Nowadays, it has never been easier than to come to
Indonesia. Numerous international airlines have direct
flights from all over the world to Indonesia or via
a big hub such as Singapore, Bangkok or Hong Kong in
Asia. The recent emergence of low cost budget airlines
within Southeast Asia and especially in Indonesia gives
even a greater choice of flights and more affordable
prices for all budgets.
Indonesia has more than 100 airports spread all over
the country, the largest being Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar
(Bali), Medan, Makassar and Yogyakarta. The following
airports have international connections:
Balikpapan, Bandung, Batam, Denpasar, Jakarta, Kupang,
Makassar, Manado, Mataram (Lombok), Medan, Padang, Palembang,
Pekanbaru, Pontianak, Semarang, Solo, Surabaya, Yogyakarta.
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Garuda Indonesia International is Indonesia’s
national carrier and offers a large number of flights
to/ from the capital Jakarta or Denpasar, Bali to
the rest of Asia, Australia and the Middle East.
The carrier offers also non stop flights from Medan,
Semarang, Surabaya and Yogyakarta to regional destinations
in Southeast Asia. The airline has a code share
agreement with Malaysia Airlines for flights to
Europe via Kuala Lumpur. |
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Merpati is Indonesia’s largest domestic
carrier with a few regional flights to Malaysia
and Singapore. |
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Air Paradise International is a carrier based
in Bali which offers non stop flights to Australia. |
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Lion Air is Indonesia’s largest low fare
airline with regional flights to Malaysia and Singapore. |
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Major international airlines such as Air France,
KLM, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Cathay
Pacific, Malaysia Airlines, Royal Brunei, Thai Airways,
Singapore Airlines or Japan Airlines have regularly
scheduled flights to Jakarta and/or Denpasar. |
It is possible to arrive by boat to Indonesia, with
most visitors crossing by fast ferry (30 minutes) from
Singapore to Batam in Riau Province. They are 17 International
entry seaports in the country. As an example, they are
5 international seaports just on Batam island, across
from Singapore. The rest of Sumatra has 8 international
seaports, Sulawesi 3 ports, Java and Bali 2 ports, Flores
1, West Timor 1 and Papua 1.
Domestically, they are today over 30 airlines offering
flights to all regions of the country. Among the newest
carriers in the country are Adam Air, Awair, Batavia
Airlines, Jatayu, Srivijaya Air and Star Air among others.
The competition is intense which guarantees very low
prices for consumers! As an example, a flight from Jakarta
to Bali can cost as little as 21 US$ one-way and from
Jakarta to Medan as little as 25 US$ one-way. To find
the best deals, consult a travel agency, airline offices
or airline websites.
For travellers with more time, Indonesia has also an
extensive train network linking cities on Java Island
and a small rail network in Sumatra. Buses assure road
services between all cities throughout the country as
well as boats and ferries for inter-island services.
When in Indonesia, ask a travel agent or your hotel
for more details regarding types of train and bus services
available, schedules, and costs. It is a great way to
see the country first-hand!
