Indonesia: a mix of cultures (and some usefull information).

Countless islands bathed by the Indian Ocean, creating a dream of colors, smells and landscapes. There are 17508 islands and a bunch of different cultures and languages (although they all speak a common language: Bahasa Indonesia). Without Bahasa, Indonesian people wouldn’t understand each other (such is the variety of cultures). This perfect mix allows travelers to experience it from its wildest side of tropical jungles and infinite fields or dream beaches to the hectic pace of the cities, where you can find all kind of cheap stuff and food.

Indonesia is wide, and so are its cultures. People traditions will differ in the same island, no need to say between islands. Apart from the well known Bali and the huge Java, there are other amazing places like Sulawesi, Moluccas or Papua.

Despite it is a developing country, Indonesians are very welcoming, and they love foreigners (‘blues’ they call them). Anyway, most of the Indonesian people are not used to see foreigners, so don’t be surprised if people stare at you, or call you when you pass. Indonesia is a marvelous and varied place, but, anyway, you should have some things in mind when traveling to Indonesia.

Some useful information:

  • Money: 1€=15 896 rupias, with which you can order a quite good meal in any market stall.
  • Water: drink bottled water or tea that has been boiled.
  • Bargain when buying stuff in the markets (not in the supermarket). If not, you will pay a lot more because they inflate the prices.
  • People would go barefoot inside the houses
  • Don’t get stressed with the traffic jams; it’s not weird, just breathe deeply and be patient.
  • When moving around, angkot is a good and cheap option.
  • Don’t expect that a lot of people understand English, but don’t freak out, sometimes just a smile is the best way of communication.
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