Indonesia Local Customs

  Jakarta roses -bunga mawar in little...
by ullfri49
 
  • Jakarta roses -bunga mawar in little house garden
      Jakarta roses -bunga mawar in little...
    by ullfri49
  • 'Black Jack Kopi', Banda Aceh
      'Black Jack Kopi', Banda Aceh
    by Daihappydai
  • Sweet treats at a coffee shop, Banda Aceh
      Sweet treats at a coffee shop, Banda...
    by Daihappydai
  • A small warung selling local coffee, Banda Aceh
      A small warung selling local coffee,...
    by Daihappydai
  • 'Dakota Kopi', one of the many coffee shops
      'Dakota Kopi', one of the many coffee...
    by Daihappydai
 
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Batik Art

by tere1

The Batik of Bali provides another venue of showing the artistic excellence of the Balinese people. Their beautiful designs, inspired by religious mythologies to everyday encounters, spread throughout the world. Originally stimulated by Javanese motifs, dominated by mythological characters, contemporary batik artists have also experienced artistic development that parallels that of paintings.The Ikat and Double Ikat are two amazing techniques that the Balinese have perfected.The village of Tenganan is well known for its superb double ikat work. A good piece of double ikat may take months to complete, and it usually belongs to the family heirloom.You can find pieces of batik anywhere in Bali and you can also visit these textile manufacturers and watch them working.

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Ask permission before taking a photo to someone

by tere1

In Bali you should never take a photo of the locals without asking them permission. Many people don't like it and it happened to me.I tried to take a photo of a woman who was walking in the street with some little pigs on her head. She turned around, not letting me take a shot of her face. My guide then explained me that many people believe that if you take their photos you can take away their souls. It's a religious thing.So don't make the same mistake I did. I was able though to get this pic of her from behind.

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Superstition rules Indonesia and its disasters #2

by balisunshine

According to the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI),released a survey concluding that the public had begun to interpret the natural disasters "mystically, irrationally, or spiritually."The LSI's executive director, Denny Ali, said to reporters that the president's political opponents were indeed pushing the idea that he had helped trigger the disasters. "In Indonesia, people believe in the supernatural," says Muhammad Qodary, an LSI researcher."And the more people believe [the disasters] don't come from scientific explanations, the more they'll look to the supernatural."

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Superstition rules Indonesia and its disasters #1

by balisunshine

Superstition and mysticism is an aspect in Indonesia.For the first time,the country has its first presidentthat has a visualization for what could be good for the country in the long term.Fighting corruption by,sending those who have had political power and have abused it in the past, to court.He has been trying to clean up a chaotic systemthat has been fueled by briberyso that functionality can allure foreign investmentafter the country has been declared as one of the most corrupt in the world.But superstition and mysticism irks the President. And it is the last thing Indonesia needs,when facing natural disasters.Since the giant Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004 struck,Indonesia has faced deadly floods, earthquakes, landslides, and parching droughts.In the efforts to explain the wrath of nature, scientist are jostling against religion and even supernatural beliefs. National...

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Chickens and the Bird Flu Part 2

by balisunshine

Here, one of the first things to do,is to educate this chicken loving culture,what to do with all their chickens that run freely, around in their homes,and to inform them a bit about the effects of science.Another issue is,that despite of the thousands of hens dyeing each month,farmers are being compensated well below the market price,only 2000 Rp per bird and discouraging them to further report any outbreaks.(And here we go again and again, this kind of behavior is practiced often, here!!)To go even further,it is common here to consider that No news, is good news.Not until recently and after a lot of international pressure,Indonesia has allowed foreign scientists to have full access to the country's data on bird flu so to help international scientists understand how the H5N1 bird flu virus works.In a recent interview with The Jakarta Post,Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari admitted...

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Chickens and the Bird Flu Part 1

by balisunshine

In reading the Economist,I viewed an article titled,“The Bird Flu Capital of the World”.To my sadness,but not to my disbelief, they were referring to Indonesia.It was written a week after Indonesia’s 43rd human death from the bird flu was reported.And at this time,it was the highest death toll reported from any country in the world.This is where the typical Indonesian controversy is displayed in action.The government says that, it is trying its best to combat the spreading,but it doesn’t want to spend it’s own money in doing so.(This kind of behavior is practiced often, here)Instead, they have requested that the $900 million in grants which has been pledged to fight H5N1 globallybe paid in full, directly to them.IF they were to get the funds,it would most likely be that, the funds would be misspent. (Again, this kind of behavior is practiced often, here)When it comes to planning a way of...

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Mandi

by jungles

Most budget losmen do not have a running shower; rather, in the bathroom they will have what is called a mandi. This is the most common way for Indonesians to bathe, and it involves a large bucket or basin full of cold water and a small plastic bucket or scoop. You use the scoop to pour the water over yourself as you stand away from the basin. It's important not to get the water in the basin dirty or soapy, as it will be used by the people who follow you.

Dress code for women, and possible changes

by jungles

Indonesia has the most relaxed dress code of any Muslim country I've been to. Even in Muslim regions, the majority of the local women do not cover their hair, and you certainly do not need to unless you are entering a mosque. While I don't suggest wearing overly skimpy sleeveless tops or baring your midriff, short sleeves and even shorts are acceptable. This may change soon, however, as there is currently a bill against pornography being debated in Indonesian Parliament, which political analysts say is likely to pass. The bill came about when Indonesian Playboy debuted in the country in early April 2006, amid massive protests by more conservative factions. Pornography is already illegal in Indonesia, but the law is rarely enforced. The new bill, if made into law, could stretch the definition of pornography to include exposing sensual body parts such as the navel or thighs. The bill...

Bali: Visiting Hindu temples

by jungles

Visitors are welcome to enter Hindu temples in Bali, but certain customs should be respected. In most cases you will be required to wear a sarong to enter a temple, whether you're a man or a woman. Some of the more often-visited temples will have sarongs at the entrance for tourists to borrow. Also, menstruating females are considered unclean and should not enter; there are many other restrictions too that you should respect. For a full list, see the photo of a sign in front of a Balinese temple.

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Toilet without flush device

by Hui-Hui

In my opinion it's inconvenient to go to toilet in Indonesia. Except hotels, the toilets are all without flush device. We have to pour water into toilet with a scoop by ourselves.In general tip for washing room is RP 1,000. But anyway, if you are not in such a hurry, I recommend you to go to toilet in hotel (the most clean and convenient) and restaurants.

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Local traditions and culture in Indonesia

Top 3 Hotels in Indonesia

The Laguna Resort & Spa  Bali

 8 Reviews and 841 Opinions  MY WIFE AND I STAYED IN THE SHERATON LAGUNA FOR THREE WEEKS IN JULY 2006. THE HOTEL HAS JUST GONE... 

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Hotel Mulia Senayan  Jakarta

 15 Reviews and 403 Opinions  My family was planning to have a new year's eve here in Hotel Mulia, so we went there and I've once... 

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The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta  Yogyakarta

 4 Reviews and 564 Opinions  I had a fantastic stay in the old colonial Phoenix Hotel. It's a beautiful building and the staff... 

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1,543 Hotels in Indonesia
 
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Reviews and photos of Indonesia attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Indonesia sightseeing.

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Local Customs: Cities in Indonesia
  1. Jakarta Local Customs
  2. Yogyakarta Local Customs
  3. Bandung Local Customs
  4. Ubud Local Customs
  5. Bali Local Customs
  6. Pulau Batam Local Customs
  7. Kuta Local Customs
  8. Pulau Bintan Local Customs
  9. Surabaya Local Customs
  10. Bandung Local Customs
  11. Bali Local Customs
  12. Malang Local Customs
  13. Medan Local Customs
  14. Lombok Local Customs
  15. Bukittinggi Local Customs
  16. Manado Local Customs
  17. Solo Local Customs
  18. Sanur Local Customs
  19. Uluwatu Local Customs
  20. Makassar Local Customs
  21. Borobudur Local Customs
  22. Padang Local Customs
  23. Bogor Local Customs
  24. Salatiga Local Customs
  25. Kupang Local Customs
  26. Banda Aceh Local Customs
  27. Karimunjawa Local Customs
  28. Bogor Local Customs
  29. Pelabuhanratu Local Customs
  30. Pulau Seribu Local Customs
  31. Palembang Local Customs
  32. Prambanan Local Customs
  33. Danau Toba Local Customs
  34. Rantepao Local Customs
  35. Pangandaran Local Customs
  36. Sorong Local Customs
  37. Cirebon Local Customs
  38. Pontianak Local Customs
  39. Wonosobo Local Customs
  40. Denpasar Local Customs
  41. Sukabumi Local Customs
  42. Blitar Local Customs
  43. Pekanbaru Local Customs
  44. Tengger Caldera Local Customs
  45. Bengkulu Local Customs
  46. Java Local Customs

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Popular Regions in Indonesia

Bali Local Customs  Special Capital Region of Jakarta Local Customs  East Java Province Local Customs  West Java Province Local Customs  Riau Province Local Customs  Central Java Province Local Customs  Yogyakarta Special Region Local Customs  North Sumatra Province Local Customs  West Sumatra Province Local Customs  East Nusa Tenggara Province Local Customs  West Nusa Tenggara Province Local Customs  Maluku Province Local Customs  South Sulawesi Province Local Customs  North Sulawesi Province Local Customs  Aceh Special Region Local Customs  Papua Province Local Customs 

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hello Folks, I am going to Indonesia and want an idea as to what is a realistic daily budget, a little further... 

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A: Motorcycle may cost you around 30-50k + 10k for the petrol. Say 50k on average for both basic accommodation will be around 100k-150k 30k-50k for the food so 300k... 

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