Money and duty free for Indonesia
Currency and Money
Currency information
Rupiah (IDR; symbol Rp). Notes are in denominations of Rp100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000. Coins are in denominations of Rp1,000, 500, 200, 100 and 50.
Credit cards
American Express, MasterCard, Visa and Diners Club are widely accepted in Jakarta and the main tourist areas. In more remote areas, it is best to carry cash in small denominations. ATMs are available in towns and at airports.
ATM
ATMs are available in cities and towns but be aware that many have a maximum withdrawal limit which can be as high as IDR 2,000,000 or as low as IDR 500,000. This can be overcome by putting your card again but be careful as you may be hit with a bank fee each time.
Travellers cheques
It is not recommended to take traveller's cheques to Indonesia as they are becoming more and more difficult to exchange.
Banking hours
Mon-Sat 0800-1400
Currency restrictions
Local currency IDR and foreign currency: importing and exporting more than IDR 100,000,000 or its equivalent must be declared.
Currency exchange
Although there should be no difficulty exchanging major currencies in the main tourist areas, problems may occur elsewhere - banks in rural areas may not offer an exchange or rates will be poor. Watch out for dishonest money changers who may try to trick visitors out of their cash. Do not accept notes with a lot of visible wear and tear as these may not be accepted by merchants.
Indonesia duty free
Overview
The following goods may be imported into Indonesia by travellers over 18 years of age without incurring customs duty:
• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 200g of tobacco.
• 1L of alcoholic beverages.
• Reasonable amount of perfume for personal use.
• Gifts up to a value of US$250 per person or US$1,000 per family.
Import Regulations
Banned Imports
Prohibited and restricted goods include narcotics, firearms and ammunition, air guns, sharp weapons, explosives, pornography, animals, fish, plants, films and video recordings.
Banned Exports
It is forbidden to take tortoise shells, crocodile skins or ivory out of the country.
