INDONESIA

The name Indonesia has its roots in two Greek words: "Indos" meaning Indian and "Nesos" meaning islands. This is an excellent description of the archipelago, as there are an estimated 17,508 islands, some nothing more than tiny outcroppings of barren rock, others as big as California or Spain and covered in dense tropical jungle. Approximately 6,000 of these islands are inhabited, with five main islands and 30 smaller archipelagos serving as home to the majority of the population. The islands and people of Indonesia constitute the fourth most populated nation in the world with about 210 million people.

Immigration:
Introduced in 1983, the free visa facilities allow citizens from 48 countries to enter Indonesia without having to obtain a visa prior to arrival. The 48 countries are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom (Great Britain), United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Venezuela, Yugoslavia and Taiwanese holding MFA//M passports. The facility also allows the eligible visitors to stay in Indonesia for maximum of two months, to travel and to attend conventions and seminars.

BALI

Bali is a small and fertile, the island located almost in the center of long series of islands that constitute the Indonesian archipelago that extends from Sumatra, 0n the Northwest, until Irian Jaya in the frontier of New Papua Guinea, on the Southeast. It is adjacent to island of Java, with densely populated, and it is the chain of small island Nusa Tenggara. Bali has an extension of 5.632,86 square kilometres, Bali has 3,25 million inhabitants approximately, Its small size doesn't prevent to have a tremendous tourist attractiveness. Bali consists on some islands like: the island of Bali, the island of Nusa Penida, the island of Nusa Ceningan, the island of Nusa Lembongan, the island of Nusa Serangan and the island of Menjangan. All of These islands are Bali (province of Bali). In the east of Bali 3,5 hours by ship, there are other islands called the island of Lombok, in the West of Bali 1 hour by ship, located the island of Java. In the South of the island it is Indian Ocean. And in the North it is the sea of Java. Bali has many good beaches. In a "concentrated" of culture, ancestral traditions, landscapes, volcanoes and lakes, their gastronomy, etc. This island is divided to 9 regions and a capital of Bali (Denpasar), with 51 district and 644 towns.

Located only 8 grades south of the equator. It is extremely mountainous; the central mountain range along chain in middle of Whole Island includes several picks of a same height or superior to the 2.000 meters, and the Mount Agung, Grand Mountain and mount Batur. These two sacred mountains, both volcanoes asset, have 3.142 and 1.717 meters of altitude, the eruption in 1963. the other main mountains is Batukaru '' the rock of coconut shell '' with 2.278 meters and the mount Abang with 2.152 meters and in the end. South of Bali is smaller mountains in the area of the inferior plain of the peninsula of Bukit. To the South and the North of the central mountains they are the fertile lands of Bali cultivation.
Bali has a warm tropical climate the whole anus facilitating its visit in any season of the year. The temperature is about 24c - 32c the whole year, but the humidity can make the heat especially at noon. A dry season from April to September and another rainy season from October to March, but it can rain in any time of the year, and even during the dry season the rain seems to be a matter that happens quickly. In general, the months between April and August are the best in Bali. In that time of the year the humidity its lowers and the slight and not very frequent rains. Their strategic place makes it a point of ideal stop in any trip to Australia or the Asian Southeast.

It is said that the island has more than 10.000 temples, we can assure it that it has many and very representative. Also, in Bali one can enjoy their magnificent dances and their craft. The lover of the oriental architecture and the decoration in Bali are a paradise: hotels and "villages" they compete in offering the best of the Balinese tradition. And the most visitors can enjoy doing surfing, submarines, rafting, and much more to do with activities outdoors or in doors.

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Important Information for visitor before travelling

REQUIREMENTS OF ENTRANCE

PASSPORT
To enter island of Bali we need Passport, with date of validation at least 6 months. These things better to ask the nearest Embassy of Indonesia before leaving.

THE VACCINES
At this time (08/2000) any vaccine is not required especially. Anyway, one month before leaving it is necessary to consult with the Service of External Sanity. For other areas of Indonesia it can be necessary some vaccine or protection.

CLIMATE
As the island very near the equator has two seasons, the dry and the rainy. The dry season normally from May to October, July is being the most could season and the rainy season can be in month of November until April, but it can be raining at any time in the year. As a tropical country, every day is hot in the low areas and in the coast with the temperature of 24c - 32c and going down to 18ºC in the height areas or the mountainous areas. But the humidity can make the heat is very oppressive, especially at noon, and even during the humid season the rain seems happens quickly. In general, the months between April and August are the best in Bali. In that time of the year the humidity is lowers and not very frequent rains.

THE MONEY
Going to Bali is necessary to travel with dollars in US$. We also can use other European currencies, but you need to change it before going to shop, The local currency is the Rupiah. The Indonesian notes can be of 100, 500, 1.000, 5.000, 10.000, 20.000, 50.000 and 100.000 rupiah. There are also metal currencies of 25, 50, 100, 500 and 1.000 rupiah. At the tourist centres you can change travel checks in dollars. The most advisable thing to travel is with American dollars or Euro. In the main cities and tourist centres have banks and authorized money change, as well as in some hotels. If you travel to out the cities or Tourist areas, it is convenient to prepared it will be very difficult to change foreign currencies on way. The banks usually open from from 8.00 o'clock to the 15.00 h. on Monday to Friday. The main credit cards like American Express, MasterCard or Dinners Club; they are accepted in the main hotels, commercial centres and deluxe restaurants.

HEALTH
The international certificates of health and vaccination against the pock, the cholera and the yellow fever are only demanded to the travellers coming from infected areas. It is advisable to the travellers to be facilitated if same with pills of the stomach nuisances, as the diarrhea and a tube of cream antihistaminic to get rid of the stings (especially those of the mosquitoes), an ointment to avoid the infections of the faithful one, may need a product to avoid colds and aspirin. All the water should be boiled before take away for drinking water. they are available in all the better hotels Private clinics are more preferable than the public hospitals. There is pharmacy in any cities even Kuta, Sanur, and Nusa Dua.

CLOTHES
Bali has the beach area, Area of temple and mountainous area, it is necessary to get dressed suits for that area. on the beach places, they take beach clothes during the day. Short skirts or mini blouses for the women or T-shirt with short sleeve for the men for visiting to the temple. Bali has so beautiful beach clothing they sell in any stores. To wear the garments of cotton in beautiful colours are not only fresh and comfortable, but also elegant. To be in the living rooms of the hotels with air conditioned or to visit picturesque mountainous places, take you a sandal and sweater. The jacket and the tie are strange even in official occasions. The Indonesia long shirt "batik" is the average clothing and the shoes to wear for attending business meeting. It is convenient to take comfortable and fresh garments, preferably of cotton. Remember that it is advisable to get dressed with modesty and according to the norms of some places, especially in places considered as sacred.

SOUVENIR
Bali is famous for its art in wood carving, gold and silver work, knitted talent, Batik or local clothing, the paintings, baskets of grass straws in antiques colours. In the last a few years, the local production is available in excellent design and cheap. In Bali no many stores with fixed price and have to bargain the only solution, buyers and the sales persons they are in the ends all satisfaction and they don't lose. It is amusing.

PHOTOGRAPHS
The prices of the movie or roll of film for making picture are very similar to the European prices, however it is convenient
to travel provided of enough material. You can get material in the main cities and tourist centres. In some areas the high
humidity can damage the films it is advisable to keep them in dry and fresh places.

THE OBJECTS FREE OF TAXES
The objects for use in personnel are tax-free as well as 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars or 100 grams and tobacco. Camera, video and personal computers should be declared. It is not allowed to bring animals, opium, narcotics and pornographic literature. For return to home with memories, but the valuable objects can be brought whose antiquity overcomes the 50 years, they require of an export license. Limitation doesn't exist for the import or export of foreign currencies, however, it is forbidden to export more than Rp. 50,000

SHOW
Several traditional shows can be seen during our stays in Bali, the gamelan orquestra, dramas, and several traditional dances, the marionettes those which pace the tourists are represented or if it is lucky one can see those shows in a temple when they are celebrating the anniversary of that temple. In some tourist areas they also have night atmosphere, disco, restaurant and bar.

MAIL AND TELEPHONES
The service of mail is relatively economic. The schedule of the post offices is from 8:00 to 15.00 h. on Monday to Thursday, Friday from 8.00 to 11.00 h. and on Saturdays until the 14.00 h. On Sundays are closed. In the same post offices the service of telegrams exists. Each hotel also receives mail or postcards to send. To call from Indonesia (Bali) to others country, it is necessary to put 001 or other 008, followed by the country code (omitting The 34 for Spain) and of the regional prefix (9 for Madrid) and the local's number.

RELIGION
Although Bali is nominally Hindu Bali 95%, Muslims 2.5%, Christian 1.75% and Buddhist 1.75%. There are exists an astonishing variety of religions and a harmony grade of religious tolerance in fact.

AIRPORT TAX
Started from January 2001, Bali had been an Autonomic Regional Government given from the centre government of Indonesia, so a part of its income that Bali's government must created by own self. Domestic airport tax at present is Rp. 11,000, - for a traveller for an International travellers departed from Denpasar, Bali. Government Bali tried increasing their budget by full of effort, but no other way, otherwise by increasing of airport tax. The airport tax will be increase 100% of the present airport tax; domestic airport tax planed is Rp. 20,000, - [approx US$ 2] for one person travelling in Indonesia and for international departure is Rp. 75,000, - [approx US$8]. The date of validity of the increasing of airport tax is not determined yet. It need the corporate decision from the local regional parliament and the authorized letter from the centre communication minister - a president.

TIPS
In the hotels and restaurants where the service is not included, one can leave between a 10 and 15% about the total value of the invoice. In general the lenders of services, as waiters, guides, chauffeur, etc. will wait a tip of its good service.

LANGUAGE
In Indonesia they have more than 330 languages and different dialects that for the most part belong to the groups' linguistic Polynesia and Malay. All of them, the language learned as official language is "Bahasa Indonesian", qualified as one of the simplest languages in the world, because They doesn't have verbal times, neither goods and frequently a word communicates the sense of a whole sentence. English is understood in a lot of area of the country. Say it in local lenguage

FOR GOING TO BALI
Contact the nearest airline office in your country. Garuda Indonesia is National Airline the main air companies that they offer flights to Bali are Garuda Indonesia, Singapore Airlines, Thai air line, British Air Ways and Other companies, as KLM, Air Awards, and Malaysia Airline etc. The four first mentioned they offer the possibility

At this time there is not any company that they offer direct flights from Europe. They will be necessary to make stop in some airport: Amsterdam, Rome, Frankfurt and Vienna, Singapore, Bangkok are the most habitual connection points. From these cities They usually goes aboard in a Boeing 747 (Jumbo) that usually makes an intermediate stop in Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, etc. depending on the elected company. These stops usually allow the "stop over" up suitable. All these companies have their page Web, where it is possible to make reservations "on-line". Any day we want these systems is working very well, and especially in high season. The big tourist operators reserve shares in the flights, what hinders to get the best rates. It is necessary to reserve the note as soon as possible. For our experience, to buy a complete package in a well-known operator doesn't come out necessarily cheaper that to take out the flight for ourselves and to reserve the hotels directly in Bali. It is necessary to keep in mind that the operators don't usually freight flights charter for these circuits

a word of advice

Tours in Bali