GENERAL INFORMATION
A. LOCAL TIME
Indonesia has three time zones—Western Indonesia Time which is GMT +7, Central Indonesia Time which is GMT +8 and the last is Eastern Indonesia Time which is GMT +9. The capital Jakarta is GMT + 7.
B. OFFICE HOURS
Office hours start from 08:00 to 16:00, or 09:00 to 17:00. Lunch break occurs between 12:00 to 13:00. usually offices are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, including government offices. Government office hours start at 8:00 and end at 16:00.
C. BANKING HOURS
Standard banking hours are from 8:00 to 15:00 from Monday to Friday. However several banks open their branches in hotels (and in some malls) longer than office hours. A few are open on Saturdays so you might want to check first. Jakarta has a number of international banks, even though one can also exchange currencies in some hotel cashiers and official money changers.
A bank branch will be located in Jakarta Convention Center and will be open from the 15th – 19th May 2016, in addition to ATMs.
D. CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE RATE
The Indonesia Rupiah is also called IDR. IDR and US$ are the most acceptable currencies. Most tourism resorts have money changer facilities.
Most foreign currencies are easily changed at airports, banks, hotels or moneychangers. The currency exchange rate fluctuates regularly. ATMs are available in many places, provides VISA, MASTER, ALTO and more.
E. ELECTRICITY
Electric power supply is 220 volts in all regions. So be careful with your 110- volt electronic equipment. The sockets will only fit with two pins rounded-tip plugs (technically known as Type C, E, and F) or use adaptors.
F. CLIMATE
Jakarta has a tropical monsoon climate, with just two distinct seasons: wet and dry. The wet season takes up the majority of the year, from October to May, with the dry season typically running from June to September. Average temperature in May is 33 degrees.
G. LANGUAGE
Bahasa Indonesia is the national and official language in the Republic of Indonesia. However, English is also spoken in urban areas.
H. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND TAXI
Taxis in Jakarta are run by private companies; therefore the fleets are unique and have different color schemes. There are also several types of taxi; budget, regular, and executive. They differ in the kind of vehicle used and in cost.
Budget taxis can be identified by a distinctive ‘Tarif Bawah’ sticker. This sticker means that this taxi charges the lowest approved fare by the government. Taxis without ‘Tarif Bawah’ sticker charge a higher rate.
The middle-up class taxi are available by booking through 24hour call center and can be found at the airport, 4 star hotels and lifestyle shopping malls.
Executive taxis can be found at the airport, 5 star hotels, and upscale shopping malls. The meter charges are considerably more expensive than regular taxis. Hotels can also pre-arrange fixed priced journeys which can be charged to your hotel room. This is especially convenient for airport / hotel transfers.
