BALI SECURITY
Indonesia is a relatively safe place to travel and violent crime
is almost unheard of, but petty crime is on the upswing. Pay
close attention to your belongings, especially in big cities.
Use a small backpack or money belt for valuables: shoulder bags
can be snatched. Bags have been snatched by thieves on motorbikes,
so be vigilant. Be especially wary on crowded bemos, buses and
trains; this is where pick-pockets lurk. They work in groups
and are very clever at slitting bags and extracting valuables
unnoticed.
Be sure that the door and windows of your hotel room are locked
at night, including those in the bathroom, as thieves are adept
at sneaking in while you are asleep. Big hotels have safety
boxes for valuables. If your hotel does not have such a facility,
it is better to carry all the documents along with you. Make
sure you have a photocopy of your passport, return plane ticket
and travelers' check numbers and keep them separate from the
originals.
Don't take valuables to the beach. Period. Bring your camera
only if you're not going to swim or if you are in pairs and
one can swim while one watches. You can ask other tourists to
mind your gear while you swim, but they may decide to leave
while you're in the water.
BALINESE ADDRESSES
The Indonesian spelling of geographical features and villages
varies considerably as there is no form of standardization that
meets with both popular and official approval. We have seen
village names spelled three different ways, all on signboards
in front of various government offices. In this guide, we have
tried to use the most common spellings.
There are three overlapping and concurrent address systems for
any given location: old street name and number, new street name
with new numbers, and kampung (neighborhood) name with block
numbers. Every town now has its street named after the same
national heroes, so you will find General Sudirman Street in
every city throughout the archipelago.
The names with the new house numbers are the preferred designations
for postal purposes. However, when tracking down a hotel address
you may find that the old street names, the kampung names, or
local landmarks more helpful. You will also find number 38 next
to number 119 and the streets referred to by different names,
such as Jalan Diponegoro (an Indonesian hero), Jalan Abdi Dongo
(from local history) or Gajahan Gang II (the kampung name and
alley number).
Finding Your Way
Westerners are used to finding things using telephone directories,
addresses, and maps. But in Indonesia, phone books are incomplete,
addresses can be confusing and maps little understood. The way
to find something is to ask.
To ask for directions, it's better to have the name of a person
and the name of the kampung. Thus 'Bu Murni, Banjar Kalah"
is a better address for asking directions even though "Jalan
Hanoman 14" is the mailing address. Knowing the language
helps, but is not essential. Immediately clear answers are not
common, so be patient. You are likely to get a general indication
of direction without distance or specific instructions. The
assumption is that you will be asking lots of people along the
way. Begin by asking three people. Usually two point toward
the same general vicinity. Proceed, then ask again.
Maps can be useful, but introducing them into discussions with
Indonesians may cause more confusion than clarity. More than
likely the north arrow on the map will be turned to real north
before a reading. Periplus Travel Maps provide detailed and
accurate maps of major tourist destinations.
