Visiting Indonesia

Entry Point Any one coming to Indonesia shall have at least 6-moth valid passport as of the arrival date and have permit document to pass. No Visa is needed for tourists from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, French, Greek, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italia, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippine, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, England, America and Venezuela. Free entry visa is also provided to delegates registered in a conference that is officially held. In addition, tourist visa can be obtained from every Indonesian Embassy or Consulate. Come in and out of Indonesia must pass number of specific gates, namely by air via Jakarta, Bali, Medan, Manado, Biak, Ambon, Surabaya and Batam; by sea via Semarang, Jakarta, Bali, Pontianak, Balikpapan, Tanjung Pinang and Kupang. The length of stay in Indonesia is permitted for maximum two months. Customs Office regulation in Indonesia allows to bring in 2 liter alcoholic drinks, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 gram tobaccos and sufficient amount of perfume for adults. Number of items that needs special permit to be brought in Indonesia is car, photography instrument, and other electronic devices. All films and videos must be censored by Indonesian Film Sensor Agency. Then fresh fruits, plants, and animals should also have quarantine permit. In general, narcotics and weapons are illegal items to be brought in Indonesia.

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About Indonesia

Indonesia at a Glance
The word of “Indonesia” is coined from Latin word “Indos”, means ‘India’ and “Nesos”, means ‘island’. Both words mean Island of India, or islands existing in India. And event those two words are suitable with Indonesia condition having 17.508 islands, in where about 6.000 islands are occupied which are stretching along 5.510 kilometer between Australia and Asia Continent and divide Pacific and Indian Ocean on the equator line.

Indonesia comprising 33 provinces has five big and main islands, namely Sumatera (473.606 km2), Kalimantan 1539,400 km2), Sulawesi (189,216 km2), Papua (421,981 km2), and Java (132,187 km2). Those five islands are occupied by about 70 % of Indonesian people. Geographically, Indonesia is also grouped into four specific territories. First, Sunda Besar (Big Sunda) Island consisting of Sumatera, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

Second, Sunda Kecil (Small Sunda) Island comprising smaller islands ranging from Bali Island to the East territory. Third, Maluku Island covering all islands situated between Irian Jaya and Sulawesi territory. And the last is Irian Jaya, the island situated in the most eastern part of Indonesia.

The capital city of Indonesia is Jakarta, a city with impressive histories and backgrounds. At the beginning, Jakarta was known as a seaport named Sunda Kelapa. The anniversary of Jakarta on 22nd June 1527 was stipulated based on the conquest history of Demak soldiers under the commander Sultan Fatahillah to subjugate the territory from Portuguese. The name of Jayakarta donated by Fatahillah for the conquered territory means “city with big triumph”. But the name of this city was changed from Jayakarta to become Batavia during the Dutch colonial.

As the capital city of the nation, Jakarta also plays role as governmental center, business and industrial hub. The city with 660 kilometer width is occupied by about 8 million populations and now Jakarta is growing as a metropolitan city that reflects the advancement of the nation economic, politic, social and industry.

History

Fossil of “Java Human” or Pithecanthropus Erectus was found in Trinil village, East Java by Dr. Eugene Dubois in 1809 giving rise to assumption that Indonesian land had been occupied since 500,000 thousand years ago.

As recorded in the history that extensive migration to the Indonesian islands was known to have occurred in 3.000-5.000 before Gregorian Calendar by Mongoloid tribe from China and Tonkin. This nation brought in new stone culture, bronze, iron and Austronesian language. The arrival of traders mainly from China and India also brought in Hindu and Buddha religion.

The legacy traces of both religions cover Hindu and Buddha temple heritages that were supposedly constructed during the kingdoms epoch. Borobudur temple constructed in Central Java, for instance, is one of the glorious evidence of Buddha and Sriwijaya Kingdom. Other temples like Prambanan, Penataran, and Dieng Plateau were the glorious evidence of Hindu religion in the history of Indonesia. And Islam entered into Indonesia since the arrival of merchants and traders.

Second, Sunda Kecil (Small Sunda) Island comprising smaller islands ranging from Bali Island to the East territory. Third, Maluku Island covering all islands situated between Irian Jaya and Sulawesi territory. And the last is Irian Jaya, the island situated in the most eastern part of Indonesia.

After the arrival of Portuguese in 1509, Dutch also invaded to control Indonesia as a colonial region at the beginning of 17th century. Initially Dutch controlled the region via VOC, which was then directly controlled by Dutch government since the beginning of 19th century to the World War II era.

By 1942, Japan was the only Asian nation colonizing Indonesia but surrendered in 1945 at the end of the World War II in Asia and also this was the opportunity for Indonesian to proclaim its independence on 17th August 1945.

Langguage
There are 583 languages and dialects spoken by the people of Indonesia and divided into number of ethnic groups. Number of specific local dialects amongst other thing is Aceh, Batak, Sunda, Java, Sasak, Timor, Dayak, Minahasa, Toraja, Bugis, Halmahera, Ambon, Seram, and Irian language. The national language of Indonesian is Indonesian language that is mostly similar to Malay language.

Climate
Climate in Indonesia is categorized into tropical climate. The seasons consist of rainy and dry season along the year. East season wind blows on June to September and brings about dry climate. In the meantime west season wind occurs on December to March bringing about rainy season. The change of two seasons intervened with hard rain. The hardest rain usually occurs on December and January with general humidity is 75% and 100%.

Flora and Fauna
A British scientist named A. R. Wallace created an imaginary line, which was then named as Wallace line dividing Asia and Australia fauna. This line overtakes Malay Island, between Kalimantan and Sulawesi; and between Bali (in the west) and Lombok (in the east). Theory that the Wallace presented explains the existence of fauna species in Indonesia is similar with those in Asia and Australia. However, Indonesia also has its original fauna like Orang Utan in Sumatera and Kalimantan, giant lizard or Komodo at Komodo Island, rhinos in Java, Wild ox, Tiger, and other protected species.

Ramadhan In Lombok Indonesia

Ramadan In Lombok - Dispelling The Myths
it's almost time for the start of Ramadan, the fasting month, across Indonesia, so now is good time to dispel some of the myths that get aired at this time of the year.

Naughty tour guides and taxi drivers in Bali will tell visitors no to go to Lombok during Ramadan because all the restaurants are closed, there's nothing to eat and non of the taxis are operating, etc.
Whether this is genuine ignorance about the nature of Ramadan, or a bid to keep the tourists in their own backyard is debatable, but the facts remain the same in Lombok, it's business as ussual all year round.

It would be silly to sugest that, in tourist hubs such as Senggigi, Kuta, and Gili's, hotels and restaurants would close for the entire month and the whole island would just grind to a halt. nonsense - we'd all be boored!
hotels are open for business as always, restaurants serve meals all day day, bar are open with live music and alcohol, and taxis run at their ussual erratic pace. Many of locals are fasting, but non Muslim locals and tourist are catered for with ussual Lombok hospitality. You can even have a cold Bintang with you bacon and eggs, if that you wish!

Ramadan stars with the first sighting of new moon in the ninth month of the islamic calender, which occurs arround 1st of September this year, last for one lunar month (until the next new moon).
As islam is the majority religion of Indonesia, much of the archipelago will be abstaining from food, drink, smoking, and sex between sunrise and sunset each day for the next month.

Muslim regard Ramadan as a month for exercising self control over base desire, and for fasting, meditation and reflection. Muslims belive that, by following the fast, they cleanse both their bodies and souls and thus become cloeser to God. Similar to fasts and retreats practised by all the world's major religions, the act of fasting is seen as a sacred sacrifice to bring the person closer to Godliness.
fasting Muslims will wake early in the morning , to prepare and eat their first meal for the day and to say morning prayers. after sunrise, no food, dring, or smoking is allowed for the rest of the day until sunset. During Ramadan you will often see the local people out walking jsut before the sunset, to take their minds off their hunger and passing the time until they can Buka Puasa ( Break fasting ) is a happy occasion, with families gathering together to pray and share their evening meal after a day of abstinence.

Lombok has a mixed community of Muslims, Hindus, christians, Budhists, and other religions, so local Muslim accept that not everyone is fasting. For employed in the service and tourism industries, it's normal for guests to be eating, drinking and enjoying their holidays. Staff are happy to do their jobs as ussual. Most Muslims seem to agree that it's only first week or so that's difficult after that the fasting becomes normal and their bodies adapt to new routine.
If you're travelling in some of the outer areas and smell villages which are not geared for tourism, it may be more difficult to find warungs open during the day. It's worth to buy snacks and meals to take with you, or to eat in your hotel later. As an aware traveller, you can show courtesy by not eating and drink in front of fasting people, but generally people will make allowences for that fact that you are a guest and not fasting.

Most Lombok business respect the different belifes of their community and make flexible arrangements to support their practices. Staff may be a bit tired, as they're waking up so early in the mornings and losing energy during the day. It's particullarly difficult when the weather is hot and peaople would love to have a drink, but this is the part of the fast. At the end of the day, there is a sense of pleasure at beeing able to overcome temptations and complete the fast. Please be patient if most of the staff seems to dissapear at sunset, They've just gone to break fasting and will be back at work soon, Smiling after a good meal and something to drink!