General Information About Indonesia
ABOUT INDONESIA
Indonesia is a large island nation located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. With over 17,000 islands there is a lot of cultural and ecological diversity.
WHERE IS INDONESIA LOCATED?
Indonesia straddles the border between South East Asia and Oceania, wrapping around peninsular Malaysia and stretching east towards Australia. Indonesia contains over 17,000 islands. With so many islands come an immense cultural diversity. The country is the 4th largest in population in the year, with over 260 million people. Over half of that population lives on the main island of Java.
WHAT CURRENCY IS USED IN INDONESIA?
The Indonesian Rupiah is the official currency of Indonesia. For up-to-date currency exchange rates click here. For more information regarding ATMs and credit cards please see our Practicalities Section.
WHAT IS THE TIME DIFFERENCE IN INDONESIA?
Indonesia spans three different time zones from UTC +7 to UTC +9 hours. Check out the current time in Indonesia. The international dialing code for Indonesia is +62. For information regarding internet connectivity and cellular service please see our Practicalities Section.
HOW DO I CHARGE MY ELECTRONICS WHILE IN INDONESIA?
Indonesia uses a Type C and F Europlug. The voltage is 220-240. Electricity is widely available in larger cities and small towns throughout Indonesia. However, in extremely rural areas, electricity may be harder to come by. Generators are sometimes available at night, although their availability to charge your electronics cannot be guaranteed. If you are concerned about not having enough battery to last a jungle trek, be sure to bring along a battery pack or solar charger just in case.
WHAT LANGUAGE IS SPOKEN IN INDONESIA?
Although there are several different native languages scattered throughout the different island chins, Bahasa Indonesia is the official language of Indonesia. Bahasa Indonesia is very similar to Bahasa Malay in neighboring Malaysia. English is spoken, at least in a limited capacity, by those in the tourism industry of Indonesia. All of our guides speak English, however do not expect to hear a lot of English in rural areas. Fortunately, the characters in Indonesian are the same as the English alphabet, so things are easy to read.
It is always a good idea to learn a few words of the local language before you arrive at your destination. Even if you can only say hello, it goes a long way in the minds of the local people. Check out this list of Indonesian phrases.
WHAT IS THE CLIMATE IN INDONESIA?
Indonesia is split by the equator. Therefore, expect a tropical, humid climate year-round. The exception is on the higher peaks of Indonesia, where temperatures can swing wildly and there may even be snow. The biggest concern in Indonesia are the monsoon seasons.
The dry season runs from June to September and the rainy season is from December to March. However, rain falls year-round in Indonesia. You will welcome it, it’s an excellent break from the heat of the jungle.
PAPUA BOOKS AND MAPS
Region Guides
New Guinea: Irian Jaya, Periplus Editions, Eiseman Jr Fred, ISBN-13: 978-0945971061
New Guinea: An Island Apart, Neil Nightingale, BBC Books, ISBN-13: 978-0563361619
Indonesia, Ryan ver Berkmoes, Lonely Planet Publications, ISBN-13: 978-1741048308
Link to free Papua visitor’s guide and map
NY Times articles
Maps
Papua New Guinea, Hema Maps International, 1:2 167 000, ISBN-10: 1875610014, ISBN-13: 978-1875610013
Indonesia – Papua, Maluku, 1:1500 000, Nelles Travel Map, ISBN: 9783865740458
Climbing, Exploration and Rainforest
Descent into Chaos: Doomed Expedition to Low’s Gully, Connaughton, Brassey’s, ISBN-10: 1857531477, ISBN-13: 978-1857531473
Into the Heart of Borneo, O’Hanlon, Penguin, ISBN-10: 0140073973, ISBN-13: 978-0140073973
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