17 Things to Know Before Traveling Indonesia: Culture + Visa

Indonesia: the magical land of dragons, volcanos, and coffee. There is much research and preparation that goes into traveling to the culturally diverse country of Indonesia. As a tourist, it is likely that you will run into many surprising cultural differences. To avoid surprises, I have written the ultimate know-all guide of the 17 things you need to know when traveling to Indonesia!

Table of Contents

Tourist Visas: Options and Requirements

First, let’s briefly go over visa requirements so that you can enter the country with peace of mind!

There are three options regarding obtaining a tourist visa when traveling to Indonesia:

Visa on Arrival (VOA)
Electronic Visa on Arrival (eVOA)
Single Entry Visitor Visa

As always, you should always refer back to your country’s government travel regulations website to see if there have been any changes in visa status since the writing of this article (July 2024).

USA Passport: Indonesia International Travel Information (state.gov)

Please note- For each of the visa options, it is prohibited to leave the country and come back using the same visa. A new visa will be issued upon every entry into the country.

If you are from a Southeast Asian country, you may be visa exempt for up to 30 days (Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam).

Visa on Arrival (30 days) Maximum 60 days

The first option for travelers is to obtain a Visa on Arrival (VOA) at your port of arrival for 500,000 INR Rp ($30.46 USD). Make sure to have an ATM card or Indonesia Rupiah on hand, as only Indonesian Rupiah cash is accepted.

No additional documents are needed other than your passport (minimum 6 months validity and two clean pages).

A VOA is extendable one time for an additional 30 days either online or in person at the closest immigration center.

Currently, travelers from 97 countries are eligible for VOA (USA, Canada, UK included).

Electronic Visa on Arrival (30 days) Maximum 60 days

The second visa option is to apply online for an Electronic Visa on Arrival (eVOA) prior to entering Indonesia for 500,000 INR Rp ($30.46 USD).

No additional documents are needed other than a scan of your passport (minimum 6 months validity and two clean pages).

An eVOA is extendable one time online for an additional 30 days.

You can apply for an eVOA here:

The Official eVisa website for Indonesia (imigrasi.go.id)

Select the 30-day option.

Single Entry Visitor Visa (60 days) Maximum 180 days

The final option is best for those wishing to stay longer than 60 days in Indonesia. The Single Entry Visitor Visa is most popular among digital nomads. The initial price is 1,500,000 INR Rp ($91.31 USD) and is valid for 60 days. You must apply prior to arrival via your closest Indonesia Embassy, or online. The processing time is a maximum of five business days to receive the visa.

Required documents include:

Valid passport
Recent passport style photo
Bank statements for proof of over $2,000 (USD)

You can apply online for a Single Entry Tourist Visa here:

The Official eVisa website for Indonesia (imigrasi.go.id)

Select the 60 day option.

You can extend a Single Entry Visitor Visa twice at the closest immigration center, with the price of 2,000,000 IDR Rp ($121.86 USD) each time. Each extension is an additional 60 days.

The extension process is quite long, as it takes 7-10 days, and you will have to visit the local immigration office. If extending, apply prior to ten days visa validity left on the current visa. You can use a visa extension agency for help, but you will still need to visit immigration at least one time. Otherwise, if you would like to save the money, you can do it yourself at the immigration office, but expect a total of three trips to immigration.

17 Things to Know Before Traveling to Indonesia

Now that your visa is taken care of, let’s go over what to know before traveling to Indonesia! Here are my top 17 things to know before traveling Indonesia so that you are best prepared for your visit! All of this information and advice comes from my personal experiences traveling around the country.

1. How to Greet people- Indonesian Style!

Please know how to properly greet locals prior to arrival! Most Asian countries do not greet by shaking hands, like the west.

Instead, in Indonesia, there is a common sliding of the hands. This is where you use both hands and slide them between the other person’s hands, almost as if you are about to shake hands. Then, using your right hand, briefly touch your heart afterwards.

When greeting young children you can expect them to touch the back of your hand to their forehead (similar to that in the Philippines!).

For the ladies, when greeting other women, it is appropriate to hug and press your cheeks to both sides of the other woman’s cheeks (without a kiss!), starting on your right and then left.

2. Make Sure You Know How to Use a “Squatty Potty”

If you leave the city center to go anywhere a bit more rural, expect to use a squatty potty! These potties have nowhere to sit and are instead just a hole to hover over. Do not be alarmed.

For women wishing to use the restroom, simply stand over the potty with your feet on the ridges, and squat. Please, make sure to press your knees together in the squat. This is to ensure that there will not be a mess. Flush by pouring water into the hole. Good luck!

3. Most Important: Dress Code

Even in the big cities like Jakarta, there is an unspoken dress code. As to not offend the locals, please refrain from exposing anything above the knees, shoulders and midriffs.

Of course, there are also areas in Indonesia that are more relaxed about clothes, such as Bali. Just be aware prior to your arrival what clothes would be appropriate vs. not, depending on the area you are in.

*A hint- If it is an area that primarily practices Islam, follow the dress code I have recommended above. *

4. Be Aware of the Religious Customs

Following the warnings of dress code, know what to expect regarding the religious customs in Indonesia. Sometimes this even means attending a circumcision party for an 11-year-old boy.

In simplistic terms, Indonesia is primarily Islam while Bali is the Hindu island. This means their day-to-day life likely looks a lot different than from someone who is coming from the west.

If you are in a rural area, expect to be woken up around 4-5am everyday to the sounds of prayers by the local mosques. Usually, there is more than one mosque in the local area. You will hear a collection of mosques singing their prayers over the speakers all at once, multiple times a day.

5. You Will Experience Being Famous

In the USA, no one bats an eye at me. But in Indonesia, I could not even buy a chocolate bar at the convenience store without being approached for photos.

Walking down the village roads, the neighborhood children would follow me anywhere I went. I even went as far as to wander around a cemetery one time to see if the children would continue to follow me. They did.

Strangest of all, I was also used for promotional photos for product endorsement. Shopkeepers would have me pose with their noodles, car coolant, and bricks- just to prove that a foreigner had been there before and “liked” the product.

6. Not Everything Will Seem “Fair” By Western Standards

One thing you will have to accept as a westerner, especially a woman, is that not everything on the surface level will seem fair.

In the USA, I come from a culture where women can just about do whatever they want. However, the lifestyle is much different here due to religious practices, such as restrictions regarding modesty.

One day, I went to relax at a river in Java. I was the only woman in the river. The men stripped almost naked and bathed, while all of the Javanese women waited on the rocks, covered head to toe and wearing their hijabs. I felt it was unfair that the men could partake in this activity, but the woman could not.

However, these are just simply differences in religion and ways of life. The women are perfectly happy. In fact, the reason the women stay covered is because women are highly honored and regarded as holy in Islam religion. The women are simply protecting their divine femininity by staying covered and not partaking in the public baths.

7. You Might Find Yourself in an Area with No Alcohol Available

And this does not mean BYOB (Bring your own beer). The lack of alcohol sold in some areas is purposeful, as that would be “haram” (going against muslim religion).Be respectful when visiting these areas, and absolutely do not take it as a sign to bring your own drinks.

8. Learn some Bahasa Indonesia, especially if You Want Good Street Food

Indonesian people love it, and half expect it, when foreigners can speak some bahasa indonesia (Indonesian language).

Everyone is bilingual, speaking the language of their island and also the national language of Indonesian. Brush up on some language before you go! Not only do the local people love it, but it also comes off as more respectful.

Common phrases in Indonesian language include:

Hello – Hi
My name is … – Nama saya …
I am from … – Saya dari …
Thank you – Termina kasih
Goodbye – Selamat tinggal
Be careful – Hati hati

I also recommend knowing a few foods before you arrive, that way you will have an easier time reading menus and ordering delicious street food!

Noodles – Mie
Rice – Nasi
Fried – Goreng
Chicken – Ayam
Meatball – Bakso

9. Be Aware of the Health Risks (Get Vaccinated)

Fun fact- I caught the infamous Dengue fever in Indonesia. It was awful. A few trips to the hospital, and a lot of IVs later, I have finally recovered. To everyone reading this, please get vaccinated prior to your trip. And do not hang around locations with swarms of mosquitoes.

There are also other risks involved in visiting Indonesia, such as “Bali belly.” This is an illness that comes from contaminated water. It is like a really intense version of food poisoning. You can catch this almost anywhere, even from street vendor’s fruits and vegetables.

If you really want to be safe, it may be better to stick to eating primarily cooked foods, when possible. I even used a bottle of filtered water to brush my teeth to avoid catching Bali Belly.

10. Indonesia Uses EU Style Outlets

If you are European, easy! You will not need a plug adaptor. If you are Canadian or American (or from another country that does not use EU style adapters), you will need to bring plug adapters so that you can charge your devices.

11. Do Not Answer Questions if They are Too Personal

Whether this be differences in culture, curiosity about foreigners, or straight up mischief- as a solo woman I faced some inappropriate questions while in Indonesia.

Obviously, this can happen in any country. However, I am warning about this here because I was asked the ill-suited questions by a religious professional, who claimed “curiosity about foreigners.” Please do not be tricked or naive. Some questions are not suitable to be answered by a woman, under any scenario.

Expect to answer questions about your marital/ relationship status. This is completely acceptable. However, if you are asked questions more personal than this, please stay safe and do not answer!

12. Never Travel without Travel Insurance

It is a good practice to always travel with travel insurance.

If you haven’t figured it out already from reading this article- I made a few visits to the hospital during my trip. Luckily for me, the medicine I needed is quite common and affordable! But if you get sick, you may not be as lucky as me.

Travel insurance also can ensure you regarding lost and stolen items. If someone were to steal your bag off of a bus or boat, you could be facing very expensive losses. Save yourself the heartbreak and buy travel insurance prior to your trip.

13. Leave Your Shoes Outside

As the same in most of Asia, no shoes inside! If you are visiting someone’s house or even at a homestay (really anything other than a restaurant or large hotel), take your shoes off. Often, there will be “inside slippers” for you to wear inside.

14. Taking a Bathe is also Different

Similar to the squatty potty, bathing is also its own ballgame in rural locations. Do not expect a showerhead or bathtub. Usually, the whole water room is the “shower.” Baths are taken by pouring water over your head. The water can soak the entire room, as there will be a drain somewhere on the floor in the bathroom.

If you are feeling fancy, you can boil water on the stove first to mix with cold water to make warm water for your bath. When I was living with my host, Khozin, his mother (I simply referred to her as “Grandma” at all times) boiled and mixed bath water for me every night. It warmed not only my body, but also my heart.

15. Antibiotics are Widely Available and Cheap

No need to pack your own medication for the trip. Not only is medicine widely available and accessible, but it is also cheaper than in your home country. Additionally, many antibiotics are sold over the counter. If you come down with a cold, no need to visit the clinic to be issued a prescription. Just go straight to the local pharmacy!

16. PLEASE Stay Hydrated

I literally passed a kidney stone. Surprise, this was one of my three visits to the hospital in Indonesia. At the time I had no idea it was a kidney stone, I thought I was legitimately dying. I called my mother and said my goodbyes (no joke).

The kidney stone was likely a result of many factors, but at the base of it all- I was dehydrated. I thought I was used to basking in the sun and drinking enough water since I’ve been in Asia for over a year now- but the dehydration still crept up on me.

Essentially, water should be glued to your hand. The sugary hot teas served everywhere are not going to cut it. Absolutely whatever you do- do not go without water.

17. Indonesians Never Want to Say “No”

One fact about Indonesians is that appearance and status is very important to them. Therefore, they never want to tell anyone- especially a foreigner- “no.” They rather tell you yes and disappear, or yes and then do something completely different.

To me and my foreign friends, it came off as lying at times because they would say one thing, and do something completely different. However, Indonesians don’t mean it that way. They just simply never want to disappoint anyone.

If you are in a situation like this, do not mind it too much. Just take it as a compliment that they wanted to keep you happy and keep it moving!

Final Thoughts

After reading my advice, there is no doubt that you are much more prepared for your trip to Indonesia! Traveling in Indonesia is truly an unforgettable experience. If you have traveled to Indonesia before and have any additional advice, feel free to leave a comment down below! I look forward to reading about your travel experiences.

Stay safe and have fun!