Packing list for Indonesia, travel insurance for Indonesia, and taking your belongings

To take or not to take to Indonesia, leave at home or arrange locally?

Sufficiently insured or not for your activities in Indonesia?

Sufficiently insured or not for your trip to Indonesia?

What to bring to Indonesia: highlighted

Highlighted items:

• Documents: passport that is valid for long enough (>6 months). An online and/or offline copy of your passport is always useful.
• Money: cash is certainly useful for the first few days, a debit card for afterwards.
• Care: sunscreen with a high factor, that is not cheap there.
• Outdoor and conveniences: in any case sunglasses and good, coral-friendly sunscreen! If you go during the rainy season, do not forget waterproof clothing and a waterproof cover for your backpack or bag.
• Clothing: clothing for both heat and humidity (see also tropical clothing and clothing for warm weather) that also covers legs and shoulders in case you want to visit temples or mosques.
• Shoes: good shoes for walking through the city or in nature. Flip-flops are also useful for showering or a day at the beach!
• Medicines and travel kit: a set of mosquito repellents (preferably with DEET, see also DEET mosquito repellent) and a medical kit (self-made or not) with anti-diarrhea.
• Lying down and sleeping: mosquito net, if it is not already present in your accommodation.
• Safety: a money belt or fanny pack is definitely recommended here.
• Technology and equipment: do not forget to bring a world plug, a Dutch plug does not fit into the socket in Indonesia (see also world plug or travel plug)
• Woman: scarf or light shawl – handy if you want to visit a mosque.

What else can you bring:

• A snorkel set, sometimes you can also rent them on site
• Water shoes given the coral and stones in the water at the various locations
• Hat or cap against the sun and heat
• A shawl that you can wear as a sarong, although you can of course also buy them there. This is especially useful at the temples in Bali.
• Reusable bottle with water filter - that saves a lot of plastic!

What knowledge is useful when you go to Indonesia?

• Knowledge of local customs and culture. This also differs greatly between Bali, very remote islands and the rest of Indonesia.
• A few words of Bahasa Indonesia can sometimes go a long way.
• Information about safety, health risks and how to protect yourself against theft.

Are there mosquitoes in Indonesia?

• Indonesia is full of mosquitoes that pose a considerable health risk.
• You are at risk all year round, but this increases even more during the rainy season.
• They are found throughout Indonesia, you are not safe anywhere except perhaps on a high mountain.

Are there sand flies in Indonesia?

• Sand flies are not a very well-known problem in Indonesia, but they do occur.
• If you protect yourself well against mosquitoes, you are generally also protected against sand flies.

Can you buy DEET or other mosquito repellents in Indonesia?

• Products containing DEET are available at supermarkets, mini markets and pharmacies, especially in the cities. The amounts of DEET are often lower than in Europe.
• Soffell is the most popular product in Indonesia.
• Picaridin is harder to find, so it is better to bring your own.

Where can you get food and drinks in Indonesia?

• There are good and reasonably large supermarkets in the cities. Especially in Bali you can get a lot of foreign products.
• Try the local warungs, these are restaurants in people's homes where you can get real, healthy food.
• There are also many restaurants and fast food chains these days, especially in Bali and in the big cities.
• Street food can be found spontaneously and at local markets. Pay attention to what you eat, so that you don't have to break your supply of anti-diarrheals!
• Finding vegan food is very difficult outside of Bali.

Can you buy a beer or wine in Indonesia, or take it with you to Indonesia?

• If you are 21 years or older, beer and wine are easily available in Bali (although it is a lot more expensive) and in the big cities and tourist spots.
• But... in other parts of Indonesia, alcohol consumption can be heavily regulated. In the province of Aceh, alcohol is even completely prohibited. If you do drink here, you can expect, literally, severe lashes as a punishment.
• You are allowed to bring 1 liter of alcohol to Indonesia, so you can at least toast your arrival.

Can you buy a joint or weed in Indonesia, or bring it to Indonesia?

• A clear no. Don't grow it, don't smoke it, don't bring it.