Overview
Indonesia is the world’s largest island country with more than 17,000 islands. It is also one of the world’s largest and most populous countries. While many surf travelers will focus on Bali or the Mentawais, there is much more to this island nation than just those regions.
Climate
Indonesia lies alongside the equator and its climate is almost entirely tropical. Indonesia has two main seasons. The dry season spans from April to October with the wet season from November to March. Water temps range from 27C (in peak dry season) to 29C in the wet season.
Language
Indonesia is extremely ethnically diverse, with over 300 distinct ethnic groups. The country’s official language is Indonesian (or Bahasa Indonesian) which is a variant of Malay. The language was adopted as the official language after being used unofficially for centuries as the lingua franca of the archipelago.
Travelers will find Bahasa Indonesia easier to learn than many other languages and especially while traveling in farther-flung regions of the country, it is certainly worth learning at least basic pleasantries.
Budget
Surfing in Indonesia can cater to almost any budget. There are family homestays (called losmen in Indonesia) that include three meals per day for around $10USD per night. You can contrast that with surf-centric accommodations in the Mentawais that will regularly run in excess of $300USD per night.
Currency
The currency of Indonesia is the Indonesian Rupiah.