I am starting off my Indonesia blog series with a basic post on what you’ll need to know prior to visiting the country. Many people go to Indonesia to visit Bali in particular, and while that was my main reason, I still made it a point to check out the other beautiful islands that the country has to offer. In this post, I’ll be sharing the main takeaways from my Indonesia trip and providing you with information before you plan your visit there. So… let’s get started!
Best Time to Travel
I chose September because the weather was optimal for me, the prices were significantly cheaper, and I heard it wouldn’t be so crowded. My trip was from September 1 – September 16, and I recommend nothing less than that because there is so much to see and do. It was pretty hot during the day, with an average temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but it got down to the 70’s at night.
Booking Flights & Layovers
In March, I found tickets from New York to Bali for only $499… so I immediately booked. It may seem far in advance, but checking ahead of time will definitely save you a lot of money. If you want to do the same time frame as me, I recommend you looking into tickets in March 2019. Since the flight is significantly long, the most popular layover destination is in China, at the Shanghai Pundong International Airport. You can get a 24-hour visa at the counter as soon as you land. I purposely booked my flight so I had a 15-hour layover in Shanghai both ways. The flight arrives early morning in Shanghai (both ways) and leaves in the evening (again, both ways). That gave me about 20 hours in total to explore the city and it made my trip 100x more adventurous! I will do a short post on my Shanghai layover with you following my Indonesia series.
Hotels vs. Hostels
Finding a place to stay in Indonesia that is a mix of comfort and luxury is super easy. You will definitely be able to get a dose of your 5-star luxury resorts, and also find some budget friendly hostels that basically feel like you are staying at a hotel. I, personally, have never stayed in a hostel, so this trip with my friends was a first. Since I was there for 2 weeks and I visited several different towns and islands, I had a mix of beautiful villas and very accommodating hostels. If you are going for a honeymoon or a romantic getaway, I think that you would be extremely satisfied with the prices/hospitality of the 5-star hotels in Bali itself. They are so affordable compared to the US and Europe, so you don’t feel like it’s really a splurge. After staying in a hostel for the first time in Bali, I realized that it’s a great way to make friends and also try something new. I’ve heard some crazy stories about hostels in other countries which is why I’ve never done it, but if you pick the right one, you will have the best time! I will list all of the hotels/hostels I stayed at throughout my Indonesia series.
What to Pack
My advice to you… PACK LIGHT. Since the weather is hot during the day, I ended up making use out of my flowy clothes and crop tops. I didn’t wear any denim or pants that I packed because it was too hot. That stuff ended up taking WAY too much space, so the new items that I bought weren’t fitting in my bag. I ended up donating a bunch of my clothes and a pair of shoes to one of the villages in Java, which felt really great to do. But with that being said, pack as little as you can. Bring enough bathing suits, comfy clothes/shoes for hikes, and a big bottle of sunblock. You WILL shop and find that your suitcase is a lot heavier when leaving! P.S. Buy sunblock before you visit! It’s way more expensive than the US because they know people will need it.
SIM Cards & WiFi
Getting a SIM card at the airport is highly recommended. There are desks all around the airport so you can easily purchase a plan based off of your needs. Since I was planning on blogging/updating you guys regularly, I bought a 30-day card with 4 GB, which cost about 15 USD. That’s a pretty small price to pay, especially because it is super convenient when you are trying to contact drivers or tour guides. If you don’t purchase one, most hotels/hostels/restaurants have free WiFi, but it’s not always the best connection.
Currency & How Much to Spend a Day
1 USD is equivalent to about 14,603 Indonesian Rupiah. The cost of living is way less than the US, so it’s pretty affordable for those of us who are used to spending $6 on a small iced coffee. Even if you are on a budget, you can do 2 big meals, engage in an activity, and include transportation in that for about $30/day. Compared to the average meal in the US and a single Uber ride, $30 is practically nothing. There were days where I was only spending $30 because I was lounging and taking it easy, but of course there were days where I paid for an experience that ended up being costlier. I will go into detail with specific dollar amounts on different activities when I do my individual island posts!
Transportation Around the Islands
Since Bali is primarily based off of tourism, you will find yourself stuck in traffic 9/10 times. If you are planning on traveling somewhere that is 20 minutes away, allot yourself an extra 10-15 minutes because of traffic (but it’s not as bad as it sounds). There are taxis everywhere, however, I found using the “Grab” app most convenient. Download the app before you leave the country because they will ask for a verification code. If you don’t buy a SIM card, you won’t be able to get the code and verify that it is you. Once you are ready to use it, you will see that it is very similar to Uber. Prices are cheaper than taxi’s, which is why I like them more. They also have similar features to Uber where you can choose the type of vehicle you want. If you are with a group of people, you can get a car with 1-4 seats. If you are by yourself, you can do a Grab Bike and experience getting on the back of a scooter! Grab Bikes end up being $1-2 USD for a 15 minutes ride… so it’s very cheap! If you are traveling to the other islands, Grab may not be offered there, so you may have to resort to taxi’s or your hotel shuttle service. If you know how to ride a scooter, mostly all hotels/hostels have scooter rentals for very cheap prices per day.
Food & Drinks
Since I’m a vegetarian, I’m always looking for the best places that will accommodate all of my food necessities. Needless to say, the food in Indonesia is AMAZING. They cater to all types of eaters: the vegetarians, people who only eat halal, pescetarians, vegans… everyone. I’ve never had Indonesian food before so it was a great cultural experience in that aspect. I had lots of noodles and Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice), which ended up being a new favorite dish of mine. The restaurants range from very small, hole-in-the-wall type of places, to upscale Michelin Star restaurants. You get a lot of variety depending on the type of food your feeling’, and most of it is at a VERY good price. Also – Indonesian’s understand my level of flavor and spice, so this was particularly enjoyable for me!! They have lots of places where you can sit down for cocktails on the beach or go to a bar to enjoy the local beer, “Bintang”. I’ll be doing a specific post on just food/drinks, so stay tuned for that!
Activities in Indonesia
Indonesian islands have the best to offer when it comes to water activities. I’m not a huge water person because I can’t swim, but some of the most popular things to do is surf and go scuba diving. People specifically go to the Gili Islands for that, which I did not have time for in my itinerary. However, if you are someone who is into that, I really think you should check it out! Other than that, Indonesia has activities for all types of people. If you want to take it easy, you can take cooking classes in Bali, or go to one of the hundreds of spas that offer extremely cheap BUT quality massages. If you are looking for an adventure, you can go to the island of Java and do a sunrise volcano hike or hike down a famous crater. All of the islands have countless temples to visit so you can soak up the culture. Bali is big on nightlife, so there are a lot of options to grab drinks & dance the night away!
Shopping & Souvenirs
Out of the Indonesian Islands that I visited, Bali was very big on the street markets and shopping. A couple of popular things that I came across for gifting to friends and family were sarongs, coffee, rice from the rice fields, artwork, woven straw purses and silver street jewelry. I actually bought a few rings for myself and I had a lot of people asking me where I got them from. Shopping for items like clothes, shoes, and other accessories is MAJOR. Bali is filled with boutiques that have the trendiest selections and so many pretty fabrics. I purchased a couple of skirts and lose fit pants for myself! Like any other touristy market, be sure to bargain… they WILL bring the price down.
I hope this post helps you get started on planning your travels! I’m going to go further into detail on specific towns/islands, activities, food and lodging in my upcoming posts! If there is something in particular that you’d like to know, comment below or feel free to email me! Xx