Hotels in Indonesia

Entry requirements and visas

Your passport must be valid for at least six months from arrival. Citizens of ASEAN countries can visit visa-free for up to 30 days. Many other nationalities can use the Visa on Arrival (VoA), valid for 30 days and extendable once for another 30 days.

The VoA currently costs IDR 500,000 per person, including children. Apply online for an e-VOA at evisa.imigrasi.go.id at least 48 hours before you fly to skip the airport queue. A fee increase was proposed in August 2026, so check the portal before you travel.

All Indonesia arrival card

Every traveller, including children, must complete the free All Indonesia digital arrival card at allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id. It replaced the paper arrival card, the customs e-CD and the health declaration in September 2025.

Submit it within the 72 hours before you land and keep the QR code ready for immigration and customs.

Bali tourism levy

International visitors to Bali pay a one-off levy of IDR 150,000 per person per visit. Pay in advance on the official Love Bali site, lovebali.baliprov.go.id, or in the Love Bali app, and keep the QR voucher. Counters at Bali airport also accept payment.

Money and payments

The currency is the Indonesian rupiah (IDR). Our hotels, malls and most restaurants take Visa and Mastercard, and many shops accept QRIS QR payments. Carry small notes for markets, taxis and tips.

Hotel and restaurant prices marked “++” have tax and service added at checkout.

Weather and when to go

Indonesia is tropical all year, at around 26–32°C on the coast. The dry season runs roughly from May to September and the wet season from November to March, with short afternoon downpours. Highland areas such as Bandung, Bromo and Ubud are cooler, especially at night.

Holidays and events in 2027

Nyepi, 8 March 2027: Bali’s Day of Silence. The island, including the airport, shuts down for 24 hours and guests stay inside their hotel.

Idul Fitri, 10–11 March 2027: with collective leave days, many Indonesians travel from 9 to 15 March. Book flights, trains and hotels early. Dates are set by government decree and can change.

Health and insurance

Take out travel insurance that covers medical evacuation, especially for diving and volcano treks. Drink bottled or filtered water, use mosquito repellent and high-factor sunscreen. International hospitals operate in Jakarta, Bali and Surabaya.

Phones, power and time zones

Buy a local SIM or eSIM (Telkomsel, XL or Indosat) at the airport with your passport. Plugs are type C and F at 230 V.

Indonesia has three time zones: WIB (UTC+7) for Sumatra, Java and West Kalimantan, WITA (UTC+8) for Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi and East Kalimantan, and WIT (UTC+9) for Maluku and Papua.

Main international airports

• CGK Soekarno-Hatta, Jakarta
• DPS I Gusti Ngurah Rai, Bali
• SUB Juanda, Surabaya
• YIA Yogyakarta International
• KNO Kualanamu, Medan
• UPG Sultan Hasanuddin, Makassar
• BTH Hang Nadim, Batam
• MDC Sam Ratulangi, Manado
• LOP Lombok International

From Jakarta airport

The Skytrain links the terminals with the airport rail link, which runs to BNI City and Manggarai in central Jakarta. Taxis and ride-hailing cars take 45 minutes to over 90 minutes depending on traffic.

For early flights, stay at Swiss-Belhotel Airport Jakarta, near Soekarno-Hatta.

From Bali airport

Kuta and Tuban are 10 to 20 minutes from the airport, Seminyak about 30 minutes, and Ubud around 90 minutes. Use the official airport taxi counters or pre-book a hotel transfer.

Nearest hotels: Swiss-Belhotel Rainforest, Swiss-Belexpress Kuta and Swiss-Belcourt Sunset.

Yogyakarta and Surabaya

Yogyakarta International Airport is in Kulon Progo, about an hour from the city. The airport train connects it to Yogyakarta station.

Stay next to the terminal at Swiss-Belhotel Airport Yogyakarta, or near Juanda at Swiss-Belinn Airport Surabaya.

By ferry from Singapore

Ferries from Singapore’s HarbourFront and Tanah Merah terminals reach Batam in about an hour. Harbour Bay terminal is a short walk from Grand Swiss-Belhotel Harbour Bay and Swiss-Belhotel Harbour Bay.

Domestic flights

Garuda Indonesia, Citilink, Lion Air group and Indonesia AirAsia link Jakarta, Bali and Surabaya with the rest of the archipelago. Fly to Labuan Bajo for Komodo, Sorong for Raja Ampat, Manado for Bunaken and Silangit or Medan for Lake Toba.

Ride-hailing apps

Gojek and Grab are the easiest way to book cars, motorbike taxis and food delivery in cities and in Bali. Prices are fixed in the app, and you can pay by card or in cash.

Getting around Jakarta

Use the MRT north–south line, the LRT, Transjakarta buses and the KRL Commuter Line to Bogor and Tangerang. Pay with a contactless e-money card or a JakLingko QR ticket. Allow extra time at rush hour, roughly 7–9 am and 5–8 pm.

Trains across Java

KAI intercity trains connect Jakarta, Bandung, Cirebon, Yogyakarta, Solo, Malang and Surabaya. The Whoosh high-speed train runs from Jakarta (Halim) to Bandung in under an hour. Book on the Access by KAI app.

Road trips on the Trans Java toll road

The toll road links Jakarta with Surabaya. Break the drive at our Swiss-Belexpress rest-area hotels at KM 164, KM 166, KM 260 and KM 379A. Traffic drives on the left, and you need an International Driving Permit. Most visitors hire a car with a driver.

Island hopping

Fast boats from Sanur reach Nusa Penida in about 45 minutes, near MĀUA Nusa Penida. Boats also run from Bali to the Gili Islands and Lombok. From Batam, boats go to Nirup Island for Riahi Villas. Check sea conditions in the wet season.

Safety and emergency numbers

Call 112 for all emergencies, 110 for police and 118 or 119 for an ambulance. Keep valuables in your room safe, use official taxis or apps at night, and swim only at beaches with lifeguards.

Useful phrases in Bahasa Indonesia

Terima kasih

Thank you

Selamat pagi

Good morning

Permisi

Excuse me

Berapa harganya?

How much is it?

Tidak pedas

Not spicy

Sampai jumpa

See you later

Etiquette and customs

Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, and Bali is mainly Hindu. Dress modestly at mosques and temples, cover shoulders and knees, and wear a sarong and sash at Balinese temples. Take off your shoes before entering homes and places of worship.

Give and receive with your right hand, and don’t touch people’s heads. During Ramadan, avoid eating or drinking in public in conservative areas during the day.

Food to try

Start with nasi goreng, rendang, sate and gado-gado. Look for regional dishes: babi guling and bebek betutu in Bali, gudeg in Yogyakarta, rawon in Surabaya, coto Makassar in Makassar, bika ambon in Medan and papeda in Papua.

Try Balinese cuisine at the Friday Balinese Vaganza Buffet at Kōwhai Restaurant, or Indonesian favourites at our Swiss-Café™ restaurants.

Shopping and souvenirs

Buy batik in Yogyakarta, Solo and Pekalongan, silver and woodcarving around Ubud, and Indonesian coffee from Toraja, Gayo and Kintamani. Bargain politely at markets, but not in malls or fixed-price shops.

Tipping

Tipping isn’t expected, but it is appreciated. Many bills already include a service charge. Rounding up for drivers, or IDR 20,000–50,000 for porters and guides, is a common thank-you.

Responsible travel

Refill water bottles at your hotel, use reef-safe sunscreen when snorkelling, and don’t buy coral, shells or wildlife products. Choose licensed guides for volcano treks and national parks.