being predominantly Muslim, do not allow the sale of alcohol. Aceh is one of the largest provinces forbidding the sale of alcohol. Drug laws are very strict in Indonesia. The death penalty is usually awarded to those in possession of a modest amount of drugs, traffickers, and dealers.

Summary

Indonesia is truly an incredible place to visit some of the rarest animals in the world and explore the tropical forest of Oceania. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Sources

(Visa)
https://topbali.com/indonesia-free-visa-entry/
(Vaccinations)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/indonesia