How to Travel to Bali And Indonesia

Richard Thomas

Indonesia, and the island of Bali in particular, have plenty of attractions for outdoors enthusiasts. Jungle and volcano trekking, surfing, snorkeling and scuba diving are just the tip of the iceberg. However, there are some practical requirements for taking a trip there, and beyond that some significant health and safety considerations.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Arrival Requirements

Things You’ll Need:

Valid passport with at least one blank page U.S. $25 in cash 2 passport photos Anti-malarial medication Bug-repellent spray Mosquito netting (optional) Mosquito coils (optional) Strong sunblock Light, loose clothing plus a sun hat
Valid passport with at least one blank page
U.S. $25 in cash
2 passport photos
Anti-malarial medication
Bug-repellent spray
Mosquito netting (optional)
Mosquito coils (optional)
Strong sunblock
Light, loose clothing plus a sun hat

Step 1

Check the validity of your passport against the planned arrival date in Indonesia. That your passport is valid when you arrive or even for the entire duration of your stay is not good enough. Most countries, including Indonesia, require that visitors have passports that are valid for at least six months after the day of arrival.

Step 2

Make sure you still have at least one completely blank page in the passport. Indonesian tourist visas come in the form of a full-page sticker, and are good for 30 or 60 days.

Step 3

Select where you wish to enter the country. The most frequently used entry points for Indonesia are Denpasar in Bali, Surabaya and Jakarta in Java, and Medan in Sumatra. All of these points have Visa on Arrival (VOA) service.

Step 4

File your VOA application, along with two passport photos and $25. Have proof of a return flight or sea ferry ticket handy, just in case they ask to see it. That is required, but rarely checked.

Health and Safety

Step 1

Check with your doctor about getting anti-malarial medication and bringing your shots up to date. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider Indonesia to be a malaria hot spot, although some areas are more malarial than others (Bali is only moderately malarial, and then only in the interior.) It also recommends having up-to-date boosters for normal vaccinations, plus making sure that you are covered for typhoid, rabies, hepatitis A and B, and Japanese encephalitis.

Step 2

Bring a bottle of strong, deep-woods bug repellent. Indonesia is also an area where dengue fever is a problem, and there are no preventative measures for dengue past taking precautions against mosquito bites. When you go to sleep, use either a mosquito net or burn a mosquito coil, but do the latter only in rooms with ventilation.

Step 3

Bring a bottle of sunblock with an SPF of 30 or higher, plus a good sun hat. Indonesia sits either on or just south of the equator. Equatorial sun is much stronger than what most visitors expect, so be conservative when it comes to sun exposure, apply plenty of sun block and bring some light clothing that covers most of the skin to wear when you aren't at the beach.

Step 4

Hydrate yourself often by drinking bottled water often. The local tap water should be viewed as suspect, and the heat and humidity will squeeze the water out of your body rapidly. Bottled water will be readily available in just about every little shop selling snacks, plus every single eatery in Indonesia.

Article Written By Edwin Thomas

Edwin Thomas has been writing since 1997. His work has appeared in various online publications, including The Black Table, Proboxing-Fans and others. A travel blogger, editor and writer, Thomas has traveled from Argentina to Vietnam in pursuit of stories. He holds a Master of Arts in international affairs from American University.

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