Passports and Visas
Citizens of
169 countries and territories can enter Indonesia visa-free for a 30-day tourist stay via 29 airports, including Jakarta and Denpasar, Bali. For a longer stay, please apply for a visa-on-arrival for a fee of $35. More information on visa-on-arrival can be found
here. You can also apply for a visa in advance, please contact the Indonesian Embassy in your country for the cost and details of obtaining one before you visit the country. Please check as this might be more expensive and more of a hassle than acquiring on arrival.
Health
Recommended vaccinations include typhoid, polio, tetanus and Hepatitis A. A certificate for Yellow Fever is required if arriving from an infected area within the prior six days. The more remote areas may be considered malarial areas. Please check with your doctor prior to departure for the most recent information.
Weather
Indonesia is a vast archipelago affected by a series of weather patterns, and depending on which island you are on, the weather can be hot and wet or hot and dry. Indonesia's monsoonal climate usually means short heavy downpours rather than all-day, never-ending rain.
Located 8 degrees south of the equator, Bali is home to a tropical climate with constant temperatures during the day ranging from 28 C to 30 C at sea level, although the humidity varies throughout the year. It is highest during the rainy season which is from December to March and gradually reduces to its lowest level from May to September, when a beautiful dry cooling breeze blows across from Australia.
Lombok also has a tropical climate similar to Bali's, with the only variation being the rainy season starting earlier, and is from October to April.
Sulawesi has a warm tropical climate with wet and dry seasons lasting approximately six months each. The dry season is from April to October and the wet season is from November to May. Sulawesi enjoys year-round temperatures averaging at least 30 C.
Food
Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Most meals are local Indonesian dishes and feature noodles, rice, curries, and soups. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.
Drink
Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit and soft drinks are included in the tour price. We are riding in a Muslim country and though beer is available, it might not be served in some restaurants. If you choose to purchase some beer please note it is NOT included in the price.
Solo Travelers
SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for traveling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveler of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.
Extra Expenses
We recommend that you tuck away a few extra dollars, perhaps US$10, for incidentals. It is customary to tip local tour guides and drivers, however, the amount you give should be dependent on the level of service you receive. As a general guide we suggest US$3-4 per person per day is appropriate.
Money
The official currency in Indonesia is the rupiah (Rp). Foreign currencies are not generally accepted. ATMs are widely available in cities and towns and touristy places have lots of moneychangers as well as banks. Banks usually have better exchange rates, though moneychangers may offer the best rates for cash. Credit cards can be used for larger purchases, in international hotels.
Good biking terrain, interesting sites, and the guide worked hard to manage the cycling to meet our wishes (more cycling than actually scheduled).