About Indonesia
Indonesia is archipelago country located in Southeast Asia, between the Asian and Australian continents with five major islands; Sumatera, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua. Indonesia have 300 ethnic groups that have been living a life of different traditions of civilization. Also, Indonesia is rich in culture and heritage. The tropical climate and its fertile land make Indonesia a green home for a wide variety of flora and fauna.
In the economic section, the development advancement Indonesia has been taking part in the dynamic growth of economics in Southeast Asia. The country has now become one of the major destinations of tourism, socio-cultural source, as well as business investments in the region. With the blend of traditional and modern culture of its society, Indonesia is a unique country with a lot of attractive things to offer.
Time Zone
Indonesia is divided into three time zones: WIB/Western Indonesia Time (Sumatra, Java, West and Central Kalimantan) is seven hours ahead of GMT. Central Indonesia Time (Bali, South and East Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara) is eight hours ahead of GMT. Eastern Indonesia Time (Maluku, Irian Jaya) is nine hours ahead of GMT
Climate
Indonesia has a fairly even climate all year round and Banten’s climate is quite hot and humid. The average temperature ranges from 29º Celcius at night and early morning and up to 34º Celcius at noon. The rainy season is usually from November to April, with some regional variations. Banten has the heaviest rainfall from January to February.
Indonesia has a fairly even climate all year round and Banten’s climate is quite hot and humid. The average temperature ranges from 29º Celcius at night and early morning and up to 34º Celcius at noon. The rainy season is usually from November to April, with some regional variations. Banten has the heaviest rainfall from January to February.
Religion
Indonesia is a democratic country. Although the population is predominantly Muslim, six religions and beliefs are recognized by the Indonesian government: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism. Mosques, churches, temples are found throughout the country. Religious holidays of these six beliefs are celebrated as national holidays.
People
The people of Indonesia come from very diverse ethnic backgrounds and are generally friendly and easy to get along with. You will find that most of them are nice and relatively tolerant of other cultures.
Clothing
Students usually dress on smart casual outfit to go to campus. Most of the time they wear jeans or trousers with casual shirts, T-shirts or blouses and sneakers. However, shorts and sandals are usually not allowed for attending classes. During the rainy season, a jumper/sweater/pullover or sweat shirt will be sufficient. Men’s suit and appropriate dress or suit for women is commonly worn in formal functions like a graduation ceremony.
Food
Many people say that Indonesian food is tasty and spicy. Spices and hot chillies are the ingredients of most dishes. The staple food of rice is served with vegetables, tofu/tempe and meat/egg/fish. The popular side dish sambal- a fiery hot blend of chillies, spices and sometimes terasi (belacan), lemon juice and tomato for extra flavour – comes in an endless variety.
As the population of Indonesia is predominantly Moslem, pork is usually not served except in Chinese and non-Moslem restaurants and places serving international cuisine. Pork dishes are served in some non-moslem parts of Bali, Papua, the North Sumatra highlands and North Sulawesi.
The most popular Indonesian dishes are sate (skewered kebabs of meat or fish, grilled over a fire and served with spicy peanut sauce), gado-gado (a salad of half steamed vegetables with a peanut sauce dressing), nasi goreng (fried rice with shreds of meat and vegetables and topped with a fried egg), bakmi goreng (fried noodles) and Nasi Padang (hot and spicy cuisine of West Sumatra cooked in thick coconut milk curry).
Drinks
Tap water is not safe to drink. It must be boiled or sterilized before it is consumed. Branded bottled water is readily available for sale in nearly all grocery stores and convenience stores.
Indonesian coffee is one of the finest in the world. You can enjoy the exotic taste of our coffee in the coffee shops commonly available in many entertainment centers or in any commercial areas of the cities.
Alcoholic drinks or local beers are available in major supermarkets and hypermarkets. Wine is sold only in major restaurants and hotels.
Cost of Living
Serang offers a competitive standard of living at a comparatively low cost. Compared to other study destinations, Serang provides excellent value for money. The annual cost of living depends on the student’s lifestyle and type of accommodation. Students should also have additional funds to pay for initial establishment costs, textbooks, equipment, incidentals, local transport, temporary accommodation and entertainment. It is also important that you allow for transport costs approximately Rp. 70,000 (US$70) per week if you live off-campus. Include extra costs in your budget, if you intend to do some traveling to places like Jakarta, Bandung, or Sumatra while you are in Indonesia.
| Expenses in a month | Estimated Cost |
| Housing | 2000K IDR (143 USD) |
| Meals | 2250K IDR (161 USD) |
| Books and Supplies | 500K (37 USD) |
| Transportation | 840K (60 USD) |
| Communication | 200K (15 USD) |
| Personal Daily Needs | 500K (37USD) |
| Incidentals | 500K (37USD) |
| Total | 6790K (485 USD) |
Public Facilities
Business Hours
- Embassies : Mon-Fri 8am-4pm
- Banks : Mon-Fri 8am-3pm and Sat 8am-1pm
- Shopping centers : Mon-Sun 10am-10pm
- Post offices : Mon-Thu 8 am -2 pm, Fri 8-11 am and Sat 8 am – 12.30 pm.
- Airline offices : Mon-Fri 8 am – 4 pm and Sat 8 am – noon.
- Other celebration affecting the business hours
- (Government) offices close at 11.30 am – 1 pm on Fridays (Moslem mass prayer)
- Ramadan (the ninth Moslem month) is a month of fasting for Moslems. Food counters and restaurants are generally closed during daytime, while discotheques are totally closed. Business hours begin half-an-hour later and close one hour earlier.
Banking
There are a number of foreign banks and local banks offering various banking services in Banten (especially Serang, Cillegon and Tangerang). Many offer both Rupiah and foreign currency (usually US$) savings, term deposits, safe deposit boxes, credit and debit card accounts and foreign exchange services. Due to the variety range of services and different procedures in each bank, it is better to make inquiries directly by phone before conducting a direct visit
Shopping Centers and Restaurants There are many shopping centers and restaurants all around Banten especially around Serang , Tangerang, and Cilegon area. The shopping centers varies from small shops to high-end mall such as Grand Indonesia that is located in the center of Jakarta. The restaurants also varies from the streetfood to the high-end restaurants.
Transportations
Bus
Bis (buses) are the most common means of public transportation in Banten. There are a large number of bus companies servicing various routes throughout Banten.
Train
Train service is called Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) and Commuter Line, which operates regularly from Anyer to Rangkasbitung by KAI and Rangkasbitung to Jakarta by Commuter Line. A train station is available near the Military Hospital to connect you to Banten and the surrounding areas. Passengers can buy a single trip or multi trips ticket at the ticket counter of every station. Trains to other major cities in Java leave from Jakarta’s stations like Gambir, Senen and Jatinegara stations. The tickets can be booked in advance. Trains have been a comfortable means of transportation for inter-city travel with reasonable price.
Taxis
Taxis are easily found almost everywhere in the streets of Serang, Cilegon and Tangerang. Taking a taxi could be as reliable as using a personal car. At ‘flag fall’ the meter (argo) starts at Rp 5,000 (for regular taxi)
