You are bound to have lots of questions regarding your trip with Diving 4 Images, especially if this is your first time with us or your first time in Indonesia. This page should help answer most of your questions but if you can’t find what you’re looking for please feel free to contact us and we will do our best to answer your questions.
- How do I book and pay for my trip?
- What are the visa requirements for Indonesia?
- Do I need to pay air-port tax?
- With my dive kit, camera, clothes and everything else, I’ve got loads of luggage, is this a problem?
- Should I bring Indonesian Rupiah, change money when I get there or use the ATM?
- What’s the protocol on tipping and gratuities?
- Do I need insurance?
- Can I charge my camera on-board the boat?
- I like nothing better than relaxing with a gin and tonic after a days diving, what’s the score regards alcohol?
- What’s the food like?
- Should I learn a bit of the lingo?
- What clothes should I bring?
- Do I need any inoculations and do I need to take anti-malarial medication?
- Any tips on health and safety?
Booking Your Trip
To book please email us with your requirements. From here we will build you a customized and highly personalized itinerary and, once you are happy with the itinerary we have created, will will send you an invoice for a deposit. This deposit must be paid within seven days of receiving the invoice to confirm your trip and once received we will invoice again for the remainder, this is due ninety days before the trip’s start date. Flights, hotels and resort stays will be added to the invoice, as and when you book them.
Payments should be made by international bank transfer to account shown on your invoice. It is the guests responsibility to cover all bank charges associated with this, which usually amount to around $40 (US) per transaction. We currently have no facility for credit cards or online payments but we are exploring the possibility of making this option available.
Please refer to our cancellation policy if you need to cancel your trip for any reason.
Visas
Visa regulations have been changing a lot recently. We highly recomend checking in with your countries embassy to see the latest information.
Important: To enter Indonesia your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the date you enter the country and must have at least two blank pages.
For more detailed information on visas you can follow these links to the Indonesian Embassy in the UK or theIndonesian Embassy in the US.
Flights
There is no more airport tax!
Baggage Allowance
Baggage allowances have been changing a lot and we therefore advise you check in the airline you are flying with. If you book direct with us, we will handle all internal flights and inform you of any extra fees.
Any excess baggage charges are the customer’s responsibility and will not be covered by Diving 4 Images. However, Diving 4 Images has made agreements with some airlines to get an extra allowance for divers and we always do our best to minimise these costs.
Money
We recommend that guests bring all the money they need in Indonesian Rupiah. Your options for getting Rupiah are:
Exchange money in your home country before you depart. This can be arranged through your bank and you usually get a reasonable exchange rate but may take time to process.
Bring foreign currency to exchange in Indonesia. US Dollars, Euro and Sterling can all be easily exchanged when in Indonesia. The exchange rate in Bali and Jakarta is usually reasonable but as you get to more remote areas the rate drops dramatically so make sure you change your money when you first arrive in the country. Please note that all notes should be in good condition with no rips or tears. US Dollars from pre-1998 are no longer accepted in Indonesia. If you’re bringing Sterling please note that only Bank of England notes are accepted (i.e. not Bank of Scotland etc).
Withdraw Rupiah from your ATM. This is the easiest way to get cash. However, bank charges can make this a very expensive way of getting money out and banks have a nasty habit of blocking your card if you take money out abroad. We advise that you check with your bank regarding charges etc. Please note that there is a limit of IDR.5,000,000 (approx. $500 US) per day on ATM withdrawals.
It is sometimes possible to pay for some things in US Dollars on the boats, in hotels and in resorts, however we recommend that you do not rely on this and bring Rupiah.
Tipping and Gratuities
Tipping is not generally expected in Indonesia though if you receive a good level of service and feel you want to tip then please do; it is always appreciated. On dive boats the rule of thumb for tipping is 5-10% of the trip fee but you should always give what you feel appropriate. If you have received a high level of service by all means give a tip; if the service has been poor there is no obligation to tip.
If the service hasn’t been up to scratch we hope that you will let us know so that we can make the necessary changes for future trips.
Insurance
We strongly recommend that you ensure you are comprehensively insured for your trip and many of the boats we use insist that you are adequately insured. DAN offer a very good policy specifically designed for divers (we recommend the Master or Preferred Plan) and you may wish to take out general travel insurance.
Please email us a copy of your policy prior to your trip so we can act on your behalf in an emergency.
For more information on DAN insurance see their website.
Electricity
Indonesia runs on 220 Volt electricity. If you want to charge your batteries make sure that your chargers are multi voltage or you have a 110 Volt converter with you. Most dive boats and resorts usually have 110 Volt converters.
If you have lots of things to charge it may be an idea to bring an extra socket extension. Plugs are the European standard two-pin as shown here.
Alcohol
The price of imported beers, wines and sprits has shot up over the last couple of years due to steep rises in import duty. Prices are now very high; a bottle of imported wine will cost at around $70 (US), for example. If you are a drinker we recommend you buy a bottle in duty free on your way through, you are allowed 1 litre of wine or spirits and there is no corkage fee on the boat.
We have heard recent reports from other dive operators that customs officials have being trying to charge duty on alcohol legitimately brought into the country (i.e. 1 litre or less). If you are asked to pay duty and you think you should not have to (if you have 1 litre or less) then make sure you ask for a receipt, this alone is usually enough for the official to ‘remember’ that you don’t need to pay duty after all.
The drinks available on-board vary from boat to boat; we will provide you with boat specific information when you book.
The good news is that Bintang Beer, Indonesia’s dominant brand of lager, is fairly good, reasonably priced and readily available.
For many visitors to Indonesia one of the highlights is the food. Indonesian food typically features fresh ingredients, cooked simply, and eating out is probably the nations favorite pastime; wherever you go in Indonesia you will find good food, freshly prepared and extremely well priced. Spices are used sparingly to enhance the flavor rather than burn the taste-buds, though a pot of home-made sambal, Indonesia’s devilishly hot chili sauce, is found on every table.
Food
The food served on the trip depends on the vessel you use, but as a general rule will feature a variety of Indonesian and international foods. This may be served as a buffet or plated, again this depends on the specific boat. We will provide you with specific information regarding the food on the boat you are using when you book. All boats can cater for any special requirements you have, including food allergies or creating special menus for vegetarians etc, providing you advise us in advance.
Tap-water is not safe to drink in Indonesia. As this also applies to the locals, you can be assured that all water you are served with meals has been treated and is safe, as is ice, and there are no problems relating to fresh fruit and vegetables.
If you are spending any time in Bali why not check-out Graham’s comprehensive guide to dining out in Bali!
Language
The crew on all the boats we use speak a bit of English and all the dive guides we use are bi-lingual. When you are travelling in Indonesia you will find that most people speak a smattering of English, usually enough to get by, so learning Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian) is by no means essential. However, many guests find it really rewarding to learn a little bit of Bahasa Indonesia before they come out. It’s amazing how well you can communicate with just a few words and the reaction you will get from locals makes the time you put in to learning a little of the language really rewarding.
If you want to give Bahasa Indonesia a try you can use our guide to Bahasa Indonesiato get you started.
Clothing
Lightweight, casual clothing is the order of the day for most people visiting Indonesia. If you are passing through Bali on your way in you might want to take advantage of the excellent prices for summer clothes here and in doing so reduce the amount of luggage you need to bring with you (though not the amount you need to take home)!
When travelling or making shore visits in Muslim areas we suggest that you dress fairly conservatively keeping stomach, shoulders and cleavage covered and shorts or skirts no shorter than knee-length. The same applies if you visit temples in Bali.
Medical
The biggest risk to your health in Indonesia is the sun. You should make sure that you bring sufficient sun protection including high factor sun-cream, a hat, sunglasses and long-sleeved tops. You should also drink plenty of water, we recommend a minimum of 1 litre a day.
You should also pay attention to any cuts, scratches or abrasions that you suffer whilst here as they can get easily infected. One thing that has proved very effective in the past is Dactarin. Though it is actually an antifungal it has proved very effective for stopping infection and helping cuts heal quickly, even coral cuts! A tub of Tiger Balm is also invaluable for putting on mosquito bites to stop them itching.
Tap-water is not safe to drink in Indonesia. As this also applies to the locals, you can be assured that all water you are served with meals has been treated and is safe, as is ice, and there are no problems relating to fresh fruit and vegetables.
If this is your first trip to Asia we recommend that you visit your doctor to enquire about inoculations and anti-malarial drugs. The risk of malaria is generally very low though this does vary from place to place. Some anti-malarial medication is not suitable for diving so please discuss this with your doctor prior to starting a course of medication. Whether or not you take anti-malarial medication is entirely your call, but if you want to discuss this with us just get in touch.
Indonesia is generally a very safe country and there is no need to worry about your personal safety. If you exercise the same level of caution you would back home you will be fine.