Bukittinggi, Sumatra, Indonesia. Bukittinggi, Sumatra, Indonesia A Brief History of Indonesia

And then one day the thought came into my head that it would be nice to consider other options and leave the island. I stated this out loud, and my partners agreed that it was a really bad climate, unhealed wounds, and it was still unknown how long these people would agree to keep us here - three parasites, you understand! So while our monthly visa is valid, we need to do something. So this was not the end of our journey through hot Indonesia...

• Intense heat, scorching sun
• Humid climate, non-healing wounds
• Uncertainty that the locals will continue to support us
• If you go to uninhabited beaches, then there are not enough resources there, which means again dependence on the locals
• The opportunity to consider other options, other islands, countries.

And so we agreed with Mr. Amro that they would help us leave. We didn’t have money for a plane, so we decided to buy tickets on a ship to the city of Makassar, in southern Sulawesi. One guy lives there, whom we had previously met through the Internet, we agreed with him that we would come, live for a while, use the Internet to buy electronic plane tickets and fly home.

And so we left this island, or rather, we sailed away on a motor boat and settled for two days with our friend Amro in the village of Debut on the island of Tual. It was the 6th, the ferry (ship) departed only on the 8th, and tickets for it can only be purchased a maximum of one day in advance, i.e. 7th. That's what we did. Ticket offices are located in the capital of Tual Island, Langgur. Tickets cost 410,000 rupees, which is quite cheap. Sailing for 3 days.

These two days, Amro and his relatives received us like high-ranking persons, gave us a room and fed us at a separate table, like kings. We also conducted scooter excursions around Tual. We went to the water caves, looked at the grottoes, then to the coral mountain and drove around the island.

Debut village

Street

We drove through about 500 of these streets, probably circling the entire island and finishing our day. On the island of Tual and in general on the Key Islands, there are three faiths - Protestants, Muslims and Catholics. Ours are from a Catholic village. Traveling around the island and villages, Amro showed me their religious component, and his relatives live in almost all Catholic villages. "What a huge family!" - I never ceased to be surprised. Not like our families. All these villages, with different religious traditions, coexist peacefully on the islands. But sometimes peace ends and conflicts begin. At the moment, there is a conflict on the island between Catholic and Protestant villages over a disputed piece of land. It’s all very simple: no one wants to give in and arguing is rather just a matter of honor. Local residents fight the police with bows and arrows, because they don’t have firearms - it’s just like the Middle Ages. And a few years ago, over those 10 islands that belong to the family of my friend Amro, people from Protestant and Muslim villages killed 34 people from the village of Debut as a result of the conflict. So they really got these islands with sweat and blood! Amro also showed us those houses that were rebuilt, since the previous buildings burned down from arson carried out by enemies. A very unpleasant picture, seemingly such nice people can be so evil and cruel to each other, and all because of materialistic values ​​and mercantile interest, because of greed and envy.

While we were in Debut, it was Good Friday in the Catholic world, and we witnessed a Catholic ritual - a staging of the last events in the life of the Savior, with a procession of the cross throughout the village. And then the next day we went to watch the Catholic Easter service in the local church. But we didn’t stay there for long, we wanted to sleep and left the temple. The next day we went around the island again, again our butts were tired of the uncomfortable seats of the scooters. All the equipment in Tual is Japanese, a liter of gasoline costs 5,000 rupees, kerosene 2,000.

And then the 8th came, it was time for us to leave. Boarding the ferry began at 4 am. We arrived by taxi, the taxi driver was their relative, and he charged half or three times less for the trip. We said goodbye to our friends, Lawrence, Amro and his brothers were there. Amro even shed a little tears, wished us good luck, we thanked him for everything as best we could in English and went to board the ferry. A young guy was traveling with us to Ambon - also his relative, he helped us with landing.

Let's get moving. We settled down in the open air on the 7th floor of the ship. We laid down the foam, threw down our backpacks and seemed to take a little nap. The whole next day there were no stops, the stop was only at 6 pm on the Banda Islands. I met some curious locals who spoke English and they told me a little about these islands, that there was a war over them and that the last volcanic eruption was in 1994. Well, in general, we attracted a lot of attention. It was simply an eyesore for everyone passing by. Every second person shouted to you: “Halo, mister!” And most importantly, whether you are a man or a woman, most will still call you Mister. Many people came up and asked the same thing in English, sometimes in Indonesian. Where are you from? Where are you going? Where were you? How many were there? - These are the main questions I heard from people.

Then there was a stop in Ambon, it was morning. The ship turned in the other direction, and the sun was shining directly on us, so we had to change our location. We bought rice and fish from the merchants and ate. I changed the bandage on my finger and applied propolis.

In general, I dare say that on the deck, and indeed on the entire ferry, it is quite dirty. Unsanitary conditions are everywhere. There is dirt of unknown origin, cigarette butts, candy wrappers all around. Cockroaches are crawling. Well, what can you do? There is no money for the first and second class of a ship or for a plane, so you have to travel like all ordinary Indonesians - as a housekeeper. But we looked at the common people, this is not some Bali or Jakarta! This is an ordinary Indonesian people.

This people is very dirty, I tell you. And dirty not in the sense of being unwashed, but in the sense of loving to litter. These are their traditions, or something like this: they sit on the deck, eat rice or noodles. After eating, everyone MUST throw any garbage overboard into the sea. Well, why? There is a trash can nearby (the blue-yellow-red ones are visible in the photo), a little further there is another one, why throw it into the sea? Throwing it into a bucket is much less effort than getting up and throwing it into the sea. For us, such behavior was savagery. Everything, be it cigarette butts, candy wrappers, noodle boxes, or whatever - everything is in the sea. And then we wonder: where do entire alluvial islands made of garbage come from? Watching them, I got the impression that they have already automated this to such an extent that, probably, at the level of conditioned reflexes, it’s already thrown into the sea. But the sea is big - it will endure!

Parking in Bau Bau

Kota Bau Bau Pier

Next was a stop at Kota Bau Bau. Many people left there and others entered. If Ambon is still more or less a village, then Bau Bau is already a real civilization. We stood, waited and went further along the route to Makassar. The ferry (ship) "Kerinci" belongs to the largest company Pelni. Quite an old ship with numerous traces of rust. This was our first trip across the sea by ship. It's a kind of cruise.

Let's go to Makassar. It was night, we took a horizontal position and fell asleep. Waking up in the morning, Max did not find his small bag, which contained his documents (both passports), phone, camera, navigator, solar panel and 400 thousand rupees. We all, of course, immediately became excited. What do you mean, how is this possible? What kind of bastards did this? We approached the guard, and with the guard we went throughout the ship, looking at all sorts of secret places, in the hope that suddenly the documents would at least be planted there, and everything else would be taken away. But alas, they found nothing. Yes, we didn’t even hope right away, because it was more logical to assume that the bag was simply thrown into the sea. It was simply not possible to mess around with all the passengers, and no one would have done so. Plus, we learned that other people had lost valuables, so we weren’t alone. But this is money, and here are documents, passports. So what should I do?

Without thinking twice, Max made a responsible decision: if it was not possible to solve the problems with the restoration of documents, then go back to Tual, to our friends, and stay there to live.

So we arrived in the hero city of Makassar. April 11, 2012. We took a taxi to our friend and stayed with him. We immediately went online and looked at tickets, surfed all sorts of forums. Max, having scoured the Internet, realized that it was very difficult to restore documents and did not even bother with it. I decided to go back to our (now his) island. In the end, he went there to live. And then life decreed that he had to stay there. Heat and wounds, I think, are not scary for him, although they punished him more than all of us.

Andrey, Oleg, Jean, Max

We lived for 3 days in Makassar with our wonderful friend Jin, bought plane tickets, then took the ferry to Jakarta - Andrey and I went to the capital of Indonesia. Max stayed there, his ferry will only arrive on the 20th. Makassar is a large city and the capital of the island of Sulawesi. Lots of cars, mopeds and the stink of exhaust. Jin fed us various local foods, some of them hot as fire. “Very panas,” I said in English-Indonesian. We also tried the interesting fruit Rambutan for the first time in our lives. Quite a pleasant taste compared to durian and snake nut.

For the first time in a long time we saw rain, and not just rain, but a real tropical downpour. Real Hujan! The guys took advantage of the moment and crawled under it, using it as a shower, saying that so much water was wasted. I didn’t climb because of my finger, although I really wanted to!

View from Gin's porch

Our stay in Makassar came to an end and it was time to board the ship to Jakarta. Andrey and I ordered a taxi and, according to the meter, we traveled for only 50,000 rupees, while the cost of getting there was 100. Jin and his friend saw us off and helped us with boarding. We boarded the ferry, already experienced, and immediately went to look for a place on the deck. But it started to rain and it became wet on deck, so I had to go spend the night with everyone else in the economy class cabin. It consists of bunks connected to each other, dirty ones, and mattresses. There is dirt, garbage, cockroaches and complete unsanitary conditions all around. And the locals don’t care, they even eat rice with unwashed hands. Paradise for helminths! There you can’t get rid of them with any chili pepper!

We spent the night, we are not used to it, but without rain and more softly than on the floor. Then I went for a walk around the ship, it was sunny, and I found a free deck, much cleaner than this general cabin, and we moved there. They dropped the foam and settled down. True, there were plenty of cockroaches there, they crawled on our backpacks and on us, most likely, but we paid little attention to them.

6th floor, 1st class department

Find 5 differences!

We will sail for 2 days, with a stop in Surabaya. The ticket cost 382,000 rupees. There were no incidents. We talked with interesting people, although I dare say that there is no shortage of communication on ferries. Sooner or later, someone will come up and, if not in English, then they will definitely speak Indonesian Bahasa. And you just have time to repeat: “Saya tida magarti” - I don’t understand. We talked with a businessman from the island of Aru, neighboring Tual, and talked with an economics teacher. We also got acquainted with a cheerful resident of the northern Moluccas - Francisco. He came to visit us often and constantly found a common language with us, despite the fact that we do not speak very good English. Francisco is engaged in catching butterflies on his islands. He collects pupae in the tropical forest, then grows a butterfly, makes an exhibit out of it, and then sells it in Bali to any foreigner. The Japanese, Chinese, Australians and many others willingly take it. And he has a pretty good income from this. He jokes that when I have a big business, I will bring myself a girl from Russia and marry her.

Francisco helped us later with ordering a taxi in Jakarta and some advice. We exchanged phone numbers and emails. He also took a photo with me as a souvenir. He promised to send a photo by email, but he still hasn’t sent it. When he does, I’ll post it here.

Arriving in Jakarta, a taxi ordered by Francisco's friends was waiting for us at the Tanjung Priok pier. For 200 thousand rupees we got to the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, named after the first president of Indonesia.

Jakarta Airport "Sukarno Hatta", named after the first president (Sukarno) and his Prime Minister (M. Hatta)

It was already dark, so we found a secluded corner and went to bed, having dinner at the local, cheapest eatery. It was quite cool from the air conditioners at the airport; as soon as you go outside, you are immediately hit by the humid, warm air of Jakarta. The same is true in Kuala Lumpur and, I think, in other tropical airports. The guys didn't like it, but I didn't like it. While Andrey was sleeping there, I walked around the airport and took a few photos on my phone.

We flew back with LionAir. We ordered tickets on the website, paid by card - everything was as it should be. The ticket costs only 400 thousand rupees - that's 1300 rubles from Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur. We checked in our luggage, Andrey had an advantage, but the backpack fell so that part of the weight shifted to the crossbar and it turned out to be exactly 20.0 kg. Otherwise you would have to pay for the advantage. Then they charged us a fee - 150 thousand rupees. What, they say, for international flights is 150, and for local flights we paid 40 thousand. Then I found out that this was a fee for the development of the airport. This is how they rip money off people!

We arrived in Malaysia, they didn’t feed us on the plane, although we wanted to eat after the night. I had to buy it at the airport, but for this we had specially set aside rupees, which I exchanged for ringgits. 1 ringgit is approximately 10 rubles. Bottle of water 0.6 l. costs 1.2 ringgit, a box of noodles costs 1.9, all kinds of buns from 0.9 to 3 ringgit are cheap, and up to 11 expensive. You can eat well for 10 ringgit. This store is located on the 3rd floor of the airport, the waiting room is on the 5th. And it’s full of all sorts of boutiques and shops, but this one seemed to me the cheapest.

We stayed in Kuala Lumpur until 7 pm, then check-in for the flight to Tashkent with Uzbek Airlines began. We checked in our luggage, got tickets and went to the neutral zone, because that’s where there is free internet. They arrived, I logged in via Wi-Fi from my Samsung, messaged someone and spent the time waiting for the flight. At 21:20 they started to let us in even closer to the plane, dragged our hand luggage through the X-ray, checked us with a metal detector and let us wait.

We flew for 7 and a half hours. They fed us quite well, and I slept most of the time, and Andrei could not sleep and watched all sorts of films in the general screening. Then our trip to Southeast Asia grew into a trip to Central Asia.

We arrived in Tashkent. We went closer to the exit, where they began to fill out declarations for the cash we had. Andrey had some bucks and rubles, I only had change. Then we waited in line for a long time while they checked people and their luggage. Moreover, they harassed even the most harmless people. For example, an elderly man with a woman and a 27-year-old daughter, all good-looking, but clearly not terrorists, their things were searched, everything was shaken out, even their underpants. But here, surprisingly, we limited ourselves to only X-rays and an explanation of such an incomprehensible long object as pinning. They let us through quickly and with almost no problems. Andrey filled out the declaration in two copies, I filled it out in one since I had some change. We left the airport and were immediately caught by a taxi driver, an official airport taxi. Such an experienced typical taxi driver, he took us to the railway station, to find out if there were tickets for the train to Yekaterinburg, there were no tickets, he took us to an ATM. ATMs in Tashkent are only available in hotels and nowhere else. There was no money in it, but there was an exchanger nearby, and they took $250 from my Sberbank card. Then the taxi driver took us to the Uzbek-Kazakh border. We decided to take a bus there and get to Astana, and it would be easier to get there. He exchanged us 100 bucks for Uzbek sums and Kazakh tenge, deceived us a little (at the same time), and dropped us off near the border. There was a kilometer-long line of potential migrant workers, who directed their gaze, well, you understand where - to the north!

After standing there for a couple of minutes, a guy in trousers and a shirt approached us, well, in general, so smart. He said: “Sloppy brother, let me take you to the other border, you’ll thank me later! There are a lot of people standing here, but there’s not such a crowd there! If there’s such a crowd, I’ll take you for free! I swear to you! I’m an adult, I’m not used to deceiving !"

We stood there, broke down, and still went with him in his brand new white Nexia. He took us 120 km to another border. For this he asked for 120 thousand soums, and immediately gave a discount of 20 thousand. We bargained with him, but for me, a non-mercantile person, bargaining with an elderly Uzbek, and even a taxi driver, is like the ballerina Volochkova capitalizing on a Kamaz engine! A guy drove us there. He didn’t deceive us, he took more, but he said honestly that the previous taxi driver deceived us, cursed him in every possible way, in order to somehow console us. He threw us out, we went. The Uzbek did not deceive! There were indeed 10 times fewer people. We approached the border, took the declarations, and filled them out. I had dollars and tenge withdrawn from the card, Andrey also had money. We stood in line, then someone in the crowd said that people with Russian passports can skip the line. At first they didn’t want to let us in, but then they let us in without a queue. We handed over our junk for x-rays, handed over our passports, and then start making fun of me with this money, saying that I don’t have the right to take out more money than was declared upon entry. Let me explain that I don’t know anything, at the airport he took the piece of paper from me, and I withdrew money from the card, here is the receipt from the cash register. She told me that she doesn’t need my check at all, they have no right to let me through with this money. Of course, I immediately became nervous, because if the money was taken away, there would be nothing to go home with.

In short, they didn’t take the money, the employee said: go, rewrite the declaration again and don’t write about the money, and Andrey also made mistakes, he wrote it hastily. We missed it, but that's not all. Now let's move our luggage. We shook out all our dirty junk and examined everything. I was carrying shells and corals in my backpack, so let’s look at them, etc. We didn’t find anything prohibited (surprisingly), so we let it pass. We put the long-awaited green stamps in the passport about crossing the border. But even here it’s not all about the Uzbeks. Out of the simplicity of my soul, I took out my phone and let’s take a photo of myself opposite the border, well, I knew that this was a strategic point, but I just forgot something because of my nerves. Here I already see one of them shouting to me: “Hey, Russian, run here, I won’t repeat it twice!” Came up. I was met by a very unpleasant guy, swearing in Uzbek-Russian obscenities, took the phone, but did not know how to handle it, called other colleagues, I showed the photo, and there were two of them, because I had also taken photos from the other side. In front of them, I deleted the photos, showed that there were no more, their senior explained the situation in a civilized manner, that they could register me as a foreign spy.

This is the Kazakh border. They didn’t keep us here for a long time, they took our luggage and us through the X-ray, put stamps - and we left. Immediately, after walking a couple of meters, locals came up to us: “Taxi, samsa, change money.” I exchanged some money with them for tenge and then the cheerful Kazakh taxi driver Vakha or Bakha pulled us over. We got into his Audi, and he drove us to the place where we could take transport to Astana. Either a bus or a train. There were no buses, so the taxi driver took us to the train. Of course, there were no more tickets at the box office, so we had to negotiate with the conductor at exorbitant prices. Well, you have to go.

Opposite the camels, not far from the Uzbek-Kazakh border

Camels in the steppe, southern Kazakhstan

There's a camel walking on the road!

By the next evening we were already in Astana. We immediately went to look at tickets to Russia. At first I thought of taking it to Chelyabinsk if it wasn’t to Ekb, but there were tickets. We took two tickets to Yekaterinburg, they cost 10,400 tenge, and Andrey also took a train to central Russia, since he is not from Yekaterinburg. The train should arrive in exactly 24 hours, which means we’ll have to hang around at the station for 24 hours, and this is not Kuala Lumpur Airport at all. And the toilets are even paid, 40-50 tenge each. You can sleep at night in a horizontal position only from 00:00 to 06:00; at other times, guards and station workers walk around and wake you up, jealously preventing anyone from sleeping. Only in a sitting position is possible. We turned over until the evening, it was 16:00, and the train left at 17:45, and then the local cops didn’t like our appearance and our backpacks. Let's go and tell the truth that we are traveling from Indonesia in transit, it's our 3rd day in Kazakhstan, or maybe 5 without registration. They shook out the backpacks, they let us shake our nerves, show us the knives, okay, I have a paper for my helka, issued by their colleagues from the Yekaterinburg station. He read the paper, it seemed authoritative to him, he looked at the axe, he seemed to stutter, but then he stopped. Here, of course, the witnesses stood and looked, some drunks. Let’s shake Andrei out, they even asked him to take off his shorts - “I’m there without panties!” He says! “Take them off anyway!” For some reason, they didn’t find anything there other than what should be there, but no law prohibits this transport!!! They found later, or rather, he showed it himself, a Tramontinovsky machete, which is not even a machete at all, but a garden knife, sold in hardware stores. They are such that you need to take them for examination. Oleg is free, he will go home, and you, Andrey , you will stay and wait for the results of the examination. I say indignantly: “You guys, at least feed the guy, otherwise he doesn’t have any money anymore, and how long can he hang around here” - Then the second one says to the main one in a low voice: “Let’s let him go, to hell with them.” "They let us go, realized that they couldn’t get money from us, gave the Tramontina to the guy, which he didn’t even need anymore. They made fun of us for about an hour, but the time quickly passed. Let’s touch my guitar and pretend to be a guitarist, in short, an unpleasant impression Kazakh cops, and Central Asia in general, impressed me. I don't want to go there anymore. Well, if only Samarkand or the Kyrgyz mountains.

We boarded the 13th carriage and went to Yekaterinburg. Train Bishkek - Ekaterinburg. There were so many Kyrgyz traveling with trunks that there was no free space. I slept the night at first in the upper place, down there my grandfather and grandmother were traveling from Bishkek to their home in Omsk, but then they got off in Petropavlovsk and changed to another train.

When you cross the border on a train, customs officers come in early and walk through the cars. First comes the dog handler with the dog, which only sniffs below, then everyone else. That's how they carry whatever they want, when he sniffs only downstairs, and no one inspects anything. Only now poor tourist Andrei was inspected. Why did this tourist surrender to them, when there were so many trunks, all the shelves were full, and only the tourist aroused suspicion, because the Kazakh customs officer was not used to seeing tourists, they had not yet become an eyesore. When my grandparents came out, as many as 6 Uzbeks came to see me, for two places! They seemed suspicious to me and the way the Kazakh customs officers spoke to them. Apparently they were carrying something, because the employee was taking two of them somewhere for a while, probably they were giving a bribe.

Then there were our customs officers. Connection points Mamlyutka - Petukhovo, stamps were placed with these points. Ours passed quickly and looked better. They didn’t ask the Russians at all, they didn’t even look at my passport, they just told me my last name. Then I moved to another place with Andrey, only on the bottom shelf, although I lay around and took a nap normally.

And finally we arrived in Yekaterinburg. I can’t say that I was happy, no, not at all, I was even sad and regretted that I had returned. How nice it was on the island, even the city of Makassar was remembered for the good nature of its inhabitants. This concludes my trip to Southeast Asia. Well, Max is still there. I bought myself a cheap guitar to study with, and a phone with a local SIM card, I called and wrote. Everything is good so far, I hope it will continue to be so.

Due to the significant distance, it’s a stretch to call the destination budget, because you’ll have to spend 34,000 rubles on flights alone, departing from Moscow. But if you try a little, you can easily find ways to relax beautifully and save money at the same time.

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Indonesia is nestled in Southeast Asia between the Indian and Pacific oceans. The island country is rich in history, vibrant culture and incredible landscapes that seem straight out of the best travel brochures. Due to the significant distance, it’s a stretch to call the destination budget, because you’ll have to spend 34,000 rubles on flights alone, departing from Moscow. But if you try a little, you can easily find ways to relax beautifully and save money at the same time. In this article we just want to offer you this topic: “ToHow cheap is it to travel to Indonesia?.

How to spend the minimum on travel

You won’t be able to get to Bali or another Indonesian resort for free or “for 3 kopecks”. The most profitable option is to fly with transfers. Any city in Southeast Asia is perfect as a transit point. Focus on current promotions and choose between Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur. In practice, there are round trip options from Moscow for 20,000 rubles. Residents of the Far East are luckier - from Vladivostok you can get to Bali for 12,000 rubles.

Entertainment for the Thrifty

To the delight of budget-conscious travelers, there are many ways to soak up the magic of an exotic destination without spending a dime. Of course, we are talking about staying on the island. Thousands of white sandy beaches invite tourists to spend time there without thinking about the financial side of things. Those with a keen sense of adventure can explore the vast tropical forests or magnificent volcanoes scattered throughout the state.

History buffs will also not be bored. Indonesia is home to tens, if not hundreds of thousands of Hindu temples. Although visiting particularly important shrines requires an entrance fee, there are also enough free architectural monuments for more than one trip. For example, Pura Taman Saraswati is a beautiful temple complex in the center of Ubud in Bali. The only thing you have to pay for is dance shows on Thursdays.

Connoisseurs of handmade creativity will find an outlet in the works of local artisans. It is noteworthy that there is an opportunity not only to observe the process of making souvenirs, but also to take part in it.

Free attractions

A country overflowing with natural resources awaits travelers with different levels of income. Tired of basking on the white sand under the gentle sun or examining architectural masterpieces, go in search of miraculous wonders. Luckily there are really a lot of them here. First, go to Broken Beach (Broken Sea) on the island of Nusa Penida. This natural wonder is located just 12 km from Bali. At first glance, it is quite an ordinary arch in the rock, but upon closer examination it becomes clear that this is a complex geological phenomenon. The hole in the cliff was once a cave whose floor collapsed, allowing water to flow to form a natural pool.

Another important must see is the lotus lagoon in the village of Candidasa. A small roadside pond abounds with lemon and purple water lilies. There are many other entertainments in the vicinity of the reservoir. For example, rent a bike and ride through the hills, or go to the statue of Hariti - the Buddhist patroness of children, education and a successful marriage.

Properly organized nutrition is a great way to save money

What you can save a lot of money on is food. You will do this very well if you avoid catering establishments in tourist spots. Instead, look for street vendors and markets that cater to locals. The night markets in Sanur and Seminyak offer a rich variety of traditional dishes at low prices.

Advice. It doesn’t matter what number is indicated on the price tag or in the menu. Ultimately, it all depends on your bargaining ability.

Affordable Housing

Peak periods in Indonesia are January, August, September and December. If you go on vacation during these months, you will have to spend more on accommodation than usual. During the low season, hotels are often empty, so there is a chance to negotiate a reasonable price. If you have tight time frames, then the universal answer to the question “ToHow can I go to Indonesia cheaply?like this: choose budget cities and resorts. For comparison: in Sumatra it is possible to rent a room for 5 USD per night, while in the expensive areas of Java and Flores the cost of accommodation varies from 15 to 100 USD per night. In some places in Bali (Kuta, Sanur, Legian) bungalows are cheaper than hotel rooms. However, many of them are equipped with air conditioning or ceiling fans, as well as a private bathroom.

Fare

If, when choosing a resort, you stopped in Bali, but want to see the neighboring islands, be sure to allocate some money for internal travel. Traveling between the islands is quite cheap, so you shouldn’t deny yourself the pleasure of seeing as many places as possible. Getting from one end of the country to the other is also not a problem. Many islands have airports, and buses run to the most remote villages. The flight is naturally expensive, so use ferries. Expect to pay about 2-3 dollars for each crossing.

You won't get too much trouble with a taxi. Although the tariffs are acceptable, when constantly moving, the amount per day adds up to a decent amount. The alternative is cheap public transport. Commuter trains, as in many Asian countries, are crowded, but if you have a little patience, you can manage 25 cents per trip. Value freedom - rent a scooter. A day's rental will cost about two dollars. And if there are two of you, can you imagine?!!

Have harmonious and easy travels!

A trip to Indonesia can be as diverse as possible: there are temples, national parks, several volcanoes, and paradise beaches where you can watch turtles or learn to surf. Anastasia Zadorozhnaya– a Belarusian woman who coordinates exchange programs in Warsaw, is interested in film, travels, practices creating interesting routes, and for 34travel shares her recipe for a two-week trip to Indonesia.

Why Indonesia?

Honestly? Accidentally. I’m ashamed to admit, but before traveling to Indonesia, I didn’t know exactly where in Southeast Asia it was located, and Bali seemed almost like a mythical island-state. But somehow, on the Internet, promotions appeared on flights to Asia from Qatar Airways - and I love promotions - and, after studying possible destinations, I chose Indonesia (I’ll say right away that the choice was very successful!). An additional bonus is that if you travel as a tourist for up to 30 days, you do not need a visa to Indonesia.

How to get there?

The fastest way is by plane with at least one transfer. In terms of price, the ticket is a little more expensive than, for example, in, but from time to time you can catch discounts - so at the Qatar Airways sale we snagged a ticket from Warsaw to Jakarta and back for $360, when the regular price was about $560.

When to go

For most of the country, the dry season lasts from April to October, although many tourists come to Bali in winter - the rainy season is not very critical here, because... High humidity with slight fluctuations persists on the island all year round. We were in Indonesia in the first half of October and got caught in tropical rain twice (the feeling was unforgettable).

Food

You shouldn't expect culinary delights from Indonesia (with the exception of Bali). The main national dishes that we came across in Java are nasi goreng (fried rice), mie goreng (fried noodles) and soto ayam - chicken noodle soup. In Java, we ate mainly in local eateries, before ordering we carefully pretended on our fingers that we would inform ourselves of the pepper in the soup. By the way, in Indonesia, coffee lovers can try one of the most expensive coffees in the world - kopi luwak, known for its specific method of processing luwak animals in the body. Apparently, the connoisseurs among us are worthless, because it seemed to us to taste like ordinary diluted coffee.

Bali is full of cafes with a variety of food - I advise you to try meat skewers sate with nut sauce and load up on fruit. And on Gili, you should definitely enjoy a dinner of fresh seafood on the seashore, which will be grilled in front of you.

Housing

We reserved overnight accommodations in advance, since the trip schedule was very tight. In Java, places to sleep (fingers refuse to type “hotels”) are easier to find among locals through Google/blogs; in Bali or Gili, many options are available through Booking and Airbnb.

Route

I can’t count how many blogs I re-read and suffered when I had to cross out this or that place or island from my itinerary. Indonesia is home to an abundance of beautiful and unique locations, so it was not easy to choose the best ones. In the end, a plan emerged that was 95% successful.

Day 1-3. Yogyakarta and surroundings

Overnight: 3 nights in a hostel Luwabica art"n coffee house (Jl. Pugeran Timur No. 594, Mantrijeron) , run by Polish woman Emilia, the creator of a popular Polish travel blog about Indonesia. Costs around IDR 195,000 for two per night with breakfast. We also rented a brand new scooter through her for IDR 70,000 per day.

We flew to Jakarta, but due to limited vacation and not particularly enthusiastic reviews of the capital, we decided not to waste time and immediately transferred to the next Lion Air plane to Yogyakarta (the ticket was purchased in advance) - the cultural capital of Indonesia. We left one day for the city itself and one for its surroundings.

In the city I recommend:

Be sure to see the Taman Sari water palace with an underground mosque. Although I am against any excursions, here I advise you to hire a guide at the entrance, who, for a tip, will take you throughout the entire territory of the palace and in reasonable English will tell you where the Sultan watched his wives in the pool on hot days and how exactly he chose the one who would spend with him. it's evening.

For those who are in Asia for the first time, take a ride in an open auto-rickshaw, where you sit in front of the driver. It's cool, especially when you almost fly out of your seat!

Take a walk along the bustling Malioboro shopping street, try Indonesian soto ayam soup at a local cafe and go to Batik Art Center Students (Jalan Pajeksan, Cokrodipuran No.18) , where you can view and buy batik works by students and masters.

But most of all tourists are attracted not by the city, but by its surroundings, where two famous temple complexes are located - Buddhist Borobudur and Hindu Prambanan. Since we wanted to kill two birds with one stone in one day, at 5 am we were already racing on a scooter towards Borobudur (the plan was to arrive at the temple at dawn, but something went wrong). Closer to the temple, the road is very picturesque - I still have a picture in my head of endless rice fields along the road against the background of the Merapi volcano in the bluish dawn haze.

Not far from the entrance, we park the scooter for IDR 5000, have breakfast in a nearby cafe (where there were 2 menus: one with more European dishes and the second with local ones) and go get tickets. And here everyone is faced with injustice: a ticket for foreigners costs 15 times more than for locals, namely $25 (for students $10). If you plan to see two temples, like we did, you can buy a common ticket for $40, valid for two days from the date of purchase. Also at the entrance, for about $8 (IDR 100,000), you can hire a guide who will tell you in more detail the history of the complex and its significance. The atmosphere of the temple and the stunning scenery of the surrounding area more than compensate for the early rise - I highly recommend coming here at dawn. There may be crowds of tourists and Indonesian schoolchildren around, eager to take photos with you and practice English, but in the morning light the temple evokes a magical feeling of harmony and peace.

Slightly enlightened and tired from the long walk, we mount our scooter again and an hour later we find ourselves at the entrance to another temple complex - Prambanan, dedicated to the three main Hindu deities - Brahma, Vishna and Shiva. Some of the temples are ruins due to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. You can also hire a guide at the entrance - or read about this place in advance to roughly understand which temple belongs to what. Compared to Borobudur, Prambanan is a little inferior, but still worth a visit.

After so much spiritual food, we return to the hostel and pack our backpacks to set out in the morning towards the national parks in southern Java.

Day 4-6. Volcano on a volcano

Further our route lies towards the island. Bali via national Bromo Tengger Semeru Park and blue lights of the volcano.

Through our hostel owner Emilia, we reserved a tour for 3 days and 2 nights for approximately IDR 650,000 per person. This route can be organized independently by trains and tuk-tuks - it will be a little cheaper, but you either need to have a day in reserve, or walk around Bromo volcano for only a couple of hours, otherwise you will not have time for the train towards Ijen. At first we planned to organize everything ourselves as working travelers, but when we realized that we didn’t have much time left, and a couple of hours near Bromo was not enough for us, we decided not to risk it.

So, at 8 am we get to the station, where an 8.5-hour journey to the city of Probolinggo awaits us. The Indonesian train is reminiscent of an electric train, where the reality turned out to be much more pleasant than expectations: air conditioning, clean toilets, and a reserved seat - and this is in economy class!

At the Probolinggo station, we immediately transfer to a bus to our destination - the village of Cemoro Lawang on the edge of the caldera (volcanic basin). When entering the village, everyone is charged IDR 10,000 (less than a dollar). One guy refused to pay extra, but in the pitch darkness among volcanoes the concept of “all inclusive” does not exist - pay or disembark. Everyone paid, after which we were taken to bed. And here it doesn’t matter how many stars your “hotel” has - at night it will be equally cold in each one, so get ready to wear everything you have.

“In the pitch darkness among volcanoes, the concept of “all inclusive” does not exist”

People make a long journey here for the sake of two things – to watch the sunrise with a view of the valley of volcanoes and to walk along the crater of the active volcano Bromo. Dawn is first on the agenda, so after a short nap at 3 am we are already vigorously marching along the path with flashlights and a map. You can walk to the Penanjakan observation deck in an hour or travel by jeep for an additional fee, but the last part of the journey up the mountain will have to be covered on your own two feet. The road itself is not difficult - however, due to my physical unpreparedness, I already crawled the last meters. On the site itself you will have to scramble to find a good place, and then all you can do is wait for the first rays of the sun to break through the horizon. Without further ado – the best sunrise of my life.

Then you can either go up to the second observation deck (where there will be many times fewer people), or go down and through the lava field approach the Bromo volcano. Unfortunately, we were not able to walk around the crater, because... the volcano puffed slightly with poisonous gases. But if you have such an opportunity, remember - at the entrance to the park you will be asked to pay a rather large payment of IDR 300,000, but near the Cemoro Indah hotel there is a path along which you can go to the territory bypassing the ticket office (although the “No Trespassing” sign is still there There is).

“We weren’t able to take a walk around the crater, because... the volcano was slightly puffing poisonous gases"

At 10 a.m. we pack into a minivan and set off towards the next location – the Ijen volcano. After a practically sleepless night, the 9-hour journey is difficult, but the amazing views outside the window make the journey easier and remind us that a new adventure awaits us at night.

Around 7 pm we already arrive in a town whose name even Google does not show, and check into our modest room at Catimore Homestay. It’s quite good for a few hours of sleep, and there’s a bar nearby where we had dinner. At one o'clock in the morning we again climbed into our own minivan, which took us to the foot of the Ijen volcano.

Rather, it is not even a volcano, but a complex of a dozen volcanic objects located around the caldera, where an extraordinary natural phenomenon occurs, for which I was ready to stay awake - blue lights, which are the result of the interaction of hot sulfur dioxide and oxygen. To see them, you first need to climb up for about an hour, and then go down to the bottom of the crater for half an hour. The first part of the climb is quite steep - you will need sneakers and a companion to pull you up. Then the road levels out, and on the descent into the crater there is a sign “No Trespassing”, which does not stop anyone.

The closer to the bottom, the brighter the lights are visible - they are really blue! Sulfur is also mined at the bottom, so at the start everyone received their own mask from the guide. The sulfur gases on Ijen are dangerous, and I had the feeling that there were very, very many boiled eggs that were not the freshest freshness around me. But sulfur is really insidious - its smell does not disappear immediately, it haunted us even after returning home.

At dawn, the outlines of one of the world's largest sulfur lakes, which is located in the same crater - Kawakh, also appear. The water in the lake has a stunning turquoise color due to its high acidity and concentration of metals, and its temperature varies from 60 degrees near the shore to 200 at the bottom. For the curious: you can touch the water. And near the shores of the acid lake, local residents are engaged in the extraction of sulfur, which condenses from the vapor.

Having walked around the crater to our heart's content, after a few hours we get out of it and go down to the minibus. And everything that was hidden by pitch darkness at night is revealed to the eyes - namely, volcanoes, mountains and hills in lush greenery. The spectacle is amazing! Picking up our jaws every minute, we finally go down and for the last time load into the minivan, which drops us off at the port of Ketapang, from where the ferry to Bali runs every 20 minutes. After paying IDR 6,000 per person for a ticket, we jump on a ferry full of Indonesians and within 2 hours we set foot on Balinese soil.

The first impressions of Bali were formed immediately upon leaving the pier, when Indonesians began to run up to us and vying with each other to persistently invite us into their minibuses - but transport to the city we needed, Denpasar, found us on its own. Wikitravel insisted that in Bali you can bargain for a price almost 2 times lower than the original one, but no matter how many times we tried, we managed to save a few thousand rupees at most. Either the tourists have already spoiled the Balinese, or we are not so hot as traders. For IDR 45,000 instead of 50,000, a four-hour jolt to Denpasar awaited us, so after having a snack at the Warung Papet rica-rica cafe near the bus station (by the way, they had the best nasi goreng of our entire stay in the country), we loaded into the minibus and by evening were finally able to take a horizontal position at Nakula Familiar Inn ( Jln Nakula Nomor No.4, Dauh Puri Kaja, North Denpasar).

Day 7-8. Swim on Gili Air

It seems that it was already possible to relax here, sipping a cocktail overlooking the ocean, but having read that Bali does not abound in beaches with white sand and blue water for swimming, even in advance I frantically Googled where to find paradise on the island. And she found it, but not in Bali, but nearby, on the small Gili Islands. There are only three of them: Gili Trawangan - party, Gili Meno - for lovers and Gili Air - something in between the two and just for us. But it wasn’t even the paradise beaches that convinced us, but the opportunity to see turtles right in the coastal waters of the islands.
We only had a day on the island, so I was looking for a transfer option with the earliest departure and latest return - I found one on easygili.com (we also reserved it in advance). The transfer Denpasar (Bali) – Gili Air – Kuta (Bali) cost IRD 500,000 per person, and we reserved our bamboo bungalow through Airbnb for $35 with breakfast. On site it turned out that our host has his own boat on which he takes guests to snorkel and look for turtles, so we immediately signed up for the next morning, after which we went to check whether the beaches were really so heavenly. The Internet didn't lie! You can walk around the island in a couple of hours, stopping along the way at bars and restaurants to taste freshly prepared seafood... What a paradise! There are no cars or police on the island itself, but there are legal hallucinogenic mushrooms.

The next morning, the host took us and the guests on a boat away from the shore, where we swam, dived and, most importantly, saw turtles in their natural environment. After several hours in the water, we moored to the shore, grabbed our things and rushed to our boat in Bali.

“There are no cars or police on the island itself, but there are legal hallucinogenic mushrooms.”

Day 9-14. Bali

Bali, although a small island, is full of diversity. If you want to walk along the volcanic beaches and watch the sunrise in the sea with dolphins, head to the north; if you want to go diving, go to the east, in the west there are many surf schools, in the south there is the main party, and in the center you will find the Agung volcano, many temples and Ubud with vegan cafes and yoga classes.

We decided to devote the first three days to surfing, so we reserved in advance Legian Village Hotel (Jl. Padma, Legian, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung) and signed up for surfing lessons at the Russian school Surf Season. For three days of classes, which began at 7-8 in the morning, we managed to get up on the board, and I personally was also exhausted to such an extent that all plans for an active exploration of the surrounding area (in particular, the famous temples of Uluwatu and Tanah Lot) collapsed under the pressure fatigue. After each lesson, I steadily drifted off to sleep and no temples or beaches could tempt me. But surfing is something that you definitely need to try in Bali, so you can either enroll in a Russian school (a more expensive option), or find Indonesians on the shore who rent out boards and at least explain in English what to do with it ( will be cheaper, but less effective).

If surfing doesn’t interest you, it’s better not to stay in Kuta. The city is full of tourists, so most local traders will charge double prices for goods and try to fool you in various ways. We ourselves found ourselves in the same situation - on the last evening in Kuta we decided to change money not at an authorized point, but at one of the shops that offer more favorable rates, although we sensed that there was a catch somewhere. The scheme is this: there are two guys at the counter, one of whom counts rupees for you and after each count of yours insists that he must count the money again, and the second talks to you. After several such recounts, you no longer remember who was the last to hold the pack in his hand and you quickly get out of there. We returned to the hotel with our rupees, counted them - and there was a million missing (okay, not dollars). At the reception they explained to us that the exchanger, when counting with his fingers, swipes a dozen bills for himself. The hotel security guard and his fellow policeman volunteered to help us, although we were sure that our money changers had immediately closed their shop and left. As it turned out, no - a short conversation between our saviors and the scammers led to us returning the rupees we had received earlier, and without asking questions they gave us dollars, which we exchanged at the official point, and then we walked along the ocean for a long time and digested this incident.

The next morning we left Kuta with relief and took a local bus to Ubud, where we spent our last days in Ojek's Homestay (Jl. Raya Ubud Gg. Soka No. 4 Br. Taman Kelod) , riding around the area on a scooter rented for 50,000 IDR per day. At the surf school they convinced us not to go to Ubud - for them, as ocean lovers, it was not clear what you could do in the depths of the island other than “look for the third eye,” and the well-known film “Eat, Pray, Love” greatly promoted this place. But, riding alone through local villages, forests, and rice fields, we did not regret our choice at all. There are many interesting locations in Ubud and its surroundings - we managed to visit the following places, which we strongly recommend.

The Legong and Barong Dance– traditional Balinese dances. We went to a performance at the Royal Palace - quite unusual, but interesting. The entrance ticket cost IDR 100,000.

Campuhan Ridge Walk– a trail with scenic views that takes you to Carsa Spa – the best spa I’ve ever had! It’s better to go for a walk early and reserve the spa in advance.

Monkey Forest– a tropical forest where monkeys roam freely. Remember that although the monkeys are calm towards tourists, they are quite unceremonious and treacherous, so it is better to keep your bag zipped with you and hide your glasses and jewelry. It is better to stock up on bananas for feeding in advance so as not to overpay on the spot. Entrance IDR 50,000.

Pura Tirta Empul– Hindu temple with famous holy springs. First, it’s better to walk around the temple grounds (which are very beautiful!), and then take a dip in the springs - wet people are not allowed into the temple. I advise you to read in advance how to properly perform the ritual of ablution and what to pay attention to. It is believed that the water in the temple is holy and has the power of healing, but even if you don’t feel anything, you will definitely be invigorated by its coolness. Entrance: IDR 15,000.

Pura Kehen– we arrived here in the evening, so what I remember most about it was its sparse crowds. We only met a couple of tourists. The temple is located away from the main routes and is not very popular - this is what attracted us. The temple itself is ancient, and the huge banyan tree on its territory gives it a special atmosphere. Entrance 15,000 IDR.

Tegallalang Rice Terraces, which we only reached on the day of departure. A taxi to the airport was booked for 8am, so we had to leave for the terraces before 5am. The only thought that was somehow invigorating this early was the shame and disgrace of visiting Bali and not seeing the rice terraces. At that time there was practically no one there, and the sun had not yet risen high, so we fully enjoyed the beauty. Still, getting up early in Bali really pays off. Admission is free, although when we wanted to go down to the lower levels, our grandmother followed us, demanding donation. We were already running out of time, so we decided to stay upstairs.

Since you have landed on this page, it means you are going on a trip to Indonesia. Well, I envy you in a good way - I would go back there again! In my opinion, no matter how much time you devote to visiting the country, it will still not be enough. Still, 17,000 islands!

We visited only the most populated and developed island of Java and the popular Bali, but we got some idea during our month in the country, and today we will share useful information. Are you going to Indonesia on your own? Read on!

Surfers in Bali, Kuta beach

Indonesia visa

Citizens of Russia and Ukraine do not need a visa to Indonesia if the period of stay does not exceed 30 days - everything is simple. But there are several nuances:

— you must enter through one of the international airports: Ngurah Rai (Bali), Soekarno-Hatta (capital Jakarta), Juanda (Surabaya), Kuala Namu (Medan), or through the seaports of Hang Nadim, Pelabuhan Laut Sekupang (Batam Island) , Pelabuhan Laut Sri Bintan, Pelabuhan Laut Batam Center and Pelabuhan Laut Tanjung Uban (Riau Islands).

— you must have a return air ticket or a ticket to a third country

Upon arrival, your passport will be stamped, but it is impossible to extend your stay, keep this in mind in case you want to stay :-)

Required documents for visa-free entry:

- passport valid for at least another 6 months at the time of arrival

– return ticket (or to a third country)

- a completed migration card, which can be taken nearby at the counter (they can also give it on the plane)

Citizens of Belarus must obtain a visa upon arrival for $35 per person, including children, or in advance in Moscow.

Where to go? Routes

There is a lot of room for imagination here. Indonesia offers interesting places for every taste, as well as a variety of cultures and traditions.

Behind the magnificent beaches It’s worth going to the islands of Gili, Lombok, Bali, Banyak, Bintan. The choice is simply huge!

For surfing: Bali, southeast Java (G-Land), Lombok, Sumbawa.

Behind the volcanoes: Java island, Lombok.

For nature: national parks Komodo, Meru Betiri, Papua.

For ethnographic finds: Papua

This division is very arbitrary; Indonesia is a country full of beautiful places. If you don't have much time, I advise you to come and see one island or a group of islands located nearby.

The route we took is very popular among travelers: from west to east along Java, and then Bali. You can combine Bali, Lombok and Gili, or visit Java and Sumatra separately. To explore Papua, it is better to go there separately, without combining it with anything else. Kalimantan is also worthy of a separate trip.

How to get to Indonesia? Transport

You can only get to Indonesia from Russia with a transfer. Usually the cheapest way is to take flights to Bangkok, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City and other major cities in Southeast Asia. And from there fly to Indonesia on local low-cost airlines, such as Air Asia, Lion Air and many others.

Below Jakarta - descending

Before Jakarta or Bali, sales are periodically held by Middle Eastern airlines Emirates, Etihad, Qatar and Asian airlines China Airlines, China Southern, Korean Air and others.

It’s convenient to select the best and cheapest options on and.

You can get there not only by air, but also by sailing from neighboring Malaysia, Singapore and East Timor, but this is a separate topic.

By land you can travel from the Malaysian part of the island of Kalimantan (Sarawak state) to the Indonesian part.

Domestic airlines are quite well developed. For flights you can use the same Air Asia, Garuda Indonesia, Batavia Air, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air. True, tickets cannot always be bought on airline websites and you will have to use the services of agents.

Trains in Indonesia- a comfortable and fast way to travel, but quite expensive, sometimes comparable in price to airplanes. Rail service exists only on the islands of Java and Sumatra, with the latter having three separate lines that are of interest only to train fans.

There are 3 classes of trains, but all of them are seated. The best one boasts wide seats, individual power sockets, and air conditioning. Cheap trains are similar to our electric trains with wooden benches opposite each other, only there are more people. Tickets should be purchased at least a few days in advance.

Buses, minibuses, bemo- the main type of transport, there are a lot of routes in different directions. Good air-conditioned buses run along the main destinations and between major cities, but on the periphery everything is not so happy.

There is often no space for luggage, you have to carry it on yourself the whole way, the Indonesians themselves constantly smoke right in the cabin, the air conditioning, if there was one, was broken long ago... In addition, countless food sellers and musicians walk along the already narrow passage.

The speed of movement also leaves much to be desired, at least in Java - the roads are narrow, you have to drag for a long time behind trucks, plus local buses stop at every pillar.

In general, you can and should travel by bus, but not over long distances.

Sea transport. All inhabited islands are connected in one way or another by sea. The main carrier is Pelni; on their website you can see the schedule and cost of ferries. On passenger ferries there are also several classes, depending on where you will be accommodated: on deck, in a common room or in a private cabin.

Urban transport represented by buses, bemos (minibuses), pedicabs (becak), motorcycle taxis (ojek).

Housing and accommodation

In Indonesia you will find a wide variety of accommodation - from the simplest to the most luxurious. In general, if you compare it with Thailand, for example, the price-quality ratio is worse - for $10 in the land of smiles you will live with greater comfort. The exception is the island of Bali (this is understandable, there is competition), where for the same $10 you can easily find a quite decent hotel/guesthouse with air conditioning, and for $13 we stayed in a hotel with a swimming pool.

Travel to Indonesia - hotel in Bali

The more remote the province and the less developed tourism, the higher the prices for accommodation will be - an iron rule with rare exceptions. You can bargain when checking in, especially if you arrive during the low season. On the other hand, the prices stated on the spot are higher than if you book in advance on the Internet, we have seen this repeatedly on the islands of Java and Bali.

The cheapest rooms are not equipped with a shower, but there is a so-called mandi - a container with cold water and a ladle nearby, with which you draw water and rinse. Naturally, the water in the mandi is cold, but this is not a problem, because it’s always above +30 outside! Bathrooms can be either private or shared, but are generally quite clean.

More expensive hotels have air conditioning, a pool, a bathroom and all the amenities - most of these options can be found in Bali, and the prices are quite reasonable. For example, we lived in Ubud at a luxurious resort with a huge breakfast for only $25.

Sights and interesting places

Read detailed reports about the places we visited. This is just a small part on the island of Java:

- the cultural capital of the island of Java, a very pleasant and calm city. From here it is convenient to travel around the surrounding area, where there is a lot of interesting things to do.

- a majestic complex a few kilometers from Yogyakarta.

- volcanic plateau, mountains, sulfur lakes, clouds of steam... unearthly beauty!

- one of the tallest in Indonesia, 81 meters high.

— we meet one of the most beautiful sunrises in life!

– cultural capital of Bali – guide

Trip to Indonesia - Bromo Volcano

Rice terraces in Ubud, Bali island

Locals

Indonesians are very friendly and smiling people, but to us they seemed too “indifferent”, although this may be a plus. Most of the locals are honest and open, but the small part that is connected with tourism has turned out to be completely spoiled by money, and the overall impression is spoiled. In tourist places they cheat blatantly and without imagination, and taxi drivers are annoying like nowhere else in Asia.

The official religion of Indonesia is Islam (it is the largest Muslim country in the world by population), although there are also Buddhists, Hindus (in Bali, although there is a mixture of beliefs), and Christians. Early in the morning you will probably be awakened by the call of the muezzin calling for prayer - there are many mosques throughout the country. However, religious norms do not exert strict pressure on society; many women wear ordinary Westernized clothing, jeans and T-shirts, sometimes combining this with a hijab. Only a few wear the burqa. But this is in Java, and in the more Muslim Sumatra in the state of Aceh the picture is probably different.

The language of Indonesia is called bahasa indonesia, it is quite easy to learn and does not have tones like Thai or Chinese. The letters are all Latin, so you will immediately recognize the learned words on the street and in conversation.

Health and insurance

Indonesia is generally a safe country. But chaotic and reckless traffic on the roads can pose a real danger, and it doesn’t matter whether you are traveling in a vehicle or walking along the sidewalk - you always need to be careful. In some cities there are quite a lot of holes in the sidewalk or roadside, and you can find unclosed hatches. Be careful when walking in the evening, because the lighting is poor and you may not notice it.

Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever are another real danger. Moreover, not all mosquitoes are malarial, but only some. How not to get sick? The rules are simple: sleep with a mosquito net or under a fan, wear long-sleeved T-shirts and pants in the evenings. However, if you are not going on a multi-day hike through tropical forests and swamps, there is no need to worry too much about these diseases.

Also try to wear a hat and apply sunscreen - the sun is very active here.

Another common problem is gastrointestinal disorders, especially if you just arrived from Russia and your body has not had time to readjust. Everything was ok for us, perhaps because by that time we had been in Asia for almost six months. Have any sorbent on hand, for example Enterosgel, it helps a lot.

Communication and Internet

The most popular mobile operator is Telkomsel and for all the latest information on the cost of calls and the Internet, it is better to go to them. They are actively developing the 4G network, and Internet tariffs are approximately the following:

1.1 Gb – 49,000 rupees ($6.5)

2.6 Gb - 89,000 rupees

6 Gb – 119,000 rupees

14 Gb – 169,000 rupees

Food

In Indonesia, as elsewhere in Southeast Asia, it is difficult to go hungry. There are various cafes, restaurants and simple street stalls to choose from. Since the country is Muslim, you will not find pork or other products here that do not meet the norms of Islam (all others are considered halal, you can often see the inscription “halal”), but Bali has everything.

The main dishes are rice (nasi) and noodles (mie), and their various modifications with additives: regular (putih), fried (goreng), with chicken (ayam), fish (ikan). A popular soup with soy meatballs, called bakso, can often be found on the street.

Cafes in the local language are called warung, and the price is different for everyone, of course, but for a dollar or a dollar and a half you can easily feed one person.

We found Indonesian food less tasty than Thai and Malaysian, at least when comparing food in cheap establishments.

Future food :)

Of course, there are a lot of fruits in Indonesia, dozens of types in the market or supermarket, feel free to try them, try to take seasonal ones - it’s tastier and cheaper. Locals drink tea (teh, it can be cold or hot, sweet or not, with milk), coffee (the same varieties), and juices, but in smaller quantities.

If your body does not accept local foods, you can go to McDonalds, KFC and their local analogues; they have tolerable food that is difficult to get poisoned from.

There are several supermarket chains in the country with a good selection of products, most notably Indomaret and Circle, but in particularly tourist areas of Bali, prices there are higher than in similar stores in other places.

A trip to Indonesia will not leave you indifferent: you will surely fall in love with the Balinese sunsets, the smoking giants of Java, the smiling locals... Good luck on your journey!

Category: Indonesia

20 articles with photos about my independent travels in Indonesia. I traveled by public transport to the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, Flores, around the island of Kalimantan and Sulawesi. About 40 locations in Indonesia. Sights, culture, volcanoes and nature - the most interesting

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