Indonesia is an incredibly diverse country. With its more than 17,500 islands, it is a multicultural country, rich in cultures and traditions. From Sumatra to Papua, via Bali, Java, Flores, or Sulawesi, the landscapes, cultures, ethnic groups, languages, religions, traditions are varied, rich, and fascinating.A travel to Indonesia is to discover a new side of Indonesia, its people, and culture. Suffice to say that one life would not be enough to explore the country, and that is what makes it so attractive!We all want to know some essential things about a country before traveling to it, to get informed about the language spoken, the currency, safety, and other necessary information.Please keep reading to find out our important travel tips, through our selected Indonesia travel guide to help you preparing your trip.

1. Currency

The national currency is the Indonesian rupiah or rupiah (Rps); the official ISO code is IDR. Given its value, there is no subdivision. At the end of 2015, € 1 was worth around 12,928 Rps.There is no form of money restriction when you travel to Indonesia; you can enter or exit with as many euros, dollars, or travelers' checks as you want.

2. Language

Bahasa Indonesia has been the official language since independence (1945). Like Malaysian, Indonesian is a variation of the same language, Bahasa Malayu.English is widely spoken in tourist locations. But when you get off the beaten track, a few basics of Indonesian are useful, if not essential. Therefore, an important travel advice is to know English.

3. Luggage

Clothes adapted to the climate and the season. Take warm clothes for temperature differences and good walking shoes and sunscreen is essential. In general, clothing depends on the season when you travel to Indonesia.

4. What to eat in Indonesia?

You're spoiled for choice, vegetarian or not, and varied options depending on where you are. The Indonesian cuisine is very good and even the basics like Nasi Goreng, Mi Goreng, and Bakso. Fried bananas (Pisang Goreng), duck, fresh fish, chicken kebabs, fresh fruit juices, coconut desserts, fresh coconuts, banana pancakes ...When you travel in Indonesia, you can eat in the markets and night markets, on the street, in local warungs or restaurants for strangers to vary the pleasures. Going where there is a queue and lots of locals is often a good sign, like everywhere!

5. Where to sleep in Indonesia?

There is something for every price and every desire, from the youth hostel to the villa, family accommodation, or single room. The basic double room with a private bathroom normally costs 200,000 IDR depending on the destination. It is possible not to book in advance, even in high season, but use different search engines to find the best deals: hotels on Booking, Agoda, Hostel world, and Airbnb.There are many other travel tips to Indonesia, and those are just the most important to know about before traveling to visit Indonesia.Moving to another section in our Indonesia travel guide article, which is about the most important places to visit in Indonesia, continue reading to find out more about it.Do you want to get your eyes full? Discover the most beautiful places to see and visit in Indonesia, the archipelago with thousand faces!With this selection of the 10 most beautiful places to visit in Indonesia, we take you over volcanoes, through the jungle and rice fields, on heavenly beaches with exceptional seabeds, but also in majestic temples.Join us and never ask again why to travel to Indonesia! Because our Indonesia travel guide will reveal everything.Join us and never ask again why to travel to Indonesia!

  • Flores and the Komodo national park (Image: © Rashel Ochoa/Unsplash)

Florès, one of the small islands of the Sonde. Owes its name to the Portuguese who renamed it in the sixteenth century because of the abundance of flowers on the island.Its volcanoes, including the Kelimutu and its colorful lakes, its beautiful bays of Maumere and Labuan Bajo, and its still-charming villages, make it a destination of choice on a trip to Indonesia.But that’s not all, off the coast of Florès, there is a real natural treasure: the Komodo National Park. This archipelago is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and Biosphere Reserve. It includes 29 volcanic islands, including Komodo, Rinca, and Padar, which are inhabited by thousands of giant lizards called "Komodo dragons." To explore absolutely, if you are wondering what to do in Indonesia!

  • The Borobudur temple (Java) (Image: © Bill Fairs/Unsplash)

Head to the heart of the island of Java, a few tens of kilometers from the important city of Yogyakarta to admire a Buddhist monument of rare beauty. The Borobudur temple. This temple was built in the jungle between the end of the 8th century and the beginning of the 9th century, at the time of the Sailendra dynasty, before being abandoned for several centuries, then rediscovered in the 19th century.Listed as a UNESCO World humanity Heritage site, Borobudur attracts millions of visitors from around the world every year.Note: at sunrise, the show is simply incredible!

  • Raja Ampat Islands or "The Four Kings" (Image: © sutirta budiman/Unsplash)

The Raja Ampat archipelago made up of about 1500 islands. It is a paradise on land, or rather on the sea. At the edge of the Pacific Ocean, the Raja Ampat Islands are renowned for their sublime seabeds that will undoubtedly seduce diving enthusiasts or the most curious of you.Let this preserved and magical place enchant yourself!

  • Lake Toba (Sumatra) (Image: © Dio Hasibuan/Unsplash)

Our planet is full of natural wonders, and Lake Toba, on the island of Sumatra, is one of them. This Crater Lake is 100 kilometers long and 35 kilometers wide, and it is considered to be the largest lake in Southeast Asia.You can come and rejuvenate yourself, admiring the mountains that border it. It is the ideal destination to escape a bit from tourists and the sometimes stifling heat since Lake Toba is at 900 meters of altitude.

  • Gunung Leuser National Park (Sumatra) (Image: © Don Mammoser/Shutterstock)

To the north of the island of Sumatra, the National Park of Gunung Leuser. Its name is taken from Mount Leuser, culminating at more than 3380 meters. With an area of 9,500 km2, this park is home to lush fauna and flora and remains one of the only places on earth where it is still possible to observe wild orangutans and Sumatran tigers.With the National Parks of Bukit Barisan and Kerinci Seblat, recognized as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO.

  • Prambanan (Java) (Image: © Eugenia Clara/Unsplash)

Prambanan, or Candi Rara Jonggrang, is a set of 240 Shiva (Hinduism) temples erected in the 8th century. Its grandeur and history make it an important cultural and spiritual site.Like Borobudur, the neighboring Buddhist temple (50 km), Prambanan is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its proximity to the Borobudur temple also testifies to the peaceful coexistence of religions at that time on the island of Java.

  • Nusa Lembongan Island (Image: © Jeremy Bishop/Unsplash

Wondering what to do in Indonesia? Enjoy a trip to Bali to escape a few days on the island of Nusa Lembongan. Just a few kilometers from Bali, this island is the perfect destination to explore the seabed.

  • Tanah Lot temple (Bali) (Image: © Pan Species/Unsplash)

Photographed millions of times, the Hindu temple of Tanah Lot. Perched on its islet in the midst of the waves, continues to attract foreigners who come to visit Indonesia, especially Bali.But it is in particular, and above all, a place of pilgrimage for all the Hindus of the country. The famous temple was built in the 16th century by a great Hindu sage named Nirartha.

  • Tana Toraja (Sulawesi or Celebes) (Image: © Elena Odareeva/Shutterstock)

The kabupaten of Tana Toraja, in the middle of the mountains and the rice fields of the province of South Sulawesi. Is the "country of the Toraja people," which gradually opens up to the world. But some of their ancient beliefs and traditions are still very much present and fascinate more and more people, like their impressive rituals during funeral ceremonies.If you plan to visit Indonesia and the island of Sulawesi, take the opportunity to observe the traditional Tongkonan houses of the surrounding villages.

  • Harau Valley (Sumatra) (Image: © Andi Andi/Shutterstock)

The bright green rice fields stretch as far as the eye can see between the cliffs of the Harau valley. Thus plunging its visitors into an Edenic setting.If you are comfortable, do not hesitate to rent a scooter to go in search of the waterfalls, which hide in the valley, and of the gibbon monkeys who observe you, surely, from afar!Indonesia is one of the wonderful countries that anyone would like to visit, so if you have the chance to travel and you don’t know where to go, be sure that Indonesia won’t disappoint you. Be sure to have a look at our Indonesia travel guide before.Come back to our space to discover more beautiful countries.

Originally published on Live Positively.