First 5 Impressions of Indonesia

Without a doubt, Indonesia is one of our favorite travel destinations in Asia. This country, which consists of 17,000 islands, took our breath away and left us speechless for a long time. We were both impressed by Indonesian cultural and linguistic diversity, open-minded local communities, a great amount of local stunning temples and cloud-swept mountains.

Let me share our 5 impressions when visiting Indonesia for the first time:

#1 Rain, Rain Go Away.

We were unlucky to visit Indonesia during the rain season (February). Once we arrived in Jakarta, we could not believe how flooded the city was. All streets were blocked and there was a heavy traffic jam. It took us few hours to transport from the airport to the city center.

Travel tip

In Indonesia, the dry season starts in April and lasts until October. This is definitely the best time to travel around. From November and January is fine to travel as well. It’s quieter than in the high season and the rain is generally limited to a couple of hours at the end of the day.

#2 Simple, But Rich In Flavour Cuisine.

Less means more and Indonesia follows this rule. In most of local restaurants we were offered very simple, but amazingly delicious meals packed with fresh vegetables, seafood, homemade sauces, noodles or rice. There was no mess on the plate. Everything was served separately and we truly appreciated the natural and rich flavor of meals. As for the price, we were positively surprised how cheap it was for us to dine out in Bali. We were spending around $8 a day each on the food.

See also  Top 5 Temples Not To Miss In Bali

What you can eat for less than $8 a day in Bali:

Breakfast

Indonesian noodle soup with chunks of pork and chopped veggies (IDR7.000/$0.62), a cup of black tea (IDR2.000/$0.18) with a small bowl of tropical fruits (IDR4.000/$0.35).

Lunch

Spicy chicken served with rice and veggies (IDR15.000/$1.32) with a glass of ice tea (IDR3.000/$0.26).

Dinner

Grilled pork meat with a bowl of rice and grilled sweetcorn (IDR20.000/$1.76).

Snacks

Local pancake called Martabak (IDR7.000/$0.62).

 3. Temples, Temples, Everywhere Temples.

When in Bali, we quickly understood why the island is commonly known as the “Island of a thousand temples”. After two days of temple hopping, we came to a conclusion that you can’t get to see all of them, but we did out best to at least explore most of them. Our favourite one was Tanah Lot and Ulun Banu where it took us 7 hours on a scooter to get there (why so long? Don’t ask, there is a history behind it I’m going to share with you soon). Each temple seemed to be unique and there is no way you can get bored of them.

4. Smiley Faces Around.

It’s incredible how positive Indonesian people are. They seem to be happy all the time. They pray and smile every day. We felt like they welcomed us with open arms and treated like members of their family. People seemed to be humble and extremely religious, always helped us out and gave us some great travel recommendations. In terms of haggling, we did not feel this pressure at all. We paid local prices without bargaining. It was a great feeling I must admit…

See also  Memories From Moving To Amsterdam

5. People Speak Different Languages.

The official language of Indonesia is a modified form of Malay called Bahasa Indonesia, but English and Dutch are also spoken alongside Javanese and Sundanese. We were surprised to find out that several hundred different tribal languages are spoken in addition to these tongues. Moreover, many members of Indonesia’s vibrant Muslim population have at least some knowledge of Arabic! It was a great language experience for me to pick up some different dialects when traveling around.

Indonesia kept surprising us with new things each day, from food to new customs and. We really regret not spending more time there to fully experience what it has to offer to its visitors.

Have you been to Indonesia? If so, what was your First Impression?

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Agness Walewinder
Agness Walewinder
Travel freak, vagabond, photography passionate, blogger, life enthusiast, backpacker, adventure hunter and endless energy couchsurfer living by the rule "Pack lite, travel far and live long!"
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113 thoughts on “First 5 Impressions of Indonesia”

  1. Avatar of Steph (@ 20 Years Hence)

    Indonesia was a tricky country for us—we went in being certain we would love everything about it, and left feeling mixed. Somethings were really beautiful and spectacular, but we also found that certain places were very poor value for money (the entire island of Flores for the most part) and that in places like Bali, many people were very greedy and we had to haggle very hard to get fair prices (and some times it just was not possible). What I did like is that every island really seems to be distinct and have it’s own culture, and that made me think that we will go back one day and explore some more because just because one place didn’t work for us, I really believe other places in Indonesia could. Bali definitely took us some time to warm up to (and I admit it, I did get bored of the temples there—pretty on the outside but they all seemed the same and pretty boring on the inside), but I did wind up appreciating it by the end of our time there!

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      Sorry to hear that. I really felt the same when being in the Philippines, but Indonesia was different. We have not made it to the island of Flores, but I would be happy to go there next time :)!

      1. Avatar of Fellow Traveller
        Fellow Traveller

        Hi, Agnes!

        I am very happy you enjoyed Indonesia, especially Bali. I am a Filipina, by the way, and my boyfriend is Indonesian. When I say Indonesian, I mean one of the local ethnicity, Javanese. Not Indo-Chinese. I have been visiting Indonesia since I was a child and the country has always been my second home. Several of my relatives have been working here since I was young. Therefore, I am blessed to be able to visit the country every year. Mostly, I stayed in Jakarta. I’ve also been to Magelang, Jogjakarta, Bali, Jepara, Ambarawa, Ungaran, and several more. Just last year, I started working here too in the humble city of Semarang. The first time I arrived here, I was so surprised how the food disappointed me. Even in restaurants, the food weren’t tasty. I would prefer to eat in waroeng (local cheap restaurants) or kucingan (street food stalls) but they were still not that delicious. However, I found out that the waroeng and kucingan here are not as clean like in Bali. My boyfriend would even say the same. He is from Magelang but also works here in Semarang. What he does is he takes me to waroengs that he is confident would be more sanitized and serves delicious food. He rarely allows me to eat in kucingans here, but in Bali and Magelang, he would let loose most of time. LOL! I like eating street food even though I came from a middle class family back in my country. However, I also choose the street food stalls. I don’t eat it if I don’t think it’s “clean” enough. I am always cautious because There are cleaner street food stalls you can find in my country. It’s so unfortunate you’ve chosen the wrong ones and not so tasty ones. Anyway, bottom line is just like here in Indonesia, the quality of food is regional. Here in Central Java, they are more into spicy food. I have always loved spicy food but I can’t seem to adjust to the level of spiciness they have here. LOL! FYI, I eat a lot of Korean spicy food cooked by my Korean friends here and in my country. In area like Magelang, though, they are more into sweets and in some parts they like salty food.

        Oh, and of course the quality and taste of the food depends on who cooked and prepared it. Haha! I have a colleague who would bring me a homecooked Sambal Goreng everytime she cooked one and I totally love it! She brought me Sambal Goreng twice that were cooked by her sister and it wasn’t as delicious as hers. She laughed when she heard my answer when she asked me who cooks it better. If you ever get to visit Indonesia or Philippines again, me and my boyfriend would love to meet you. I am looking forward to the day I can bring my boyfriend to my country and let him experience authentic Filipino culture and cuisine. Trust me, I know where to go and can even spend less than your $25-budget a day.

        Hoping for more beautiful travels for you! ^___^

      2. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
        Agness Walewinder

        Hi!

        Thank you so much for sharing your story and experience. We really appreciate that. Your tips and recommendations are so valuable! Hope to meet you in Indonesia one day if we make it there once again :).

        Have a wonderful day xxxx

        Love,

        Agness

  2. Avatar of santafetraveler

    Sorry you got rained on so much- wish we had some of that here. The food sounds really reasonable and sounds delicious. We have an Indonesian friend and she makes wonderful dishes from her home country.

  3. Avatar of Mary {The World Is A Book}

    Beautiful photo collection! I’m glad you enjoyed your visit despite the rain. Bali and Indonesia have been high on my travel wish list for awhile now. I especially love the temple photos. 7 hours on a scooter? Cant wait to read that story. Those dishes look delicious!

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      Yes, 7 hours. We got lost few times, stopped to get some food, spoke to locals and it was a heavy rain!!

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      Never made it to India, but some places in Indonesia were so so so cheap that I could not believe that!

  4. Avatar of Stef

    I love your photos, I want to eat that fish straightaway :) It looks so tasty. My best friend is in Indosia too at the moment, she really likes it and I cannot wait to hear all her stories :)

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      Thank you. This fish!!! :-OOOOOO (it was freaking delicious)! I’m glad you friend likes it :)!!

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      I really regret not seeing you Debbie, but we were short of time! :( Definitely next time x ! Loved your country!

  5. Avatar of J in Beijing

    I haven’t been to Indonesia yet but I hopefully will in the summer! I can’t wait. Really glad you guys had a great time. Lovely photos as always- I love the one of you with your arms stretched out. What is the purple thing you are wearing- a skirt or a sarong? It’s such a beautiful colour!

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      Great news! So happy for you! It’s a scarf I was given to cover my legs when visiting Monkey Forest. The leg coverings are mandatory for both men and women preparing to enter a Balinese temple. One is called sarong (as you mentioned) and the other one is called temple scarf (known as a selendang) around your waist. I was wearing sarong as you guessed :D!

  6. Avatar of Mike

    I LOVED Bali…but I have yet to visit the rest of Indonesia. But everything I hear about the country says that it’s an amazing place in terms of the people, the geography, and the scenery…and I like the food there, too. I also did my first two trips there in the rainy season in February/March. For some reason I assumed that since Thailand and the northern part of SE Asia is dry from December – March, Bali would be as well. WRONG. But August was amazing there. Looking forward to the next posts.

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      That’s so true. What I loved the most were stunning temples, a lot of them everywhere. It was great to rent a scooter and just go for a ride and stop at different temples to explore them.

  7. Avatar of Dennis Kopp

    Agness, I absolutely loved Indonesia and luckily it didn’t rain when I was there! From the beautiful landscapes and beaches, over the friendly people and the great food, Indonesia really was a memorable destination and I can’t wait to back. But what surprised me most was the fact that every single island was so different that it almost felt like travelling through many separate countries… :)

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      You were lucky, indeed. Travelling during the rain season isn’t much fun. I also want to get back as soon as possible!

  8. Avatar of Lisa - Wee Wanders

    Wow amazing pictures! I’ll be visiting Indonesia for the first time this summer and can’t wait. My travelling buddy used to live in Jakarta which is useful. He had mentioned how happy and smiling everyone was there and also that a lot of food is served at room temperature as opposed to piping hot, as we have come to expect here in the UK. Great first impressions :)

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      If you need any tips, just let me know. It will be my pleasure to share some good restaurant options!

  9. Avatar of The Guy

    Another great review Agness. Indonesia has always fascinated me with the vast number of islands. I’ve also heard how friendly and kind the people are. I’ve even heard of the locals protecting foreigners whilst they have a domestic riot!

    Great pictures again and I love the new moving slide shows of pictures. That is a great addition to your site.

  10. Avatar of jenna

    Eek I can’t wait to visit Bali in the summer! I’d be keen to know more about the food- are there many places that seem conscious of dietary restrictions (in my case dairy free?)

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      Are you going to Bali this summer? That’s amazing! Yes, there are places that seem conscious of dietary restrictions, but the prices are high. Most of them are Western styled restaurants and coffee shops.

  11. Avatar of Franca

    I haven’t been to Indonesia yet but it does look beautiful. Food wise, what are the vegetarian/vegan options? I’m sure there will be something, right?

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      Franca, in terms of vegetarian and vegan food, we found two restaurants where veggie soups and noodles were cooked. You could order any soup you wanted to (from simple pumpkin one to sophisticated broccoli and mushrooms), some noodles (spicy or mild), grilled veggies and fruit cakes and pastries. You would not die there, that’s for sure!

    2. Avatar of binar

      Franca, a lot of Indonesian food are basicly vegetarian (simply because in the past, only the rich could afford meat). Every region in Indonesia has their own vegetable salad, mostly with peanut sauce dressing. There are also a lot of tofu-based food. And one of Indonesian contribution to the vegetarian culinary is the invention of Tempeh (we call it Tempe).

  12. Avatar of Casey @ A Cruising Couple

    Glad you are enjoying Indonesia! We loved it there- the food, the culture, the temples, the people! Our favorite place was Ubud. Though it is extremely touristy, we stayed at a wonderful home stay just outside the city, surrounded by rice paddies but still only a five minute scooter ride to yoga class :)

  13. Avatar of Steve C

    I’ve been to Indonesia a couple times, 20 years apart. Although I could tell that Bali (Ubud) had changed over the years, doesn’t everywhere?

    My “first” impression (of Bali), was the smell in the air as we walked out of the airport. It was our first Southeast Asian country on our RTW trip, as we had just flown up from Darwin, Australia. Having only visited Bali and Java, I look forward to visiting their other islands. Of the 60 something countries I’ve visited around the world, Indonesia ranks up there in the top five at least, if not higher. I loved the people, their culture, their food, and just about everything a traveler could experience. And, you could stay there very, very economically.

    I just have to take exception to those who had reservations about this country. I will most certainly return! If you consider yourself a world traveler and haven’t been to Indonesia yet, you are in for a very pleasant surprise.

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      Top 5? I am not really surprised as it quickly became one of my favourite countries as well. I know the smell! Thank you for sharing your Indonesia experience with us Steve!

  14. Avatar of Mike

    Agness, that is amazing that you were able to get that much food for that little money. And all of the food sounds delicious to me, too boot! I’m glad they speak English there as that would definitely make it more appealing to visit for me :)

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      It was so unbelievable. I was expecting some touristic places such as Bali to be much more expensive. The prices surprised us (in a nice way) :-)!!

  15. Avatar of Emily

    We’ve always wanted to go to Indonesia and have heard mixed reviews, so your first impressions (rain aside) are great to hear – that and that you didn’t have to bargain to get the local prices!

  16. Avatar of Deia @ Nomad Wallet

    Ah, flooding in Jakarta. Practically an annual event. I grew up in Jakarta up until I was 13 and still fly back occasionally. I know at least two couples whose weddings got postponed due to the flood. Tip: don’t have your wedding during the rainy season in Jakarta.

    Indonesia doesn’t just have many languages, but also cultures. (Dutch is only spoken by really old people who lived through the war, by the way.) Two towns on the same island can have totally different customs.

    Thanks for this post, Agness. Now I really can’t wait to explore more of the country. I have big plans for 2015/2016. :)

    1. Avatar of Agness Walewinder
      Agness Walewinder

      Weddings got postponed due to the flood? Was it that bad?! I am really impressed by a culture mix there. We’ve met a lot of Dutch people there, especially around Jakarta and Bali. Good luck with your travel plans!

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