25 Essential Tips for Americans Driving in Indonesia
Driving in Indonesia is rewarding but very different from the US. The biggest unknowns for Americans: LEFT-side driving, Bali scooter accident risk, 0.0% BAC, Polantas checkpoints, and the mandatory IDP. These 25 tips will save you fines, stress, and possibly a hospital visit.
Before You Leave the US (Tips 1–5)
Most Americans who get into trouble driving in Indonesia made their first mistake before they boarded the plane. Handle these five stateside.
1. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP)
Indonesian law (UU No. 22/2009) requires Americans to carry an IDP alongside their US license. Skip it and you face fines of Rp 250K-1M ($15-65) per Polantas stop. It's $20, takes 15 minutes, and is only issued by AAA or AATA. Apply before you leave — Indonesia does not issue IDPs to tourists.
2. Add motorcycle endorsement if you'll rent a scooter
If your US license has no motorcycle endorsement and you ride a Bali scooter, you're not legally licensed for it — even with an IDP. More importantly, your travel insurance will likely deny any accident claim. Add a motorcycle endorsement at your DMV (most states require a written test + brief road test) before applying for the IDP.
3. Confirm travel insurance covers scooter riding
Many US travel policies (including the default coverage on Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum) explicitly exclude motorbike accidents unless the rider holds the right license + IDP + endorsement. Read the policy or call before you fly. World Nomads and SafetyWing offer scooter-friendly upgrades.
4. Download offline maps
Cell signal disappears in Bali interior (Munduk, Sidemen), Java backroads, and most of Sumatra. Download Google Maps offline regions for every destination you'll drive. Add Maps.me as a backup — it works well in Indonesia and has many trails major maps miss.
5. Save key emergency contacts
Indonesia emergency is 112. In Bali, save BIMC Hospital Kuta (+62 361 761 263) and Siloam Denpasar (+62 361 779 900). In Jakarta, save Pondok Indah Hospital. Print a paper copy that lives in your wallet — phones break and get stolen.
At the Rental Counter or Scooter Shop (Tips 6–10)
The 15 minutes before you ride off determine whether you spend $50 or $500 on this trip.
6. Photograph EVERY pre-existing scratch
Bali scooter shops are notorious for charging tourists for damage that was already there. Walk around the bike with the shop owner. Time-stamped video beats photos. Cover the front bumper, mirrors, the underside, the wheel rims, the seat. Do the same when you return — and email yourself the videos immediately.
7. Insist on a real helmet
The half-shell helmets most Bali shops include exist to satisfy the police, not protect your skull. If you're riding more than once, buy a real one. Any motorbike shop in Bali sells a decent KYT or Zeus full-face for Rp 200K-400K ($13-26). Gift it to the next traveler or leave it at your villa.
8. Get the scooter key + spare
Many Bali scooters use a separate fuel-cap key. Ask for both. Lost keys cost Rp 200K-500K to replace; an unkeyed bike sometimes stalls if the immobilizer fails. Photograph the registration document (STNK) too — police will ask for it at checkpoints.
9. Confirm the fuel level at pickup
Scooters are usually rented with whatever fuel is in them. Note the gauge, snap a photo, and return at roughly the same level. Cars are typically full-to-full — Indonesian fuel costs nothing, so just refill it.
10. Decline insurance only if you understand it
International chain rentals (Avis, Hertz) include basic CDW with high deductibles ($300-$1000). The "Super CDW" upgrade is $5-15/day and worth it. Local Bali scooter rentals usually have NO insurance — your travel insurance is your only protection. Don't assume coverage exists.
On the Road — Defensive Habits (Tips 11–15)
Indonesian traffic looks chaotic. It isn't — it just follows a different logic.
11. LEFT side, always — and look both ways twice
The most dangerous moment for Americans is pulling out of a driveway, parking spot, or alley — your brain wants to look left for oncoming traffic that's actually on the right. Build a habit: look BOTH ways, twice, every single time. This alone will prevent the most common American-tourist crash.
12. Flow with the river — no sudden moves
Indonesian drivers expect predictability. Slow down gradually. Signal early. Don't brake hard unless an actual obstacle appears. Sudden moves break the unspoken contract that keeps traffic flowing and cause the rear-end crashes Bali sees daily.
13. Beep before blind corners
A quick friendly horn tap means "I'm here." Locals beep at every blind corner, every overtake, every narrow alley. Copy them. It's a courtesy, not an aggression.
14. Watch for "polisi tidur" (speed bumps)
Indonesian villages have unmarked speed bumps — often steep ones. They can damage a low car or throw you off a scooter at speed. Slow down through every village, especially in Bali interior and Java backroads. Locals know where they are; you don't.
15. Defensive riding for scooters: assume nobody sees you
Cars will turn across your path. Trucks will not give way. Other scooters will cut across all three lanes. Ride slightly farther from the curb than feels natural (so you have escape room). Keep your fingers on the brake lever. Never assume eye contact = "they see me."
Bali Scooter Survival (Tips 16–18)
Bali alone sees thousands of foreign-tourist scooter accidents per year. Don't be a statistic.
16. Helmet on, strap fastened, every single ride
Even a 5-minute ride to dinner. Rp 250K fine if Polantas catches you, but more importantly: Bali's roads have lots of unmarked gravel patches and sudden monsoon rain. Skull beats vanity. Strap it tight.
17. Never ride drunk — Gojek exists
A Gojek bike ride from anywhere in Seminyak to anywhere in Canggu is Rp 30K-60K ($2-4). A Gojek car is Rp 50K-100K. There is no scenario in which drinking + scooter = good decision. Indonesia is 0.0% BAC, the roads at night are dark, and the hospitals deal with this every weekend.
18. Wear closed shoes + long pants for longer rides
Bali's signature "Bintang scar" — the road rash on the calf from a hot exhaust pipe — is one of the most common tourist injuries. Add gravel rash from a low-speed slide and you have a real problem. Sneakers and pants for anything beyond a 5-min beach run.
Cultural Gotchas (Tips 19–21)
19. Always tip the "parkir" attendant
Rp 2,000 for scooters, Rp 5,000 for cars. They help you back in, watch the bike, and step into traffic to wave you out. Skipping the tip is rude and they'll remember. It's roughly 15 cents — pay it.
20. Drive carefully around Hindu offerings (canang sari)
Bali sidewalks and roadsides are dotted with small daily flower offerings on banana leaves. Driving over them is considered disrespectful by Balinese Hindus. Steer around them when you can.
21. Monsoon driving (Nov-Mar)
When the daily afternoon downpour hits, pull over and wait it out — 20-30 minutes is usually enough. Don't ride a scooter in heavy rain (visibility, road grease, electrocution risk from flooded streets are all real). Many Bali streets flood within an hour of heavy rain.
Police Stops (Tip 22)
22. Polantas checkpoint protocol
When waved over: pull over calmly, kill the engine, remove your helmet, smile. Hand over your IDP + US license + passport photocopy together. If they want a "settlement," politely request the official ticket ("Bukti Pelanggaran") — that alone often ends the matter. Don't argue, don't bribe aggressively, don't lecture. Total stop usually 5-10 minutes.
The magic word at a stop is "SIM" — it's the Indonesian driver's license. When they ask for your SIM, hand them your IDP + US license.
If You Have an Accident (Tip 23)
23. Accident protocol — call your hotel + insurance first
Do not flee — hit-and-run carries mandatory prison under Art. 312. Stop, render aid, call 112 for emergency services. Then call your hotel/villa concierge (they'll dispatch help and an interpreter), then your travel insurance hotline. Document the scene: photos, witness names + phone numbers, the other vehicle's plate. Never admit fault verbally — Indonesian liability rules differ from US norms and what you say can be used against you.
Hospitals: BIMC Kuta and Siloam Denpasar in Bali; Pondok Indah Hospital in Jakarta. All have English-speaking staff. Pay deposit upfront (credit card), reimburse via travel insurance later.
Phrases + Fuel (Tips 24–25)
24. Essential Indonesian phrases for drivers
- Selamat pagi / siang / sore / malam — Good morning / midday / afternoon / evening (universal polite greeting)
- Terima kasih — Thank you
- Maaf — Sorry / excuse me
- Berapa? — How much?
- SIM — Driver's license (what police ask for)
- STNK — Vehicle registration (officer may also ask)
- Bukti Pelanggaran — Official ticket (request this instead of cash settlement)
- Polantas — Traffic police
- Pelan-pelan — Slow down (also a road sign)
- Berhenti — Stop
- Dilarang — Prohibited / forbidden (on signs)
25. Fuel grades at SPBU (Pertamina stations)
Indonesian gas stations are usually government-run Pertamina (the green SPBU signs). Common fuel grades:
- Pertalite (RON 90): Default gasoline for most rental scooters and economy cars. ~Rp 10,000/L ($0.65)
- Pertamax (RON 92): Higher-octane gasoline for newer cars and SUVs. ~Rp 12,500/L ($0.80)
- Pertamax Turbo (RON 98): Premium, rare. Only for performance cars.
- Bio-Solar: Diesel. For SUVs that take it (Toyota Fortuner, Innova diesel). ~Rp 6,500/L
Bonus tip: Roadside "kios bensin" (mom-and-pop fuel sellers in glass bottles) sell fuel for slightly more than the SPBU price. Convenient in a pinch — common in Bali interior and rural Java.
Frequently Asked Questions
Drive Indonesia Smart — Get Your IDP
The single best $20 you'll spend on your Indonesia trip. Required by law, enforced at Bali checkpoints, and required for your travel insurance to actually pay out if something happens.
Apply for Your IDP Today