About Indonesia

Passports: 10-year passports with at least six months before expiry are necessary for all travellers entering the country. Visa’s are required for most travellers. Visas are available from the Indonesian Embassy and a one-month visa is available on arrival. If you have any questions please ask us before travelling.

Airport Arrival Procedure: On arrival at Jakarta or Medan airport precede to the visa office if you are paying for a thirty-day visa on arrival (note 60 day visas are only available from the Indonesian Embassy in your respective country)

Visa forms are available for download from your Indonesian embassy. Once you have your visa proceed to arrivals desk marked ‘foreigners’. State the purpose of your visit; collect your baggage from the baggage hall.

In Medan this is directly in front of you and in Jakarta, follow the signs downstairs.

Decline the services of a porter, as your driver and guide will be waiting for you.

Airport Departure Procedure: Check in desks open two hours before departure time. Once you have checked in go to the departure tax booth and pay your departure tax. Medan: rp75.000 and Jakarta: rp 200.0000.

Proceed upstairs to departure lounge and on to your flight.

Customs: Luggage and hand luggage is X-ray-ed at entry and departure; random searches do take place but rarely for tourists.

There is a list of things that can and cannot be brought in to the country, please check this on the Indonesian tourist website.

Guns, firearms and weapons are forbidden.

Mandatory death penalty in place for anyone found carrying illicit drugs!!

There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency you can bring in, however over $1,000,000.00 should be declared.

Money & Exchange: The local currency is Indonesian Rupiah, rupiah notes are issued in: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100.

Exchange rate as of 04/02/2011 is 14.6 to the pound. Exchange money in your local area as airports charge a large commission. There are legitimate moneychangers in Indonesia airports and cities, with many more unofficial ones in rural areas. They will give you the official rate but always ask for the rate first.

Traveller’s cheques and credit cards are not widely accepted. In Jakarta it’s not a problem, however in Sumatra and outside Jakarta it could be a problem. There are thousands of cash points all over Indonesia even in the sleepiest of places. Check with your bank for charges related with withdrawing cash abroad.