Rules for overlanding in Indonesia

An International Driving Permit (1949 Geneva or 1968 Vienna model) is required. Check what applies to the licence you hold.

The permit must also cover two-wheelers if you plan to hire a motorbike, which is very common practice on Bali.

Drive on the left and overtake on the right. Helmets for motorcyclists and seatbelts are compulsory equipment. No blood alcohol limit has been set so far, because alcohol consumption is not widespread.

Insurance is not compulsory in Indonesia, though for hire cars it is generally included in the price. Short-term cover for one or two months can be taken out.

A Carnet de Passage en Douane is required for a vehicle brought in temporarily.

Difficulties getting hold of fuel are possible. Bear that in mind, especially when planning journeys by car.

Driving discipline in Indonesia is highly questionable. Air connections are acceptable, while rail and road links are more difficult and uncertain. Prepare carefully for journeys outside the main towns and tourist centres, where infrastructure can be inadequate, above all in rugged or thinly populated areas, and where transfers after a medical or other emergency can be difficult or costly.

Accidents involving mopeds and motorcycles have risen sharply on Bali, some of them fatal, with Italians among those involved. Always use a helmet in good condition when riding or as a passenger, on a moped, a motorcycle or a bicycle, and avoid riding at night where possible.

Foreigners caught in traffic offences or accidents can end up being extorted. Some multinationals do not let their expatriate staff drive in Indonesia, and the ministry suggests weighing up hiring a car with a driver. If you are in an accident, wait for the police to arrive at the scene.

There is a growing tendency for the authorities to take their own citizens' side against foreigners when a dispute arises with the local population.

Check the doors and windows of the vehicle you are travelling in are closed, and avoid driving alone at night. Before a journey by road, tell someone you trust your route, departure time and expected arrival time, travel in convoy where possible, and always carry a working phone.

Travelling by boat or ferry can be dangerous, because sea conditions can change quickly. Safety standards vary between operators but are generally inadequate: vessels can be crowded, overloaded and badly maintained, so check before departure that safety equipment such as life jackets and lifeboats is available. Child-size life jackets are not always available, so you may need to bring your own. Crossing after sunset is advised against unless you are sure the vessel is reliable and properly equipped. There is a high risk of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Sulu and Celebes seas, the Strait of Malacca and nearby waters, and boat trips near Philippine territorial waters (off North Sulawesi, around Manado, and North Kalimantan) are advised against because of piracy by local Islamist terrorist groups.

The law is extremely severe for users and traffickers alike, with no distinction between soft drugs, cannabis included, and hard ones, and executions of foreigners convicted of trafficking resumed in 2015. Anyone found in possession risks immediate arrest, seizure of the passport and very heavy sentences up to the death penalty, with no room for a plea bargain; airports have excellent detection technology, also used on transit passengers' baggage. Police frequently raid nightclubs known to be frequented by foreigners and can order blood and urine tests, with arrest if the result is positive, and in some Jakarta and Bali venues drugs are sometimes handed out as free samples. Psilocybin, the so-called Balinese magic mushroom sold at food stalls and in restaurants on Bali, especially around Kuta, has been banned nationwide since 1 January 2015, with heavy penalties including detention of 4 to 12 years. Bringing in e-vape refill liquids is strongly advised against: they may contain substances banned by Indonesia's drug law and not listed in the maker's declared composition, and finding them at airport checks, even in small quantities, can bring serious penalties.

Aceh is the only province in Indonesia applying sharia law, and it applies to non-Muslims as well as Muslims. Consuming, producing and distributing alcohol is illegal there, as are gambling and extra-marital relations, and the penalties provided by the sharia court include public flogging. Islamic law can also be applied in some villages on Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi.

Always respect the country's cultural and religious sensitivities, especially around religious occasions such as Ramadan, Idul Adha and Nyepi, and avoid anything that could offend local feeling and religion. Homosexuality is treated as a crime in Aceh province and is not accepted in the rest of Indonesia, authorities included, and public displays of affection can be penalised.

You need at least six months' validity and at least two blank unstamped pages; the requirement is absolute and no exceptions are made. Italian tourists have been refused entry over the physical state of the booklet, so check there are no tears or cuts, no loose bindings especially near the cover, a perfectly legible photo and data page, no marks on the photo or barcode and no removed pages. Carry the passport, or at least a copy, at all times: people without identity documents have been held in a cell until identified. If your travel documents are lost, a long bureaucratic procedure is needed to obtain an exit visa.

Italian citizens staying less than 30 days (for tourism, business meetings or transit, among other purposes) do not need to apply for a visa beforehand: they can get an e-VOA at the main entry points or online at least a week before departure, provided they hold a passport valid for at least six months with two free pages and a return or onward ticket out of Indonesia, and pay IDR 500,000 for the tourist visa on arrival at the airport. It is valid for 30 days and can be renewed for a further 30, at least a week before it expires, at the nearest Indonesian immigration office or online. All other visa types must be requested before departure. Check what applies to the passport you hold. Since 14 February 2024 every non-resident international traveller arriving on Bali, directly from abroad or from elsewhere in Indonesia, has to pay a tax of IDR 150,000 per person; paying before arrival is suggested.

Staying longer than your visa allows is a serious immigration offence, punished with heavy fines and up to five years in prison; the fine for every day of illegal stay is currently IDR 1,000,000, payable in cash. There are also cases of travellers admitted at one airport or port then refused exit from one that was not on the approved list, so plan your itinerary to leave through one of the listed crossings. Several cases of fraud by local agencies handling immigration or work-permit paperwork for a fee have been reported: check an agency's reliability, or preferably use the Indonesian Immigration website to obtain or extend a visa, since such scams can lead to overstaying, the IDR 1,000,000-a-day fine and possible expulsion with a ban on returning.

Even minor breaches of Indonesian law by foreigners can bring very severe action from the police and immigration authorities. Immediate detention can be ordered, and is sometimes lifted only on payment of sums that can be considerable; because of the severity of penalties and how court cases are handled, a civil, administrative or criminal case can bring very heavy consequences and costs even in the tens of thousands of euros. Improper requests for money, presented as administrative costs that are not actually due, have been reported when foreigners try to file a report of theft or assault, including in tourist spots such as Lombok and Bali.

Alcohol containing methanol, from inadequate distillation, has caused deaths and serious harm (coma, convulsions, blindness, nervous-system damage), with cases linked to drinks bought in bars, shops and hotels in tourist areas such as Bali, Lombok, the Gili islands and Sumatra. Criminal gangs make counterfeit copies of well-known brands, and local spirits such as arak (a rice or palm-sugar liquor) and cocktails are also affected. Buy alcohol only from bars, shops, restaurants or hotels licensed to sell it, avoid home-made drinks, and check that bottle seals are intact and the labels of famous brands have no spelling mistakes. Symptoms can look like alcohol poisoning: confusion, dizziness, drowsiness or heavy tiredness, vomiting, vision changes, abdominal and muscle pain.

The import of animals into Bali is not allowed — neither from abroad nor from the rest of Indonesia. Elsewhere in the country, dogs and cats brought in from Italy are subject to quarantine. Beware of dubious organisations that offer to bring animals into Bali anyway: if the attempt is discovered, the animal is put down.

Customs Director General Regulation PER-09/BC/2015 provides that imported goods can be released as temporary imports using an ATA Carnet or a CPD Carnet, and that temporary import with a CPD Carnet applies to means of transport imported to be driven. The carnet holder hands the carnet to the customs officer, who checks its period of validity and the data in it. (Direktorat Jenderal Bea dan Cukai — Peraturan Direktur Jenderal Bea dan Cukai PER-09/BC/2015, Tata Kerja Impor Sementara dengan Menggunakan Carnet)

The portal of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SIDOPI GO) lists three steps before flying a small drone in Indonesia: registering the drone until it receives a registration mark, obtaining a Remote Pilot Certificate (Small Unmanned Aircraft System category, up to 25 kg), and applying for an operation approval to fly in the specified area and time. The page does not address foreign visitors specifically. (Direktorat Jenderal Perhubungan Udara (Kementerian Perhubungan) — SIDOPI GO: Sertifikat Pesawat Udara Kecil Tanpa Awak, Remote Pilot Certificate, dan Persetujuan Operasi)