Etiquette in Indonesia

Everyday customs that visitors and newcomers often find useful in Indonesia.

• Greeting A light handshake is common, often followed by touching the hand to the chest. Use your right hand for giving and receiving.
• Dress Dress modestly outside tourist beaches and cover up when visiting mosques and temples.
• Dining Eat with the right hand or a spoon and fork. During Ramadan, avoid eating or drinking openly in front of fasting colleagues.
• Talk Be polite and avoid direct confrontation. A smile often carries many meanings.
• Home Take off shoes when entering a home.

These are general customs, not rules or legal advice. They differ between regions, generations and families, and they change over time. For visas, residency and legal requirements always use the destination country's official government sources.

Culture and heritage in Indonesia · See Indonesia on the map