Chris explains how to get some local Indonesian money quickly and safely.
Visitors to Indonesia can have difficulty getting some local currency before or soon after they arrive, especially if transiting Jakarta Airport and needing some money fast for airport tax, or taking a Jakarta or Bali airport taxi.
This is intended to be a guide for first-timers. You can read it all or just the relevant section:
The currency of Indonesia is the Rupiah, usually marked as Rp or IDR. Indonesia is still very much a cash-based society, and credit cards are still not accepted in many places.
Coins start at Rp100 up to Rp500 (click on image for full-size):
A bronze Rp500 is slowly disappearing. There is also now a new Rp1000 coin:
It may eventually replace the Rp1000 banknote, though at the moment it is relatively rare.
Banknotes come in denominations of Rp1000 up to Rp100 000:
JUST THE FACTS
Almost all Indonesian ATMs are connected to the Maestro/Cirrus network, and provide the choice of English or Indonesian instructions.
Most ATMs dispense Rp50 000 notes (about $US6), although some give Rp100 000 (about $US12) notes. It is usually marked whether it is Rp50 000 or Rp100 000. If possible, avoid the latter unless you are e.g. about to buy something expensive.
If you want to minimise transaction fees, get the maximum amount: Rp1 250 000 ($US140) for the Rp50 000 ATMs, Rp2 500 000 ($US280) for the Rp100 000 ATMs.
In regional and remote areas, the most common bank is BRI (pronounced “BAY UR EEE”), but not all branches have ATMs.
In smaller cities, you might also find an ATM that dispenses Rp20 000 notes, up to a maximum of Rp500 000 ($US60) per transaction.
Please note:
1. Some new ATMs now eject the ATM card before the cash. Make sure you take the ATM card as soon as it comes out; after 15 seconds, the ATM (assumes you have forgotten to take it and) sucks the card back in to stop somebody else stealing it, and then you need to get the machine opened. At a bank, no problem; at a e.g. shopping mall or airport, that could be difficult.
2. ATMs in tourist areas do run out of money, especially during and around Indonesian public holidays. It’s best to prepare an emergency supply of cash.
WHICH AIRPORT ATM?
Newly arrived visitors might need to get some cash in a hurry, especially for a taxi fare (if staying in Jakarta) or airport tax (if transiting Jakarta). Having said that, they also value their safety and privacy. Which airport ATM is the most suitable?
ATMs in the secure area of the International Terminal arrivals hall are the most useful because they are in a secure area and usually there are very few people using them.
Commonwealth Bank Indonesia has an ATM in the international terminal arrivals hall of both Jakarta and Denpasar/Bali Airports. This is especially useful for Australians who have an account with Commonwealth Bank Australia, because CBI ATMs in Indonesia have a lower transaction fee for CBA account holders.
Here is some additional airport-specific guidance for Indonesia’s three most popular international airports:
JAKARTA (CGK)
In the past, Indonesians and foreign residents had to pay a departure tax called “fiskal” of Rp2 500 000 per person. So inside the Departures area (upstairs from Arrivals) of the international Terminal 2 near the secure entrance, there are a large collection of ATMs – see right. You could stop in there on the way to the inter-terminal bus stop if you are changing terminals.
DENPASAR/BALI (DPS)
ATMs aren’t in one central area but are dotted throughout the airport in both the domestic and international terminals. If arriving at night, choose one that has a security camera, is well-lit and isn’t surrounded by locals offering transport/taxi rides.
SURABAYA (SUB)
Like in a shopping mall, there is an “ATM Mall” between the domestic and international terminals, below the viewing deck and near Dunkin Donuts. You can make a short pitstop in there when you are changing terminals.
1. Know Your Stuff and Your Currency
The value of the currency does fluctuate, so it’s always a good idea to check the exchange rates.
Places you do this independently include the Bank Indonesia webpage (above left) and a local bank with rates clearly posted on its webpage, e.g. Bank Danamon (above right).
If you’re a more visual person, Bank Indonesia also does graphs. Here is the one for € / Euros:
They also do many other currencies. Choose the one you want:
$US / USD | $A / AUD | ¥ / YEN | £ / GBP | Fr / CHF | $S / SGD | RM / MYR
Other currencies
Or if you’re offline, Indonesia’s English newspaper The Jakarta Post is there to help you. Turn to page 14 (inside front page of the Business section) and they have rates for banknotes and telegraphic transfers.
In general, the rate of a good moneychanger should be a little below the banknotes buy rate. Like with managed investment schemes, if the rate seems to too good to be true, it is – the moneychanger is likely to be dodgy.
2. Work Out What You Should Get
The easy part is using your mobile/cellular phone’s calculator to work out how much you should get.
The trickier part is working out what that will look like in Indonesian Rupiah:
Confusingly, the Rp10 000 and Rp100 000 are a similar colour, and don’t have a space, dot or comma before the last three zeroes; it’s easy to mix them up.
Not good for the vision impaired
The quickest way to know which is which is to count how many people on the banknote: Rp100 000 has two, Rp10 000 has one.
A new design of the Rp10 000 banknote was launched recently with a colour that is more different/contrasting with the Rp100 000 banknote, but to many people it will remain unclear.
3. Survey
Don’t be afraid to ask locals or other tourists where they went or where they recommend.
Have a look around. If the rate seems right, take a closer look. Is it often busy with other tourists? If yes, that’s a good sign. And if it’s an authorized money changer, it should have this sticker on display:
Please note:
1. Some places e.g. Kuta in Bali have a reputation for bad/dodgy moneychangers. If you are unsure or you cannot find one you trust, use an ATM instead.
2. For reasons never fully explained, foreign currency banknotes must be in pristine condition; no marks, tears or folds. $US banknotes must usually be a new series – 2006 or later.
3. If you had a stopover in a nearby Asian country – e.g. Singapore or Malaysia – and have some local currency leftover, you could use a moneychanger at that airport instead. The larger ones, e.g. American Express at Changi Airport, usually have some Rp50 000 notes.
What have your experiences been getting Indonesian money? Please add your own comments, hints and tips below.
Or if you have a question, please ask.
“Some new ATMs now eject the ATM card before the cash.”
That’s the way it should be and is how ATM’s work in the west as you are highly unlikely to take out your card and then walk off without your cash.
However as I discovered to my cost on several occasions in Indonesia it is easy to take out a big wodge of cash and put it into your wallet while forgetting that the ATM, whose screen is silently asking you whether you want anything else, still hasn’t returned your card.
You walk out of the booth and either a kindly member of the public runs after the dumb bule who obviously has so much money he doesn’t care about his bank cards or more commonly the machine swallows the card and you will never get it back. Banks automatically destroy cards found in ATM’s, they don’t give them to people who happen to show up asking for them. A new card will be posted by your bank after you phone their call centre (good luck with that from overseas) that’s if they haven’t blacklisted Indonesia as a country unsafe to send bank cards.
So you see, card first then cash is the proper order in life.
Chris, that incident about bringing a bottle of gin to the airplane might be really because it was a real policy. The idiot traveler was just can’t be told that he was wrong. The people asking for bribe actually might be thinking that he was helping the guy who seems to be very inseparable with his bottle of gin. Most of the time, these kind of bribery incident begin with the payer asking “how much do I have to pay”.. not the other way around. So stop blaming people when you (payer) are just as complicit. When people like this guy keep looking for easy way out to side step laws, there will be people who provide such back door.
Hello, in November Im going on a two vacation to lovely Indonesia and to see my friends.
My question is, Can I bring Indonesian currency from my country THE USA, from a currency broker, and go into your country without any security issues? I fear that i may be under minded and robbed of my funds from wrong doers in exchange of currencies. That you very much!
I meant to say, a Two WEEK vacation i meant to say on my first post. For give me.
Copyright Mau Ke Mana 2010-15
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“For reasons never fully explained, foreign currency banknotes must be in pristine condition; no marks, tears or folds. $US banknotes must usually be a new series – 2006 or later.”
Is one of the three great mysterious of travel along with having to raise the shades day or night in plane as it comes in to land. I mean its not like the co-pilot is gunna come running to your window to check for clearance on the approach.