How Backstreet Bali Money Changers Cheat
Unseasoned visitors to Bali, relieved they’ve safely negotiated Ngurah Rai’s fickle Customs and Immigration, suddenly get hit by the cacophony...
Outreach
Bumi Pemuda Rahayu: Building Ecological Sustainability
Bumi Pemuda Rahayu (BPR) was established to explore ways of developing a sustainable living. Founder and Director Marco Kusumawijaya gives...
Good News from Wild Sumatra
Sad, but true. The only time you hear of Sumatra in the news is when there is a natural disaster,...
Pokémon NO?
Love it or hate it, Pokémon GO’s augmented reality is the future of gaming. It’s also a magnet for scammers....
Deforestation: Loggers Not to Blame
Loggers, the big logging companies that is, are no longer contributing to deforestation in Indonesia. The reason: the Decree of...
Writing the Indonesian Experience
When I first arrived in the early ‘90s, it was close to impossible to find any English language books about...
Scams in the City: Fashion Police
Indonesian police are seeking to improve their image by wearing navy blue shirts emblazoned with the slogan Turn Back Crime....
HUB For Cyclist: Cycling for a Greener City
In Jogjakarta, bicycle community HUB For Cyclist aims to create a green environment through alternative ways. For some of us,...
The PMA Company and the Negative List in Indonesia
This article is the result of numerous questions from expats regarding the setup of a company and the function of...
Travel Sparks: The New Age of Volunteer Travel
With its charitable spirit of ‘Travel with a Cause’, Travel Sparks has started a new wave in the Indonesian travel...
Scams in the City: Don’t Lose Your Goat
Sometimes it’s just not worth reporting a crime in Indonesia. A few weeks ago, I was robbed on a Jakarta...
You Can Check Out Anytime, but You Can Never Leave
There comes a time when we all need a break from the carbon monoxide and burning plastic smoke that drifts...
The Death of Tax Evasion?
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death … and taxes” So said Benjamin Franklin a few...
Fiona Unity: Fundraising to the Top
From climbing to the top of Mount Rinjani in Lombok, trekking in one of the world’s top 10 toughest treks...
No Google Award, Just a Rape Ad
Police in Lampung province have been left with egg on their faces after announcing they were to receive an award...
The TV Set
Transgenderism has been hitting the global headlines of late, and Indonesia is a nation with its own cross-dressing traditions. Whilst...
Immigration Targets Expats Again
“Carry original documents with you.” At 3am on the Sunday morning of June 5, the South Jakarta Immigration Office held...
Life Back Then
Author of Olivia & Sophie, Rosie Milne, explores what expat life was like 200 years ago. My novel Olivia &...
Scams in the City: Car Trouble
Buying a car online or ‘winning’ one as a prize can be risky business in Indonesia, but even more risky...
Crossings
Daniel Pope remembers some of his international comings and goings. In 1986, while the cold war was still going on,...
Hypochondriacs & Hypocrites
What to do if you face trial or jail in Indonesia but you’re too big a coward to take responsibility...