PTRACTICAL TRAVEL INFORMATION

• Good News !  An entry visa to Indonesia and to Bali has been exempted since June 10, 2015 for citizens of 169 countries in the world for a maximum stay of 30 days with at least 6 month passport validity and one blank passport page.  

• This free visa cannot be extended nor converted to other forms of stay and is provided only in certain arrival spots (airports) such as : Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya, Medan, Batam. 

• Those who hold an emergency passport are not offered to this facility. They are required to get the visa from Indonesian Embassy or Indonesian Consulate before departure.

• Similarly, the airport tax of 200.000 rupiahs (about 15 USD)/person that is used to be charged to the visitors before leaving the country is now freed as it is assumed to be inclusive in the airfares.

• A stay more than 30 days requires a visa from Indonesian Embassy or Indonesian General Consulate which costs you about 55 USD for a maximum stay of 60 days. 

• Any foreigner who remains staying in Indonesia and in Bali after the end of his visa will be fined as much as 20 USD per day. The immigration services are very cautious especially in the airport at the time of embarkation.  

• A foreigner in the problem of overstay is not allowed to leave the country unless he has paid the fine, and could even be jailed if he is unable to settle down his problem promptly. 

• To come to Indonesia and to Bali, no particular vaccine is required. Nevertheless, it is important to be up to date in your usual vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, polio.  It is also recommended to be vaccinated against typhoid and hepatitis A. In the event of stay extension, the vaccine against hepatitis B is recommended. If you plan to do some water sports on the spot such as scuba diving, you may require a medical certificate.

• To avoid as much as possible the diarrhea due to the different food and the change of temperature ... you can take a daily antibiotic used specifically against the "travel diarrhea.” Certain anti-diarrheal drugs such as Lomotil and Imodium which are available on prescription are extremely effective to relieve a diarrhea. To get more information about this matter, it is better to consult your doctor.

• Bali is free from malaria. Nevertheless, it is better to equip oneself with an effective product of anti mosquito in case of doing some extension of stay and trips to the other neighbouring islands, and this product can be found easily on the spot at a lower price.

• The best time to come to Bali and Indonesia is during the dry season starting from April until October, while the rest is often very wet and cloudy characterized by more stormy passages. In general, the months of July and August are the mildest and driest period of the year. With the average temperature of 25° C at night and 30° C during the day throughout the year, Bali has a relatively humid tropical climate.

• The peak touristic season really happens in July and August, and the prices for most of the tourist services are often increased. If you plan to come to Bali around this time, it is advisable to book everything (flights, accommodation, guide ...) a few months before.

• For those who want to avoid the tourist crowds, the period of November until April is also possible to make a trip and tours to explore the island including the possibility to discover some cultural events as they happen throughout the year, except the sun is somewhat uncertain during this time.

Here is the list of things that you can do before leaving :

• CLOTHING : T-shirts, shirts with short sleeves, shorts and skirts, long pants for the evening, sweater and   waterproof jacket, some pairs of socks, light shoes and a pair of walking shoes, towel for swimming during the trips while leaving the hotel of the day before, a hat and sunglasses.

• MEDICAL KIT : sunsblock cream and after-sun cream | insect repellent | skin antiseptic | healing cream for insect bites | ongoing medical treatment and personal medicine (antibiotics, analgesics, anti-diarrheas...) 

• DOCUMENTS : Passport | assistance number | airline tickets | travel diary and pen. 

• OTHER: lightweight backpack for excursions / swimming goggles, masks and snorkels if you have / a small flashlight / knife for peeling a fruit / alarm clock / end-earplugs if you do want to be disturbed by the dogs howling  and roosters around 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning.

• The Indonesian law prohibits the importation of narcotics, weapons, ammunition, televisions, radios, pornographic objects, pets, living plants. Another restriction is the import of Chinese medicine, and in general everything that is printed in Chinese characters.

• What is allowed to bring with you from outside : 1 liter of alcohol, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco and a reasonable amount of perfume.

As has been mentioned above, nowadays no airport tax is required, neither for international nor domestic departure. It is supposed to be inclusive in the airfares.

Just like any other country in the world, Indonesia has its own set of currency known locally as " Rupiah " (Rp for short). Rupiah comes in coin and bank notes. It can be a little confuse at first for those from UK, USA or Australia to figure it out due to the high denominations. The Rupiah Notes that you will see while in Bali are :

• Indonesian postal services are generally effective. For mailing letters or postcards from Bali to Western European countries, it takes 10 days to 2 weeks

• Nowadays the postal rates to various European destinations are:

           ▻    a postcard (no envelope) is Rp 10,000 (€ 0.65)

           ▻    a letter is about Rp 15,000 (€ 1)

• Stamps can be found everywhere in tourist places in Bali - in post offices, in some shops selling                 postcards in tourist areas.

Today almost everywhere in Indonesia and Bali, electricity is 220V. In most cases the sockets are similar to those in Europe (two sheets). The Power outage happens rarely and the power grid operates at a maximum capacity. Unfortunately, the public lighting especially on the street of countryside is very low, so a small flashlight will be a great help to escape you from landing in a hole.

• There are in fact quite a few means of transport to move around  Bali, and the most possible way is to rent a car. However, you have to take account of the traffic condition in Bali and Indonesia generally: the left-hand drive, road full of pedestrians (school children, farmers ...), cyclists, animals crossing the road without warning, motorcyclists leading to a cross road that do not give priority, and  those who suddenly overtake from the left side can be of a great trouble on the road.

• Unless you have a driving experience in a similar traffic situation , we do not recommend you to drive alone in Bali. Renting a car with driver / guide is the best way to discover Bali quietly.

• However, if you wish to travel yourself there are many taxis, public transport (bemo), except this way is less convenient for you to match the schedules you have prepared and the destinations you want to head for. For a day or two, renting a small motor bike seems better. In this case, you are required to bring with you an international driving license.

Social behavior is something which defines a person's upbringing. The way you behave in a foreign land defines your own culture. Etiquette is the lone phrase which defines the code of conduct or how a person interacts with another. Patterns of behavior are different for different country so, it is very important for a person to understand the social behavior and ethics of that country before visiting it. While going through the Bali Travel Guide it is very important for a tourist to go through the Etiquette and Behavior in Bali thoroughly and know the Culture of Bali.

Whatever might be the reason for your visit to Bali, knowing the proper etiquette is a must. Social occasions are important in Bali. There is a large Muslim community in Bali. If you participate in the fasting month that is Ramzan you should behave in a proper way and this falls under the Bali Etiquette and Behavior. People are served an elaborate menu refusing which would be disrespect to the person. Elaborate dining is a common affair for the people. Another remarkable aspect of the customs is the slaughter of animals during various ceremonies. Different parts of these animals are offered to different people. If you participate in the ceremony and refuse to accept the gift it means you are disrespecting the person who offers you that. Etiquette and Behavior in Bali is an essential component that falls under Bali Useful Information while you visit this place.

It is not only necessary to maintain codes of etiquette in the social ceremonies. Etiquette and Behavior in Bali is also very important when you visit the place for business. There are certain norms and behavior that you need to follow while on a business meeting to Bali. If you are hosting a meeting in Bali it is very important that you offer beverages like tea or coffee to the participants. If you are participating in a meeting then it is necessary to drink refreshments even if you are not thirsty. Using the left hand is a mark of contempt.

Another remarkable point in the list of Etiquette and Behavior in Bali in Indonesia is the way you call a person. Calling a person with your fingers above is a bad manner. Politeness is the keyword for every occasion in Bali. So, before visiting Bali it is extremely important to go through the etiquettes and customs there.