Page 10 - Indonesia Destination Guide - Alluring Asia

SHOPPING Words of Wisdom-Buyer Beware Indonesia offers plenty of Bring your purchases home with you. Unless you are prepared to wait a shopping opportunities. From prolonged period of time, do not have it shipped -- not even by air street vendors selling authentic freight. homemade wares to huge PAGE 3 department stores, the choices are Do not purchase expensive goods of supposed high quality unless you Population | Time | Visas Insurance | History endless. Most of the goods are absolutely sure of what you are buying. available here are cheaper than PAGE 4 Unless you are an expert in gems, antiques, artifacts, etc., you should not anywhere else; Asian shopaholics People | Language Common Phrases are known to travel here every assume that it is of the highest quality or value. year for a spot of retail therapy. PAGE 5 Always take the time to read the charge slips for credit card purchases Bali is the best place to go for local Climate before you sign them. This may seem obvious; but in the excitement of arts and crafts, while bigger cities PAGE 6 such as Jakarta and Yogyakarta making a foreign purchase, travelers sometimes overlook this and are The Land are better known amongst seekers unpleasantly surprised when they return home and are billed by the of mainstream and luxury brands. credit card company. Taking a few moments to review the charge slip PAGE 7 before signing it (and computing the exchange rate to be sure you are Changing money | Credit Cards Currency | Tipping Prices may be set in department charged the right amount) can save you headaches later. Etiquette stores, but generally it is possible PAGE 8 to bargain on the price on goods BARTERING/BARGAINING Safety & Crime | Taxis and services throughout the The proper/polite way to bargain in Indonesia: What to Pack | Health country, from unmetered taxis to souvenir stands. The rule of PAGE 9 • Smile, smile, and smile. And bargain for only what you really want Communications thumb when it comes to the to buy. bargaining business is to start low, PAGE 10 then slowly let the shopkeeper • Rely and use body language for up to 80% of the bargaining. Shopping | Customs Bartering bring up the price to a third or PAGE 11-12 half of his/her original quoted • The more subtle and vague you can be, the better your position is. Food & Drinks price, depending on what you're Do not be firm about your limit or indicate your real intention. buying and where you're making PAGE 13 the purchase. The shopping hours Culture & The Arts | Religion • Avoid open confrontation at all cost. If unfortunately it escalates to here are from 08:30 to 20:00, with one, your chance of a good bargain is ruined already and it is best some shops closed on Sundays. In to just do not buy there and go look somewhere else. Muslim areas, some shops are closed for a few hours around • The less words you say, almost always the better. Even if you can’t Friday lunchtime for prayers. speak much Indonesian, just smile and repeat: “more” and point Some best buys in Indonesia are down with your hand (to indicate I want more bargain/can you Batik cloth, paintings, lower more). woodcarvings, silver, gold, and lovely typical Indonesian clothing. • To disagree, move your head from right to left, or even pout a little, but try not to say loudly: no, no, no. CUSTOMS Customs regulations allow, per adult, a maximum of 40 ounces of alcoholic beverages, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco and a reasonable amount of perfume.