| After more than 10 years, my family were finally | | | | shopped at the restaurants we dined in. |
| able to go on a vacation together. Considering our | | | | Another miscellaneous spending to keep in mind |
| limited resources, we decided to go to | | | | when planning your travel to Indonesia, is the |
| Indonesia.Our main destinations are Jakarta and | | | | unofficial street tolls/vendors that you might have |
| Bandung, both on Java Island. Here I would like to | | | | to pay. Sometimes, in order to avoid the traffic |
| share several observations that hopefully would | | | | congestions, the driver would take us into the |
| help anybody planning to visit the republic, in the | | | | villages, and the locals would be stationed every |
| areas of money. | | | | 30 meters or so, asking for 'donations'. For the |
| 1) Wise Luggage Choice | | | | sake of your family, do pay! |
| We were surprised to find how willing the locals | | | | However, when you are in the city and are stuck |
| were at the airports to help load our luggages into | | | | in traffic, it is not compulsory to pay the walking |
| the van. However, my father was quick to point | | | | street performers or vendors. Some would be |
| out to all of us, NOT to allow them to do so. | | | | more persistent than the rest because they can |
| These helpers come at a cost. They are not | | | | smell tourists from a distance. |
| helpful for no reason, and they will persistently | | | | 4) Location & Price |
| push you for payment after helping you with your | | | | Prices of things vary from place to place, |
| luggages, and insist that it is not adequate with | | | | especially food. The price for Nasi Padang, famous |
| the weight that they had lifted. | | | | for its variety would vary if you're dining right in |
| Therefore, it is highly recommended to use a | | | | the center of Jakarta compared to Cengkareng. |
| roller luggage when you are travelling. They are | | | | So do keep that in mind ya? |
| much more convenient to carry around and | | | | 5) Bargain Like There's No Tomorrow |
| therefore eliminates the need for assistance. | | | | NEVER, EVER utter words such as so cheap! If |
| 2) Know Your Currency Conversion Factor | | | | so, you are at their mercy. Be a hardball, don't be |
| Firstly, it is very important to shop around for the | | | | afraid to walk away if you think the item is too |
| best conversion rate whenever you get your | | | | pricey..., more often than not two things would |
| Rupiah. Personal Money in their November 2007 | | | | happen:a) the shopkeeper would finally agree to |
| issue highlighted several Bureau de Change that | | | | lower the price according to yours.b) you'll find the |
| offers the best rates and how to get the most | | | | same item in the store next door or one of the |
| out of your money for your perusal. | | | | stores in the vicinity. |
| Secondly, now that you have your Rupiah, | | | | Also, if you find a good enough bargain, grab it! |
| identify the conversion factor. When we | | | | Don't expect to get a better deal in Jakarta, or |
| exchanged our RM for Rp, Rp 1 000 000 = RM | | | | any other city you're stopping by afterwards. You |
| 364. Therefore, the conversion factor was | | | | can't win all the time. At least, minimize your |
| 1000000/364, which is about 2747.25. Let's round | | | | losses. Trust me, when you find out that the |
| it up to 2750. So, whenever you go shopping and | | | | same item cost more, or twice in the next city, |
| if you need a quick check on how much the item | | | | you'll start kicking yourself over that missed |
| is worth in Malaysia, simply pop your calculator, | | | | opportunity. |
| and divide the X amount of Rupiah by the | | | | 6) Cash is King |
| conversion factor, which in this case is 2750. | | | | Be reminded that not every outlet in Indonesia |
| For example, a shirt priced at Rp89,500. Divide | | | | accepts credit cards. There have been numerous |
| that by 2750, and you'll know that it costs about | | | | stories where tourists, often wealthy and not |
| RM 32.55 | | | | such big fans of carrying too much cash around |
| 3) Be Nice To Your Tour Guide & | | | | went to Indonesia, had a great meal at Puncak |
| Miscellaneous Spending | | | | (which involves 17 dishes or so). Unfortunately |
| We were traveling in a group of nine, and we had | | | | when it comes to paying time, the restaurant |
| tour guide/driver that drives us around and from | | | | back then do not receive credit cards payment..... |
| city to city. I didn't know what to make of his | | | | Indonesian businesses prefer to be paid instantly. |
| suggestions upon several places that we should | | | | This reduces the need to deal with the bank |
| visit, considering how familiar my parents are with | | | | when it comes to credit payment. So unless you |
| the republic. It turns out that the agency/tour | | | | are staying in a five star hotel with very little |
| guide have an arrangement with those places. | | | | movement outside the city, carry sufficient |
| Turns out, that is how the tour guide makes his | | | | amount of cash for your perusal. |
| living. He receives, or to be more accurate, he can | | | | Hope these six tips help. |
| claim some rewards from the shops that we | | | | |