alamat address
alun-alun town square
desa village, countryside
gedung building
kota city, town, downtown
rumah house/home
pompa bensin gas station
tempat place
gang alleyway, lane
jalan street
jalan kecil side street
jalan besar main street
jalan raya highway,
jalan toi expressway,
thoroughfare
tollroad
lewat to pass, go by way of
belok to turn
kanan right
kiri left
terus straight
kira-kira approximately
Indonesians are more than willing to give you directions if they can understand what you are asking them. Note that since the place you are asking about is invariably the main topic of your question, you should always place it at or near the beginning of your sentence (not at the end, as in English). This will make your question more easily understood. It is also more polite to preface any request for directions by the phrase Tolong tanya (lit: "Help ask"), or Boleh saya tanya? ("May I ask?").
Tolong tanya. Excuse me, I wish to ask.
Hotel Savoy di mana? Where is the Hotel Savoy?
Jalan Sudirman di mana? Where is Jalan Sudirman?
Gedung Nusantara di mana?
Where is the Nusantara Building?
Ke Ubud lewat mana? How does one get to Ubud?
Ke Yogya naik apa dari sini?
How can I get to Yogya from here?
(i.e. by what means of transportation?)
Terus saja di sini, lalu belok kanan.
Straight ahead here, then turn right.
Lewat jalan ini terus, sampai jalan raya.
Follow this road straight until the highway.
Lalu belok kiri. Then turn left.
Berapa jauh (dari sini)? How far is it from here?
Kira-kira lima kilometer. About five kilometers.
Note: When asking directions, phrase your question in such a way that it cannot be answered by a simple yes or no. For example, don't say: "Is Jalan Malioboro over there?" The person being asked may not understand what you are saying and may simply respond yes or no at random. Instead, ask: "Where is Jalan Malioboro?"
The following are indispensible phrases for directing taxi drivers:
Tolong panggil taksi! Please summon a taxi!
Saya mau ke... I want to go to...
Ke airport, pak. To the airport, pak.
Mau lewat mana? By which route?
Yang paling cepat. The fastest one.
Saya mau lewat... I want to go by way of...
Terus! or Lurus! Straight ahead!
Belok kiri/kanan. Turn left/right.
Hop! or Berhenti! Stop!
Di sini! Here!
Putar! Turn around/make a U-turn.
Mundur! Back up!
Pelan-pelan! Slowly!
Cepat! Faster!
Awas! or Hati-hati! Be careful!
Ini jurusan ke utara? Is this to the north?
selatan? south?
timur? east?
barat? west?
Backpacking tourists asking directions.
pergi to go
balik, kembali to return
berangkat to depart
datang, tiba to arrive
batal to cancel
tunda to postpone
naik to ride, to go by (train, bus, etc.)
pulang to go back [home]
sampai to reach
jadwal schedule
kantor office
karcis ticket
tempat duduk seat
sopir driver
tarip tariff, fare, rate
setasiun (kereta api) train station
terminal (bis) bus terminal
belum not yet
langsung direct, non-stop
masih still, left over
sudah already
lambat slow
cepat fast
Once again, when asking a question, state the main topic first so that the person being asked knows what it is you are referring to.
Terminal bis di mana? Where is the bus terminal?
Setasiun kereta api di mana?
Where is the train station?
Ke airport berapa kilometer dari sini?
How many kilometers to the airport from here?
Taripnya berapa? What is the fare?
Ke Bali bisa naik kereta api tidak?
Can I take a train to Bali or not?
Kereta api ke Yogya berangkat jam berapa?
What time does the train to Yogya depart?
Pesawat ke Jakarta itu tiba jam berapa?
What time does that plane to Jakarta arrive?
Ke Bali hari ini ada bis lagi tidak?
Is there another bus to Bali today or not?
Masih ada tempat duduk? Are there any seats left?
Masih. Yes, there are still.
Ma'af, sudah habis. Sorry, sold out (finished) already.
Harga karcisnya berapa?
What is the price of the tickets?
Sekali jalan atau pulang pergi?
One-way or round-trip?
Sekali jalan. One way.
Taripnya lima belas ribu rupiah. The fare is Rp15.000.
Sumatran buses ready to leave the terminal.
Naik bis ke Medan berapa jam, pak?
How many hours by bus to Medan, pak?
Biasanya lima belas jam. Usually 15 hours.
Bis ini lambat atau cepat? Is this bus slow or fast?
Ada bis ekspres? Is there an express bus?
Berangkat jam berapa? What time does it leave?
Pakai AC ("ah-say") tidak?
Does it have air-conditioning or not?
Bis ke Solo itu lewat mana?
What route does that bus to Solo follow?
Sampai di Malang jam berapa?
What time does it reach Malang?
Paling cepat naik apa? What is the fastest way?
Taruh bagasi di mana?
Where do I put my baggage?
A dokar on the beach at Parangtritis, near Yogyakarta.
Sewa mobil ini berapa per hari?
How much does it cost to rent this car per day?
Pakai sopir tidak? Do you want it with the driver?
Tidak. Saya mau setir sendiri.
No. I want to drive myself.
Saya punya SIM internasional.
I have an international driver's license.
Saya mau naik... I want to go by...
pesawat (terbang) airplane
kapal ship
perahu boat
kereta api train
mobil car/automobile
bis (malam) (night) bus
travel door-to-door minibus service
taksi taxi
mikrolet minibus
colt (pronounced kol) minivan
bemo small pick-up or minivan
bajaj (pronounced bajai), helicak three-wheeled minicar
dokar horsecart
kuda horse
becak pedicab
tukang becak pedicab driver
sepeda bicycle
motor motorcycle
Accommodations in Indonesia range from luxury suites costing hundreds of dollars a night to inexpensive dollar-a-night rooms in lodges called losmen. Ask the price of a room first, and have a look before checking in. You will have to fill out a registration form and may be asked to pay in advance. Discounts can often be had for the asking. If you are paying extra for air-conditioning, make sure it works before paying.
Indonesians now use the words cekin and cekout. Checkout time is normally 12 noon and you may be charged for another night if you stay beyond that. Many Indonesians you meet will invite you to stay in their home, and good friends may be offended (or will at least act so) if you pay a visit without spending the night.
hotel hotel
losmen lodge (cheap)
penginapan small hotel (cheap)
wisma guesthouse (medium priced)
kamar room
kunci key
bagasi baggage
kopor suitcase
rekening, bon bill
tarip rate, tariff
penuh full
kosong empty, vacant
daftar to register
titip to leave with someone
cekin to check in
cekout to check out
cuci to wash
bersihkan to clean
Masih ada kamar? Are there still rooms available?
Masih. Yes, there still are.
Untuk berapa orang? For how many people?
Untuk tiga orang. For three people.
Ma'af, sudah penuh. I'm sorry, we are already full.
Taripnya berapa?
What (how much) is the rate?
Ada kamar yang lebih murah?
Do you have cheaper rooms?
Boleh saya lihat kamar dulu?
May I see the room first?
Berapa malam tuan/nyonya tinggal di sini?
How many nights will you stay, sir/ma'am?
Tiga malam. Three nights.
Silahkan daftar dulu. Please register first.
Ini kuncinya. Here is the key.
Kuncinya dititip di kantor kalau keluar.
Please leave the key in the office if you go out.
The Hotel Panghegar in Bandung, West Java.
Saya mau bayar rekening sekarang.
I want to pay the bill now.
Mas! Tolong ambil bagasi.
Porter! Please take our luggage.
Tolong mas, minta air minum.
Please give us some drinking water.
Ada banyak nyamuk. There are lots of mosquitoes.
Kamarnya tolong disemprot. Please spray the room.
Tolong bersihkan kamar sekarang.
Please clean/make up the room now.
Tolong cuci pakaian ini. Please wash these clothes
Note: Boiled water for drinking is normally supplied in a thermos or in a bottle, and you should never drink water from the tap. A tip (hadiah) of Rp500 to Rp1000 is commonly given to a porter or roomboy, depending on the service rendered.
Tourists visiting a village in Lampung, southern Sumatra.
A/C (pronounced ah-say) air-conditioning
kipas angin electric fan
bantal pillow
guling bolster pillow (Dutch wife)
handuk towel
kasur mattress
kelambu mosquito netting
selimut blanket
seprei bedsheet
air panas hot water
gayung water ladle, dipper
kamar mandi bathroom
mandi to bathe
gosok to iron, scrub
toalet toilet
kursi chair
lampu light
meja table
tempat tidur bed
Note: Bathrooms in cheaper hotels do not have bathtubs or showers, just a tub of cold water (bak mandi) and a ladle (gayung). You are not supposed to climb into the tub, but should instead to use the ladle to splash water over yourself while standing outside it. Many hotels also do not have flush toilets, and you have to use the ladle to flush water down the toilet after use.
Buddhist and Hindu temples, palaces and religious monuments are the hottest attractions in Indonesia. In Java, you should not miss the kraton or palaces of Yogya, Solo and Cirebon, or the wayang kulit and wayang wong puppet and dance performances. In Bali, there are many lovely temples as well as numerous dance performances and temple festivals. On these and other islands you will also find beautiful volcanic scenery and sculpted rice terraces.
kunjungi to visit
nonton to watch, observe (a show, film)
obyek wisata tourist attraction
turis, wisatawan, pariwisata tourist
air terjun waterfall
cagar alam nature reserve
danau lake
telaga pond
pulau island
gua cave
gunung mountain
gunung api volcano
hutan forest, jungle
mata air panas hot spring
pemandangan panorama, view
candi ancient temple (Hindu or Buddhist)
benteng fortress
kraton palace
kebun binatang zoo
klenteng Chinese temple
mesjid mosque
museum museum
patung statue
taman garden, park
puri Balinese palace
pura Balinese Hindu temple
makam, kuburan gravesite
menara tower, lighthouse
peninggalan kuno archeological remains
pertunjukan performance
tarian dance
wayang kulit shadow puppet show
wayang wong traditional Javanese theater
Tuan mau kunjungi ke candi Borobudur hari ini?
Do you want to visit Borobudur temple today?
Tidak. Saya mau ke kraton dulu.
No. I want to go to the palace first.
Mari kita nonton tarian.
Let's watch a dance.
Jam berapa ada pertunjukan?
What time is the performance?
Di Pangandaran ada cagar alam.
At Pangandaran there is a nature reserve.
Ada kebon binatang di sini? Tidak.
Is there a zoo here? No.
Traveling by boat in the Riau Islands.
baca (buku) to read (books)
berjalan, jalan-jalan to walk, go walking
main to play
renang to swim
tidur to sleep
televisi television
badminton, bulu tangkis badminton
bioskop movie theater, cinema
kolam renang swimming pool
lapangan field, court
lapangan tenis tennis court
tenis tennis
sepak bola football (soccer)
pantai beach
pasir sand
Saya mau berenang di pantai.
I am going swimming at the beach.
Anda mau ikut tidak?
Would you like to come along?
Tidak, saya mau baca buku ini.
No, I want to read this book.
Ada ¡apangan tenis di sini?
Are there tennis courts here?
Buka jam berapa? What time do they open?
Mari kita ke kolam renang.
Let's go to the swimming pool.
Mari kita nonton di bioskop. Let's go to the cinema.
Apakah ada bioskop dekat sini?
Is there a cinema near here?
Ada film apa malam ini? What film is playing tonight?
Getting around Indonesia is easy and inexpensive, if often somewhat slow and uncomfortable with all the heat, dust, smoke and crowds. Allow plenty of time to get where you are going, and always expect some delays!
As Indonesians are doing constantly, it is a good idea to ask as many questions (of as many different people) as possible about the destination of a particular bus or train, what time it departs, whether it is late, the route, how long it will take to get there, how much it costs, and so forth. You will find that you receive a wide variety of answers, and by asking a number of times of various people you will (hopefully) get a correct answer.
Many local forms of transportation like buses, minibuses and pedicabs have no posted prices. It is best to ask a disinterested party the approximate price for transportation before you depart. Always have small change handy, and offer what you think is the correct amount to the conductor. He will tell you if it is not enough.
If you and your party are the only passengers in a car, pedicab or minibus, you must bargain and fix a price before you depart. State clearly where you are going, and ask the price. The driver may try to wave you into the vehicle, but a price must be agreed upon first or you may end up paying more than you expected later. If you are not sure, ask in your hotel beforehand how much the fare should be.
When bargaining, offer what you feel is a fair amount and then walk away slowly, repeating the amount several times in a friendly way. The driver will usually call you back. In the end, you should expect to pay a bit more because you are a foreigner. And don't expect to get change back from big bank notes!