Visas
British citizens can enter Indonesia for up to 30 days without a visa. The Indonesian embassy has introduced a new e-visa system for which you can submit your application online. Your passport must be valid for at least six months after your date of arrival and you must have a minimum of two blank pages.
There are 169 other nationalities that can enter Indonesia for up to 30 days without a visa, including most European nationalities and citizens of the USA and Australia.
Visa regulations can change however and so we recommend that you contact your nearest embassy for the most up to date information.
Travelling in West Papua requires a special permit, which we will obtain on your behalf.
Health and vaccinations
We are not medically qualified and so we recommend that you speak to your doctor or nearest health professional for advice concerning recommended vaccinations. For more advice on vaccinations you can also visit www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk.
Insurance
It is a condition of joining our tours that you have suitable travel insurance in place, and we cannot accept travellers without insurance. All policies differ in terms of what they will cover, but as a minimum you need medical and health cover which will cover you for the whole time that you are away. Most policies will also include cancellation cover, which will cover you if an unforeseen circumstance obliges you to cancel your trip. We recommend that you obtain your insurance as soon as you book your trip.
Please note that government travel warnings often affect the validity of your travel insurance, and you should check this with your insurance company.
Money
The currency in Indonesia is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). ATM’S and money changers are widespread across Indonesia’s cities but they are less reliable in remote areas, if there are any at all. Make sure you have enough money before venturing into remote rural regions and if changing money, be aware that banks may not take notes unless they are in perfect condition.
Local conditions
When travelling to some of the destinations we offer you need to bear in mind that things won’t always work here as we’re used to them working at home. Travelling in underdeveloped and untouristed destinations requires both patience and a sense of humour. There may be problems with infrastructure, attitudes may be different, and maintenance may not be as high a standard as we would always like, but this is very much part and parcel of travelling in such a place. We aim to resolve any issues as quickly as possible, and thank you for your patience.
Our trips to West Papua visit a remote and often difficult region, where tourism is still in its infancy. Although tourism in Papua already exists for over 20 years, there has been little development in the quality of services provided. Most people who work in the tourism industry have had limited education, have never travelled outside their village and therefore lack the understanding of the expectations from western travellers. For this reason we travel with an Indonesian guide, but it is essential that you understand the limitations that travelling in such a place presents.
Travel advice
We keep a very close eye on the travel advice issued by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office so that we can keep you up to date with any warnings. At the time of writing there are no warnings against travel to West Papua from the FCO – other nationalities need to check the stance of their own governments.
This relates to advice from the British government – other nationalities need to check the stance of their own governments.
Updated August 2023