Indonesia cannot be called an ideal country. This is a country not without problems - earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, terrorism, civil strife, plane crashes, corruption and crime - all of which the country has experienced or is experiencing in Indonesia.
However, visitors who come to the country to relax rarely encounter serious problems. The local population for the most part is hospitable and friendly (with the exception of street merchants).
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has included Indonesia in the list of countries not recommended for visiting. This is mainly due to the fact that in recent years, in different parts of the country - in the Maluku Islands, in the state of Irian Jaya (the western part of the island of Papua New Guinea), in the north of Sumatra (Aceh) there have been clashes between local Christians and Muslims. These are sluggishly ongoing conflicts, periodically flaring up or dying out.
How to behave in Bali?
The culture, customs and etiquette in Indonesia are very different from what Europeans are used to. Here we will look at the main points that will allow you to avoid awkward situations.
Communication with the Balinese
When addressing local residents, you should say “ibu” (women) or “bapak” (men), which in European culture is analogous to the address “madam” and “mister.”
You should not pat people on the head, point at them with your finger or foot, or pass anything in your left hand. In Bali this is considered offensive.
In Indonesia, and indeed in Asian countries in general, it is customary to speak in a calm voice and under no circumstances show anger - such behavior is considered unacceptable. Showed anger - “lost face.”
Attractions
When visiting religious and administrative institutions of the country, you need to wear clothes that cover your legs and arms. When visiting the temple, tourists are given special clothing at the entrance.
Restaurants
Tourists are provided with cutlery in restaurants, but traditionally in Indonesian culture it is customary to eat with the right hand. Before and after eating, wash your hands in a special bowl with water and lemon.
Tips in restaurants and cafes are usually already included in the bill and amount to about 5-10 percent.
The shops
In Bali, it is customary to bargain in markets and shops. This is especially necessary to do when buying something in tourist places. Local residents love to inflate prices not once or twice, but 10-20 times. Be sure to bargain and try not to buy anything impulsively without properly finding out the price of the product, otherwise you may overpay.
Most stores are open from 10:00 to 18:00, but large shopping centers can be open until 21:00.
Beach
Swimming naked on the beaches of Bali is strictly prohibited. Also, you should not commit adultery on the beaches, otherwise you risk angering the gods and the local police.
List of recommended vaccinations for traveling to Indonesia
Thus, tourists planning a trip to the island of Bali are recommended to get vaccinated against:
- rabies;
- hepatitis A and B;
- typhoid fever;
- yellow fever and malaria.
For a short visit (up to 3 weeks) to Indonesia, the above list is not mandatory. At the same time, the island of Bali is a fairly calm region in epidemiological terms.
There have been no outbreaks of any dangerous diseases in Bali for a long time. But it’s still better to play it safe and relax without thinking about possible troubles.
For rabies
A large number of stray dogs in Indonesia threaten holidaymakers with such a serious disease as rabies. Therefore, it is important for tourists, especially those who plan to spend a lot of time in rural areas, to be vaccinated against rabies.
After all, the bite of a sick animal leads to this disease.
The disease is accompanied by damage to the central nervous system and in most cases ends in death. To allow immunity to develop, it is best to get vaccinated against rabies a month before travel. Immunity as a result of the injection lasts for three years.
For hepatitis A and B
In order to protect the liver from damage by hepatitis A and B viruses during your stay in Bali, you need to resort to the most effective method - vaccination.
The hepatitis A virus enters the human body through dirty food, water or objects. The disease is characterized by fever, vomiting, and loss of appetite. The hepatitis A vaccination course includes three injections.
In this case, six months should pass between the first and last injection. This period is necessary to develop stable immunity. The main carrier of the hepatitis B virus is blood.
Therefore, manipulations such as piercing, acupuncture, and manicure can infect unvaccinated tourists. The acute form of the disease manifests itself some time after the infection enters the bloodstream and is expressed by yellowness of the skin, nausea, and chills. The virus can also lead to chronic liver disease, cancer of this organ, or cirrhosis.
In most countries, every child is vaccinated against this type of hepatitis immediately after birth. Vaccination is repeated when the baby reaches one month and six months.
This approach allows you to avoid contracting the disease for 20 years. Adults are recommended to be vaccinated against hepatitis B before they reach 55 years of age.
Due to the fact that vaccination is carried out in three stages, and the difference between the first and third courses is 6 months, it is worth taking care of the vaccination long before visiting Indonesia.
Vaccination against hepatitis A and B is especially recommended for tourists who travel to Indonesia for a long time (over 4 weeks).
For typhoid fever
The bacteria that cause typhoid fever enter the human body through the stomach and intestines. The disease is accompanied by weakness, lethargy, headache, high fever, heart problems, and rash.
Therefore, those planning to visit Indonesia, where several regions have a high risk of typhoid outbreaks, are advised to get the appropriate vaccination.
The period of development of immunity after the procedure (depending on the drug) can be 1-2 months or only 2 weeks. For this reason, you must always check with your doctor what kind of vaccine was used during the injection.
Vaccination against typhoid fever is mainly indicated for people arriving in Bali for a period of six months or more.
For yellow fever and malaria
Yellow fever, like malaria, is carried by infected mosquitoes, and, as you know, there are a great many of them in Bali. As a result of infection with yellow fever, a person's kidneys, liver, and blood are affected.
The disease is accompanied by headache, “jaundice,” nausea, and vomiting. Vaccination against yellow fever is recommended for both adults and children. Children are allowed to be vaccinated from 9 months of age. Immunity is developed 10 days after the injection and lasts 10 years.
Malaria or “swamp fever” torments the sick person with intense fever, chills, and damage to internal organs. The risk of contracting malaria increases especially during the rainy season and immediately after it ends. There are no vaccinations against malaria yet. Therefore, it is worth taking antimalarial drugs shortly before travel.
Customs in Bali
The import and export of foreign currency into Indonesia is not limited, but the import and export of national currency is limited to amounts of 50,000 Indonesian rupiah with mandatory declaration.
Alcohol can be imported up to 2 liters per person.
For tobacco products, the limit is 200 cigarettes (10 packs) or 100 grams of tobacco.
The import and export of drugs, weapons, pornographic products, fruits, and Chinese medical publications is prohibited.
Video and audio equipment and equipment for professional photography must be registered with the authorities
The foreign passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
When departing from the country, you need to have 150,000 Indonesian rupiah ($15) to pay the airport tax.
Rules for traveling from Indonesia (Bali) to Russia
Before flying from Indonesia to Russia, fill out the form for those arriving in the Russian Federation on the State Services website. Since all flights currently have transfers, we recommend filling out this form during transit at the transfer point (or while waiting for a second flight), since transit can be long (more than a day).
Upon returning to Russia after visiting Indonesia, you must do a PCR test for COVID-19 within 72 hours and upload the result to State Services. The rapid test can be done at Moscow airports upon return or in any laboratory recommended by Rospotrebnadzor.
According to the new rules, which came into force on July 7, 2021, upon arrival in Russia from any country in the world: • for vaccinated
during the year and citizens who have been ill for six months - PCR testing is cancelled;
• for unvaccinated
citizens - the PCR test must be taken within 3 days upon arrival.
Until the results of the study are received, self-isolation is required. You can upload a PCR test to State Services within 4 calendar days (by Decree of the Chief Doctor of the Russian Federation No. 17, 1 additional day was provided for uploading test results). If the article turned out to be useful, you can support our editorial team in difficult days for tourism (the amount can be any).
Laws of Bali
You must strictly adhere to the period for which you are allowed to enter the country on a visa.
Drug use is prohibited in Indonesia.
Foreign citizens must spend the night in those hotels and hotels that have a license. Owners of hotels and inns are required to register all foreign citizens staying in them.
To rent a car you need to have an international driving license.
