Travel to Indonesia - is it safe?

Hello fellow travellers,
My fiancee and I are planning to go to Indonesia before this summer
ends. We are both US citizens and and are mainly concerned with the
following:
1. Bird flu.
2. Muslim countries' resentment toward US.

We've never been to Indonesia yet and we don't know what to expect.
Are there any dress codes that we need to be aware of, such as the the
full face mask that Middle Eastern women are required to wear?

Thank you.

Answers depend on where in Indonesia you are planning to visit but
generally:
- Bird flu shouldn't be a problem unless you're planning to spend a lot of
time around animals.
- No dress code but don't walk around in skimpy clothes (women) and don't
sunbathe topless.
- Bali is Hindu so the Muslim stuff won't apply.
- I don't think you'll find any more resentment there towards the US than in
other parts of the world! I live in Australia and I reckon there's more
hatred here towards America than in Muslim countries!
- I don't think it would be any riskier to visit Indonesia than any other
Asian country at the moment, but if in doubt check your govt travel
warnings, bearing in mind that they usually err in favour of caution. I
think if we heeded all that advice we wouldn't leave home!

Enjoy your trip.

"Alex Holtz" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello fellow travellers,
My fiancee and I are planning to go to Indonesia before this summer
ends. We are both US citizens and and are mainly concerned with the
following:
1. Bird flu.
2. Muslim countries' resentment toward US.

We've never been to Indonesia yet and we don't know what to expect.
Are there any dress codes that we need to be aware of, such as the the
full face mask that Middle Eastern women are required to wear?

Thank you.

"Alex Holtz" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello fellow travellers,
My fiancee and I are planning to go to Indonesia before this summer
ends. We are both US citizens and and are mainly concerned with the
following:
1. Bird flu.
2. Muslim countries' resentment toward US.

We've never been to Indonesia yet and we don't know what to expect.
Are there any dress codes that we need to be aware of, such as the the
full face mask that Middle Eastern women are required to wear?

I see far more full face coverings in London than here in Jakarta. I think
only some Middle Eastern women here do that, not Indonesians. Many local
Muslim women were a head scarf - a minority in Jakarta and probably most
major cities, maybe a majority in stricter areas especially East Java and
Aceh, and country areas in general in the Muslim areas. And of course many
areas such as Bali are not Muslim but Hindu, Christian etc. The constitution
recognises Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism (and maybe
Confucianism now) as officially equal, though of course some are more equal
than others.

Mostly a fairly conservative dress code is followed except in tourist areas,
nightclubs, and to some extent in big cities; outside these areas women
cover their shoulders and midriffs and don't wear miniskirts. Here in
Jakarta you see almost anything from Saudi ladies 99% covered in black to
local teens very far from covered. For some reason bare shoulders seem rare.

Bird flu: so far confined to those working with or handling poultry. Unless
you have odd holiday pastimes you should be OK.

Resentment to the US: I think most people hre do not like current US
politics but are unlikely to blame you for it... but it would be better not
to defend the Iraq war too loudly. I have American friends in Jakarta and
they don't mention any problems.





--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Alex Holtz wrote:
Hello fellow travellers,
My fiancee and I are planning to go to Indonesia before this summer
ends. We are both US citizens and and are mainly concerned with the
following:
1. Bird flu.

There have been a few deaths recently from bird flu in North Sumatra,
in some Karo villages. However, those people dying caught the disease
firstly from their chickens, and secondly from prolonged confined
contact with the person with the disease.

I am not aware of a credible threat to tourists, certainly not from
eating cooked chicken, or visiting temples, beaches, etc.

2. Muslim countries' resentment toward US.

We've never been to Indonesia yet and we don't know what to expect.
Are there any dress codes that we need to be aware of, such as the the
full face mask that Middle Eastern women are required to wear?

The Javanese Muslim tradition (known as abangan) is quite divorced from
Middle Eastern practice, and in general Indonesian women do not wear
the burqa (full-length head-to-toe covering with only holes for the
eyes). Influence from the middle east has led to an increasing number
of women wearing the jilbab, which is a head scarf that sits over the
shoulders, leaving the woman's face visible (much less restrictive than
the burqa). In Java at least, women choose to go with or without jilbab
without any problems.

Western people are absolutely not expected to wear the jilbab at all,
in any part of Indonesia. The only thing to consider is that women who
dress very immodestly are likely to get unwanted male attention.

Anti-US sentiment is unlikely to be something you are made aware of,
unless you visit known conflict zones and make an effort. There have
been general terrorist attacks in Indonesia as in the USA, UK, Spain
and other countries (but my view is that the risk of such attacks
affecting you is rather smaller than the risk of getting hit by a bus),
but I am not aware of specific incidents against individual travellers
(although targets have been places travellers visit) based on their
nationality. I imagine that an Indonesian person is more at risk of
racist attacks and/or abuse in USA than a US person would be in
Indonesia.

Alex Holtz wrote:
Hello fellow travellers,
My fiancee and I are planning to go to Indonesia before this summer
ends. We are both US citizens and and are mainly concerned with the
following:
1. Bird flu.
2. Muslim countries' resentment toward US.


3. Volcano exploding.
4. Earthquakes.



We've never been to Indonesia yet and we don't know what to expect.
Are there any dress codes that we need to be aware of, such as the the
full face mask that Middle Eastern women are required to wear?

Thank you.

Alex Holtz wrote:
Hello fellow travellers,
My fiancee and I are planning to go to Indonesia before this summer
ends. We are both US citizens and and are mainly concerned with the
following:
1. Bird flu.
2. Muslim countries' resentment toward US.

We've never been to Indonesia yet and we don't know what to expect.
Are there any dress codes that we need to be aware of, such as the the
full face mask that Middle Eastern women are required to wear?

I lived in Indonesia for 2 years. I was living there when the Jakarta
Marriott was bombed. I can tell you that the people were just as upset
about that as Westerners were. I never had any problems with resentment
toward the US.

Indonesia is not well liked in the Muslim world because it has a very
moderate form of Islam. No dress codes for women other than basic
modesty. Many wear the head scarf but it seems more of a fashion
statement that anything.

You will notice the prayers. A large number of people stop what they're
doing to pray several times a day. All office buildings and airports
have prayer rooms.

To show you an example, during Ramadan you're not expected to fast with
the Muslims. Restaurants are still open during the day. But most close
their blinds so that those walking past don't see it. Just to avoid
"rubbing their face" in it.