General travel info for Indo needed

[Karen Dancheck]

My husband and I are planning our first trip to Indo. This will be our 2nd trip to the Pacific. We were in Palau in 2014. Can anyone direct me to any book, thread or SB posts with general travel info and tips? Thanks in advance!

 

[Karen Dancheck]

Must bring the original international travel vaccination card. It is not enough to just have a card showing vaccination. So in Taiwan we have vaccination card showing shots. For travel to Indonesia I needed a separate vaccination card for international travel. Not sure what the USA does for this. They did ask to see my card at the airport before going to the immigration entry counter. Also have to pay the Visa on Arrival fee which is US$35 which I paid using my credit card. I assume you pay for your resorts with credit card. If diving with them also with credit card. When I dived in Lembongan and Lombok I paid in Indonesian cash for the dive ops as they are not part of the resort. In Bali I paid by credit card at the resort including all my dives at the resort.

No need to bring large sums of US$ cash. For my own ATM cards I can use my online banking app to disable or enable overseas use. So I enable, draw what cash I need, then disable the overseas use. I've been traveling to Indonesia since 1980. Never had travelers cheques or cash stolen. Never had issue with my ATM or credit cards being scammed either but it does happen. Anyway credit card companies are quick to stop any fraud when reported.

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Original international travel vaccination card? Are we talking about for Covid or other vaccinations needed to travel to Indo?

 

[Joneill]

Original international travel vaccination card? Are we talking about for Covid or other vaccinations needed to travel to Indo?

Just Covid vaccine proof is required… though other vaccines are recommended depending on what part of Indonesia you are visiting - check the CDC website for recommended vaccinations by destination:

Indonesia - Traveler view | Travelers' Health | CDC

I’m in Singapore at present on my way back from a Raja Ampat liveaboard trip. Not all places will take credit cards or USD so I changed USD to IDR at the Jakarta airport when I arrived. For me, it was for mainly for crew tips. It was quite easy. However, if bringing USD, make sure you have the latest bills as currency exchange, banks and some businesses will not accept older US bills (and must be not torn or taped in any way as well). See this post for some info:

First time in liveaboard

Bring Crisp, Clean U.S. Dollar Bills When Traveling to These Countries | MyBankTracker

 

[Karen Dancheck]

OK for currency, just bring your ATM card and withdraw cash it will be in Rupiah. I usually bring US$100 in small 20 bills for some trips but don't use it for tips. Don't need to bring large amounts of cash, many places do take credit cards. Small warungs ( eateries ) only take cash.
Tipping is not required. No need to do it in restaurants etc. I do tip my dive guides. Many resorts have porters to bring your dive gear to a shore dive or boat but they are paid by the resort. You need your Covid vaccination certificate showing you have had two shots. You also need to down load the PeduliLindungi app for immigration.

A Brief Guide on Using PeduliLindungi Mobile App

What is PeduliLindungi? The Indonesian government has been putting its utmost effort in order to prevent further spread of COVID-19 within the country.

www.indonesia.travel

So as far as the app goes…I planned on brining my phone but was only originally planning on using WiFi at the resorts. If I need to download and use the app to scan QR codes as soon as I got off the plane, I’d need to use data.

 

[Centrals]

Do you exchange USD upon arrival? Wasn’t sure if USD are accepted to pay for cash only things.

I have the United MC. I’ll check again, but I don’t believe there are any foreign transaction fees.

Two factors to consider:
1. Where am I arriving at..
2. What time is my arrival.
Airport: Bali is definitely NO while Jakarta is fine.
If arriving at Bali I will change a small amount at home or already have some left over from previous trip. The exchange rate in Denpasar is very good.
If I need to change flight at Jakarta and the exchange facilities could be closed on arrival then I will exchange the money at home. The last time I had spent any time in Jakarta was 30yrs ago and the traffic was horrendous.
The largest denomination of Indonesian Rupiah is only 100,000.00 and US$100.00 will exchange for a pile of them(US$1.00 will get you about IDR15,600.00).

You might find some establishments will incur extra few % if using credit card!!!! Quite common in SE Asia.

@Joneill has made it very clear on the quality of the Greenback.

 

[Luko]

So as far as the app goes…I planned on brining my phone but was only originally planning on using WiFi at the resorts. If I need to download and use the app to scan QR codes as soon as I got off the plane, I’d need to use data.

You can upload the Peduli Lindungi app "just in case". Simply do it now and let it sleep on your phone.
For the worst you'll have to show you've got it at the embarkation airport (doesn't even need to be connected!). Saying that, the Indonesian airline I took 2 weeks ago (I was in Indonesia until yesterday) told me that the app wasn't mandatory anymore, they didn't want to look at it on my phone. The info on requirements are changing every month or so : as of now -I'm not talking about last august but december 22-, nobody will ask you to show the app.
Since you're staying at inclusive resorts like Villa Markisa or Wakatobi don't even bother with local SIM cards. You won't use them.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Original international travel vaccination card? Are we talking about for Covid or other vaccinations needed to travel to Indo?

COVID Vaccinations only. That's why I posted a photo of my card. QR Codes? Not used when I was in Bali. Some malls required a mask but nowhere else.

 

[Blackcrusader]

So as far as the app goes…I planned on brining my phone but was only originally planning on using WiFi at the resorts. If I need to download and use the app to scan QR codes as soon as I got off the plane, I’d need to use data.

Well you in the airport use the free wifi there. ATM machines in Bali are just outside immigration. I see you wrote you are staying at two resorts. So get say 2.5 million Rupiah around US$150 worth and bring that as cash. Resorts will take credit cards and some resorts also have atm machines.

 

[Joneill]

COVID Vaccinations only. That's why I posted a photo of my card. QR Codes? Not used when I was in Bali. Some malls required a mask but nowhere else.

I just showed them my Smart Heath Card QR code on my iPhone when I flew into Jakarta on December 20. I had with no issues with that, but I did have my CDC physical vaccine card with me as well just in case they needed to see that - I’d advise to have that with you as well.

I had the Pedulil Lindungi app installed and vaccines approved - but they did not ask to see that anywhere in Indonesia.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I just showed them my Smart Heath Card QR code on my iPhone when I flew into Jakarta on December 20. I had with no issues with that, it I did have my CDC physical vaccine card with me as well just in case they needed to see that - I’d advise to have that with you as well.

I had the Pedulil Lindungi app installed and vaccines approved - but they did not ask to see that anywhere in Indonesia.

Great stuff. Thing in Taiwan is that QR codes and information are in Chinese which Indonesians cannot read
Yeah the app was only for the airport outside of that was never asked for vaccine card or QR code.

 

[Karen Dancheck]

Two factors to consider:
1. Where am I arriving at..
2. What time is my arrival.
Airport: Bali is definitely NO while Jakarta is fine.
If arriving at Bali I will change a small amount at home or already have some left over from previous trip. The exchange rate in Denpasar is very good.
If I need to change flight at Jakarta and the exchange facilities could be closed on arrival then I will exchange the money at home. The last time I had spent any time in Jakarta was 30yrs ago and the traffic was horrendous.
The largest denomination of Indonesian Rupiah is only 100,000.00 and US$100.00 will exchange for a pile of them(US$1.00 will get you about IDR15,600.00).

You might find some establishments will incur extra few % if using credit card!!!! Quite common in SE Asia.

@Joneill has made it very clear on the quality of the Greenback.

So we are flying into Bali and arrive in the afternoon.

Good to know that it is the establishments charging an additional % for cc use. That is happening now more in the states as well.