5 Ways to Make Your Indonesia Trip Smooth and Affordable

Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia can warm your heart with beautiful scenery, stunning beaches, delicious food and incredibly kind locals, but after visiting Indonesia, you will be totally, utterly in love with this wild, green and stunning country. Without a doubt, Indonesia is a truly hidden gem in the Southeast Asia, even though it is a giant in size. The country is made up of over 17,000 islands where everyone can find something special and unique about each place. It has so much to offer – from rice terraces, monkey forests, through romantic beaches and spiritual temples. Once you step your foot here, you can enjoy different activities such as diving, paragliding, mountains and volcano hiking, elephants riding and much more.

Tanah Lot, Bali

The good news is that Indonesia is a very affordable travel destination, so if you are a budget traveler, like me, you don’t need to worry about getting broke at the end of your stay in the Land of Smiles and Temples. Here are 5 top tips on how to make your stay in Indonesia smooth, fun and, above all, cheap: #1 Make friends with locals. Let me tell you that Indonesian people are kind-heated and very hospitable. They keep a positive attitude towards travels and their lives, smile a lot and share their happiness and endless energy with foreigners. Once you come here, you should make sure you talk to them and try to make friends with them. In this way, you will be able to experience Indonesia like a local. You will not only find out about hangouts and spots around different cities and islands that ordinary tourists don’t know about, but also you can pick up some basic Indonesian phrases (and you can learn slang terms that they won’t teach you in class) which can be useful when travelling around. #2 Try street food. When in Indonesia, forget the Western food. You will be certainly tempted with fancy restaurants where grilled pork, burgers and pizzas are served, but try to resist the temptation for at least a week or two. The reason being, best and most affordable Indonesian dishes are sold at street vendors and small local restaurants. Try to be a little bit more adventurous with food and you will experience mouth-watering meals of banana-wrapped fish and vegetable salads with sweet peanut dressing, broth-soaked noodles or fiery curries!

Fried Chicken, Rice and Veggies

Western vs. Indonesian food A small baguette with salmon and salad washed down with a glass of orange juice can cost you up to IDR120.000 (less than $11). For the same amount of money you can enjoy noodle soup, black tea, coffee, spicy chicken with rice, a bowl of fruits and veggies, grilled pork and a piece of pancake called Martabak for TWO DAYS.
#3 Do temple research. You might find this tip useful when getting to Bali, an island with over 20,000 different and unique temples around. Trust me, you will get lost and end up having a massive headache if you don’t plan your temple hopping adventure. Check out which temples are the nearest and most visited, read a few historical facts about them and ask some locals for advice. I would recommend you to visit no more than two temples a day and don’t go further than 10-15 kilometers unless you rent a scooter. Although most of the temples are worth seeing, keep your temple hopping experience easy and simply – less is more!

Ulun Danu Temple, Bali

#4 Avoid taxis. Go for a scooter ride instead. Taxis are expensive in Indonesia because foreigners often end up paying much more than locals. We get ripped off almost every day here, so the best idea to move around the cities and different towns on the cheap is to rent a scooter. I did it when in Bali and I was able to save up to $3 a day on local transport. Bali scooter rental is no more than $5 and petrol does not cost more than $1 and it will last you for a whole day. Getting a scooter will make you more flexible with your sightseeing plans and definitely more independent. If you don’t have a driving licence, find a travel buddy who does. In this way you can share the costs and have more fun together!
#5 Get a travel buddy. If you travel solo across Indonesia, try to find someone who you can join. If you stick to someone more experienced than you, your trip will be definitely less stressful and more fun. It’s good to have someone with you who can watch your backpack when you want to use the toilet, find the way back home when you get lost or help you in case of any emergency situations. Secondly, you can both share the expenses when staying in one room or buying meals at restaurants. What you should keep in mind though is that you both need to have the same or similar approach to travel expenses in order to avoid any arguments or awkward situations.
Keep these tips in mind when planning your next trip to Indonesia and I am certainly sure that you will enjoy your smooth and stress-free stay on the cheap! 
About the author: 

Agness has been teaching English in different provinces across China since 2011. She is currently living, working and travelling in Dongguan, nearby Hong Kong, where she is working with kindergarten students. She is also a part-time blogger who stands behind eTramping - a travel website where you can find plenty of budget travel tips on how to travel the world with $25 in your pocket. If you would like to read more about China, you can check out her "Add the Brick to the Great Wall:" Experience-based Advice for China from Expats" e-book which sums up her two-year experience of teaching, living and travelling in the Land of Dragons.