Discover Indonesia: Ultimate Travel Guide to Double Volcanoes and Bali Adventures
What to Prepare:
1. Passport: I processed mine at the Zhenhai District Administrative Service Center in Ningbo. Just bring your ID, and it costs 120 yuan. The passport will be issued within 7 working days. You can track the progress on the “Immigration Bureau 12367” mini-program. Make sure to apply for the bank system in advance and get a stamp from your employer—this step is also necessary for those already in the system.
2. E-Visa: It’s incredibly convenient to process through Taobao, and it saves you from long queues when entering the country.
3. Exchange Indonesian Rupiah: Do this in advance. The exchange rate at the Bank of China is around 2100, while at Jakarta airport, it’s only 1700 [crying emoji] (a painful lesson learned).
In Bali, the rate is also around 2100, and there are plenty of street vendors where you can exchange currency.
4. SIM Card: I purchased one for 83 yuan, which lasted me 10 days. If you don’t buy one, international roaming can cost up to 25 yuan per day.
5. Power Adapter and Hairdryer: Some hotels may lend you a hairdryer, but it’s best to bring your own.
Other Tips:
1. Start monitoring flight prices two months in advance and aim for tickets with longer layover times. My travel companion had to buy a new ticket because they were a few minutes late during a return via Kuala Lumpur. I returned via Bangkok, where free shuttle buses run between Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi International Airports.
2. There’s a one-hour time difference between Jakarta and China.
3. It gets very cold at the top of Mount Bromo; a single jacket won’t suffice. Add a warm lining to stay comfortable.
4. The hike to the Ijen volcano is quite intense, so make sure to rest well in advance. The guide mentioned that if you want to see the blue fire, you need to start at midnight or 1 AM.
We skipped the blue fire and started at around 4:30 AM, which was still a fantastic experience (bonus: we got to take a photo with the staff, hahaha).
5. Highly recommend Malini cliff restaurant and FINNS beach bar for great dining experiences.
6. For translation, the built-in Apple translation app works perfectly.
7. If asked for a tip at Jakarta customs, you can politely refuse. They once asked me for a 200 yuan tip to use the VVIP channel, but the visa-on-arrival self-service is also very fast. Just have your accommodation and flight documents ready.
We opted for a semi-independent trip, following a guide for the two volcanoes. In Bali, we informed the guide in advance about our desired destinations, and they arranged the itinerary, including accommodations (the full Indonesia itinerary is provided at the end).
The most important thing is to have a group of fun travel companions and a good guide, which will double the joy [party emoji][party emoji][party emoji].
