Travelling/Living in Indonesia

[beanstalk6]

Personally, I advise against travel to Indonesia in view of the current unrest. Civil unrest has a tendency to result in arson, looting and anti-Chinese incidents over there.

 

[LWZ]

Singkawang has a reputation among other Indonesian Chinese as being a depressing place for its Chinese inhabitants, particularly its womenfolk. I hear it is easy to visit from Kuching and historically it was part of a Chinese republic formed at Pontianak. It should be quite interesting to visit Singkawang and Pontianak.

U are definitely right! Many poor ethnic Chinese people are living there..I can't say very poor but it's like the Chinese living in the 60s or 70s!

Hmmm, if they aren't running a business, it is not easy to eke out a living there since it is a really small city and not many jobs to go around

That said, I daresay most Indonesians are just surviving and not exactly thriving

 

[beanstalk6]

Suspending my plan to visit Surabaya and Mt Bromo in November. I am not optimistic things will be sorted out soon. The police are being discredited while the army is out receiving public affection openly.

 

[Joe Mahmood]

So far there are no news about wide spread demonstrations, riots and violence in Batam or Bintan.

I asked my Singaporean friend living in Malang-Surabaya about it. He said, "It's not bad here. No trouble except maybe in town."

 

[pclow59]

Indonesia introduces ‘All Indonesia’ mandatory digital arrival card for all arriving passengers​

 

[beanstalk6]

Indonesia introduces ‘All Indonesia’ mandatory digital arrival card for all arriving passengers

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/s...d-surabaya-required-to-use-new-on-arrival-app

Just like the SG Arrival Card, register your entry within 3 days ahead of your planned arrival date.

https://allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id/

 

[Joe Mahmood]

INDONESIA NATIONAL ANTHEM



INDONESIA INDEPENDENCE DAY is on every 17th August...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(Indonesia)

 

[Joe Mahmood]

14/11/25

MY SINGAPOREAN FRIEND THAT LIVES IN MALANG-SURABAYA, EAST JAVA IN INDONESIA FORWARDED THIS VIDEO OF HURRICAN AT CITRA GARDEN IN MALANG

 

[Joe Mahmood]

Indonesia becomes world's first country to apply biometric 'seamless corridor'​

By VNA

Sun 11/23/2025, 05:00 pm (PT)

Indonesia has become the first country in the world to implement a biometric “seamless corridor” system that allows passengers to pass through immigration without stopping.

The groundbreaking technology, based on Amadeus’s AI-powered solution, is the first of its kind globally.

The move is part of the country’s "All Indonesia" program, which aims to streamline immigration procedures for international arrivals.

Two corridors are being installed at Jakarta airport, with a third planned for Surabaya. In the first phase, priority will be given to seniors and passengers with disabilities, who can pre-register via the All Indonesia app.

According to Rudy Daniello, a senior official at Amadeus, the combination of digital identity and biometrics at key airport service points has made a truly seamless and secure travel experience - with no paperwork, no queues and no physical barriers - a reality.

The process involves passengers sharing their passport details in advance, background checks being completed before they arrive at the airport, and final authentication taking place as they pass through the biometric corridor.

The seamless corridor technology is not entirely new to Indonesia.

It has previously been used to facilitate the entry of pilgrims, with an estimated 220,000 people traveling between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia each year. During that period, the corridors processed more than 30 border crossings per minute and served a total of 50,000 passengers.

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/travel...pply-biometric-seamless-corridor-4973866.html

 

[Joe Mahmood]

Indonesia grants unlimited stay permit for former citizens in lieu of dual citizenship​

Published Nov 24, 2025, 12:18 PM
Updated Nov 24, 2025, 03:09 PM

JAKARTA - Indonesia has opened applications for a permit that would allow former Indonesian citizens to live and work in the country for an indefinite period as an alternative to dual citizenship, an official at the immigration ministry has said.

Indonesian law does not recognise dual citizenship for adults, and anyone with two passports must make a choice of nationality when they turn 18.

The new policy, named Global Citizenship of Indonesia (GCI), is modelled after the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI), which allows foreigners of Indian ancestry to visit, work and live in India indefinitely, the ministry said.

“GCI is a strategic solution to the issues of dual citizenship by giving an unlimited stay permit for foreign nationals with strong ties to Indonesia,” Mr Is Edy Eko Putranto, the ministry’s director of immigration residence permits, told Reuters on Nov 22, adding the Indonesian diaspora could help with national development.

Mr Putranto said former Indonesian citizens, foreign nationals of Indonesian descent up to the second degree, and children from mixed marriages would be eligible to apply.

Calls to allow dual citizenship have increased amid concerns about a “brain drain” as Indonesians leave the country for better opportunities abroad.

Nearly 4,000 Indonesians became Singaporean citizens from 2019 to 2022, according to data from the Directorate General of Immigration.

Indonesia’s population is 280 million people, making it the fourth most populous country in the world.

“The ministry essentially responds to the ‘brain drain’ phenomenon by turning it into a strategic opportunity by facilitating a special right to the diaspora so that Indonesian talents can return or contribute remotely,” Mr Putranto said. REUTERS

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/s...r-former-citizens-in-lieu-of-dual-citizenship

 

[Joe Mahmood]

 

[pclow59]

Bali governor seeks to pull the plug on Airbnb - Tech​

https://jakartaglobe.id/news/bali-governor-plans-to-ban-airbnbstyle-rentals#goog_rewarded

 

[Joe Mahmood]

Bali governor seeks to pull the plug on Airbnb - Tech​

https://jakartaglobe.id/news/bali-governor-plans-to-ban-airbnbstyle-rentals#goog_rewarded

I think not a problem as long the foreigner rented the whole house based on yearly basis and pay the whole lump sum on yearly basis for long term stay. That is rental practice not only in Bali but in other parts of Indonesia too. As long they don't sublet their rented house or rent out the bedrooms to the tourists I think it is fine. I think they can share the annual rent like co-living for long term. Usually, the house are own by the locals themselves.

Then there are rooms rental that pay on monthly rental. These rooms are called Kos Kosan. The owners are usually locals. Usually they would rent out the rooms to locals from other parts of Indonesia who are working in Bali or Balinese themselves especially those who are staying far from the tourists areas and they are working in that tourists areas. In the past when I was living in Bali, there were many foreigners that rented those Kos Kosan rooms on short or long term basis.

The Kos Kosan rooms design varies. Below are two examples of Kos Kosan rooms in Bali and other parts of Indonesia. Some have a small kitchen areas and toilet within but some don't have a toilet and kitchen area within but has a common kitchen area and toilet or they simply cook outside their room.




As for business rented premises usually it is based on yearly basis and you pay the whole lump sum on yearly basis too.

I don't know how the Bali Government going to control it because majority of the locals there are landlords and rental is their main source of income/revenue for them. They are owners of lands with properties for residential and business usage for the locals and foreigners alike.

 

[Joe Mahmood]

Then there are Losmens. It is for short and long term renting on daily basis rates. As for long term stay as in a month or months the daily rate renting would be slightly cheaper. It is a budget common daily room renting and common accomodations that can be seen not only in Bali but also other parts of Indonesia. Those land owners in Indonesia will build this kind of rooms and it is not much different from Kos Kosan design except that it may consist a swimming pool and a nice garden or it is two storeys high. The room rental is definitely higher than the Kos Kosan monthly room renting.

Below are some examples of Losmens and can be found aplenty within the whole of Bali.

 

[Joe Mahmood]

 

[Joe Mahmood]

DRONE AERIAL VIEW OF MALANG-SURABAYA, EAST JAVA IN INDONESIA




APPLE FARM IN BATU-MALANG

 

[Joe Mahmood]

INDONESIA

 

[Joe Mahmood]

 

[pclow59]

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/in...sia-pushes-back-balis-plan-ban-airbnb-rentals

[JAKARTA] The Indonesian government has pushed back on Bali’s plan to ban Airbnb rentals, saying such services are needed to foster tourism in South-east Asia’s largest economy.

Regulators will instead encourage owners of villas and guest houses on the popular holiday island to get proper licences, ensuring compliance with service standards and tax obligations, the Tourism Ministry said in a Dec 8 statement. Airbnb will be asked to delist properties whose owners are not complying, according to the statement.

“The government has never banned, and does not intend to halt, operations of online travel agencies in Indonesia,” the ministry clarified.


Bali governor I Wayan Koster told state news agency Antara last week that Bali is considering a ban on Airbnb accommodation in an attempt to cope with a surge in tourism.

The use of Airbnb-style rentals has exploded in recent years, eroding tax revenue from hotels even as foreign arrivals boom, Koster said.

Bali is the main driver of international tourists to Indonesia, accounting for 45 per cent of the 1.3 million arrivals in October, official data show

 

[luei74]

Went to Sulawesi and Halmahera last August for birding. Very nice place and the foods are