Indonesia Economy and Culture
ECONOMY
Business etiquette
Business should be conducted through agents in the country and is often slow. Business letters and brochures should be in English and prices should also be in US dollars. Business cards are common.
Opening hours
Business hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some offices are also open Saturday mornings.
Authorities: Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
Economy
German Center for Industry and Trade Indonesia
c / o L-Bank
Landeskreditbank Baden-Württember – Förderbank
Schlossplatz 10, D-76113 Karlsruhe
Tel: (0721) 150 34 96.
Internet: www.germancentre.co.id
Business contacts
German Center for Industry and Trade Indonesia
c / o L-Bank
Landeskreditbank Baden-Württember – Förderbank
Schlossplatz 10, D-76113 Karlsruhe
Tel: (0721) 150 34 96.
Internet: www.germancentre.co.id
COMMUNICATION
Phone
The country code is 0062. Even in smaller towns there are telephone offices from which you can easily call abroad. For international calls, you can purchase prepaid cards, which are an inexpensive alternative. Many hotels have public phones that accept calling cards or credit cards. There are telecommunications centers across the country, warung telekomunikasi (WARTEL), in which international calls can be made and received. Numbers for emergencies are: 110 (police), 118 (ambulance for traffic accidents), 119 (emergency doctor) or 113 (fire brigade).
Cellphone
GSM 900/1800. Mobile phone companies are PT Indosat Ooredoo (Internet: indosatooredoo.com/id/personal), XL Axiata (Internet: www.xl.co.id), and Telkomsel (Internet: www.telkomsel.com). International roaming contracts exist.
Internet
The main provider is, among others, Indosat M2 (Internet: www.indosat.net.id). There are internet cafes with fast connections in all major Indonesian cities and in the tourist areas of Bali. Numerous hotels offer wireless and sometimes free access to the Internet via Wi-Fi (Internet: www.hotspotlocations.com).
Post Office
Airmail to Europe can take up to 10 days. Domestic mail is fast and generally reliable and is carried by the express service (Pos KILAT). Post traffic to the remote islands is often delayed.
Radio
Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.
CULTURE
Religion
86.1% Muslims, 8.7% Christians, 1.8% Hindus (mainly in Bali), 3.4% Buddhists and followers of natural religions in remote regions.
Social rules of conduct
General: Since independence, many Indonesians have developed a strong sense of national pride.
Ancestral dances and traditional techniques of painting, wood carving and sculpture play an important role in Indonesian culture. Dancing is an important art form in Indonesia and is encouraged and practiced from an early age. The extensive repertoire is based on old legends and traditions. Performances take place in village halls and squares, as well as in some of the leading hotels. Some of Bali’s most famous dances are the legong, a slow, graceful dance of divine nymphs; the Baris, a fast-paced, noisy representation of male, warlike behavior, and the Jauk, a captivating solo dance of a masked and richly costumed demon. During the dramatic Kecak dance with 100 or more participants, only young men clad in loincloths act as wild monkeys, subjects of the Hindu monkey god Hanuman.
Indonesian gamelan orchestras primarily consist of various xylophone-like percussion instruments, flutes, and instruments that are similar to the harp. These sounds can be heard in many Indonesian shops and restaurants and are part of every dance and shadow theater performance.
Shadow plays are performed nationwide using the traditional wayang-kulit shadow puppets made of wood and leather. The subjects of the pieces are often the stories of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, famous ancient Hindu legends. However, modern pieces are also shown. For visitors who do not understand Indonesian, it is most interesting to sit behind the stage, because this is the best place to watch the puppeteer at work.
Manners: When booking tickets and hotels within Indonesia, a country located in Asia according to ehistorylib, often only the first name is used. Often times, people are quite formal in society, for example not starting to eat or drink a meal until the host tells you to. You should never point your finger at people or objects or touch other people’s heads. Food or money is always taken or given with the right hand. Indonesians are polite and friendly, and do countless favors and friendships to foreigners whom they trust. Shaking hands in greeting is common. If you are invited to a private house, a gift is welcome. Before entering a private house, you take off your shoes.
Clothing: Casual clothing is common, but some smart establishments will expect evening wear for meals. Islamic customs and traditions that affect women’s clothing should be observed. Temples should only be entered with sarong and shoulders / arms covering tops. Swimwear belongs on the beach. Away from the beach, you should keep your knees and shoulders covered.
Photographing: Cultural sites may not be photographed. As a basic rule, you should ask for permission before taking photos.
Smoking: In Jakarta and Bali, smoking is prohibited in closed, public spaces such as hotels and restaurants.
Tips: In restaurants and hotels, tips are usually included in the bill. If you still want to tip, you usually give 5-10%. Housekeeping and taxi drivers expect a tip. In a taxi it is customary to round up the fare.
