Welcome to Indonesia!!!

Indonesia is a country in the Equator located south of Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines; East of Papua New Guinea; and North of Australia. The country encompasses more than 17,000 islands. The main reasons for visiting it are its heritage cultural sites (e.g., Sulawesi and Papua), its beaches (e.g., Bali and Lombok), its diving sites (almost everywhere in Indonesia), its natural wonders (e.g., Kalimantan and Komodo) and its welcoming people.

When to Go/Climate: The country has two differentiated seasons. The wet season goes from October to April, and the dry season from May to September. The high tourist season is the dry season all over the country. Most provinces can be visited all year round, though.

Get in: The main international airports are Jakarta (JKT) and Bali (Denpassar, DPS). To enter the country you need a visa. Most foreign visitors can get a visa on arrival for 30 days.

Get around: The best way to move from one island to the other is by plane. There are many local low fare companies in Indonesia. Public ferries are also an option for low-budget travelers. To move around one island, you can take public buses, taxis and motorbikes.

Money and Costs: The local currency is the Indonesian Rupiah. The cost of accommodation is from very cheap (staying in local hostels), to cheap (for western standard hotels). Food and transport are also very affordable.

Length of stay: Indonesia is a huge country. In order to visit the country in detail you would need several years. If you have three or four weeks, you will have to choose a few provinces.

Languages/People: Several hundred local languages are spoken in Indonesia. The official language is the Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia). English is widely spoken in tourist areas.

Food: The local dishes are Mie Goreng (fried noodles) and Nasi Goreng (fried rice). Sea food and fresh fish are available almost everywhere in Indonesia. Fruits and vegetables are always fresh and tasty.

Safety: Although Indonesia is renown for its natural disasters and its terrorist attacks, the country is quite safe. Earthquakes, tsunamis and volcano explosions are common, but one should take into account the size of the country (more than 5,000 Km long). Corruption is the main problem for tourists, specially so for the ones that rent a car or a motorbike. Crime is very rare.

Bali

Bali is one of the most famous paradisiacal islands in the world, and for a reason: Sandy beaches, historical sites, religious temples, well preserved traditions, volcanoes and lakes, amazing paddy fields, and last but not least, great diving sites!

Gili Islands (Lombok)

The Gilis is a group of three islands located Northwest of Lombok, Central Indonesia. Here visitors find white sandy beaches, great snorkeling sites, a good offer of diving sites, and a vivid party scene.

Bunaken (Sulawesi)

The Island of Bunaken used to be considered one of the top diving destinations in the world. The place is not what it used to be, but it is still worth visiting.

Raja Ampat (Papua)

Raja Ampat, located in the Coral Triangle, holds the richest variety of species in the world.

Many divers consider Raja Ampat the top diving destination in the world.

Togian Islands (Sulawesi)

The isolation of these volcanic islands have made of the Togians a paradisiacal destination. Today they are the favorite stopover for people traveling around Sulawesi.

Gorontalo (Sulawesi)

Gorontalo is Indonesia's diving hidden gem. The town is located in North Sulawesi, in the Gulf of Tomini.

Many divers go through Gorontalo on their way to the Togian Islands, and skip some of the best dives of their lives.