Monday, May 16, 2011

Indonesia - a neglected opportunity


We can consider China and the India key players in Southeast Asia, but lets not forget the Indonesia. Indonesia offers various possibilities for profit both for exporters and importers. If allows to look more closely at the Indonesia.

Indonesia is an island country based and consists of 17508 Islands, but only about 6000 of them is inhabited. Statistically, the Indonesia is the 16th largest country in the world with a population of more than $ 200 million. The main religion is Islam and you must consider in the course of business in Indonesia. The Indonesia is a democratic country, which is generally a good idea, but at the same time, it is a good land of corruption and the level of corruption in Indonesia is one of the highest in Southeast Asia.

The Indonesia has vast quantities of natural resources, including crude oil, natural gas, tin, copper and gold. In fact, the Indonesia is the largest Tin market in the world. Therefore, there are many opportunities to do business and make money.

The 1997 Asian financial crisis struck the most difficult of the Indonesia. Economic development slows and even decreased, at a given time, inflation has increased by 77%, but the Indonesia was able to recover and now its GDP is growing. And although it may seem weir Indonesia must feel very happy of the 1997 crisis, because due to that the current global crisis has had a minimal effect on the Indonesia.

Major trading partners the Indonesia are the Japan, the United States and China earlier the main exported products are the natural resources and various courses. That are mainly imported equipment, chemical products and food. It is therefore quite a few opportunities for trade and profit.

The labour costs are very low, as in most Asian countries, and it is because of the level of poverty of the Indonesia. From the humanitarian point of view, it is obviously very bad, but on the other side manufacturers are capable of producing their goods at low cost and the price of the goods is affordable even for the poorest part of the world's population.








Matthew e. Brock is a writer for the site of suggestions of International trade . See intelligent and valuable information. Subscribe to our business newsletter for more tips and suggestions.


Sunday, May 15, 2011

Seven surprising elements on the Indonesia


Although the Indonesia is well known in South Asia and nearby Australia, few people really know much about the Indonesia. Here are seven surprising elements on the Indonesia.

1. The Forth worlds largest Population

The Indonesia officially has more than 225 million people, about 10% of Indonesians live in or around the capital of the nations, Jakarta. The majority of Indonesians are less than 25 years, with a percentage higher than in females. The Indonesia is a young country.

2. A Nation of Islands

The Indonesia officially has more than 17,000 islands, spread over 5 000 kilometres of ocean. Many of these islands are sparsely populated, with the majority of Indonesians living on the island of Java, that is the capital of the nations.

3. Political system

The Indonesia is a modern democracy with a Parliament and regional Governments in all of its provinces and Islands. Since 1998, the Indonesia has developed a political system of de-centralization and democracy, based on the American primary-system-with an elected President and the Parliament every five years.

4. Economy

The Indonesia is still rich in natural resources such as the modernization of nations based on the American model, has been fuelled by oil, natural gas, gold, precious stones, and forestry exports. This change, as the Indonesia has become a net importer of oil, but still has a strong localized industrial base, a regional tourism sector and a stable maritime economy.

5. Languages

Bahasa Indonesian is the official language, many people their "local" language spoken at home and uses bahasa Indonesia for business. There are an estimated 2000 local languages used in Indonesia, located on the Islands that make up this unique Nation.

6. Volcanic rich

The Indonesia is located on the Pacific coast, fire, with active volcanoes pointed through the islands of the Indonesia. Many are still active, others today disappeared have created some of the rich more agricultural land in the world.

7. Religious diversity

Indonesian majority are Muslims, but also many Indonesians are Christian, Catholic, Buddhist, Hindu, and in some remote areas animalists. The Indonesia constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the protection of religious and ethnic rights. Stability and acceptance through religious communities, has helped create a nation reasonably tolerant and open minded.

The Indonesia is a land of contrasts mile of its looking Western cities such as Jakarta, with centres-band commercial, suburban and modern industry in quite remote back drops were life has hardly changed for centuries.

It is not difficult to visit the Indonesia, since many budget airlines fly to cities and the different islands. Vessels of modern speed passengers regularly performs at RIau and Sumatra through Singapore and Malaysia Islands. Makes it much easier and more affordable to visit the unique islands of Indonesia.








Discover the "City of Dreams," a collection of short stories, based on real experiences in the exceptionally surreal city of Jakarta, Indonesia.


Business and on the Indonesia market overview


ECONOMY. The Indonesia is a market-based economy, but the Government plays an important role in the economy of the country with 160 State-owned enterprises. Indonesia GDP per capita class fifth after Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia and Thailand. The 1997 Asian economic crisis has adversely affected the economy of the country and businesses and caused a spiralling prices of products of first necessity resulting from social unrest. The future of the economy of the Indonesia prospects are bright with structural economic reforms in placed since the Asian economic crisis.

Indonesia GDP was 258.3 billion with a GDP per capita of US$ inhabitants in 2004. The Indonesia real GDP increased on average by 4.6% per year from 2000 to 2004, led by the accountant of domestic consumption for almost three quarters of the GDP Indonesia. Inflation rose from 3.8% in 2000 to 11.9% in 2002 but finally declined 6.1% in 2004. Past GDP per capita of US$ 801 in 2000 to US$ inhabitants in 2004 but also increased 6.1% to 9.9% in the period of unemployment.

The manufacturing sector contributed 43.7% of the Indonesia of GDP in 2004, while the services sector contributed 40.9%. Although almost 45% of the active population of the country is involved in agriculture, this sector contributed only 15.4% of the GDP of the country during the period. Major industries include oil, and natural gas, textiles, clothing, footwear, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food and tourism. Agriculture major products include rice, palm oil, rubber, cocoa, peanuts, copra and cloves.

DEMOGRAPHY. The Indonesia is composed of almost 18,000 islands and has the largest population among the countries of Southeast Asia with 217 million in 2004. Main islands are accounting for 55% of the population of Sumatra (18%), Java Kalimatan (5%) and Sulawesi (6%). Other less populated islands include Irian Jaya, Bali and Nusa Tenggara.

The Indonesia is a country of diverse ethnic communities and with different languages and dialects, cultures and food. The Javanese represents 45% of the population followed by Sundanese (14%) and the Madurese (8%) and coastal Malays (8%). Chinese who migrated to the Indonesia during the Dutch colonial period account 5% of the population. Islam is the dominant religion, followed by Christianity and minority religions include Buddhism and Hinduism. The Bahasa Indonesia (similar to Malay used in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei) is the national language. English is not widely used but of many companies and representatives of Government dealing with foreigners and foreign companies are commonly the language.

More than half the population live in rural areas, but the proportion of the urban population is from 36.0% in 1995 to 45% in 2004. Major cities include Jakarta with a population of 10 million follow-up of Surabaya, Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Surakarta, Medan and Padang.
About 25% of the population living below the poverty line while another 60% are in the lower income group. The remaining 10% belong to income means and 5% in the highest income group. Although the Indonesia has a relatively low proportion of average high income consumers, this is equivalent to 33 million consumers. It is more Singapore 4.3 million people with a GDP per capita comparable to those of many economies of the European Union.

INFRASTRUCTURE. The Indonesia domestic telecommunication system is generally fair, while its international services can be classified as good. Broadband Internet services are mainly concentrated in large cities. Road systems are more developed on the Indonesia populated island of Java, developed in Sumatra and Sulawesi, but poorly developed on the island of Kalimantan. In addition to seaports serving international lines, Indonesia are also served by small seaports, coastal shipping service. The main towns and cities are connected by air transport services.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE. Major trading partners of the Indonesia to the Japan, us, Singapore, Korea of the South, and China. A large part of imports from Singapore are re-exports of Singapore from other countries and exports to Singapore are re-exported to other countries. The Indonesia exports include oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textile and rubber products. Major imports include machinery and equipment, transport equipment, chemicals, fuel and food.

USE OF TECHNOLOGY CONSUMERS. The mobile phone penetration is only 13% of the population, which is less than Singapore (93%), Malaysia (67%) and Thailand (45%). In addition, there are fixed phones for only $ 10 million in the service of the whole country. Computer penetration is less than 2% of households and the country has only 1.2 million internet subscribers with 12 million internet users or a penetration rate of only 0.5% of the population. Most high income and the average houses would be owner of televisions, but penetration in lower income households is lower. Java TV penetration rate is about 60% and Sumatra 52%. Similar scenario exists for refrigerators.

RETAIL MARKET. Sales in the retail food and non food totalled estimated at 32 billion dollars in 2004. Many Indonesians still shop at traditional markets or establishments "mom and pop" shopping in modern shopping malls, hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores and supermarkets, but more and more popular. There are some 5 000 these modern institutions in Indonesia, accounting for the retail sales of 4.5 billion US dollars in 2004. Most of these establishments are concentrated on the island of Java, followed by of Sumatra. Since 1998, the Government opened the retail of foreign investment and industry participation.

FOOD CULTURE. The Indonesia food culture is diverse because of the different ethnic communities that made up the population of the country. Typical meals consumed are occasionally of rice and noodle dishes. However, there are many facilities for the rapid restoration of the West franchise located primarily in the major cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Semarang and Yogyakarta. Workplace to the point of sale high range of bakery products in the service of Western bakeries and local are also present in large cities.








Khal Mastan is Senior Consultant at Pegasus Business and advisory market ([http://bma.pegasus-asia.com]) by Malaysia. He is involved in the business and marketing research and provides consulting services in the markets in Southeast Asia namely Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei. He has more than 20 years of experience in the region and work experience in various industries. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and an MBA. He can be contacted at khalzuri@pegasus-asia.com or + 6 7726 5373 (03) in Malaysia.


Saturday, May 14, 2011

The challenges of Fair - fair trade Indonesia

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Fair-trade, Fair and Equitable Trade and Relationship Coffee in Indonesia- a Merdeka Coffee view:

1/. Internal (Indonesian specific) Barriers- Indonesia is a country with a huge potential internal consumer base. However at this stage the consumers we target are based in Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Bali and Bandung. Outside of these cities, the market is very small. The cities mentioned have a combined population of close to perhaps 40 million inhabitants. However our target market is middle to upper-class Indonesians and expatriates- making up perhaps a market as small as 1.5 million potential consumers. Of this number those interested or those whose buying decisions are based solely on our efforts to trade fairly with our partners is probably as little as 10,000 people or less.

Fair trade, relationship coffee and organic partnerships play an important part in the retail coffee market overseas. As much as 38% of the coffee market in the USA is engaged in some form of certified or direct relationship with growers (fair-trade, organic, shade-grown, bird-friendly etc). In the Indonesian market understanding of relationship coffee and/or fair-trade is weak. This is for a number of reasons- lack of education and understanding of the coffee market is perhaps one major reason. However apathy towards the agricultural sectors of the economy is also a very important reason. Most urban Indonesians view the agricultural sector as being both remote and removed from their lives. The closest many modern Indonesians come to being in contact with farmers is buying produce in Supermarkets. Wet markets are these days mainly the domain of the modern Indonesians house staff, where produce is purchased. This separation means that an out of mind-out of sight attitude is taken to farming. This dislocation affects all sectors of the agricultural community but most directly effects sectors where fair trade pricing could be easily implemented- coffee, chocolate, tobacco etc. While there is a general acceptance that organic, chemical free product has a place in the Indonesian market, the bridge to a fair trade product is harder to cross. Organic coffee is perceived as being good for the consumer (drinker). Shade grown coffee is seen as being good for the environment. Fairly trade coffee is actually good for the drinker, environment and community... so really the focus should be on fair trade. Paying the farmers a decent return for their product results in-

- farmers staying on their land instead of migrating to the cities. In the cities their skill sets are not suited to urban living- thus they end up un/underemployed.

- Great coffee. A problem in Indonesia is a lot of the coffee harvested ends up as poorly graded stock. This is because farmers are paid not enough to cover the time they should put into crop maintenance. As a result coffee is picked green or let on the trees until over ripe. It is then dried in a haphazard fashion. This means the taste is poor. With decent returns this cycle can be broken. Great coffee= higher demand= better returns to the farmer.

- Economic and social stability. Farmers staying on the land means skills are put back into agricultural practices. Best practices means using natural means to maintain quality crop in harmony with the village. Natural sprays for pest control (such as tobacco) are used to minimize damage to the cherries. Decent returns means the village can build facilities and diversify economic systems (introduce other crops, livestock etc)

- Also maintaining coffee crops, especially in a water catchment area, can help to reduce flooding damage further down on the flat, alluvial plains. In many areas Coffee can be grown under primary or even secondary forest canopy.

The Indonesian domestic market also has a topsy turvy view of local product vs. imported product. A survey we undertook (1) amongst Indonesian customers showed that nearly 85% of Indonesians preferred "coffee grown in Italy" to "coffee grown in Indonesia". Italy grows no coffee. They import green coffee from producing countries such as Indonesia, India, Vietnam etc, roast and then re-export the finished product. When questioned what is important to them as buyers of coffee, "fair-trade" rated 9th out of 10th in regards to importance (10th and of least importance was type of package- tin, box or sachet). In fact when asked about buying "espresso blend" coffee, 90% of all respondents said they would only buy Espresso blended in Italy. A further 9% said they would consider buying "Espresso" blended/roasted in Australia, New Zealand, Japan or China. Less than 1% said they would consider buying/using "any Espresso blended/roasted" in Indonesia. When asked to elaborate on the decision, it came back almost entirely to the fact that "the Italians grow the best coffee"!!! To most respondents important was flavor, followed by aroma, packaging, design. In a country where the minimal wage in rural areas may be as low as 300,000idr a month, it is difficult for Indonesians to see that fairly trading coffee is indeed a means to an end. It offers opportunities that benefit everyone through a complex supply chain- including of course the Jakarta based buyer of a cappuccino in Starbucks or Merdeka Coffee.

2/. Eternal Factors:. Fair trade is a principle of great importance for the present and future of coffee in Indonesia. From very positive beginning, in recent years the certification systems have become quite complex, as well as expensive to obtain. Certification itself has become more of a business rather than a service being offered to the developing countries that need it most. Certification through Transfair and similar organizations in the USA and Europe can be very, if not prohibitively expensive for small growers and small cooperatives. Fair trade (as well as 'organic' and 'shade grown') is actually monitored in the large USA market via the FDA. Unless certification is obtained through a FDA approved agency, the words "fair-trade" etc can not be printed on the packaging. In theory this is great, it keeps scalpers out of the system. However in reality it can prevent a small roaster or US broker from setting up a direct trade system which indeed pays recognized fair-trade prices directly to a grower. In the 15 or so years since fair-trade was established, only 3 Indonesian growers have obtained certification. This is an amazingly low number considering Indonesia is the world's 4th biggest coffee producer. Conversely Costa Rica, the worlds 14th biggest producer, has 75 certified FTL (Fair-trade Label) producers! The reasons for this are that fair-trade is not ideally suited to small-hold or even small cooperative growing groups. The Indonesian certified growers (such as PKGO in Aceh and Gayo Mountain in Aceh) have over 10,000 growers. The number of growers needed to obtain leverage for certification means that coffee ends up being 'pooled' or sourced from large growing areas. Instead of allowing the specific characteristics of coffee grown in a very small growing area to shine through, the big coop system dilutes the real perfection of small-holder grown coffee. This is a flaw with the current approach to fair-trade, one which was designed perhaps to work best with the Finca, or estate growing systems in Central and South America.

While the demands for Arabica coffee grow year on year, the ability of roasters in countries such as the USA to reach growers directly in countries such as Indonesia remain limited. Many growers in Indonesia are located in remote mountain areas. Many do not have telephone access, let alone internet connectivity and/or the ability to communicate in English. As a result most coffee exporters are located in the big port cities- Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan and Semarang. These exporters are not growers but brokers and/or finishers and packagers of raw green bean product. Buyers by default will often go through the contacts that they have in these export cities, not realizing often that these contacts are only exporter/brokers. Ultimately the growers never have a direct interface with the buyers. Currently even if they did, they would struggle to meet the quality demands of many of the overseas roasters. Most Indonesian coffee growers are producing anywhere from 1000-8000kg a year- in a cooperative/village situation. One container of coffee is 18,000kg of coffee. The coffee must be dried to a minimal moisture content, finished (can include being polished) and of course be packed free of stones, sticks, faulty beans by a pre-agreed screen size into 60kg sacks. While growing and preliminary drying can be achieved at village level, the additional finishing can not- as machinery, technology etc is not available to many communities. If the remote villages did have a direct access to the market and if the machinery to finish and ultimately ship from the growing location was available, then a direct for of fair-trade would for sure be more than a possibility. There are cases in Central America where small-holders can make excellent returns from coffee- due to its rarity, quality and appeal to specialty roasters is Europe, America and Japan.

Summary:

Overall the domestic market in Indonesia is driven by branding. Branding itself can be split into two segments- the international and the local brand names. Premium branding is seen as being the foreign coffee labels and cafes (Illy, Maxwell House and Lavazza for coffee and Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf etc for cafes). These big brand operators globally roast extremely high volumes of coffee. The volumes they deal in often makes direct procurement using certified fair-trade systems impractical. This is not to say these brands do not have their own internal fair/equitable trade systems, however the volumes in question means that often they can not have a direct purchasing system from small hold growers in place, and they need to operate purchasing through a number of local partners and brokers. Therefore it is fairly rare to see retailers in Jakarta selling and educating their clients about fair and equitable trade with brokers. Also as the roasting industry in Indonesia is still mainly focused on producing bulk for the lower end/instant market, there are few roasters who are seen as being educators such as those who are found in specialty markets such as the US and NZ. Ultimately the specialty market in Indonesia is still in its infancy, the move to drinkers buying coffee product based on social issues rather than brand awareness is perhaps still at least 4-5 years away, if not longer!

Local Brand operators such as Excelso, Regal, Kopi Luwak, Brew and Co etc are appealing to a different segment of the market. This segment is very price conscious, and perhaps less well educated, less well paid than those who frequent the international brands. The local segment here is large, growing, but very competitive and perhaps less brand loyal than that found in the Premium Branding segment. Here as mentioned in the first paragraph, there is little concern about the welfare of the farmer and the growing community. The consumers want to enjoy a coffee, cake, meal and socialize. The local café brands also produce locally sourced coffee, so in theory they would be in the best position to champion fair-trade. However the bulk of the coffee blends sold by local producers are Robusta rich, mirroring the taste requirements of the local client base (mainly based on the finely ground Robusta kopi tobruk found in most Indonesian kitchens!). Robusta is still the main coffee type produced in Indonesia, and it certainly is an area where fair-trade struggles to make any impact. The historically flat prices for Robusta, combined with the lack of interest in the coffee from the more political active specialty coffee sector, means that Robusta remains a low price commodity, rather than a product that has value added by roasters skill. The squeeze on pricing for the local café chains, as well as Robusta's role in the equation, means that any concept of fair-trade would struggle in the local sector of the café market in Indonesia.

(1)- Merdeka Coffee- Market Survey. Respondents 500 questioned- Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Bali. 2006.








Alun Evans is an expatriate roaster based in Indonesia. His work includes traveling and working alongside growers throughout the country. He has almost a decade of experience in Indonesia. He may be contacted at alun@merdekacoffee.com


Friday, May 13, 2011

Tourist destinations of the Indonesia

Decide which part of the Indonesia, the largest archipelago in the world, to visit can be a little confusing. If you can stay for 2 weeks,you would likely to get the best of your Indonesian trip.

Where to to go?
There are more than 17,000 islands, 300  native ethnic groups and 700 different languages, exploring truly Indonesia will be a life long! However, don't let these figures not frighten you. You can still discover the best of the Indonesia if your trip is well planned.

According to the Ministry of Culture and tourism, more than 6 millions  foreigners  visited Indonesia in 2008. This number is much bigger than 2007, despite the recent negative media coverage of the situation of the Indonesia, Indonesia Tourism has never lost its value.

Here are some top tourist destinations in Indonesia:

Bali - the island of the gods.

Bali has now become one of the main world destinations, for its white sand beaches blue sky, beautiful waves, tropical climate and friendly people. For several years, the International Travel Magazine awarded Bali as best of the world island. There are more than 1.4 million tourists in Bali in 2008. You have to ask myself, what makes Bali as the most popular tourist destination in Indonesia?

First, the island is located 8 to 9 degrees south of the Equator  with the Java Sea to the North and the Indian Ocean, to the South, which gives Bali a tropical weather wonderful year-round!

It has rich cultural experience you're looking for, Bali is just for you. The Balinese people have very strong Hindu beliefs. This is represented by statues and temples you can visit all around Bali. A form of art the most popular is "tari kecak" or the Ramayana monkey Chant. A fact that most of the people is not known "tari kecak", is that this art form was originally a ritual traditional trance.

Bunaken - a paradise for the Navy on Earth

It is said that Bunaken Marine Park has one of the higher levels of marine biodiversity. The Park extends over 89,065 hectares of the warm tropical waters. It is a paradise of beautiful coral reefs. Many tourists come to this site to dive or snorkel to see direct corals. Bunaken received international recognition for its preservation of the Marine Park. For example, The International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN) chose Bunaken as its site of unique Asian demonstration for tourism sustainable reef. You are guaranteed to have a spectacular diving experience here!

Stay on the Marine Park, it is also a relaxant. Lifestyle casual provides tourists with pleasure that they do not usually receive in the life of the city. Here, everything flows gently and you need not worry. Start your day by going for a dive in the morning, then return for breakfast quick and NAP before leaving for a dive of the night.

Jakarta - a metropolitan city in Indonesia

Jakarta, the capital and largest city in Indonesia is 8 million people. It is the twelfth largest city in the world. You might ask what you can see in Jakarta. There are actually many places that you can not expect to see in Jakarta.

If it's Museum experience you are looking for, Jakarta is home to more than 22 museums with their own distinctive specialties. For example, National Museum displays historical aspects of Indonesian culture with its vast collections of artifacts and relics that date from the stone age.

The Museum has one of the most comprehensive collections of Chinese ceramics dating to the Han, Tang and Ming Dynasties, and collections of gold and bronze of the Indonesian classical period. On the other hand of the city, Wayang Museum collects thousands of puppets of all regions of the Indonesia.

There are many other things you can do when you visit Jakarta. One thing for certain, a culinary adventure is a must! Jakarta has a wide selection of traditional kitchens because of the unique mixture of ethnic origins Indonesians in Jakarta. At the end, you can fully enjoy the Indonesia culinary adventure while staying in Jakarta!

As you read above, adventure never ends in Indonesia. However, please visit http://www.turisku.com and discover at least the best of the Indonesia.

Agustian Hermanto is the founder of Turisku. It is dedicated to help the companions travel junkies struggling with the best of the Indonesia. Turisku is the most complete of the Indonesia travel guide

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Nine things to do with a Dollar in Indonesia


In today's world a dollar seems like loose change, but if you are in Indonesia or plan to visit in the future, here are ten things you can do with one dollar.

1. Have a cup of coffee and a snack in a Caf? Street

The Indonesia is renowned for its culture of caf? Street, located in the most unusual and picturesque places. Stop seaside of Riau, order coffee and indomie, or simply take a running order a drink with a snack spicy throughout the island in Indonesia.

2. Visit a mall

Most urban areas in Indonesia have a shopping centre, where you can walk in the luxury of air conditioning and stop by a food court. Inside a restore typical, you can order a cheap ice tea or a coffee and watch the crowds.

3. Have a cup of hair and head Massage

Hairdressing salons are common in Indonesia, and some offer a haircut with a relaxing head massage. It is relaxing way pass a few hours in the entire Indonesian city.

4 , Take a Local Bus and explore a city

30 cents pay usually for a trip on one of the many local buses that drive around all Indonesian urban areas. Take a cultural trip in responding to the local population and view the sights of your window.

5. Go fishing

The Indonesia is a country of Islands and all you need is a bamboo pole and line, and you may stop by the sea front and simply relax while you fish. A bamboo fishing rod, costs less than a dollar move from street vendors.

6. Browse the Internet

For a few hours, you can chat, surf the net or simply watching a movie online to most internet cafés, which spread to even the most remote regions of the Indonesia.

7. Call your friends

The Indonesia has some of the rates lower national telephone in the Asian region. A Sim Card can cost as little as 25 cents, one dollar would be sufficient to call friends in Indonesia, at least three hours.

8. Explore a Local market

Local markets are abundant, and for a dollar, you can be surprised what you can buy several pairs of socks, a couple of posters or even craft local.

9.Visit a Local Museum

Most museums outside of Jakarta, the capital of the Indonesia, costs less than a dollar to enter, and you can explore the Indonesian history for hours. Discover the ancient wayang puppets, or the arts that have made so famous Indonesia.

The Indonesia is both a modern and traditional, country where every street brings a surprise. Explore the Indonesia can be a fascinating, and affordable experience even on low budget.








Take an extraordinary journey in the
City of dreams by Mark Medley


Information on the Indonesia hiking

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INDONESIA

Population: 225.3 million (UN, 2005)

Capital: Jakarta Area: 1.9 million sq km (742,308 sq miles)

Major languages: Indonesian, 300 regional languages

Major religion: Islam

Life expectancy: 65 years (men), 69 years (women) (UN)

Monetary unit: 1 rupiah (Rp)

The Republic of Indonesia is then again one of the MUST-SEE places in Southeast Asia a small hop from the Indochina Peninsula. Although it has previously lost some of its charisma to the world with the 2002 killings of 164 international tourists and 38 locals in Kuta, Bali, tagging along tectonic hyperactivity scares that brought about almost instantaneously the tragedy of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that took 167,737 lives in North Sumatra, was yet another big blow to Indonesia's tourism industry, the island paradise is simply tantalizing as ever. With raison d'?tre, the Java Man, one of the world's earliest species of man, has found his home here around 500 millennia to 2 million years ago. And rather surely with its 17,508 islands that can result to pleasure overdrive, travellers can't resist the ethereal music, spectacular dance, delightful storytelling and exquisite craftsmanship - great manifestations of a rich and spiritual life. Indonesia just knows how to tingle the pleasure centres of each of its travellers be it by flavour, spectacle, aroma, or sensation, in addition to the size of this place, possibly the largest paradise that causes more often than not a rethinking of one's departure. Perhaps another night?

GEOGRAPHY

Fact remains, travel to Indonesia is dynamic exploration chasing after islands and wildlife, which is quite a lot. Indonesia is, after all 1,904,569 km2-territory with 17,508 islands with great biodiversity, 6,000 of which are inhabited, making it the largest and most populous country in the Southeast Asia. Indonesia (5 00 S, 120 00 E) is made up of forest-clad mountains and lowland plains and coasts that have served as the home to nomadic and more advanced civilizations of the archipelago. Mountains can be found inland, toward the island centres of bigger islands, the highest of which is the Puncak Jaya at an altitude of 5,030 metres above the sea level, the Indian Ocean in this part.

CLIMATE

The climate just can't get better for a Southeast Asian travel, tropical climate as usual as Indonesia straddles the equator. The traveller can't ask for more sun or heat with average temperatures varying very subtly throughout the year from 26-30 ?C. But the highlands and mountainous regions like Kalimantan, Sulawesi, W. Java, and W. Sumatra and Papua offer a different kind of cool, regardless the two seasons of wet and dry.

PEOPLE

Indonesia is the 4th most heavily populated country in the world succeeding the United States with 240,271,522 people, or officially, Indonesians. Its high population and rapid modernization entail environmental concerns of excessive waste and poor management of it, large-scale illegal deforestation and massive air and water pollution with related forest fires that threaten neighbouring countries Brunei and Malaysia. The Javanese are the most numerous ethnic group with almost 45% of the population, and the island of Java, the most populous island in the world with 130 million of inhabitants. After which comes the Sudanese with 15% of Indonesians and some 300 groups such as the Madurese who are at odds with the Dayak, the Minangkabau, Bajar, Banten, Betawi, and the Bugis.

RELIGION

The republic nation prides on being the country with the largest Muslim population on the planet with almost 90% of a Muslim demographic. Naturally, Islam is the way of life here, that main ideology to every action, every principle from preparation of meat and food to governance and law. Christianity is a budding faith in many small villages where missionary work is chiefly directed to especially in North Sumatra with 9% of the population in practice and still adding. Hindu and other pagan or animist beliefs incompletely identified are also in practice.

LANGUAGE

BAHASA INDONESIA, a modified Malay language, is the official language of the state. ENGLISH is widely spoken in major cities and is the language used for foreign matters and the hospitality industry, DUTCH, the colonial language spoken as more of a creole by a minor senile generation, and a few local dialects have dotted the linguistic landscape.

ATTRACTIONS

The rich and hearty Indonesian culture is the perfect accent to the allure of sights of this island paradise. Nothing quite epitomizes Indonesian allure as the rich biodiversity at the coral reef kingdoms to which the traveller can scuba dive and witness colours and creatures so diverse, so flamboyant, possibly none that anyone has seen anywhere on earth, until now. We're talking possibly hundreds of shades of blue, red, green, yellow, and so on. Sulawesi is a place to site rare animals found nowhere else in the world that have evolved to survive in the island of heat and volcanic activity. Crater and volcanic lakes of Sumatra, alabaster beaches of Maluku, more volcanoes of Java, resorts of Bali, surfing sites and fine woven village textiles of Lombok, rainforests in Sabah and Sarawak, Borneo, West Papua, and thousands more places offer pristine nature experiences that is are constantly threatened, it is heart-breaking. In the Orangutan Sanctuary at the Indian Fire Islands-volcanic hotspot, the traveller will also feel a certain over-joy that suddenly shifts to melancholy realizing that these beings are in danger as well.

The irresistible and accessible charm of the people and the places create a truly phenomenal experience. This is home away from home being a place that is totally different but so familiar. From big island hopping trips from Sumatra to Kalimantan or Papua, or cheap thrills of watching Katchak in southern Bali, the common attraction and the genuine beauty is from the people scarcely touched by modern living, thriving in harmony with nature. But life is no beach, at least for the locals with 17.8% living below the poverty line with so much of a health care system as herbal medicines, and as they get a daily dose of the salty-smelling cool sea water, the Indonesians in small villages can never be calm about their own dear lives.

FOOD

Nonetheless, none can take the festive element of the culinary epiphanies to be had here. It does not matter the place, rest assured a guest will have a wide and colourful spread of dishes that are out-of-this-world in colours and flavours. The nine essential gastronomic elements of Indonesian cuisine are rice, fuel, cooking oil, flour, corn, salt, sugar, eggs and meat. A country of many faces, so is Indonesian cuisine combining Indian, Middle Eastern, European, Chinese, and Malay influences with their use of spices and methods of cooking and food presentation, but not without sharing some of their own like nutmeg, clove, and galangal, spices native to Indonesia.

Most popular to the world are dishes such as satay, beef rendang, sambai, lumpia, pangsit, and many others. Authentic Indonesian cuisine is not a solid concept per se. Rather it pertains to the cuisine in Indonesia which renders localized versions of others. Rice is a staple not restrictive to main meals as it is also used in desserts using a variant called "sticky rice" cooked in coconut milk or buras. In some dishes, food is so hot and spicy, it can kill microbes.

Indonesian food also offers some Eastern exotica of spicy brains, lungs, and gizzards, but besides its high cholesterol content, there is no reason to not eat it. Islamic food prohibitions are practiced but with some leniency. The rationale is that alcohol has been in existence even before Islam and is part of traditional and cultural practices. There's a big and beautiful world out there, but, a world of its own, Indonesia is a tough contender.








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Monday, May 9, 2011

Indonesia Tourism - exotic and dangerous


Have you been Indonesia? Most people know more about Bali as the Indonesia, while in fact, is Bali in Indonesia. Bali is a province of Indonesia. It is an island which attracts tourists from other countries. The Indonesia itself was so other tourist destinations. The Indonesia is an exotic country. He has more than 17,000 islands, the second longest coastline in the world. The Indonesia is a tropical country. It has so many types of tropical plants and animals that are really worth of victims.

Something else interesting on tourism in Indonesia is their culture. The Indonesia was on the ethical hundreds tree different groups and 250 distinct languages, all with their different cultures. It makes the rich traditional culture Indonesia ending you never enjoy. Many traditional ceremonies and exotic places such as temples, traditional houses and shows. Borobudur, a Hindu temple is a must see place during the visit of the Indonesia. It is one of the wonder of the world that attracts foreign tourists to come. Another temple, Prambanan is also a magic temple which, according to popular history, was built only in a single day.

The local populations of the Indonesia are famous with their friendliness and kindness. Enjoy the smiles and warm hospitality which is already in their blood for many years. All do the same Indonesia more worthy to visit.

However, many incidents were happening in recent years. It significantly reduced the visit of foreign tourists. July 2009, seven people died of suicide bombers j.w. Marriott and Ritz Carlton Hotel in Jakarta. It begins in a few years before by a bomb attack in Bali, which has also had some lives, including foreign travellers. Although terrorists was arrested and executed by the death penalty, the country is not 100% safe. There may be opportunities for other terrorist acts to occur. These anarchist acts was a big disappointment for all people worldwide especially for local populations. Stop all the threat in Indonesia.








Theodore Satou is a man of the family. He is a husband and father, who works mainly from the computer, a graphic designer and web developer. He is passionate about reading and blogs. You can also check his latest site on http://www.travelinsurancecomparison123.com/ , passing in review the best providers of travel insurance.


Sunday, May 8, 2011

Visa travel requirements-Indonesia Indonesia

The Indonesia visa and kitas:
Indonesia,
Need not be an Indonesian to travel to the exotic lands of the Indonesia. You can get the visa at your Embassy of Indonesia in your country, or there is a visa on arrival option, the kitas. The Indonesia has several different visa of the Indonesia to adapt to your stay. KITAS are different that those remaining are more than 60 days and is usually initiated by a citizen or business Indonesian. Recently, a kitas of retirement has been added.
Indonesia Visa on arrival:
Indonesia on arrival visa for tourist Indonesia planning to stay within 30 days, visa on arrival is not extensible and expires when you leave the country.

o arrival visa can be bought at the airports in Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya, Medan, Padang, Pekanbaru, Manado, Biak, Ambon, Balikpapan, Pontianak, Kupang, Batam and South Sumatra.

o Visa on arrival is also available to a limited number of seaports, including Batam and Bintan ferry terminal near Singapore

o arrival visa to travel to different islands in Indonesia

o there are four regions in Indonesia the foreign national is not allowed to visit without special written
permission and approval. Maluku, Poso and Irian Jaya/West Papua.
To enter the restricted areas a must obtain a special authorization of the Indonesian authorities and Counsellor to the Embassy / Consulate General on the intention to visit and in the regions.

Requirements:
o the passport must have at least 6 months before expiring
o show you arrangement to leave the country as the ticket return or travel continues
o Indonesian visa require an entirely blank Passport page where they stamped the visa.
Cost:
o 10.00 USD for 7 days and 25.00 USD for 30 days

If you go on your time is a tax 20.00 per day to 29 days.

62 countries and 1 region may apply for a visa on arrival.
Argentina, Fiji, Libya Romania, USA, Australia, Finland, Lithiuania, Russia, Algeria, France, Luxembourg, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Germany, Maldives, Slovak Republic, Belgium, Greece, Malta, Slovenia, Brazil, Hungary, Mexico, Spain, Bulgaria, India, Monaco, South Africa, Czech, Iceland, New Zealand, Korea South, Cambodia, Iran, Country-BasSuriname, Canada, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Cyprus, Italy, Oman, Switzerland, China, Japan, Panama, Taiwan, Denmark, Kuwait, Poland, Tunisia, Estonia, Laos, Portugal, United Arab Emirates United, Egypt, Latvia, Qatar, UK

I have two tips for the Indonesia upon arrival visa

1 After they stamp leave your Passport, they give a form with Passport don't lose it or when you leave you will have to fine 20.00 USD in Indonesian Rupiah if you do not have any rupiah, you must go to the ATM.

2. If you have someone seek you at the airport to tell them that the line for a visa on arrival can be from 5 to 40 minutes depending on the number of passengers Indonesia.

Take a peak at http://www.indonesiatravelinformation.com more information, maps and photos on the Insonesia travel..

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Indonesia - for a Hassle free holiday travel tips

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Indonesia, without a doubt, is one of the most fascinating countries in SE Asia. From the jungles and lakes of Sumatra, to the cultural heart of the nation, Java, onward to Bali, Flores, Sulawesi, West Papua, Ambon, the Banda Islands, and West Papua - every step is one of discovery.

Let me provide you with a few tips which should make navigating this incredibly diverse country, Indonesia.

Cultural Sensitivity

Indonesia is the largest Moslem country in the world. Although Islam is the state religion, there are parts of the country where other religions are prevalent. Northern Sulawesi is 90% Christian, the Balinese are predominantly Hindu, and in the Malukus and Flores Moslems and Christians live side by side - usually peacefully. When visiting places of worship, whether it's a mosque, a temple or a church, please ensure that you are conservatively dressed. Remember to take of your shoes before entering a mosque or a temple. Ladies should wear tops with longish sleeves, skirts which go below the knee, or loose fitting, long pants. As far as clothing in general is concerned, please don't take Kuta as being typical for the rest of the country. If you go out to a restaurant (other than in Kuta) or if you are invited to visit an Indonesian home, smart - casual clothing is fine. Local people really appreciate it if you can use a few words of Bahasa Indonesia, the language which binds Indonesia, and crosses geographical and cultural diversity in this huge archipelago.

Visa Regulation

To enter Indonesia your passport needs to be valid for at least another 6 months from your date of entry. Immigration officials are on the look out for passports which have less validity and are within their rights to deny you entry into Indonesia.

7 day Visa on Arrival was abolished in January 2010

30 day Visa on Arrival

At the time of writing the cost for a 30 day Visa on Arrival for Indonesia is US$25, which you should pay in US$ cash, with unmarked, clean bank notes which were issued after 2001. Since January 2010 this visa can be extended once, by 30 days, whilst here in Indonesia. To be totally frank, the procedure is a hassle, and if you think you might be spending more than 30 days in Indonesia, get a 60 day Tourist visa before entering Indonesia.

60 day Tourist Visa

You need to obtain the 60 day Tourist visa before entering Indonesia. The good news is that since January 2010 this visa can be extended in Indonesia. If you intend to travel to West Papua Province, or you are planning on extending your 60 day visa, please have 4-6 spare passport photos with you.

For further information about visa regulations check out the website of your nearest Indonesian Embassy or Consulate.

Money

The local currency is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). It's always a good idea to carry some small banknotes (Rp 1000, 2000, 5000) with you when shopping in local shops (toko) or planning to eat at a warung (small local restaurant or food stall). The easiest way of handling money is by using a credit or debit card to withdraw cash from ATMs, which are just about every where, other than in some really out of the way places. If you intend to travel to, or stay for any length of time off the beaten track, you are going to need to carry sufficient Indonesian cash with you to pay for accommodation, food and transport. Please don't rely on being able to exchange foreign currency. With the advent of ATMs, Travelers cheques have pretty much gone out of fashion.

Health

By far the biggest danger to tourist's health are dehydration and sunburn. Please try to drink at least 2 litres of water per day. Coffee, tea, beer, juice and other fluids really don't count. Indonesia is in the tropics, and you'll probably be spending quite a lot of time out of doors, so protect yourself and use a good quality sun block, as well as wearing a hat.

In Bali there is currently a problem with rabies spread by sick dogs. If you are scratched or bitten by a dog, you need to get medical care as quickly as possible.

Water - even local people drink bottled water! It's cheap, so don't take any risks.

Alcohol - there is some questionable Arak being sold in Bali, and there have been further deaths this year because of it.

Sex is fun, but please make sure that condoms are used should you have a close encounter of a (very) personal kind during your stay in Indonesia. All kinds of STDs, including HIV/AIDS are widespread, so please take precautions.

Drugs

Drugs should be an absolute no-no. Don't even think about bringing any drugs into Indonesia, because chances are that you'll end up in jail. Don't be tempted to get any drugs whilst you are in Indonesia. If you spend any length of time around Kuta, Legian, or Seminyak, you will probably be offered some - please say no. You could very well be dealing with a police informant - which means that you wont be using your return ticket home!

Personal Safety

Please don't let sensationalist media reporting put you off from visiting Indonesia. For tourists Indonesia is as safe as other countries. As things are today, unfortunately, any public place in the world could be - the wrong place at the wrong time. To avoid being the victim of petty crime, just don't show off expensive consumer electronics, cameras or jewelry in public. I have been visiting Indonesia, and other parts of South East Asia since the mid 1970s, and I have never had a problem with theft or bag snatching. Yes it can happen, so be aware, but don't get paranoid about it.

Don't become a virtual traveler in your own lounge room, getting second hand experiences by watching travel shows on television - get out there and experience the magic first hand.

Packing List

Get a packet of zip-lock bags at the nearest supermarket. They are essential if you like snacking, and you want to keep ants and cockroaches out of your room/bed/backpack. I always carry heaps of them with me

Take toilet paper, and soap, as these are NOT provided in budget accommodation. Instead of carrying soap and hair shampoo, I tend to use shower gel which is also OK to wash your hair with.

With digital cameras often having very specific batteries, don't forget the charger which came with your camera

Take a torch (flash light), as power interruptions are not unusual. Also footpath, if they exist, are notorious for being uneven, and often having huge holes in them. So if you walk around after dark, and you don't want to end up breaking some bones, take one with you.

Take a couple of sarongs, as quite often beds only have a bottom sheet, and you might like to cover up during the night. Mosquito coils, or spray, and/or personal insect repellent is something you should definitely not forget. Remember to have bottled water in your room, you can NOT drink the tap water. I use tap water to brush my teeth, but if you have a sensitive stomach, I would suggest that you use bottled water for that as well. before

Hopefully the above tips help you in having a great time in Indonesia. Just one other thing - if at all possible bring rechargeable batteries and an appropriate charger, or a spare battery and charger for your specific camera. There is no safe means of disposing of used batteries in this country, which creates environmental and health hazards.

Come on over and have a look around, but be warned visiting Indonesia is a health hazard - it's addictive!








Sybille Conrad is an experienced international travel agent, and a specialist dive travel agent. She holds a Grad. Dip. in Recreation Management, usually lives in Cairns, Australia, but has been living and working in Indonesia for the last couple of years. For information about diving and traveling in Indonesia have a look at her website http://www.divetravelindonesia.com


Friday, May 6, 2011

Indonesia - exotic archipelago


With more than 17 000 islands in his sleeve, the Indonesia is the place where you can never run things to do while visiting the gift of this nature. Shops of snorkeling, there is so much to do in Indonesia, where a week vacation too could not step justice at this location. If during the navigation of the hotels in Indonesia, keep in mind that there is a fat chance to extend your stay in the country. Choose one of the markets good hotels Indonesia allow you to spend less on accommodation and more adventurous activities that should be all on vacation in Indonesia.

If you are in extreme sports, the Indonesia is legendary when it comes to activities such as the snorkeling and diving. Wreck in the USS Liberty wreck off the coast of Tulamben is an artificial reef for diving can pump up your adrenalin levels that you cannot even imagine. The islands of Bunaken Coral Sea gardens is a must for any lover of nature who will certainly be awe struck by marine life and reef decline training, visit. All hotels in Indonesia will have information on visits to these two places and will be happy to organize the same.

Enjoy a tempting trip

If your thirst for action remains broke out, receiving most of the hotels in Indonesia can help you with packets trekking over some of the famous Indonesia active volcanoes. Mount Bromo in East Java, is the active volcano, which was the most popular around which several treks are organised. Another great option would be the Kawah Ijen, which offers one of the best scenic views of lush fields and the surrounding peaks which is nothing less than a fairy tale experience.

The Indonesia is one of the richest countries in Southeast Asia because of a large number of resources available in this archipelago. This means paradise of a shopper with the crowd number of malls and shopping streets of a wide range of prices. All hotels in Indonesia will be located near to some Mall or market so that you can fill your shopping across desires.

There are two things, it should be remembered while on vacation in Indonesia to cut the budget. First of all, living in hotels Indonesia can be very economical and intelligent. Hotels Indonesia provide the same luxury and comfort offered by others, but at an affordable price of many. The second important thing to remember is, if something does not have a price on her label, the price is negotiable.

Excitehotels.com takes you to the most desirable hotels in Indonesia








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