Do and Don't

When visiting Indonesia, visitors should observe local customs and practices. Some common courtesies and customs are as follows :

Although handshakes are generally acceptable for both men and women, some Muslim ladies may acknowledge introductions to gentlemen by merely nodding and smiling.
A handshake should only be initiated by ladies. The traditional greeting or salam resembles a handshake with both hands but without the grasp.
The man offers both hands, lightly touches his friends outstretched hands, and then brings his hands to his chest to mean, "I greet you from my heart". The visitor should reciprocate the salam.

It is polite to call before visiting a home.
Shoes must always be removed when entering a home.
Drinks are generally offered to guests. It is polite to accept.

The right hand is always used when eating with one's hand or giving and receiving objects. The right forefinger is not used to point at places, objects or persons. Instead, the thumb of the right hand with four fingers folded under is the preferred usage.

Shoes must be removed when entering places of worship such as mosques and temples. Some mosques provide robes and scarves for female visitors.

Taking photographs at places of worship is usually permitted but always ask permission beforehand.

Toasting is not a common practice in .
The country's large Muslim population does not drink alcohol.

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The Surfing Paradise

The Surfing Paradise


Indonesia is ideal for surfing all year round. Some areas are the best by strong shore hugging currents which, while not bothering the experienced surfer, make them unsuitable for beginners and swimmers. Java's southern coast is longer than California's Pacific coastline. Long snady beaches separated by rocky headlands or occasional peninsulas are plentiful where conditions are excellent for surfing. A good place for begginers, but still satisfactory for the more advanced is the beach near Batu Keras, west of the nature reserve and local resort of Pangandaran. Small but steady righthanders roll in over a sandy bottom.
Boogie boards are good fun here too. Batu Keras is about an hour's drive west of Pangandaran village, where there is ample accommodation. Avoid the bay between Batu Keras and the Pangandaran peninsula, as strong currents run parallel to the shore except in the sheltered cove near the reserve itself.

Another area rapidly becoming increasingly popular with surfers is at Pelabuhan Ratu, a three hour drive from either Jakarta or Bandung, situated on Java's southern coast, the Indian Ocean. A few miles from this fisherman's port going west on a scenic coastal road with wild beauty on your right and the impressive ocean waves on your left, you will notice all kinds of adequate facilities. But the best place to go to is beyond the 4-star Samudra Beach Hotel, towards the village of Cisolok where beach surrounding are lovely, distinctly tropical and where the ocean is at best. Its relative proximity from Jakarta or Bandung has certainly been a major factor which gave rise to general growth in this area where prices are still very moderate and its seafood excellent.

The western beaches of the Blambangan peninsula, Java's easternmost extension have also attracted the attention of surfers. The whole peninsula is a nature reserve, known for its sea turtle nesting beaches and its good waves but little else. Most surfers reach it by boat from Bali.
With its greater share of the tourist traffic, especially from Australia, the needs of sporting tourists are more obviously catered to in Bali than elsewhere in Indonesia. Good places for surfing in the west monsoon (October to March) are 0 Dua and Sanur
Between April and September, Kuta Beach is better, and for ad vanced and serious practitioners of the art there is also Ulu Watu on the west coast of the peninsula.

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The Bali Diving

The Bali Diving

Good skin diving areas among the reefs are off the coast of West Bali and those near Padangbai in eastern Bali, and at Nusa Lembongan on Nusa Penida, the large island off Bali's southeastern shores.
There is also a wreck, that of the S.S. Liberty, only 40 metres oh the beach at Tulamben, near Kubu. Fish sheltering in the wreck make them so tame that they will flock to divers.

Indonesia is ideal for surfing all year round. Some areas are the best by strong shore hugging currents which, while not bothering the experienced surfer, make them unsuitable for beginners and swimmers. Java's southern coast is longer than California's Pacific coastline. Long snady beaches separated by rocky headlands or occasional peninsulas are plentiful where conditions are excellent for surfing. A good place for begginers, but still satisfactory for the more advanced is the beach near Batu Keras, west of the nature reserve and local resort of Pangandaran. Small but steady righthanders roll in over a sandy bottom.
The western beaches of the Blambangan peninsula, Java's easternmost extension have also attracted the attention of surfers. The whole peninsula is a nature reserve, known for its sea turtle nesting beaches and its good waves but little else. Most surfers reach it by boat from Bali.
With its greater share of the tourist traffic, especially from Australia, the needs of sporting tourists are more obviously catered to in Bali than elsewhere in Indonesia. Good places for surfing in the west monsoon (October to March) are Nusa Dua and Sanur Beach
Between April and September, Kuta Beach is better, and for ad vanced and serious practitioners of the art there is also Ulu Watu on the west coast of the peninsula.

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The One and The Only Destination

The One and The Only Destination

The largest archipelago in the world, Indonesia lies at the crossroads between the Indian and Pacific oceans and bridges the continental land masses of Asia and Australia. It is one of the most volcanic and the most seismically active regions in the world: of its more than 400 volcanoes, 128 are considered active and 75 had erupted in historic times with more or less disastrous effects to the surrounding populations. Even today eruptions of varying magnitude occur regularly, rejuvenating the soil to make it among the most fertile on earth.
Flanked by the tepid equatorial waters of two of the world's great oceans, the land rises from the darkest depths of some of the world's deepest oceans through to the towering peaks of the volcanoes and the realm of perennial snow of the Jayawijaya mountain range in Irian Jaya.
It seems natural that the migratory waves of peoples from the Asian mainland in search of new dwellings began millennia ago. They found these islands a most ideal place to settle down.

In the course of time, distinct ethnic groups evolved in the regions where they settled down. Each group nurturing its own heritage of culture and traditions within the large common ancestral frame. In view of the great diversity of Indonesia's physical and cultural make-up, a careful selection of the subjects of interest is recommended, as well as prior contact with the proper private or government organizations and agencies.
The Directorate General of Culture, for example, may provide the necessary guidance for special interest visits pertaining to culture or history.

The Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI) is the overall organization in charge of scientific research. In some cases, special permits have to be obtained, such as from the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHPA) for visits to the nature reserves.
The Department of Industry, the Department of Trade, the Indonesian Foreign Investment Board and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN/CCI) are all concerned with trade and industry. In case of doubt, it is well advised to contact the nearest Indonesian Tourist Information Offices or Diplomatic Missions where special requirements may have to be met.

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The One and The Only Destination

The One and The Only Destination

The largest archipelago in the world, Indonesia lies at the crossroads between the Indian and Pacific oceans and bridges the continental land masses of Asia and Australia. It is one of the most volcanic and the most seismically active regions in the world: of its more than 400 volcanoes, 128 are considered active and 75 had erupted in historic times with more or less disastrous effects to the surrounding populations. Even today eruptions of varying magnitude occur regularly, rejuvenating the soil to make it among the most fertile on earth.
Flanked by the tepid equatorial waters of two of the world's great oceans, the land rises from the darkest depths of some of the world's deepest oceans through to the towering peaks of the volcanoes and the realm of perennial snow of the Jayawijaya mountain range in Irian Jaya.
It seems natural that the migratory waves of peoples from the Asian mainland in search of new dwellings began millennia ago. They found these islands a most ideal place to settle down.

In the course of time, distinct ethnic groups evolved in the regions where they settled down. Each group nurturing its own heritage of culture and traditions within the large common ancestral frame. In view of the great diversity of Indonesia's physical and cultural make-up, a careful selection of the subjects of interest is recommended, as well as prior contact with the proper private or government organizations and agencies.
The Directorate General of Culture, for example, may provide the necessary guidance for special interest visits pertaining to culture or history.

The Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI) is the overall organization in charge of scientific research. In some cases, special permits have to be obtained, such as from the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHPA) for visits to the nature reserves.
The Department of Industry, the Department of Trade, the Indonesian Foreign Investment Board and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN/CCI) are all concerned with trade and industry. In case of doubt, it is well advised to contact the nearest Indonesian Tourist Information Offices or Diplomatic Missions where special requirements may have to be met.

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The Imigration

The Imigration

All visitors travelling to Indonesia must be in possession of a passport valid for at least six months from the date of arrival and have proof of onward passage. Visas are not required for nationals of Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Ice land, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom (Great Britain), United States of America, United Emirate Arab and Venezuela.

Visa free entry is also allowed for registered delegates attending a conference which has received official approval For those not belonging to the above categories, tourist visas can be obtained from any Indonesian Embassy or Consulate.
Holders of a Certificate of Identity (CI) from Hong Kong can obtain visas for group travel, with a minimum of 5 persons, from the Consulate General of Indonesia in Hong Kong for visits not exceeding 30 days.
Travel and accommodation should be arranged by a tour operator. Entry and exit must be in groups, and through Soekarno-Hatta International airport of Jakarta, "Ngurah" Rai- Bali or Polonia Medan.

Entry and exit must be made through certain specified gateways:
By air through Jakarta, Bali, Medan, Manado, Biak, Ambon, Surabaya and Batam; By sea through Semarang, Jakarta, Bali, Pontianak, Balikpapan, Tanjung Pinang and Kupang. For other ports of entry and exit special visas are required.
The maximum stay permitted is two months and is not extendible.

CUSTOM
Indonesian Customs allows on entry a maximum of two liters of alcoholic beverages, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco and a reasonable amount of perfume per adult. Cars, photographic equipment, typewriters and tape recorders must be declared to Customs upon entry and must be reexported. 'prohibited from entry are TV sets, radios, narcotics, arms and ammunition, printed matter in Chinese characters and Chinese medicines.
Advance approval has to be acquired for carrying transceivers and all movie films and video cassettes must be censored by the Film Censor Board. Fresh fruit, plants and animals must have quarantine permits.
There is no restriction on import or export of foreign currencies. However, the export or import of Indonesian currency exceeding Rp.50,000 is prohibited.

TRANSPORTATION FROM SOEKARNO-HATTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
TO THE CITY V.V
Taxi fares are metered and to the downtown area of the city where most large hotels are located.
The air conditioned airport bus service will cost approximately to any of the five city zones. Hotel limousine services are provided by some of the leading hotels in the city, offering a city-airport-city transportation service on a complimentary basis to hotel guests. At all major airport terminals, inquires about local transportation should be directed to the information counter.

EXIT
The Government of Indonesia has officially abolished the exit permit required for people leaving the country, effective from August 17, 1992.
Airport tax levied on passengers for international travel for travel within Indonesia regional variations occur.

TIPPING
Major hotels usually add a 10% service charge to bills. Where it is not included a tip of between 5% to 10% of the bill would be appropriate if the service is satisfactory.
Airport porters expect for a small bag and for bags weighing more than 20 kg.
Tipping taxi and hire-car drivers is not mandatory, but if service has been satisfactory tip is sufficient for a taxi driver, Hire-car drivers would normally expect a larger tip.

DRESS CODE
Dress is normally informal in Indonesia due to the warm, humid climate and clothing of light fabrics are recommended. Travelling in highland areas is noticeably cooler, however, and carrying a light sweater may prove useful. Accepted attire for men is a shirt and long pants.
A jacket and tie are required for official calls or for more formal occasions. Long sleeved batik or handwoven shirts are acceptable for evening functions.
For ladies, dresses, blouses, and long pants are appropriate. Shorts, halters or tank tops should only be used at sports facilities or on the beach.

OFFICE HOURS
Business offices are usually open either from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm or 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, with a break for lunch between 12.00 noon and 1.00 pm. but on Saturday many business offices are closed.
Government office hours are from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm from Monday to Friday and on Saturday many Government offices are close.

BANKING
Normal banking hours are from 8.00 am to 2.30 pm from Monday to Friday. Some bank branches in hotels, however, keep longer hours.
Jakarta has several international banks but money can also be changed at hotel cashiers, and authorized money changers. Daily exchange rates are published in newspapers.
The US dollar is the most readily accepted currency.
Most major tourist destination areas have foreign exchange facilities, but for travel to remote areas, it is advisable to change money and travelers cheques in advance. Credit cards are acceptable only at major hotels, restaurants and travel agencies.

CURRENCY
The unit of currency is Indonesia Rupiah indicated as IDR.
USD1 is roughly equivalent to IDR 9.980,-.
Foreign currency can be converted at banks and money changers.

SHOPPING
Major cities in Indonesia have shopping complexes, supermarkets and department stores where prices are fixed. Shops are usually open all week including Sundays.
Shopping hours are usually between 9.00 am and 9.00 pm for department stores and supermarkets in the large cities with shorter hours on Sundays. In smaller cities, shops may be closed between 1.00 pm and 5.00 pm.
Bargaining is customary in small shops and markets, the art of which is to start at half the asking price and slowly increase your offer until a compromise is reached. Remember it helps to smile while bargaining.

NATIVE SPORT
However, the most popular sports in Indonesia are soccer, badminton, and table tennis. Golf is becoming more and more popular and a number of excellent golf course can be found across the archipelago. Most major hotels have their own tennis and squash courts, swimming pools, health clubs and those at seaside resorts provide equipment for sailing, surfing, scuba diving and windsurfing. There are also a growing number of dive shops which provide necessary equipment and professional services.

Traditional sports in Indonesia include bull races, bull fights, rowing, and unique ram fights, all of which are held as part of special festivities. Silat, a martial art, can be performed as a dance or an exercise and is comparable to Karate or Kung Fu.

TIMEZONE
Achipelago is spread over three time zones. Western Indonesia Standard Time, which covers the islands of Sumatra, Java & Madura, West and Central Kalimantan is 7 hours ahead of GMT; Central Indonesia Standard Time covers East and South Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, and is 8 hours ahead of GMT; finally Eastern Indonesia Standard Time, which covers Maluku, and Irian Jaya is 9 hours ahead of GMT.

ELECTRICITY
Power supply is usually 220 volts/250 cycles in large cities, but 110 volts is still used in some ares. Normal outlets are plugs with two rounded pins. It is advisable to check electricity supplies before using any applian

HEALTH
International health certificates for smallpox and cholera are not required, except from travellers arriving from infected areas.

TELEPHONE
Local calls can be made from public phones using coins or pre-paid cards. International calls can be made from public phones with card phone facilities or at any Telkom offices.

ACCOMMODATION
Indonesia has a wide range of accommodation at competitive rates. International standard, medium and budget hotels; youth hostels; and timeshare apartments are just some of the types of accommodation available. Privately operated motor-homes are also available for rental

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Tropical Health

DEHYDRATION & SUNBURN
The sun is strong throughout the year in the country. Proper care against sunburn must be constantly taken. Dehydration and loss of salt through perspiration are two other common problems for the unprepared traveller. Drink plenty of fluids and replace your salt loss. Make sure you pack clothing suitable for a warm humid climate.

MOSQUITOES
Due to the constant humid climate, mosquitoes tend to be present throughout the year. The three most significant diseases transmitted by mosquitoes are Malaria, Dengue Fever and Japanese B Encephalitis. To repel mosquitoes, ticks and other arthropods, apply an insect repellent containing DEET to your skin or clothing.

The risk of malaria for most tourists visiting Peninsular Malaysia is extremely small. There is insignificant risk in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and other major cities. However, in East Malaysia, the risk of malaria is present throughout the year. Even in these regions, the risk is mainly off the coastal plains and towards the border areas. Generally, prophylaxis is recommended for those visiting Sabah or Sarawak.

YELLOW FEVER
There is no risk of yellow fever in Malaysia. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required for entry if you are coming from countries in South America or sub-Saharan Africa.


FOOD
Generally, the level of food hygiene throughout the country is high. However, make sure your food and drinking water are safe. Food from street vendors should be treated with care. Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. If possible, avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. Bring along iodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water if bottled water is not available. Also, wash your hands often with soap and water. As an extra precaution, bring along anti-diarrhoea medication and an antibiotic prescribed by your doctor to self-treat moderate to severe diarrhoea.

VACCINATIONS
Recommended vaccines:
Poliomyelitis (childhood booster)
Tetanus (childhood booster)
Typhoid (food & water borne diseases)
Hepatitis A (food & water borne diseases)


For those venturing outside cities and towns, further recommended vaccines are Hepatitis B, Rabies, Japanese B Encephalitis, Tuberculosis and Meningitis. For those visiting Sabah and Sarawak, Malaria prophylaxis is strongly recommended.

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Saying it in Bahasa Indonesia

GREETING
English	Indonesia
How do you do? Good morning Good afternoon Goodbye Bon voyage Fine Welcome	Apa kabar? Selamat pagi Selamat siang Selamat tinggal Selamat jalan Baik Selamat datang
PRONOUNS & TITLE
English	Indonesia
I You We He / She They Mr. Miss Mrs.	Saya Anda , Kamu Kita / Kami Dia Mereka Bapak Cik Ibu
QUESTIONS
English Can you help me? How do I get there? How far? How long will it take? How much (price)? What is this/that? What is your name? When? Where? Why?	Indonesia Bolehkah tolong saya? Bagaimana untuk kesana? Berapa jauh? Berapa lama? Berapa harganya? Apa ini / itu? Apa nama anda? Kapan? Di mana? Kenapa? Mengapa?
DIRECTIONS
English Go up Go down Turn Right Left Front Behind North South East West Up Down	Indonesia Naik Turun Belok Kanan Kiri Depan Belakang Utara Selatan Timur Barat Atas Bawah
USEFULL WORDS & EXPRESSIONS
English A little A lot Beach Beef Chicken Cold Crab Drink Do not have Eat Excuse me Exit Female Fish Fruit Have Hot I am sorry Male Meat Money Mutton No Please Pork Prawn Salt Shop Sugar Thank you Toilet / WC Trishaw Wait Want Water Yes	Indonesia Sedikit Banyak Pantai Daging sapi Ayam Sejuk Kepiting Minum Tidak ada Makan Maafkan saya Keluar Perempuan / Wanita Ikan Buah Ada Panas Saya minta maaf Pria / Laki-laki Daging Duit / Uang Daging kambing Tidak Tolong / Silahkan Daging babi Udang Garam Toko Gula Terima kasih Kamar Kecil Becak Tunggu Ingin / Mau Air Ya

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Fast and Facts

DISTANCE TO ARCHIPELAGO :
London, United Kingdom to Jakarta : 6,557 miles (10,552 km)
Paris, France to Jakarta : 6,483 miles (10,432 km)
Rome, Italy to Jakarta : 6,038 miles (9,716 km)
Stockholm, Sweden to Jakarta : 5,812 miles (9,353 km)

Berlin, Germany to Jakarta : 5,979 miles (9,622 km)
Madrid, Spain to Jakarta : 6,885 miles (11,079 km)
New York, USA to Jakarta : 9,400 miles (15,126 km)
Los Angeles, USA to Jakarta : 8,790 miles (14,144 km)
Vancouver, Canada to Jakarta : 7,944 miles (12,783 km)

CURRENCY
The unit of currency is Indonesia Rupiah indicated as IDR.
USD1 is roughly equivalent to IDR 9.980,-.
Foreign currency can be converted at banks and money changers.

BUSINESS HOUR
Business offices are usually open either from 8.00 am - 4.00 pm
or 9.00 am - 5.00 pm, with a break for lunch
between 12.00 noon and 1.00 pm. but on
Saturday many business offices are closed.

Government office hours are from 8.00 am - 4.00 pm from Monday to Friday,
Saturday many Government offices are closed.

POST OFFICE
Open from 8.00am to 4.00pm daily except Sundays and public holidays.
Post offices are closed and public holidays.

TIME
Seven hours ahead of GMT and 16 hours ahead of U.S. Pacific Standard Time.

ELECRTRICITY
Voltage is 220 – 240 volts AC at 50 cycles per second.
Voltage 110 – 130 volts AC are still use.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURE
Indonesia follows the metric system in weights and measures.

TELEPHONES
Local calls can be made from public phones using coins or pre-paid cards. International calls can be made from public phones with card phone facilities or at any Telkom offices.

ACCOMMODATION
Indonesia has a wide range of accommodation at competitive rates. International standard, medium and budget hotels; youth hostels; and timeshare apartments are just some of the types of accommodation available. Privately operated motor-homes are also available for rental.

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The Usefull Links to other Indonesia site :

The Usefull Links to other Indonesia site :

http://www.indonesia-furniture.com

http://www.indonesia-handicraft.com

http://www.indonesiajewelry.com

http://www.indonesiagarment.com

http://www.mid-java.com

http://www.eastjava.com

http://www.javahandicraft.com

http://www.giantchess.com

http://www.indonesia-hosting.com

http://www.indonesia-product.com

http://www.bali-online.com

http://www.indonesia-submit.com

http://www.bali-hotel.com

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The Media

The Media

The number of newspapers and magazines circulating throughout the country at present is approximately seven million a day. There are 126 dailies, 85 weeklies, 35 fortnightlies, 5000 weekly magazines, two quarterly magazines, 45 monthly magazines and ten bulletins.
There are three English-language dailies in Jakarta. Radio Republic Indonesia, the national radio network has stations throughout the archipelago, with the main station in Jakarta. There are five "Nusantara" coordinating stations, i.e. Medan, Yogyakarta, Banjarmasin, Ujung Pandang and Jayapura besides regional and district stations.

Apart from the state-controlled stations there are almost 900 privates stations, commercial and non-commercial. The orbiting communications satelite has made it possible to spread the television network to cover most areas of the country.

Entirely state-controlled, there is one channel run by the government and another one is privately run although nine provincial stations have some of their own limited programmes. Production of national feature films totaled more than 100.000 titles in 2004.
There is an annual quota for the importation of foreign movies and in so doing, this encourages the growth in the domestic production of feature as well as documentary films. The shooting of films in Indonesia requires a permit from the Directorate of Film of the Department of Information in Jakarta.

Private video cameras carried by tourist may be used freely, except where restrictions at certain areas apply.

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The Mining

The Mining

Indonesia is rich in minerals although only less than half the country's geology has been explored. Oil and gas accounts for a major part of the nation's foreign exchange earnings.
Exploration of oil dates back to 1 871 in West Java but it was not till 1883 that the first successful oil well was drilled in North Sumatra and the first commercial oil field established. Since then there have been several oil discoveries, including those off-shore. PT Pertamina, the state-owned oil company has the sole right in oil and gas production which is carried out mainly by a production sharing agreement with foreign oil companies.

Apart from oil and gas, exploitation of geothermal reserves are being accelerated, coal production is increasing. Copper is found throughout the archipelago. There are also large deposits of nickel oxide, bauxite, gold, lead, manganese, silver, titanium, uranium, zinc, etc.

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The Monuments

The Monuments

Indonesia abound in monuments of the past. There are the temples of the Buddhist and Hindu dynasties; Hindu temples of Prambanan and the Dieng Plateau, the "kraton" (palace) of sultans in Surakarta, Yogyakarta, the Maimun palace of the Sultanate of Deli (in Medan), the Hall of Justice in Bali, ruins of ancient fortresses and museums, mosques and churches steeped in folklore. Graves of past royalty and national heroes are also monuments whereas many war graves of World War II still hold a certain interest.
The main destination areas contain many of these places of interest which are easily accessible.

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The National Economy

The National Economy

The country is rich in natural resources While 90% of the population is engaged in agriculture, oil and gas contribute 70% of total export earnings and 60% of the government revenues.
However, fluctuations in world prices of traditional export commodities have led to a change in recent years in the structure of the economy. Tourism is gaining a more important sector as a foreign exchange earner. To production and growth in the industry, the government has formulated new policies and improved facilities. Significant progress has been made in communications and transportation and since 1976, Indonesia has had its own communications satelite system which has enabled rapid expansion of telephone, television and broadcast facilities to all 27 provinces.
Air and sea ports are being extended to cater to the growing traffic on both domestic and international sectors, of passengers as well as freight.
Besides oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), forestry products, rubber, coffee, tea, tin, nickel, coper, palm products and fish make important contributions to export earnings. In recent years a number of steps have been taken to promote and stimulate non-oil exports which include handicrafts, textiles, precious metals, tea, tobacco, cement, fertilizers as well as manufactured goods.

To meet domestic needs, Indonesian plants assemble various types of automobiles, trucks, buses and motorcycles under licence from foreign manufacturers. Also produced are electronic equipment and electrical appliances. The aviation industry has been growing and new production lines are coming onstream as well its Universal Maintenance Centre for the overhaul of aircraft engines. The aircraft are for domestic use as well as for export. In the agricultural sector, Indonesia has become self sufficient in rice and does not need to import this staple food as it had for years.
Indonesia maintains a liberal foreign exchange system and has few restrictions on transfers abroad, and in general freely allows conversions to and from foreign currencies.
Bank Indonesia, the Central Bank, maintains the stability of the Indonesian Rupiah and reviews the exchange rate in terms of other currencies on a daily basis. The Rupiah is linked to a basket of currencies of Indonesia's major trading partners. The unitary exchange rate allows for fluctuation. With the objective of a more equitable distribution of development gains, the government gives high priority to expansion in the less developed regions of the country.

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The Folk Dances

The Folk Dances

Like most of the performing arts of the Orient dance in Indonesia is believed by many scholars to have had its beginning in religious workship. Even today, many dances are considered sacred or can be traced back to their early spiritual associations. Among these are not only the temple dances of Bali, but also such seemingly profane dances, such as the Bedoyo Ketawang of Solo, performed only on such rare occasions that they are in peril of becoming lost for the lack of younger generation dancers able to perform them.
Dance traditions today are as widely diverse as the various ethnic cultures of which they are part. Nurtured to refined perfection in the royal Javanese courts and princely homes the classical dances of Central Java are highly stylized expressions which have probably already attained their basic movements during the height of the Hindu-Javanese culture from the 8th to the 13th century. From the courts, those dances eventually reached the broad strata of the common people who gave them a more spontaneous form of expression.
In the hands of the people, these dances provided a rich source not only for popular dance dramas, but also for social dances which often display clear erotic overtones, such as Tayuban or Ngibing.
The bumbung dance of Bali which incidentally evolved into the beautiful "bumblebee dance" and Tamulilingan, a creation of Bali's late famed maestro of the dance, I Mario.
Other popular folk dances still display strong magic associations, as for instance the "kuda lumping horse dance". Whereas rigid discipline and artistry mark the dance of Java and Bali, those of Sumatra, Maluku and most of the other islands (one exception is the Gending Sriwijaya of South Sumatra) are characterized by their gracefulness and charm, a distinction which is further accentuated by the entirely different, non- gamelan, musical accompaniment.
The old traditions of dance and drama are being preserved in the many dance schools which flourish not only in the courts but also in the modern, government-run or supervised art academies where at the same time the search is continually being conducted for new expressions better adapted to modern times though based on the old traditions.

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The Performing Art

The Performing Art

From graceful court and temple dances to charming folk dances and boisterous play, the performing arts of Indonesia offer an astounding range of types and styles for the visitor to study or enjoy, reflecting, as they, do, the soul and traditions of the various ethnic groups who support them. Music, dance and drama are very often interwined, such as the ludruk transvestite theatre of East Java and the lenong folk theatre of Jakarta, both known also for their slapstick humor and early Shakespearean simplicity on their stage settings.
An important form of indigenous theatre is the puppets play, of which the most celebrated is the wayang kulit shadow play of Java where the characters are represented by the shadows of intricately carved and painted flat leather puppets, cast on a screen with the help of a torch (nowdays often substituted by an electric bulb).

The puppet theatre has many forms and employs a variety of media. In West Java, for example, the most popular form is the Wayang Golek, using carved and painted three dimensional wooden puppets. Both the Wayang Kulit and Wayang Golek take their repertoire from the classical Indian epics but in Central Java, the wooden puppet theatre traditionally brings only stories derived from popular folk legends revolving around the spread of Islam. There are other forms still alive today, such as the Wayang Klitik and Wayang Kruci, each having its own standard repertoire.

The oldest form of "shadow" play is probably the Wayang Beber, in which the dalang or puppeteer simply unrolls a scroll bearing the scenes and figures of the story while he delivers his narration accompanied by a gamelan orchestra. A popular contemporary form of wayang theatre is the Wayang Wong, is which actors or dancers represent the characters in the story which is presented on a conventional stage.
These are establishments for the purpose of entertainment and are found in many of the big cities of Indonesia. They are a kind of permanent night fairs presenting nightly performances of local folk theatre, local handicrafts and other attractions of popular character. One of the oldest and best-known entertainment parks is the Sriwedari park in Solo (Surakarta) which offers nightly performances of popular wayang wong plays.

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