Indonesia is a popular holiday destination. Before travelling to Indonesia, it is advisable to always check the travel advice well before departing to the country. On this page, you will find a number of recommendations regarding safety, as well as the current travel advice for Indonesia.

Travel advice Indonesia: most areas are deemed safe

Relatively safe areas: Overall, Indonesia is regarded as a safe country to visit. This includes the popular islands of Lombok, Java and Bali. The political situation in Indonesia is stable, which means that there is a low risk of demonstrations and public unrest. Nevertheless, travellers should consider some general safety risks during their trip to Indonesia. In recent years, there has been a heightened amount of terrorist attacks in Indonesia, mostly targetting government or religious buildings. Also, travellers should be aware of the risks of pickpocketing, scams, food and drink poisoning, robbery and sexual assault. However, if you remain cautious about the risks, travelling to Indonesia is deemed safe overall.

Travel not recommended: Travelling to some specific areas of Indonesia comes with additional safety risks. There are a number of active volcanoes in the country which could potentially erupt. Travellers are advised to stay out of the vicinity of the craters of Mount Marapi (West Sumatra), Mount Sinabung (North Sumatra) and Mount Semeru (East Java). Besides the active volcanoes, no other areas of Indonesia are deemed particularly risky to visit.

Prepare your trip

Prepare your trip to Indonesia well in advance. Remember to keep in mind the travel advice for the region that you will visit. In the following, you will find further information for your trip to Indonesia.

Travel documents

If you want to travel to Indonesia, you need to fulfil the entry requirements. Upon entry, you must be in possession of a valid passport, a valid visa and the booking confirmation of your return or onward flight from Indonesia. You can find more information about this on the page about the required travel documents for Indonesia. The necessary visa can be applied for on this website.

Apply for an Indonesia visa right away

Travel insurance and money

Besides the above-mentioned travel documents, you are advised to take out a travel insurance with sufficient coverage. Also, it is important that you own sufficient means to be able to finance your trip to Indonesia. You should always check before departure whether you can withdraw money in Indonesia with your debit or credit card. Contact your bank for more information.

Mobile phone usage

It might be useful to buy an Indonesian SIM card, since the network coverage is not uniform. Check with your mobile provider if you can use all the functions of your phone in Indonesia. Also, make sure to look up the requirements and the prices for making calls and using mobile data in Indonesia.

Driving in Indonesia

Do you plan to drive a vehicle in Indonesia? If so, do not forget to bring your driving licence with you. If you want to drive a car, motorbike or scooter in Indonesia, you will need an International Driving Permit in addition to your British or Irish driving licence. Keep in mind that traffic in Indonesia differs greatly from the traffic in the UK and Ireland. Roads might be busy and different traffic rules may apply.

Natural disasters

All the islands of Indonesia, including the popular holiday destinations Bali, Java and Lombok, are situated in a region that is prone to natural disasters. There is a chance for earthquakes and the country is home to a number of active volcanoes. Therefore, you are advised to closely follow the local news during your stay in Indonesia.

During the rainy season (from November until March), there is an increased risk of floods and landslides, especially in the region surrounding Jakarta. This can lead to serious traffic disruptions, among others. During the dry season (from April until October) there is an increased risk of forest fires which can have a detrimental impact on air quality, especially on the islands of Kalimantan and Sumatra.

Health

While staying in Indonesia, you should always keep the following health recommendations in mind.

Tap water

Tap water in Indonesia is non-potable, and thus, it is not safe to drink. It is recommended to boil tap water before consuming it. You can also drink water from sealed bottles.

COVID-19 restrictions

You can find more information about the current COVID-19 restrictions on the page about the coronavirus in Indonesia.

Vaccinations

You are advised to consult your doctor well in advance of your trip to Indonesia to obtain more information about the required and recommended vaccinations in your situation.

Important contact details

You never know when you might need to contact the local authorities in Indonesia or the embassy of your home country that is situated in Indonesia. Below, you will find the contact details of these authorities. Before leaving to Indonesia, you are advised to save the addresses and phone numbers on your mobile phone and to note them down and store them in your suitcase. This way, you can contact the local authorities or the embassy in Indonesia whenever it is necessary.

In the following tables, you can find the contact details of the British and Irish embassies in Indonesia. Are you looking for the details of the Indonesian embassy in the United Kingdom or Ireland? You can find more information about that on the page about the Indonesian embassy in the UK.

Location of the British embassy in Indonesia

Location of the Irish embassy in Indonesia

Disclaimer: you remain responsible
This travel advice for Indonesia has been compiled with care. Nevertheless, e-Visa.ie will not accept liability for any problems, damage or injury that may occur from the use of this information. You must remain vigilant at all times while travelling in Indonesia, and you are solely responsible for your safety while travelling and staying in Indonesia, as well as for the choice of whether to take a particular trip. Before travelling to Indonesia, it is advisable to consult the latest security updates from the Government of the United Kingdom regarding travel to Indonesia (www.gov.uk) or to consult the British embassy in Jakarta, and/or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Source: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office