Ultimate Indonesia

Indonesia food is delicious! Expect plenty of meat with Sate Padang (beef satay), Ayam Bakar Taliwang (grilled chicken in spices) and Ikan Bakar (grilled fish in Sambal sauce). The cuisine is vibrant and colourful with intense flavours thanks to the vast array of spices.

A typical meal will always include steamed rice along with one or two main dishes of fish, meat or vegetables. Vegetarians can enjoy Tempe Goreng (Indonesian tofu), Nasi Goreng Lotus (rice with vegetables and egg cooked in a lotus leaf) or Gado Gado (green vegetables with tofu and peanut sauce).

We will take our breakfasts and evening meals either in our hotels or at local restaurants. Lunches will be picnics of fresh fruit and vegetables, rice dishes and meats.

If you have special dietary requirements, please let us know when booking your trip.

Please be aware that tap water in Indonesia is not drinkable. Mineral water can be purchased in most towns and villages and you will be provided with fresh water to fill your bottles each morning and evening.

On this trip we will stay in comfortable hotel accommodation for 13 nights. Rooms will be either double or twin with private bathrooms. Every hotel we use has been carefully selected for its high levels of comfort and cleanliness, great food, facilities and location. A single supplement is available on request and subject to availability.

Toilets - In Indonesia, toilet paper is a rarity, with Indonesians preferring water as their cleanser of choice. Toilets are more often than not squatties with either a hose, bucket and water, or occasionally toilet paper available. If water is a no go in your eyes then it is definitely worth bringing your own loo roll. In many cases, wiping is a hands-on affair with locals sticking to using one hand for wiping and the other for eating, drinking and shaking hands. Of course, if your wash your hands thoroughly after each visit to the toilet then you shouldn't have any issues either way. In most hotels, however you will find there are flushing, western style toilets with toilet roll available.

Your main bag should be a flexible duffel bag or backpack of around 70-90 litres and not a rigid suitcase. Your luggage will be transported by bus and can be left on the bus while you are participating in activities. On your domestic flight you have a main baggage weight allowance of 25kg and a hand luggage allowance of 5kg. You will need a daypack of roughly 40 litres to carry with you each day containing your water, spare clothing, lunch, medication etc. This can be used as hand luggage during your flight. We recommend also bringing a waterproof cover for your daypack.

You will need to arrive into Medan Kuala Namu Airport (KNO) on the island of Sumatra on Day 1 of your trip.

From the UK, Singapore Airlines have convenient flights departing from Heathrow with 1 short stop in Singapore on the way. Another airline to consider from London is Malaysia Airlines who fly via Kuala Lumpur. Qatar, Turkish Airlines, Malaysia and Singapore Airlines all offer flights to Medan from the rest of the UK; Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, with two stops on route.

From the US, China Airlines and Singapore Airlines offer flights from New York and Los Angeles, whereas Qatar, Singapore and Malaysia airlines offer flights from Atlanta, Dallas and Miami. All these flights have two stops on route to Medan often via Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Doha.

On arrival in Medan, after clearing immigration and collecting your luggage, please look out for a member of our team in the arrivals area where one of our team will be waiting to meet you.

A customs declaration form must be filled out 48 hours prior to arrival in Indonesia. Follow the link to fill out the form - Declaration Form

You will need to book your departure flights from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denspasar (DPS).

If you are changing airlines or re-checking your luggage at an airport on route, please ensure you leave a minimum of 3 hours between flights. This will account for any delays on arrival, travel time across airports (this can take longer than you think) and time taken to re-check baggage.

Travelling Responsibly

Here at Kandoo, we like to support our guests to make their travel more sustainable. As of 2025, we are offsetting the carbon on all of our trips from arrival in destination to dropping you back off at the airport. As we don't include flight travel in our trips these aren't included in our offsetting calculations, so we are providing you with the calculator below for you to do this yourselves.

eC02 Flights Calculator

The currency in Indonesia is the Indonesian Rupiah (Rp / IDR)

You can withdraw local currency from in-country ATMs or exchange money at the airport/local currency exchange offices. ATMs and exchange desks are only found on bigger islands like Bali, Java (Denpasar, Ubud, Sanur, Yogyakarta).

The cost of an average meal in Java is around $4 to $9; in Bali it is $5 to $12. When purchasing souvenirs, we ask our guests to respect the Species Protection Agreements (CITES) which protects 2,500 species of animals by prohibiting the trade of hides, scales, corals, shells and live animals.

Local currency is preferred. US$ may be accepted but the exchange rate is likely to be poor.

Whilst Indonesia doesn't have a strong tipping culture, tips are always appreciated.

We recommend a budget of 80,000 - 100,000 IDR (equivalent to US$5 - $6 / £3 - £4) per guest per day for tips. Tips for your crew on Rinjani 150,000 - 200,000 IDR (equivalent to US$9 - $12 / £6 - £9) per guest.

Tipping is entirely voluntary and at your discretion. Local currency is preferred.

As soon as possible after booking your tour, please provide Kandoo Adventures with your passport details (first name, last name, date of birth, passport number, issue date, expiry date) along with a photocopy of the photo page. Your passport must be valid for 6 months after your departure date.

United States, Canadian, Australian and UK passport holders are eligible for a visa upon arrival to enter Indonesia for a period of less than 30 days. On arrival you will be granted a maximum 30 day stay in the country. We recommend applying for an e-visa in advance at: https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/

Prior to your arrival in Indonesia (72h), you will also need to complete the customs declaration form via the following site: https://allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id/

This information may be subject to change, without notice, by the local authorities. It is your responsibility to check the latest travel requirements and information before departure.

Recommended vaccinations include Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Poliomyelitis and Tetanus. It is your responsibility to check the latest health information before travel.

Before you can join any Kandoo Adventure, you will need to insure yourself against accident, injury, and illness.

Your insurance must cover the cost of helicopter evacuation and repatriation if necessary. Make sure your insurer knows of your travel plans, and verify that your policy fully covers your trek, climb, and any other activities you will participate in. Specifically, for our Volcanic Adventures trip, you need to be covered for trekking above 4000 metres and for our Bali Multi-Activity you need to be covered for trekking above 3,000m. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fully and adequately insured for the duration of your trip. Please ensure that all activities, excursions and destinations in your itinerary are included in your travel insurance policy, in addition to your regular cover for cancellation and medical expenses.

We ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your day sack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf. You will also need to bring details of your insurance cover to the pre-trek briefing.

Make sure to choose the correct policy for the altitude you are trekking to. Be sure to read the small print carefully for any policy you are considering - different policies provide different levels of cover, so make sure you understand what is and isn't included in your policy.

Malaria prophylaxis are not required for travel to Java and Bali but are required in other parts of Indonesia such as Lombok and the Komodo Islands.

Your guide carries a first aid kit at all times. However, we recommend bringing any medicine you feel you may need. This could include:

Painkillers

Anti-diarrhoea tablets

High factor sunscreen for lips and skin

Moisturising cream (for sunburn)

Elastic bandage, regular bandages and Blister bandages

Sanitary products

Water purifying tablets or filters

Mosquito repellent

Snorkelling equipment including mask, snorkel and fins

T-shirts (short and long sleeve)

Lightweight long sleeve shirt

Rash vest or t-shirt to wear whilst snorkelling

2 sweaters - 1 light/1 warm

Soft shell or fleece jacket

Waterproof and windproof hard shell jacket

Waterproof and windproof hard shell trousers

Breathable fast drying underwear

Comfortable lightweight, long trousers (fast drying)

Knee length shorts for trekking in warm weather

Comfy trainers/shoes for evenings

Socks for hiking

Hiking boots (with ankle support and a slightly ridged sole)

Sunglasses

Broad brimmed sun hat

Swimming costume

1 duffel bag - 70 to 90 litres (flexible and water resistant)

1 daypack - 30 to 40 liters to carry with you while hiking

Walking poles

2 water bottles (minimum 1 litre or a water bladder)

Toiletries (including wet wipes)

Quick drying towel

Dry bags – for packing your kit into if your bag is not waterproof