15 things to know before going to Indonesia: culture, health, and safety
If you’re looking for culture, activities, wildlife, or sheer adventure, Indonesia is one of the richest countries in the world. With an estimated 13,466 islands, it's a whopper too. But Indonesia beyond Bali and Lombok (and the Gili Islands) remains unknown to most travelers. To pick just one example, Sumatra (80 times the size of Bali!) is almost a world in itself. And still people ask the question: “is Indonesia worth visiting?”
Of course! This chain of islands – many culturally unique – stretches west to east across more than 5000km (3110 miles) making it one of the world’s most excitingly diverse countries. From getting ready before you go to important etiquette and safety information, here are 15 things you need to know to help you plan your trip to Indonesia.
Pick the best season
Most visitors to Bali do their best to avoid the rainy season (normally November to March), but there is really no bad time to visit Indonesia. Even at the height of the monsoon, rains are normally short and sharp and can form an unforgettably dramatic sound and light shows. You will often have several bright sunny days between relatively brief storms. There are benefits too in reduced crowds (and dropped prices) since this is also low-season… but the greatest disadvantage comes with the first rains of the year that wash plastic trash (one of Indonesia’s greatest problems) down the rivers and onto the beaches.
At other extremes of the archipelago, West Papua and the Maluku Islands tend to have their dry seasons between September and March. Giant Sumatra (1000km/620 miles long) and Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) are big enough to have weather patterns all of their own. As a general rule, March to October is a good bet for avoiding the heavy rains in these areas. This can be important in jungle regions since some areas might be inaccessible during the rains. Read More...
