Common Manners in Indonesia

Indonesia is made up of more than 1000 ethnic groups, each with their own culture and language. Although Bahasa Indonesia is used as the national language, less than 20% of the population uses Bahasa Indonesia daily at home. Due to this complex situation, Indonesians rely frequently on common manners to be respectful and polite to each other.

Despite its Westernised appearance, especially in the bigger cities, such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, and Bali, local customs are still highly prominent and must be respected by visiting tourists. Here are some common manners in Indonesia you need to know:

Dress Attire

Table Manners

Conversations

Visiting Houses or Becoming a Guest

Tipping

Tipping culture is not part of Indonesia's traditional manners. However, most online transportation services have implemented the tipping option. Please give based on what you feel the service or experience is worth. However, on average, the minimum tipping option is about 5% to 10% of your total bill.

Restaurants don't have a tipping culture, but they have a service charge on top of the minimum 10% restaurant tax. The service charge varies from 10% to 25% of the bill, depending on which restaurants you go to. If you are hesitant about your bill, ask your waiter to explain it further.

Manners to Adapt in Indonesia

Adopting these manners will help you blend in better with the Indonesians. If you are hesitant to follow them, always feel welcome to ask, as most Indonesians would be more than happy to answer and lend you a hand.

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