Indonesia visa for Indians

Indonesia visa for Indians

When I was planning my visit to Indonesia I looked for detailed information on Indonesia that a tourist would require, including the visa requirements. The information on the internet is enormous but somewhat confusing too. It was very clear that Indian passport holders need no prior visa approval. It was VOA – visa on arrival or visa on landing, that’s what many portals mentioned. At least one blogger talked of visa exemption. Then there was talk of a visa fee. Somewhere it was mentioned that a landing fee of USD 35 was applicable. Elsewhere, it was mentioned that an exit fee or departure fee of IDR 1, 50, 000 was applicable. They said that while Indonesia issued a visa on arrival for free, they charge a departure fee. Keep IDR 150 K (approx INR 725) in Indonesian currency at the airport as departure tax when outbound, said one blogger.

However, THE FACT is this:

On arrival, my passport was stamped “VISA EXEMPTION” and on departure - “DEPARTURE” was stamped alongside the arrival stamp. No visa / entry stickers, no signatures, no questions asked. I was let in within ONE minute of handing over my passport on arrival and the same for my departure from Jakarta.

I had also read it somewhere that the exit fee was built in the exit air fare but it appears highly unlikely that the airline I flew with would have charged the amount under “taxes and fees”.  I checked the fare structure and have convinced myself that there was no such a charge / levy on my ticket.

Where I visited in Indonesia:

Bali / Ubud

Mt Agung smoking as on 22 Oct 2017

Pura Ulun Danu Braten

My visit remained under clouds of the ‘imminent’ eruption of Gunung Agung (mount Agung). This dormant-since-1963- volcano had been showing signs of eruption since Sept 20 or 21, 2017, almost one month in advance of my planned visit starting 17 Oct. Bali was under emergency till the 16^th and then extended till 22 Oct 2017. In the event of an eruption which was being talked about as likely to be of very high intensity, the airport would have faced an immediate closure. Air Asia – the air lines I booked my journey with never issued an advisory. Indian media appeared ignorant about the rumbling Mt. Agung or an emergency like situation in Bali. while the British and the US papers carried regular updates for the information of their readers and tourists from the western world. The Australian papers as well as the government were also giving updates. Why should the media in India bother about a volcano about to burst in Indonesia when they have lots and lots of political dirty lined to wash and carry out hatred campaigns?

Rice fields of Ubud

Once in Bali, I was told by a friend and well wisher that my tour could well be disrupted as the volcanic activity within Gn Agung had increased with over 1000 tremors recorded in one day (perhaps it was on 19^th or 20^th). I also feared stranded in the Flores on the Komodo islands where I had planned to trek and find the Komodo dragon in the wild. Had that happened, it would have been really hard. However, I completed my three-week tour of Indonesia and the rumbling and coughing lady of Bali has yet to disgorge anything volcanic.

The Komodo National Park

The majestic big Lizard, also called the land crocodile and little dinosaur is only found in this part of the world. 5 tiny islands in the pacific ocean / sea of Flores. It is challenging finding them in the wild. I spotted six.

Huge & Ferocious Komodo Dragon

Kawah Ijen / Mt. Ijen

This is a live volcano emitting acrid sulphur smoke and the only source of sulphur mining in the eastern world. They say there is one such volcano in Iceland too. About one kilometer before the top, on the steep slope, air starts smelling sulphur. One can only go down the crater with a gas mask on and if the wind blows towards the tourist then the gas mask becomes useless. It happened the day I visited. It is tough, dangerous but ADVENTUROUS. The 800 m track down the crater in particular is very demanding, worse if the wind is blowing into you.

Mount Batur

The trek is tough, almost 70 degree steep. It takes two to three hours to reach the rim of the crater through a treacherous rocky track. However, once on the top you can have a beautiful view of the sunrise from behind the mount Rinjeni – another volcano situated in the Lombok island and at the same time the fog rising from Lake Batur makes it a messmerisingly memorable view.

Mount Bromo

The most touristy place perhaps because it is the easiest to trek. Then the Sunrise as seen from Mt Penanjakan near the Tengger Volcano Complex of Mt Semeru, Kawah Bromo, and Mt Batok, is really breathtaking. One of the best Sunrise I have seen among about half a dozen or so places where I have been to especially to take sunrise shots.

The roaring sound of the live crater at Bromo is so thundering and fearful. It is like many fighter planes were simultaneously taking off a runway. The rim of the crater is dangerously narrow and the rumbling and sulphur emitting crater gorge down below looks menacingly deadly.

Candi Borobudur

The ancient Buddhist temple of Borobudur in the autonomous region of Yogyakarta (Jogja to the locals) in central Java.

Pura / Candi Prambanan

The Hindu temple complex of Prambanan where only a few majestic structures stand amid the ruins of what once might have been a mighty complex of culture and Hindu religion.

Jakarta

The capital of Indonesia.

The National Monument with Golden top

Malang

A neat, beautiful, and pollution free city in East Java which remained my base for 5 days and from where I launched my expeditions to many beautiful places; from barren volcanoes to lush green mountains with beautiful waterfalls. Malang showed me the beauty of Indonesia. I remain emotionally attached to Malang – the princess city of Indonesia. 

I have yet to see a lot in Indonesia. Many more visits beckon.

(11.11.2017)