Whether you’re island hopping or sticking to a single location, this packing list for Indonesia will make sure you don’t forget anything essential, leaving you to get the most from your trip
Sabang © Sujeet C
Preparing for an exotic destination can raise a lot of questions. What should you pack for tropical weather? Will you be able to buy something you’ve forgotten when you arrive? You won’t need much to bring much to explore Indonesia but this simple guide will remove the guesswork so you can focus on having a good time instead.
Preparing For Your Trip To Indonesia
Be sure to sort these essentials before you pack a thing.
- Flight Ticket – Prices and availability fluctuate and costs are cheaper if you book in advance. Compare flights on Skyscanner and be ready to book about three months ahead. You may be asked to show a return ticket at check-in, so keep a print out of everything.
- Accommodation – As with transport, book in advance to get the best prices. Booking.com will help you find the deals.
- Passport – Ensure your passport has plenty of blank pages and is valid for at least six months. A durable cover will protect your passport from damage – serious repercussions! – and is useful to keep tickets safe.
- Do I Need A Visa For Indonesia? – Many nationalities get 30 days admittance to Indonesia without needing a visa – you simply arrive at the airport and pass through immigration. However, the situation is fluid so be sure to doublecheck.
- Debit and Credit Cards – Make sure your cards will work with an international ATM and won’t be blocked when used overseas. Ask your bank. Online banking can help you out in a scrape as well.
- Document Scans – Take photos of all important documents, including your passport, credit cards, and insurance. You can do this with your phone. Then save them to a cloud account like Gmail with a backup of emergency contacts for banks, etc. If you lose anything valuable, you’ll have copies access to these via your phone or an internet connection.
- Vaccinations – At least 8 weeks before you travel, get advice from your doctor over which precautions you’ll need – usually hepatitis A and B, tetanus, typhoid, and poliomyelitis. Though travellers to more rural areas may need some extra vaccinations.
- Face mask – COVID is still very active in many countries and you may be required to wear an SFP2 facemask on the plane and in some indoor spaces. It’s also a good idea to carry a small bottle of hand sanitiser when you travel.
Travel Insurance For Indonesia
Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
What Clothes To Pack For Indonesia
Wherever you’re going, layers are always the golden rule. Pack for comfort and include something cosy and warm, as cool temperatures can happen in certain areas. Also consider whether you’ll be there during the dry or wet seasons. See our full Holiday Packing List for Hot Weather.
Health And Grooming Items To Pack For Indonesia
Many brands of toiletries and over-the-counter medicines are widely available in Indonesian supermarkets and convenience stores, so it’s usually safe to pack the minimum.
- Prescription Medicines – Bring a full supply of any prescription medicines you require, preferably in their original packaging.
- Other Medication – In case of emergencies, you may feel safer carrying some form of diarrhoea medication like Imodium. For allergy sufferers and those a ticklish nose, antihistamines are cheap and available without prescription.
- Sunscreen – Protection against the sun is a must. Neutrogena SPF 45 Drytouch Sunscreen is water resistant up to 80 minutes and absorbed instantly.
- Insect Repellent – Apply mosquito repellent every morning and around 5pm, when they tend to be most active. Try to use one that’s non damaging to the ocean if you’re planning on swimming, snorkelling, or scuba diving. There are many good brands on Amazon. Bring something for insect bite relief and to soothe sunburn too.
- Refillable Water Bottle – Rehydration is a must for travellers. Keep a full bottle of clean water so you always have a refreshing drink available. The Nalgene OTF is our recommendation.
- Quick Dry Towel – Non-bulky and very lightweight, Sunland towels are reasonably priced and compact enough to fit into any luggage.
- Tissues – A pack of tissues can be remarkably handy in a range of scenarios. Hand sanitiser is also a good idea for keeping bugs at bay.
- Moisturiser – Moisturiser is a secret trick for happy travel. I tend to use upmarket brands like CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion and Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream which genuinely feel a lot better than standard moisturisers to me.
- Ear Plugs – Ear plugs will also maintain your equilibrium during long journeys or when you’re trying to sleep in the vicinity of a snorer. You won’t go wrong with some Moldex ear plugs.
Luggage For A Visit To Indonesia
- Backpack or Suitcase – Invest in a durable backpack like Osprey that will hold everything comfortably. Ensure the harness will support the load – the weight should be supported on your hips. Roadtest in a shop then check Amazon for bargain priced backpacks.
- If you’re taking a suitcase, make sure you choose high-quality luggage that’s large enough to fit everything with some extra space for holiday purchases.
- A daypack is essential for daily use, once you’ve found somewhere to put the big bag down.
- Travel Cubes – Whatever luggage you travel with, travel cubes are a game changer. Group all your clothes into three or four cubes, so you can rapidly pack and unpack, rather than emptying a mess on the bed. Different colours will help you to tell them apart.
- Wash Bag – If you’ve ever had a shampoo explosion, you’ll know that a decent, waterproof bag for toiletries is vital. Pick something well-designed that opens up to let you access just what you need, but is durable enough to stop any leakage. The Magictodoor travel kit is a thoughtfully designed and inexpensive example.
- Since most airlines have a 100 mL limit on liquids, pack large bottles into your checked luggage or decant them into smaller containers before you pack your boarding bag.
- Luggage Locks – These are inexpensive but worthwhile to keep your bags free from mischief. Mke sure they are TSA-approved locks so you don’t get any grief at the airport.
- Travel Wallet – Get a good quality travel wallet to keep your cash, credit cards, and other valuables out of harm’s way. We recommend the Lewis N. Clark RFID Security Wallet – big enough to fit your passport and most other essentials but still small enough to wear comfortably beneath your shirt.
Electronics To Pack For Indonesia
- Plug Adaptors – Indonesia uses the C and F type plug sockets, also favoured through much of Europe. These take plugs with two round pins. The standard voltage is 230V AC, compatible with UK and European appliances, and a 50Hz frequency. If you’re travelling to other regions, particularly across SE Asia, you should consider a universal power adaptor, preferably with surge protection, like the CleverTrips Universal Travel Power Adaptor.
- Cellphone: If your usual handset is locked to a provider, get a cheap phone for the trip and buy a local SIM card.
- Indonesian SIM Card – It’s much cheaper to use an Indonesian SIM on your phone rather than roaming on your domestic contract. The most straightforward option is to buy an Indonesian SIM card online with Klook and pick it up at the airport when you arrive.
- You phone will see a lot of action while you’re away. Make sure you have a sturdy case. Otterbox make the excellent Defender cases which give your phone superhero strength.
- A power bank is essential to keep your phone charged for the long periods when you don’t have access to a wall socket.
- Noise-Cancelling Headphones – A set of noise-cancelling headphones are totally worth the extra cost if you want to keep the world outside for a while.
- Camera – If you’re looking to take a lot of photos, a standalone camera still makes a lot of sense. I’d recommend the Canon Powershot range which are small, straightforward, and don’t cost too much.
- You’ll need a small stack of memory cards. Swap them out regularly and backup images as soon as possible.
- Kindle – A Kindle reading device is great for killing inevitable downtime in places like airports. You can store thousands of books on these lightweight devices and you won’t drain your phone battery.
- Chargers and Cables – Your devices are no good if you can’t power them up. So don’t forget your chargers and cables!
Planning What To Do And Where To Go In Indonesia
- Indonesia Guidebook – A guidebook is still the fastest way to get to know a new country. Get one or two guidebooks a few months before your trip so you can really thumb through it. Lonely Planet Indonesia is my personal preference.
