Indonesia is fast becoming a favourite destination among Australians this past few years. In 2017 alone, about 1.18 million tourists from Australia visited the Southeast Asian archipelago. With more than 17,000 islands to choose from, you will never run out of options if you decide to go for your vacation. But before you check out the best airfares and pack your bags with all your travel and tech essentials, here are several information that you need to know when planning for a fun Indonesian getaway.
What To Do Before Your Trip
It normally takes more than three hours for most flights from Australia to reach Indonesia. But prior to your trip, make sure that you have prepared all the travel requirements to avoid any problems. Fortunately, you do not have to apply for a visa to visit any of the Indonesian islands. However, you need to secure a valid passport in order to be accepted in the country. It would also be wise to secure a travel insurance with a comprehensive medical coverage in foreign countries so you won’t have to worry about the costs in case of a medical emergency. In addition, you must also ask your doctor to give you proper immunization against communicable diseases like malaria especially if you plan to visit remote areas.
You may also consider converting your Australian dollar to Indonesian rupiah as soon as you arrive since there are a lot of reputable money changers at the airport. If you need to convert your money elsewhere, you must remember to count all the bills before leaving the counter. You can also use your Mastercard or Visa in all ATMs across the country so you don’t need to carry around a lot of cash all the time.
Where to go
Before you finalize your flights, you must decide which part of Indonesia you want to explore. Some of the common places that Australians normally visit include the hidden beaches, temples, and spa retreats of Bali, the picturesque Mount Bromo volcano and the extraordinary Ijen Blue Fire Lake in Java, the country’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the ones in Yogyakarta called the Borobudur Temple Compounds and Prambanan Temple Compounds, Komodo National Park in West Manggarai, as well as the Sangiran Early Man Site in Central Java. If you want to see more unique spots, you can try visiting the Jellyfish Lake and the residence of the wild orangutans in Borneo.
How to get around
There are a lot of taxi companies operating all over Indonesia. But if you are staying in Bali, it would be best to get the services of the Bluebird taxi company to avoid being scammed. If you are feeling adventurous, you can also try renting a scooter if you have a valid international driving license. But if you want to be more comfortable, renting a car for the duration of your stay will be more convenient for any traveller.
Aside from scenic views and exotic places, Indonesia also became a favourite place of many Australians because of the warm hospitality of its ever smiling people. You just need to do your research first to know which part of the country will appeal to you. So go ahead and schedule your next holiday in this beautiful country in Southeast Asia as soon as you can.