Everyday practical information for Indonesia

Local rules worth knowing

• Bali publishes an official code of conduct for foreign visitors. The provincial government's "Do's and Don'ts" card covers respect for local culture, dress and behaviour, and the rules have been tightened after several years of visible tourist misbehaviour. In practice: cover up away from the beach, behave inside temples, and do not walk into, interrupt or photograph a ceremony without being invited to.
• Nyepi is the one date that can wreck an itinerary. Bali's day of silence runs 06:00 to 06:00 the following morning: the airport closes, nothing moves on the roads, shops and restaurants are shut and you are expected to stay inside your accommodation - the rule applies to visitors as well as residents. Check the date before you book, and if you land into it, arrange somewhere you are happy to be confined for a day.
• Medicines. Buying prescription-only medicine in Indonesia without a valid Indonesian prescription is illegal. Bring what you need, in its original packaging, with the prescription.
• Driving requires an International Driving Permit, of the 1968 Convention type, and a licence class covering what you are actually riding. See the driving section.

Everyday practicalities

• Time - Indonesia spans three zones. WIB (UTC+7) covers Jakarta, Java and Sumatra; WITA (UTC+8) covers Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi and southern Kalimantan; WIT (UTC+9) covers Maluku and Papua. A domestic flight can change your watch.
• Power - type C and F sockets at 230 V, 50 Hz. A Europlug fits everywhere and needs no adapter. See the sockets section for the detail on unearthed outlets.
• Convenience stores - Indomaret and Alfamart are on almost every street in a tourist area, and they are where you buy a plug adapter, a SIM top-up or an e-money card. Not all branches are 24 hours.
• Weather and air quality - Info BMKG, from the national meteorological, climatological and geophysical agency, is the official source, and it carries earthquake warnings as well as forecasts.
• Food delivery - GoFood inside Gojek has the deepest coverage, with Grab a solid second.
• Wi-Fi - hotels, cafés and co-working spaces all have it. What they do not cover is the first hour after you land, which is exactly when you need data most: arrive with a working eSIM.

The first-day setup

Four things done before you land remove most of the friction:

1. The All Indonesia arrival card, filed within 72 hours of arrival.
2. The visa - the e-VOA bought online, or the VOA at the airport.
3. The Bali levy, if you are staying on the island.
4. A working eSIM, and the ride apps installed with a card already added.

Then one rule covers most of the rest: do not take the first offer, do not let yourself be hurried, and do everything through an official counter, an official website or one of the major apps.