Indonesia

Yes. French nationals must obtain a Visa on Arrival (VOA) or an e-VOA (electronic visa on arrival). The cost is 500,000 IDR (approximately 25 EUR), payable in cash at the airport or online before departure on the official molina.imigrasi.go.id portal. The validity period is 30 days, renewable once there for an additional 30 days. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months. If you arrive in Bali, a Love Bali tourist tax of 150,000 IDR (approximately 7 EUR) has been added since 2024.

The dry season (May to October) is the best time, with rainfall below 80 mm/month in Bali. June, July and August are the ideal months: dry weather, accessible volcanoes, calm seas. Be careful: July-August is also the peak tourist season with higher prices. The rainy season (November to March) makes Java difficult to travel and degrades visibility on Bromo. March is worth it if you want to attend Nyepi (Balinese Day of Silence). Note: Java (Yogyakarta, Solo) is slightly less subject to rain than Bali in the wet season.

A street meal (nasi goreng, mie goreng) costs 2 to 4 EUR in a local warung, 8 to 15 EUR in a tourist restaurant. A decent guesthouse room starts from 20-30 EUR, a charming villa in Ubud between 80 and 200 EUR. Organized tours of 10 to 13 days Java-Bali start around 999 EUR per person (excluding flights), premium products exceed 2,500 EUR. The Paris-Bali flight with stopover costs between 550 EUR (low season) and 1,200 EUR (July-August). A total budget of 2,000 to 3,500 EUR per person (flight included) covers a 10-13 day quality tour.

There are no direct flights between Paris and Bali. The journey is made with a stopover (Doha, Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok). The total duration is 17 to 20 hours depending on the company and the transit. The main airlines on this route are Qatar Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Air France (via Singapore Airlines) and EVA Air. Jakarta is also a gateway with similar transit times.

No vaccination is required to enter Indonesia. The Institut Pasteur recommends: up-to-date DTP (diphtheria-tetanus-polio), hepatitis A (especially if meals in local warungs), hepatitis B for long stays, typhoid depending on the exposure. Bali is considered to have a very low malaria risk: no prophylactic treatment is generally recommended for a tourist tour in Bali. On the other hand, an antimalarial drug is recommended if your tour extends to Lombok, Flores, Sulawesi or Papua.

Java and Bali are safe destinations for tourists, subject to normal vigilance in highly frequented areas. The Quai d'Orsay classifies Indonesia as an enhanced vigilance (not in the red zone). The provinces of Papua (Papua, Central Papua, Highland Papua, South Papua) are not recommended unless there is an imperative reason. Beware of the new Indonesian penal code (January 2026): adultery and cohabitation outside marriage are now punishable. Possession of drugs is punishable by death.

The classic Java-Bali tour takes 12 to 15 days. 10 days allow an overview of Yogyakarta (Borobudur, Prambanan), Bromo and Bali (Ubud, south). 15 days allow the addition of Ijen, Nusa Penida and an overnight stay in Munduk. For a grand tour including Lombok or Sulawesi, allow 18 days minimum. A stay in Bali alone (without Java) is pleasant in 8 to 10 days.

The currency is the Indonesian rupiah (IDR). In August 2026, 1 EUR is worth around 20,700 IDR. Common banknotes range from 50,000 to 100,000 IDR. ATMs are available in all cities and major tourist areas. Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) are accepted in mid- and upper-level hotels and restaurants, but cash is essential in markets, warungs and small shops. Avoid changing a lot of IDR before departure: the rates at local exchange offices (Bali in particular) are much better.

Nyepi is the Day of Silence of the Balinese Hindu calendar. In 2026, it falls on March 19. For 24 hours (6 a.m. on March 19 to 6 a.m. on March 20), all activity is suspended in Bali: no flights, no car travel, lights off, shops closed. Tourists must stay in their accommodation. The day before (March 18), the Ogoh-Ogoh parade (burnt demon statues) is a must-see cultural show. To be integrated into the logistics of your tour if you are traveling in March.

Yes, the two volcanoes are naturally integrated into a Java-Bali tour. From Yogyakarta, we reach Bromo by car (6-7 hours) or by train to Malang and then jeep. The ascent to the crater is done at 3:30 am for the sunrise from Penanjakan. After Bromo, we go down to Ijen (4-5 hours drive via Banyuwangi) for the night hike to the blue fire (departure around 1 am). The next day, ferry to Bali (45 min). This 3-4 day sequence is one of the most intense and memorable of the whole tour.