Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 169

Gunung Sinabung in Sumatra. Also in
Sumatra, the Gunung Leuser National
Park is Southeast Asia's largest, and
includes the famous Bukit Lawang
orang-utan sanctuary. he long haul to
Gunung Leuser itself from Ketambe as
well as many routes heading into the
park from Bukit Lawang require guides ,
and not just to find the paths: turning up
at a remote village unannounced can
cause trouble, as people may mistrust
outsiders, let alone Westerners. Guides
are always available from local villages
and tourist centres, most charging from
Rp250,000 per day.

hour. Free wi-fi is a common feature in
tourist cafés, hotels and shopping malls.

CRIME AND SAFETY
Indonesia has endured a torrid time over
the past decade or so, most recently with
the July 2009 bombings of the Ritz-
Carlton and JW Marriott hotels in
Jakarta, which killed nine and injured
more than fifty people. Together with the
2002 Bali bombings which left more than
200 (mostly foreigners) dead and the
violence that surrounded the political and
religious upheavals of the past decade, it
undermines the idea that Indonesia is a
safe place to travel. Considering the scale
of Indonesia and the vast number of
international travellers, incidents
involving Westerners are rare. Petty theft ,
however, is a fact of life, so don't flash
around expensive camera equipment,
jewellery or watches. Don't hesitate to
check that doors and windows -
including those in the bathroom - are
secure before accepting accommodation ;
if the management seems offended by
this, you probably don't want to stay
there anyway. Some guesthouses and
hotels have safe-deposit boxes.
If you're unlucky enough to get mugged ,
never resist and, if you disturb a thief, raise
the alarm rather than try to take them on.
Be especially aware of pickpockets on
buses or bemos, who usually operate in
pairs: one will distract you while another
does the job. Afterwards, you'll need a
police report for insurance purposes. Try
to take along someone to translate, though
police will generally do their best to find
an English-speaker. You may also be
charged “administration fees”, the cost of
which is open to sensitive negotiations.
Have nothing to do with drugs in
Indonesia: the penalties are extremely
tough, and you won't get any sympathy
from consular o cials.

COMMUNICATIONS
Aside from the usual services, some post
o ces ( kantor pos ) offer internet facilities.
Indonesia's poste restante system is fairly
e cient, but only in the cities. In larger
post o ces, the parcels section is usually
in a separate part of the building; sending
one is expensive and time-consuming.
he cheapest way of sending mail home
is by surface (under 10kg only). Don't
seal the parcel before staff at the post
o ce have checked its contents; in larger
towns there is usually a parcel-wrapping
service nearby.
To call abroad from Indonesia, dial
T

4

001 or T 008 + country code + area
code (minus the first 0) + number.
For international directory enquiries
call T 102; the international operator
is T 101.
Mobile phone coverage is good across
most of Java, Sumatra and Bali, but
elsewhere is confined largely to the main
cities and populated areas only (though is
improving). If you're staying longer than
a week or so in Indonesia, consider
purchasing an Indonesian SIM card for
a few dollars. he dominant operators
are Telkomsel, hree and Indosat. here's
a complicated registration process, so ask
the sales assistant for help to set up your
phone. You shouldn't have to pay to
receive calls.
Internet access is increasingly
widespread, and there are internet cafés
in many towns and cities; prices vary
widely from Rp3000 to Rp30,000 per

EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Police T 110
Ambulance T 118 / T 119
Fire T 113