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INDONESIA
The name Indonesia has its roots in
two Greek words: "Indos" meaning Indian and "Nesos"
meaning islands. This is an excellent description of the archipelago,
as there are an estimated 17,508 islands, some nothing more than tiny
outcroppings of barren rock, others as big as California or Spain and
covered in dense tropical jungle. Approximately 6,000 of these islands
are inhabited, with five main islands and 30 smaller archipelagos serving
as home to the majority of the population. The islands and people of
Indonesia constitute the fourth most populated nation in the world with
about 210 million people.
Immigration:
Introduced in 1983, the free visa facilities allow citizens from 48
countries to enter Indonesia without having to obtain a visa prior to
arrival. The 48 countries are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Maldives,
Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines,
Singapore, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand,
Turkey, United Kingdom (Great Britain), United Arab Emirates, United
States of America, Venezuela, Yugoslavia and Taiwanese holding MFA//M
passports. The facility also allows the eligible visitors to stay in
Indonesia for maximum of two months, to travel and to attend conventions
and seminars.
Bali is a small
and fertile, the island located almost in the center of long series
of islands that constitute the Indonesian archipelago that extends from
Sumatra, 0n the Northwest, until Irian Jaya in the frontier of New Papua
Guinea, on the Southeast. It is adjacent to island of Java, with densely
populated, and it is the chain of small island Nusa Tenggara. Bali has
an extension of 5.632,86 square kilometres, Bali has 3,25 million inhabitants
approximately, Its small size doesn't prevent to have a tremendous tourist
attractiveness. Bali consists on some islands like: the island of Bali,
the island of Nusa Penida, the island of Nusa Ceningan, the island of
Nusa Lembongan, the island of Nusa Serangan and the island of Menjangan.
All of These islands are Bali (province of Bali). In the east of Bali
3,5 hours by ship, there are other islands called the island of Lombok,
in the West of Bali 1 hour by ship, located the island of Java. In the
South of the island it is Indian Ocean. And in the North it is the sea
of Java. Bali has many good beaches. In a "concentrated" of
culture, ancestral traditions, landscapes, volcanoes and lakes, their
gastronomy, etc. This island is divided to 9 regions and a capital of
Bali (Denpasar), with 51 district and 644 towns.
Located only 8
grades south of the equator. It is extremely mountainous; the central
mountain range along chain in middle of Whole Island includes several
picks of a same height or superior to the 2.000 meters, and the Mount
Agung, Grand Mountain and mount Batur. These two sacred mountains, both
volcanoes asset, have 3.142 and 1.717 meters of altitude, the eruption
in 1963. the other main mountains is Batukaru '' the rock of coconut
shell '' with 2.278 meters and the mount Abang with 2.152 meters and
in the end. South of Bali is smaller mountains in the area of the inferior
plain of the peninsula of Bukit. To the South and the North of the central
mountains they are the fertile lands of Bali cultivation. Bali has a
warm tropical climate the whole anus facilitating its visit in any season
of the year. The temperature is about 24c - 32c the whole year, but
the humidity can make the heat especially at noon. A dry season from
April to September and another rainy season from October to March, but
it can rain in any time of the year, and even during the dry season
the rain seems to be a matter that happens quickly. In general, the
months between April and August are the best in Bali. In that time of
the year the humidity its lowers and the slight and not very frequent
rains.
Their strategic place makes it a point of ideal stop in any trip to
Australia or the Asian Southeast
It is said that the island has more than 10.000 temples, we can assure
it that it has many and very representative. Also, in Bali one can enjoy
their magnificent dances and their craft. The lover of the oriental
architecture and the decoration in Bali are a paradise: hotels and "villages"
they compete in offering the best of the Balinese tradition. And the
most visitors can enjoy doing surfing, submarines, rafting, and much
more to do with activities outdoors or in doors.
BEFORE TRAVELLING
REQUIREMENTS OF
ENTRANCE
PASSPORT
To enter island of Bali we need Passport, with date of validation at
least 6 months. These things better to ask the nearest Embassy of Indonesia
before leaving.
THE VACCINES
At this time (08/2000) any vaccine is not required especially. Anyway,
one month before leaving it is necessary to consult with the Service
of External Sanity. For other areas of Indonesia it can be necessary
some vaccine or protection.
CLIMATE
As the island very near the equator has two seasons, the dry and the
rainy. The dry season normally from May to October, July is being the
most could season and the rainy season can be in month of November until
April, but it can be raining at any time in the year. As a tropical
country, every day is hot in the low areas and in the coast with the
temperature of 24c - 32c and going down to 18ºC in the height areas
or the mountainous areas. But the humidity can make the heat is very
oppressive, especially at noon, and even during the humid season the
rain seems happens quickly. In general, the months between April and
August are the best in Bali. In that time of the year the humidity is
lowers and not very frequent rains.
 THE
MONEY
Going to Bali is necessary to travel with dollars in US$. We also can
use other European currencies, but you need to change it before going
to shop, The local currency is the Rupiah. The Indonesian notes can
be of 100, 500, 1.000, 5.000, 10.000, 20.000, 50.000 and 100.000 rupiah.
There are also metal currencies of 25, 50, 100, 500 and 1.000 rupiah.
At the tourist centres you can change travel checks in dollars. The
most advisable thing to travel is with American dollars or Euro. In
the main cities and tourist centres have banks and authorized money
change, as well as in some hotels. If you travel to out the cities or
Tourist areas, it is convenient to prepared it will be very difficult
to change foreign currencies on way. The banks usually open from from
8.00 o'clock to the 15.00 h. on Monday to Friday. The main credit cards
like American Express, MasterCard or Dinners Club; they are accepted
in the main hotels, commercial centres and deluxe restaurants.
HEALTH
The international certificates of health and vaccination against the
pock, the cholera and the yellow fever are only demanded to the travellers
coming from infected areas. It is advisable to the travellers to be
facilitated if same with pills of the stomach nuisances, as the diarrhea
and a tube of cream antihistaminic to get rid of the stings (especially
those of the mosquitoes), an ointment to avoid the infections of the
faithful one, may need a product to avoid colds and aspirin.
All the water should be boiled before take away for drinking water.
they are available in all the better hotels
Private clinics are more preferable than the public hospitals. There
is pharmacy in any cities even Kuta, Sanur, and Nusa Dua.
CLOTHES
Bali has the beach area, Area of temple and mountainous area, it is
necessary to get dressed suits for that area. on the beach places, they
take beach clothes during the day. Short skirts or mini blouses for
the women or T-shirt with short sleeve for the men for visiting to the
temple. Bali has so beautiful beach clothing they sell in any stores.
To wear the garments of cotton in beautiful colours are not only fresh
and comfortable, but also elegant. To be in the living rooms of the
hotels with air conditioned or to visit picturesque mountainous places,
take you a sandal and sweater. The jacket and the tie are strange even
in official occasions. The Indonesia long shirt "batik" is
the average clothing and the shoes to wear for attending business meeting.
It is convenient to take comfortable and fresh garments, preferably
of cotton. Remember that it is advisable to get dressed with modesty
and according to the norms of some places, especially in places considered
as sacred.
SOUVENIR
Bali is famous for its art in wood carving, gold and silver work, knitted
talent, Batik or local clothing, the paintings, baskets of grass straws
in antiques colours. In the last a few years, the local production is
available in excellent design and cheap. In Bali no many stores with
fixed price and have to bargain the only solution, buyers and the sales
persons they are in the ends all satisfaction and they don't lose. It
is amusing.
PHOTOGRAPHS
The prices of the movie or roll of film for making picture are very
similar to the European prices, however it is convenient to travel provided
of enough material. You can get material in the main cities and tourist
centres. In some areas the high humidity can damage the films it is
advisable to keep them in dry and fresh places.
THE OBJECTS FREE OF TAXES
The objects for use in personnel are tax-free as well as 200 cigarettes,
or 50 cigars or 100 grams and tobacco. Camera, video and personal computers
should be declared. It is not allowed to bring animals, opium, narcotics
and pornographic literature. For return to home with memories, but the
valuable objects can be brought whose antiquity overcomes the 50 years,
they require of an export license. Limitation doesn't exist for the
import or export of foreign currencies, however, it is forbidden to
export more than 50,000 Rp.
SHOW
Several traditional shows can be seen during our stays in Bali, the
gamelan orquestra, dramas, and several traditional dances, the marionettes
those which pace the tourists are represented or if it is lucky one
can see those shows in a temple when they are celebrating the anniversary
of that temple. In some tourist areas they also have night atmosphere,
disco, restaurant and bar.
MAIL AND TELEPHONES
The service of mail is relatively economic. The schedule of the post
offices is from 8:00 to 15.00 h. on Monday to Thursday, Friday from
8.00 to 11.00 h. and on Saturdays until the 14.00 h. On Sundays are
closed. In the same post offices the service of telegrams exists. Each
hotel also receives mail or postcards to send.
To call from Indonesia (Bali) to others
country, it is necessary to put 001 or other 008, followed by the country
code (omitting The 34 for Spain) and of the regional prefix (9 for Madrid)
and the local's number.
RELIGION
Although Bali is nominally Hindu Bali 95%, Muslims 2.5%, Christian 1.75%
and Buddhist 1.75%. There are exists an astonishing variety of religions
and a harmony grade of religious tolerance in fact.
AIRPORT TAX
Started from January 2001, Bali had been an Autonomic Regional Government
given from the centre government of Indonesia, so a part of its income
that Bali's government must created by own self. Domestic airport tax
at present is Rp. 11,000, - for a traveller for an International travellers
departed from Denpasar, Bali. Government Bali tried increasing their
budget by full of effort, but no other way, otherwise by increasing
of airport tax. The airport tax will be increase 100% of the present
airport tax; domestic airport tax planed is Rp. 20,000, - [approx US$
2] for one person travelling in Indonesia and for international departure
is Rp. 75,000, - [approx US$8]. The date of validity of the increasing
of airport tax is not determined yet. It need the corporate decision
from the local regional parliament and the authorized letter from the
centre communication minister - a president.
TIPS
In the hotels and restaurants where the service is not included, one
can leave between a 10 and 15% about the total value of the invoice.
In general the lenders of services, as waiters, guides, chauffeur, etc.
will wait a tip of its good service.
LANGUAGE
In Indonesia they have more than 330 languages and different dialects
that for the most part belong to the groups' linguistic Polynesia and
Malay. All of them, the language learned as official language is "Bahasa
Indonesian", qualified as one of the simplest languages in the
world, because They doesn't have verbal times, neither goods and frequently
a word communicates the sense of a whole sentence. English is understood
in a lot of area of the country. Say
it in local lenguage
FOR GOING TO BALI
Contact the nearest airline office in your country. Garuda Indonesia
is National Airline the main air companies that they offer flights to
Bali are Garuda Indonesia, Singapore Airlines, Thai air line, British
Air Ways and Other companies, as KLM, Air Awards, and Malaysia Airline
etc. The four first mentioned they offer the possibility
At this time there is not any company that they offer direct flights
from Europe. They will be necessary to make stop in some airport: Amsterdam,
Rome, Frankfurt and Vienna, Singapore, Bangkok are the most habitual
connection points. From these cities They usually goes aboard in a Boeing
747 (Jumbo) that usually makes an intermediate stop in Singapore, Jakarta,
Bangkok, etc. depending on the elected company. These stops usually
allow the "stop over" up suitable. All these companies have
their page Web, where it is possible to make reservations "on-line".
Any day we want these systems is working very well, and especially in
high season. The big tourist operators reserve shares in the flights,
what hinders to get the best rates. It is necessary to reserve the note
as soon as possible. For our experience, to buy a complete package in
a well-known operator doesn't come out necessarily cheaper that to take
out the flight for ourselves and to reserve the hotels directly in Bali.
It is necessary to keep in mind that the operators don't usually freight
flights charter for these circuits
THE AREAS FOR STAY IN BALI
Please visite in here y the
list of hotel
If You need more
informacion sent your e-mail to Danny
Sridana
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