Jakarta

Mongolian citizens with an ordinary passport get a B1 tourist visa at the Indonesian border: up to 30 days, fee Rp500,000, extendable once for another 30 days. Get an e-VOA in advance at evisa.imigrasi.go.id and skip the payment queue at the border. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months, with a return or onward ticket.

Tip: Apply only on official sites ending in .go.id — many agent sites charge extra.

Everyone arriving in Indonesia completes the single arrival card (immigration, customs, health) at allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id or in the All Indonesia app within 3 days before arrival. It is free; show the QR code at immigration and customs.

Jakarta's private hospitals are good but expensive, so travel insurance is a must. There is no direct flight, so book both legs on one ticket and check your bags through; check the transit rules of your connecting country (Korea, China) in advance.

Tip: During Lebaran (the end of Ramadan) the city empties and flights and trains fill up — check your dates.

The airport train (KA Bandara) runs from the station linked to the terminals by Skytrain to BNI City (Sudirman) and Manggarai in about 50 minutes. Tickets cost about Rp70,000–85,000 in 2026; no cash — buy by card at the machines or in the Access by KAI app. Change at BNI City for the MRT and TransJakarta.

With lots of luggage or children, use the official taxi rank in arrivals (Bluebird, Silver Bird) or the Grab pick-up point. Turn down people who follow you in the hall offering a 'taxi'. In the evening rush the drive can be slow.

DAMRI airport buses run regularly to central points such as Gambir, Blok M and Kemayoran — cheap, with a luggage hold. Buy tickets at the DAMRI counter outside the terminal.

If your phone supports eSIM, buy and install an Indonesia plan from Airalo, Ubigi or similar before the flight — it works as soon as you land. Trips of up to 90 days need no IMEI registration of your phone with customs.

Tip: Download Indonesian in Google Translate and the city in Google Maps for offline use.

The arrivals hall at Soekarno–Hatta has Telkomsel, XL and Indosat counters that register the SIM with your passport and set it up. Telkomsel has the widest coverage beyond the city, on the islands. City shops are cheaper, but the airport counter is the easiest.

The MRT runs along the city's main axis from Lebak Bulus to Bundaran HI, Rp3,000–14,000 by distance. TransJakarta buses with their own lanes cost a flat Rp3,500 (Rp2,000 from 5 to 7 am). Pay for both with a contactless bank card (JakCard, Flazz, e-money) or by QR.

Booking a car or motorbike on Grab or Gojek gives a fixed upfront price and no language barrier. If you hail a taxi on the street, choose a blue Bluebird and ride on the meter. Motorbike taxis beat the traffic, but with children take a car.

MRT, TransJakarta and KRL trains have women-only carriages and sections, marked in pink. Weekday morning and evening rush hours are packed, so plan sightseeing for the middle of the day. Monas, Kota Tua and Ancol take JakCard payments, so buy and top one up on day one.

The Indonesian rupiah (IDR) has many zeros, so check your notes carefully. BCA, Mandiri and BNI ATMs inside malls and banks are the most reliable; avoid lone street ATMs. Change money only at licensed money changers.

Visa and Mastercard work in malls, hotels and chain restaurants. Small shops and food stalls take cash or Indonesia's QRIS QR payments — carry small notes. Restaurants add a service charge and tax to the bill, so tipping is optional.

Nasi goreng (fried rice), satay, soto Betawi (Jakarta's milky beef soup), kerak telor (Betawi egg crust) and Padang restaurants where you pick from many dishes. For children, nasi goreng, mie goreng (fried noodles) and chicken satay work well; sambal (chilli sauce) is very hot, so ask for it on the side.

Tip: Most food is halal; pork is mainly found in Glodok's Chinatown.

Mall food halls are clean, air-conditioned and full of choice. Glodok, Petak Sembilan and Jalan Sabang are known for evening food stalls. For street food, pick busy stalls cooking hot in front of you.

Don't drink tap water; use bottled water. Ice in restaurants and cafés is usually factory-made from filtered water, but be careful with street drinks and pack stomach medicine.

The general emergency number from mobiles is 112. Police 110, ambulance 118 or 119, fire 113. Private hospital ambulances are usually faster, so call your insurer's assistance line first.

On crowded transport, in Kota Tua and in markets keep your phone and wallet in front of you. Turn down unofficial taxis and money changers offering a 'better rate'. In the rainy season streets flood and traffic stops — check the forecast and Google Maps traffic.

Air pollution is high in the dry season, so check the AQI on IQAir and carry a mask. There is a dengue risk — use mosquito repellent. Private hospitals such as Siloam Hospitals, RS Pondok Indah and Mayapada serve patients in English.

At Istiqlal and other mosques cover arms and legs and take off your shoes; women can borrow a robe. Tourist tours pause during Friday midday prayers. During Ramadan avoid eating and drinking in public in daytime.

Use your right hand to give money or objects and to eat — the left is considered unclean. Don't point with your finger; point with your thumb. Arguing loudly or showing anger in public causes loss of face; a smile solves more.

The city is hot, but avoid very revealing clothes at places of worship, government buildings and old neighbourhoods. Don't photograph people, especially women and children, without permission. Smoking in public places is restricted.

Grab and Gojek — cars, motorbike taxis and food delivery; the two apps you will use most in Jakarta. Google Maps shows MRT and TransJakarta routes well.

Google Translate's camera mode translates menus and signs; download Indonesian for offline use. IQAir AirVisual shows air quality.

All Indonesia — the immigration, customs and health arrival card. Indonesia e-Visa — get an e-VOA and extend your stay. The Wonderful Indonesia site — travel information for every island and city.

The airport train from BNI City or Manggarai takes about 50 minutes — the most reliable way to avoid traffic. By taxi or Grab the rush hour can take hours, so leave plenty of margin.

Overstaying your visa by even one day brings a daily fine, so count your departure date carefully. Exporting protected animals, coral and similar items is banned — buy souvenirs from proper shops.