What to Take

Documents
You’ll need a passport to enter Bali, exchange traveler’s checks, pick up mail at poste restante or at American Express, to sign in at a hotel, or whenever police ask to see it, which they hardly ever do. Take extra passport photos with you, then have 30-40 more printed cheaply from the negative on Bali. These are useful when filling out applications, applying for a ‘surat jalan’, and to give out as mementos.

It’s advisable to travel with a copy of both your birth certificate and passport. These should be kept separate from the originals in case you lose your passport or for repatriation purposes. If you’re traveling with your spouse, a copy of your marriage license is necessary if you have to enter a hospital or undergo some legal or immigration difficulties. Also make a list of your passport number, traveler’s check numbers, credit card numbers, vital contact addresses, and any other pertinent information. Make two copies; carry one with your luggage, leave the other with a friend or family member back home. It would also be wise to jot down your plane ticket numbers, place and date of issue, and type of payment. This information is invaluable if your ticket is lost or stolen, and could save you enormous hassles. Bring a credit card in case you need cash, which you can get at some banks at a six- percent commission.

If you wear glasses or contacts or take medication on a regular basis, carry a copy of the prescription. Have your doctor make out prescriptions using scientific names that are understood internationally. Bausch and Lomb and Barnes Hind contact lenses along with cleaning solutions are sold by competent optometrists in larger cities and major tourist areas. Unless you are entering Indonesia from an infected area, you won’t be asked for your International World Health Certificate.

Indonesia only has a few official youth hostels so you really don’t need an International Youth Hostel Association (IYHA) card here. If you want to stay in a hostel, just pay the few dollars extra. However, an International Student Identification Card (ISIC) could be useful for getting discounts of up to 25% on rail and flight tickets out of Bali, as well as discounts on entrance fees to museums. Counterfeit ones sell in tourist’s places in Southeast Asia, but be careful of poor forgeries. Indonesian officials wary of fakes. They may require additional identification and that you are no older than 26 before giving you a discount. To apply, write: CIEE Student Travel, 205 East 42nd St., New York, NY 10017, tel. (212) 661-1414. Make sure to include your date of birth, citizenship, and name of school or university where you are a full-time student.

Do obtain an International Driver’s License, valid for a year, from your local Automobile Association. You never know when you’ll want to rent a car or van. An Indonesian license on Bali costs Rp52,000 whereas an IDL in the States costs only US$8. Get an IDL with a motorcycle endorsement if you plan to rent a motorcycle on Bali.

Don’t leave home without a small electronic organizer or conventional address book in which to record the names of new friends and to refer to when you write home. Your business card or name card is highly prized by Indonesians. Bringing a stack of them will save you from continually writing out your address. However, be prepared to receive mail asking for money, favors, and gifts.

Packing
A top-loading duffel bag with a strong shoulder strap is very convenient and will expand to hold a vast amount of gear. Choose sturdy, well-designed duffel or backpack with heavy-duty zippers, non-corrosive Fastex, and Dacron thread. If it’s a backpack, make sure it has a hip belt and semi-rigid frame so it’s more comfortable.

Fill your pack only one-half or two-thirds full; you’ll find yourself gradually replacing all your drab Western clothes with the colorful, fashionable garments sold in the boutiques of Kuta, Legian, Sanur, and Ubud. Ideally, wear one set of clothes on the plane and buy locally made clothes after you arrive. In truth, you don’t need to take anything but money. All the tourist resorts of this prosperous, crowded island boast transport companies, travel agencies, restaurants, air-conditioned hotels, laser disc bars, photo shops, pharmacies, supermarkets, and grocery stores that cater to Bali’s growing affluent middle class. Be sure to include an empty, fold-up canvas bag to carry home extra things you buy.

Garuda allows you to check in two pieces of luggage, but will charge you extra for a third. Always put an identifying badge or mark on your luggage; this will prevent someone from picking it up and will also keep you from picking up someone else’s. It’s also wise to put an identifying badge inside each piece of your luggage in case the ones on the outside get lost.

If you want to camp in Bali Barat National Park, pack a light tent, compass, inflatable pillow, poncho, and portable one-burner kerosene stove (kerosene is available). All other camping gear you can buy in Denpasar and is of acceptable quality. Local outfitters also rent tents, sleeping bags, and other equipment, or these may be supplied by your guide (see Bali Barat section of “Buleleng” chapter). Keep in mind Bali is generally too hot for your standard sleeping bag. If you’re going to be staying in budget accommodations or doing some hard traveling, bring a sleeping bag liner or make a light sleeping bag by running a seam down a folded cotton bed sheet. It’s a more attractive alternative to sleeping on grimy mattresses and mats.

Men’s Clothing
Take only clothes that are lightweight, easily rinsed, brushed, and renovated. In a tropical climate, cotton is very comfortable (nylon doesn’t breathe in the heat) and dries quickly in the humidity. However, 100% cotton needs ironing, so bring along a few half-cotton, half-synthetic (rayon is good), wrinkle-free garments for special occasions and visits to bureaucratic offices. Denim is too hot for Indonesia and takes too long to dry; perhaps bring one pair if you’re going to do high-altitude trekking or cycling. Looser corduroys or light summer trousers are better suited for this climate. It’s generally considered inappropriate for men to wear short shorts for anything except the roughest manual work, long-distance cycling, hash runs, or for going to and from the bathroom or beach.

Bali is too hot for Western-style sport-coats. Buy a light batik sport-coat or an attractive long-sleeved batik shirt for dressing up quite acceptable and very chic in Indonesia. Choose patterned or dark-colored fabrics that won’t show wear or soil as quickly. Take along a light sweater or sweatshirt for the cool of the evenings or for higher elevations such as Kintamani and Bedugul. These also serve as protection against sunburn and insects. Also take a water-resistant, wind-proof jacket. It packs light and keeps you warm when worn over a sweater. Keep in mind the temperature drops about 3° F for every 325 meters in elevation, and heavy cloud cover at Bali’s mountain climes can bring on an even a sharper fall in temperature.

Also recommended is a cloth baseball cap or khaki fisherman-style hat with a brim, deep enough to stay on your head in heavy winds, and to protect you from rain or the intensity of the sun. Don’t forget to spray it with water repellent. It may be frumpy looking, but it will do the job. A helmet is a life-saving investment for cyclists and motorcyclists; choose one with a plastic shield to protect your face from rain, sleet, and insects. Bring one with you; the ones available on Bali are dangerously flimsy.

Women’s Clothing
Women should take a few long-sleeved blouses and longish skirts. Skimpy clothing, backless dresses, and shorts can be offensive in Bali’s small back-road villages, on formal occasions, and particularly if worn in the island’s temples or to religious festivals. Your bikini is acceptable provided it’s worn only at the swimming pool or to the beach. Take one wrinkle-proof dress that is easy to wash and dress up or down with. Dresses of double-knit cotton T-shirt material are excellent. If you prefer to complete your travel wardrobe on arrival, the clothes shops and boutiques of Kuta and Legian have a wide selection of contemporary and economically priced dresses, jackets, skirts, blouses, pants, and beachwear. Always closely scrutinize the quality of the fabric and workmanship.

As an alternative to possibly poorly sewn ready-made clothes, commission one of Bali’s hundreds of seamstresses to sew a dress (Rp15,000-30,000) or skirt (Rp7500-10,000). Your hotel or a clothes shop can recommend a dressmaker. Just give them one of your best-fitting garments or a photograph from which they will make a paper pattern.

If you lighten your hair, bring enough lightener with you to last your entire trip. Only black and a few brown shades can be found on Bali. Also bring deodorant and antiperspirant. The only decent products here are FA or Purol powder; the rest are ineffective.

Footwear
A good pair of hiking or walking shoes can add hours of sightseeing or hiking to your day. However, don’t leave home with brand-new footwear; they should already be broken-in and comfortable. Change frayed laces before leaving so you don’t have to take a spare set along. Also very useful is a pair of Teva sandals or a good quality imitation. You can wear them anywhere-for everyday traveling, hiking, to the beach, for snorkeling, coral walking, dancing, motorcycle riding, or even to the immigration office. Perfect for Indonesia! Teva-type sandals are sold all over Kuta Beach at lower prices than the West, but they’re not as well made. Dress shoes come in handy for weddings, meetings with officials, formal visits, but are not recommended for the average traveler. Rubber sandals (flip-flops) almost always come with your hotel or homestay room, but they are invariably too small for Westerners, so bring your own.

Don’t expect to buy footwear on Bali. Good-quality European-sized footwear is not so easy to find. The international chain, Bata, in Denpasar sells inexpensive shoes in leather, canvas, or plastic, but a U.S. men’s 12 and a women’s 9 are about the largest sizes they make.

Gifts
Small trinkets from home make great gifts for a foreign host. Colorful foreign stamps are the least expensive, simplest, and lightest gifts to carry and tell a lot about your country. Indonesian kids love coins, stickers, balloons, and soap bubbles. Rather than candy, give pens, pencils, notebooks (schoolkids often have to pay for their own school supplies). Small boxes of raisins are also appreciated. Teenagers love designer T-shirts, or ones with imaginative, artistic, screenprinted designs and mottoes. One of the best gifts for older kids is a soccerball or volleyball. These sports are very popular; most villages have set-up goalposts and a net of sorts. They also enjoy tapes of music from your country.

For adults, big fluffy heavy-duty cotton towels, as well as wool headcoverings for babies, are much appreciated by the Balinese. For a young boy or man, a stainless steel pocketknife is an excellent way of saying “thank you.” Avoid giving cigars; most Indonesians don’t like them. Small items such as cigarette lighters, tiny camper’s can openers, gift catalogs (like Sears), large safety pins, multicolored paper clips, and packaged flower seeds also make interesting gifts. Postcards and especially of your children are highly prized. Balinese also delight in photos of your home and kitchen.

Short Travel Tips

Accommodations
As you can imagine there is an enormous variety of accommodation available in Bali. It varies from magnificent five star resorts to simple jungle cabins, depending on the location and your holiday budget. (See Accommodations)

Clothing
Light, airy, casual clothes are the most practical and you’ll find natural fibers like cotton or linen are the most comfortable in Bali’s often humid conditions. Waist sashes should be worn when visiting temples.

When packing, keep in mind that you will be in the tropics, but that it can get cold in the mountains. Generally, you will want to dress light and wear natural feathers that absorb perspiration. A heavy sweater is also a must, as is a sturdy pair of shoes. Suits and ties are almost never worn.

Currency
Indonesian currency is Rupiah. Rupiah notes currently in circulation are Rp.100, Rp.500, Rp.1,000, Rp.5,000, Rp.10,000, Rp.20,000 and Rp.50,000.

Driver’s License
If you wish to hire a car you must be over 18 years of age and posses an International Driver’s License or license from ASEAN countries.

Electricity
Most hotels use 220-240 volts AC, 50 cycles and a round, two-pronged-slim plug, but outlying areas may still use 110 volts. Bathroom shaver plugs usually have a transformer switch. We suggest taking an adaptor for your appliance.

Getting Around
You will find a range of chauffeur driven limousines, self-drive cars, taxis and hotel courtesy cars. Many taxis are not metered so it’s wise to negotiate the fare before you climb aboard. ‘Bemos’ are a unique form of transport. They are a mini-van masquerading as a communal bus. You simply hail the driver and negotiate the fare that suits you both. Motorcycles can also be hired in many places but special care should be exercised at all times as road and traffic conditions can be somewhat hazardous in certain locations. Travelling around Bali is made all the easier because everywhere you go you’ll find friendly people only to happy to give you advice and directions on how to get where you want to go.

Ice
Ice is not made from boiled water. It comes from water frozen in government regulated factories. Locals who are adamant about drinking only boiled water are, in general, not fearful of the purity of ice. However we advise you are on the side of caution and forgot it.

Language
The national language of Indonesia is Bahasa Indonesia, although there are also over 250 native languages and dialects spoken throughout the archipelago. Now taught in every school and widely understood in Bali. The indigenous language of Bali is still spoken in the islands’ villages. Bahasa Indonesia is written in Roman script, has no tones and uses a fairly straightforward grammar, all of which makes it relatively easy for the visitor to get to grips with.

Laundry Services
No public laundries on Bali, so either do your own or pay inn or hotel staff to do it for you.

Left Luggage
Informal services are offered by most inn and all hotels. Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport has a left luggage facility for Rp.3,300 per item per day. It’s expensive, but there’s no time limit.

Keeping Your Cool
At government offices like immigration or police, talking loudly and forcefully doesn’t make things easier. Patience and politeness are virtues that open many doors in Indonesia. Good manners and dress are also to your advantage.

Passports and Visas
Visitors from USA, CANADA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and most of Western Europe don’t need a visa to enter Indonesia. Provided you have a ticket out of the country and your passport has at least six months validity at the time of your arrival, you’ll be issued with a tourist card, which is valid for a 60-day stay. Keep the card with your passport, as you’ll have to hand it back when you leave the country. It is good for 60 days, not two months, some travelers have been fined for overstaying by only a day or so. It is not possible to get an extension on a tourist visa, unless there is a medical emergency or you have to answer legal charges. There are visas, particularly a business visitor’s visa, which may be valid for a longer period. (See complete information at Consular and Visa Services and Visas). Telephone Code 62-361 for South Bali; 62-362 for North Bali; 62-366 for East Bali.

Time
Indonesian archipelago is divided into three times zones. Bali, Lombok, the Nusa Tenggara islands, Sulawesi and South and East Kalimantan are on Central Indonesian Time which is eight hours ahead of GMT (GMT+8), sixteen hours ahead of US Pacific Standard Time, thirteen hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, and two hours behind Sydney.

Working
Job opportunities are not exactly thick on the ground in either Bali or Lombok. A few tourists manage to set themselves up as English or Japanese language teachers and the best places to look for students are Kuta-Legian and Ubud. Otherwise the most common moneymaking ploy is the exporting of Indonesian goods (fabric, clothes, jewelry and other artifacts).

Water
Don’t drink unboiled water from a well, tap or kamar mandi (bathtub). Brush your teeth with boiled or bottled water, not water from a tap or ‘kamar mandi’. Plates, glasses and silverware are washed in unboiled water and need to be completely dry before use.

Before You Go
Check with your physician for the latest news on the need for malaria prophylaxis and recommended vaccinations before leaving home. Frequently considered vaccines are, Diphtheria, Pertusis and Tetanus (OPT), Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), and oral Polio vaccine. Gamma Globulin every four months for Hepatitis A is recommended. For longer stays many doctors recommend vaccination to protect against Hepatitis B requiring a series of shots over the course of 7 months. Vaccinations for smallpox and cholera are no longer required, except for visitors coming from infected areas. A cholera vaccination may be recommended but it is only 50% effective.

Find out the generic names for whatever prescription medications you are likely to need as most are available in Indonesia but not under the same brand names as they are known at home. Get copies of doctors’ prescriptions for the medications you bring into Indonesia to avoid questions at the customs desk. Those who wear spectacles should bring along prescriptions.

Check your health insurance before coming, to make sure you are covered. Travel agents should be able to direct you to sources of travel insurance. These typically include coverage of a medical evacuation, if necessary and a 24 hours worldwide phone number as well as some extras like luggage loss and trip cancellation.