What do you like the most in Indonesia?

I like the laidback life, rich in culture and history of South East Asia, predominantly Malays and not forgetting how hospitable and friendly these islanders are.  I find them helpful enough, easy to make friends, kind and money for value with my earnings which I can stretch to buy nice things for my children.  As I stay mostly near the harbour front, I enjoy watching the boats passed by and hope that one day I would be able to own a boat and we can move around by boat, it would be simply exhilarating.  I don't enjoy their coconut drink, though.  I think I prefer Thailand's or the Phillipines's.  You must learn to enjoy their music like keroncong, gamelan and Malay traditional dances and even the crazy dangdut stars.  My daughter coos over them.  If you enjoy P. Ramlee's movies, these remind me of the old days during my childhood.  Missing certain areas which were so humbly small fishing towns which you can enjoy eating fresh seafood in abundance from the fishermen's catch without worrying about the price which now have flourished into touristic towns because of the influence and impact from the Singaporean neighbours.

That is a really tough question as it's really hard to choose one thing over another.

The food is amazing, especially the sambal.
The people are great, so laid back and friendly.
The countryside view are out of this world.
The range of cultures to explore are enough to last a lifetime.
The history is a shock, especially such places as Borobudur temple.
My photography hobby has a never ending supply of fantastic subjects.
The naughty bit - girls with really sweet arses. (I used to be a very naughty boy, and I still notice such things)

The more I think, the harder the question becomes ... but, if really pushed, I'd have to go for the food.

I like the fact that no matter what happens Indonesian people just pick up and get on with it. I learned a lot from them in that sense during my 7 years living in Indonesia.

At first when I came over the place drove me mad, but slowly I began to understand the Indonesian way of life and adopted the mindset as my own. I learned to go with the flow, let go of trying to control every outcome, and to just generally have a shrug when things collapsed around me and start trying again from the start.

I also like the fact that every trip out for a cup of coffee, to a grocery store or a casual drink could end up literally anywhere.

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Hello all

Some posts irrelevant to the initial post has been removed from this thread.

Please participate only if you can share on this query :

Christine wrote:

Hi,

Living abroad, expats discover and enjoy a new environment.

What do you like the most in Indonesia?

What seduced you when settling and living here?

Share with us your favorite part of living in Indonesia and the reason why you enjoy your expat life here.

Thank you in advance,

Christine

Best Regards
Kenjee

Hey...guys u use d wrong words laid back it's suppose to b lazy. Hahaha...correct me if I'm worg.

Hi fellows,

Woah Dude, I thought laid back is really different with being lazy, it means no rushing. XD

Cheers!

Dear, I lived there for 1 year.

The weather is so hot, the food is quite good it depends on your choice in Central city or small town is different, of course! small town the choice is limited. I recommend you chose the reputation restaurant because the fodd safety in Indonesia is really not good.
The price, as I see it's quite expensive at whole things, especially in Hi-tech.

But, otherwise, I love Indonesian citizen, They are so friendly and enthusiasm wih foreigner. Dont worry, Indonesian they are so kind.

The language Bahasa is easy to learn. Just 4hours/day in 1-2 years You can speak frequently this languages.

The famous-lanscapes are beautiful, you can search on Internet abt this with suitable price.

I hope I have explained your question by at least.

Donrick wrote:

Hey...guys u use d wrong words laid back it's suppose to b lazy. Hahaha...correct me if I'm worg.

In general, "laid back" is applicable to Indonesians, but lazy is pretty rare.

Laid back, or a very relaxed attitude to life is a big positive for an expat in Indonesia as it means a lot of stress simply doesn't happen.
People don't die of stress related heart attacks out here.
People don't rush so much here - it takes a bit of getting used to, but it's a bonus as far as your non working life goes.

I can see how that would be high on the list for a retired expat.

Travelling in a country that most people do not even know exists....Indonesia is the biggest "unknown" country in the world!  I believe that Indonesia is truly the "undiscovered paradise".  The biggest problem is that the government is getting in it's own way by limiting how long foreigners can stay and by making it difficult for foreigners to be here and start businesses.  Unfortunately the education and expertise of the locals is totally lacking to have large scale tourism.

“What do you like the most in Indonesia?”

The people, the people, the people.  Did I mention, the people?

”What seduced you when settling and living here?”

Not what, but who…and in my case a Balinese Princess 17 years ago and I never looked back, nor ever went back to my “home” country since…even for a quick visit.   

“Travelling in a country that most people do not even know exists....Indonesia is the biggest "unknown" country in the world!  I believe that Indonesia is truly the "undiscovered paradise".  The biggest problem is that the government is getting in it's own way by limiting how long foreigners can stay and by making it difficult for foreigners to be here and start businesses.”

True enough, but how does Indonesia remain an “undiscovered paradise” if every Tom, Dick and Harry is allowed to move here?  It's a delicate balancing act…maintaining cultural identity and encouraging foreign investment. 

“Unfortunately the education and expertise of the locals is totally lacking to have large scale tourism.”

Those of us in Bali would very much disagree with that.  From where we sit there is already way, way too much “large scale tourism” and too much reliance of tourism dollars for our local economy.  Once again, a delicate balancing act.

I like your comments on shrugging and moving on.  I noticed too that they worked hardr than my people as a whole. TQ for your info

Sorry for asking as I am a newbie here.  I would like to know whether you're involved in any business in Bali whether tourism or food mart.  My son has yet to find a Batam princess but is looking around.  I am not sure whether I would like a Batam prince myself as of my age.
But I do agree with you about the temples and the people as we have gone to Bali way back in 1993, it was such a trip that I would never forget.  Please coninue to give us tips as I am looking for the expatriates in Batam to share things with.

Have a great day ahead.  TQ

Ubudian wrote:

“What do you like the most in Indonesia?”

The people, the people, the people.  Did I mention, the people? act.

The people of Indonesia are generally exceptionally nice.
Smiling is very much a national hobby here, and they mean when their faces say.
Of course, not all Indonesians are nice, but the vast majority are lovely.

i like the food in indonesia, it's really tasty, i like nasi goreng and rendang, especially rendang.
and the people is really kind and so friendly.

What do i like most in Indonesia? I think its the spirit of the people. The way they do their best to help, even if sometimes they don't  have any inkling of whats going on, they pursue. The willingness to learn, no matter how many mistakes they make they go on until they get it right. At least those were the people i encountered here.

I think we all agree - The Indonesian people are wonderful.

People who have never been here will find this hard to understand ... then thy get here and realise why we all think Indonesians are so nice.

i think i like the people, so friendly for me, and the food of course, it's so tasty

i like the people, food, and culture in indonesia. so much culture

MY Wife😘,  that's just in case she reads this😉.   But seriously  I  guess it's the slower pace of everyday life and of course the majority of people a very friendly.  Foods really different to Aus , and the number 1 for me is knowing I can get world class surf every day of the year somewhere on the island. Also knowing that if I want to have a drink in the afternoon it doesn't matter if I'm all by myself because somebody, whether it's the staff or even a local just passing by , they will stop and say hello and have a conversation even if my Bahasa is limited. I love it when I give them a laugh!

One down side of bali is. It's not possible to look in a shop at any thing with out being harrast but the up side it is a unique place to live and enjoy