Airport
Medan is primary gateway to Sumatra, served by daily direct flights from Singapore by Garuda Indonesia and Silk Air, and from Penang by Malaysian Airlines System (MAS). Garuda Indonesia, Merpati Nusantara, Sempati Air, Bouraq and Mandala fly daily from Jakarta. A joint service by Garuda Indonesia and KLM flies weekly to Medan from Amsterdam. Most travellers arrive and depart through Medan, either by air on daily connections to surrounding cities or by sea on the high-speed catamarans. You can fly from Jakarta to a number of places in Sumatra, and from Singapore, Penang and Kuala Lumpur to Medan.

Visas
All visitors to Indonesia must be in possession of a passport valid for at least six months beyond their intended length of stay, together with proof of onward passage in the form of either a return or connecting tickets. Automatic two-month tourist visas are currently issued on arrival for nationals of Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Eqypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom (Great Britain), United States of America, United Emirate Arab, Venezuela and Yugoslavia. Nationals of other countries are required to obtain a tourist visa prior to arrival, except where pre-clearance requirements are waived: for example, nationals of friendly countries attending conferences hosted by Indonesian government.

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Currency
Rate Rp6,625 = US $1.00. Indonesian rupiah (IDR). Denominations: 1c,5c,10c,20c,50c,1,2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000.

Credit Cards
Accepted in many hotels (mid-level+), high class restaurants, dept. stores, some transport booking offices.

Tipping
At most hotels a service charge of 10% is added to the bill. In restaurants where a service charge is not additional, a tip of 5 to 10% would be appropriate depending on the service and type of establishment. An airport or hotel porter expects Rp. 5,000 per bag.
Tipping taxi drivers Rp. 1,000 or leaving the change is appreciated but not mandatory. It is advisable to carry small change as taxi drivers are often short of change. The big cities have shopping complexes, supermarkets and department stores where prices are fixed. They stay open from 8.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. everyday and some even on Sunday. At small shops bargaining might be necessary.

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Useful Numbers
Police: 999
Tourist Police:
Johor Bahru: Tel (07) 232-222
Kuala Lumpur: Tel (03) 241-5522 or (03) 243-5522
Melaka: Tel (06) 222-222
Fire and Ambulance: 999
Country Code: 60

Electricity
North Sumatra's 1232 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity come from four main power generation plants (Belawan, Paya Pasir, Glugur, and Titi Kuning) and 9 MW of micro-hydroelectric power. The Belawan power plant runs a mix of conventional fuel oil-fired turbines and combined cycle gas turbines. Pertamina's Pangkalan Susu field supplies the natural gas for the combined cycle generators. Belawan has 1,077 MW of installed capacity but puts out 900 MW of actual power. The Paya Pasir, Glugur, and Titi Kuning plants, which use high-speed diesel fuel, add another 146 MW. Electricity - consumption: 89.08 billion kWh.

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Health Risks
International certificate of valid smallpox, cholera and yellow fever vaccinations required only for travelers coming from infected areas. A variety of beverages (both imported or locals) are available everywhere including very good Indonesian beer. Keep to bottled drinks if doubtful of water served in restaurants. Travelers coming from infected areas are required to submit International certificates of valid smallpox, cholera and yellow vaccinations.

Time Zone
GMT +8 hours.

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Business Hours
Government offices open from 8.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday in Jakarta and close on Saturday and Sunday. In the provinces they close around 3.00 p.m. and open on Saturday till 1.00 p.m.
Business offices have staggered hours. Some open for 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. or 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Some stay open for half day on Saturday. Banks are open from either 8.00 or 8.30 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. Banks in hotels stay open longer hours, and moneychangers till the evening.

Holidays
2008
01 Jan New Year’s Day.
10 Jan Muharram (Islamic New Year).
07 Feb Chinese New Year.
07 Mar Nyepi (Hindu New Year).
20 Mar Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet).
21 Mar Good Friday.
20 May Waisak Day (Buddha’s Birthday).
01 May Ascension.
17 Aug Indonesian Independence Day.
30 Jul Lailat al Miraj (Ascension of the Prophet).
02 Oct Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
09 Dec Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
25/26 Dec Christmas Day/Boxing Day.
29 Dec Islamic New Year.

2009
01 Jan New Year's Day.
20 Jan Muharram (Islamic New Year).
26 Jan Chinese New Year.
Mar Nyepi (Hindu New Year).
09 Mar Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet).
10 Apr Good Friday.
May Waisak Day (Buddha's Birthday).
21 May Ascension.
17 Aug Indonesian Independence Day.
20 Jul Lailat al Miraj (Ascension of the Prophet).
21 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
28 Nov Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
25/26 Dec Christmas Day/Boxing Day.
29 Dec Islamic New Year.

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Climate
Equatorial, but cooler in highlands. Temperature generally ranges from 20 to 32 degrees Celsius (68 to 89 Fahrenheit). Humidity ranges from 60 percent to 90 percent. Indonesia's "wet season" lasts from November through April and its "dry season" from May through October, with slight variations in its regional sub-climate zones. Indonesia has two seasons, the dry season from June to October and the rainy season from November to March. There are occasional showers during the transitional periods and the general maximum temperature is 33°C (62°F) and the general minimum 21°C (41°F). Humidity is high at all times.

Clothing
Dress is normally casual; light clothing is advisable due to the warm, humid climate. Jacket and tie only required for formal occasions and when making official calls. For travel to the higher mountain areas, a light sweater, jacket or coat is recommended. Trousers or slacks and shirts are generally considered appropriate but a jacket and tie are required for formal occasions or when making official calls. For certain formal occasions long-sleeved batik shirts are acceptable. For travel to mountain areas, a light sweater or jacket is recommended.

GDP Growth Rate
4.1%

Inflation
11.9%

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Exports
oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber.

Trading Partners
Trade Indonesia's primary exports include oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), plywood, tin, rubber, tea, coffee, tobacco, palm oil, spices, rattan, fibers, lumber (teak, ebony, etc.). Its major markets: Japan, the United States of America, Singapore, the Netherlands, and West Germany. From its major suppliers, Japan and the Unites Stated, it imports food, chemicals, processed petroleum products, capital goods and machineries, consumers goods.

Industries
petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism.

Teledensity
45.5 persons per telephone

Government
Unitary Republic with Sovereignty vested in the People.

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Geography
Medan Sumatra is, after Greenland, New-Guinee and Borneo, the biggest island in the world with a surface of 473,481 sq.km. - ten times as big as Holland. The island knows big regional differences and it's cut in eight pieces for governmental reasons. Until a certain level, this partition is fixed more over ethnical barriers than by geographical borders.

Population
Indonesia: 245 million
Medan: 2,974,300.

Ethnic Groups
Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%, other 26%.

Languages
Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian Language) is the official language. There are over 300 languages and dialects spoken throughout the country. English is the second most widely used language, and is taught in all secondary schools. .

Literacy
93.6%

Religion
Approximately 88 percent of the population are Muslims. About 10 percent are Christian (Protestants and Roman Catholics) and approximately 2 percent are Hindus and Buddhists.