37 Random Facts About Indonesia Showing It Is Unlike Any Other Place on Earth

If you’ve lived in Indonesia for long enough, chances are you might get so used to the daily call to prayer blasting from a mosque nearby that you hardly notice it anymore. Or even welcome it as a reminder of the time of day, as you go about your daily activities. Indonesia is first and foremost a Muslim country, followed by a mix of many other religions. Nevertheless, the camaraderie among those with differing backgrounds and beliefs is strong. Extended families of mixed religions getting together to celebrate each other’s holidays is also common.

Every country has its own quirkiness, and so does Indonesia. From the love of eating with their mouths open to make loud smacking sounds, or the ability of almost everyone (regardless of their age) to effortlessly do the asian squat (jongkok), to the most unfazed staring! Yes, Indonesians love to stare, and locally it’s not even considered rude. On the contrary, speaking too softly is rude. So, let’s take a look at some 31 random facts about the country; bits and pieces from its culture, heritage, quirkiness, beliefs and so on, that makes Indonesia….. well Indonesia.

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“Jangan Mandi Malam Malam!” – No Late Night Showers

It’s a common phrase that younger generations hear from their grandparents or parents. The phrase means, ‘don’t shower late at night’. What it also refers to, is to avoid cold showers when the weather is cool. The belief here is that cold showers at night can cause joint pains and rheumatism. While there is no official scientific research to back this up, it is a belief that is quite embedded in the culture and a phrase that even many expats will come to hear of.

1,000+ Ethnic Groups

Made up of 17,000 islands, the country has over 1,000 ethnic groups and 700 languages. The largest group, at around 40% of the entire population are the Javanese who live mostly on the Java island. This is followed by the Sundanese and Malay people. Balinese make up only about 1.7% of the population. The official language is Bahasa Indonesia, so all Indonesians can speak this language, either as their first language or second language.

Jamu Herbal Medicine

Jamu is known as Indonesia’s traditional herbal medicine. What many people might not know is that there are in fact numerous types of Jamu. It is not just 1 type of medicine but a branch of herbal mixtures. For example, there is ‘Jamu Beras Kencur’, ‘Jamu Brotowali’ and ‘Jamu Pahitan’, whereby each is supposed to have been mixed with unique ingredients to help with different ailments. In this case, the first is to help improve children’s appetite, the second to help with hypertension, followed by diabetes respectively.

Kerokan – Painful Coin Massage Anyone?

Indonesians are wary of ‘masuk angin’, which translates to ‘enters air’. What it actually means is gas related illnesses, whether it’s the bloatedness kind that you might get from indigestion, gas bubbles that are trapped between joints and ligaments, or basically any gas that hinders the body’s natural blood flow. One remedy is to get a coin message called ‘Kerokan’ (usually on your back). A hot balm is first applied, followed by a multiple one-way diagonal stroke of the coin from the spine to each side. 

The end result is crazy lobster-like redness and sometimes bruising as well. Surprisingly ‘Kerokan’ is said to be very effective and is still very much practiced today. In China, it’s called ‘Gua Sha’ and a flat stone is used instead of a coin, but the underlying concept and process is identical.

Keris Sword Making

The keris is a set of asymmetrical combat daggers. Besides being a weapon, the Keris is a spiritual object, a talisman heirloom that some families pass down through generations. The daggers are handmade and rituals such as offerings and incense are used as part of the process to imbue spirits of protection, bravery, and so on. The blade is always curvy with odd number curves such as 3 or 9. The odd number represents human life, which is not complete and at ‘odds’. If it were complete and even, there is no reason to continue the development process; hence life is finished.

What is ‘Jam Karet’!

‘Jam karet’, literally translates to ‘elastic time’. If you’ve worked in Thailand, you might be accustomed to locals being a few minutes late for meetings and other appointments. But in Indonesia, we’re not talking about just a few minutes. ‘Jam karet’ can mean half an hour to 2 hours or even a late ‘no-show’ call. The main reason behind this isn’t so much about bad habits, but due to the traffic plus the distance from one side of an island to the other. Although, over time the acceptance of being super late has probably become a culture.

Ring of Fire (Volcanos)

Indonesia sits on the pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ which translates to frequent volcanic activities. There are about 130 active volcanoes, with Java seeing the highest numbers at 45 volcanoes. Ironically, there are local volcano tours! While the tour guides are usually well trained in terms of hiking safety and emergency protocols, deciding to embark on these treks is really based on an at-your-own-risk type of decision. The volcano tours are popular among foreigners as well as locals.

The Indonesian Alphabet Sounds European!

It may come as a surprise to many first-time european visitors, but long-stay expats might joke about it: the fact that the Indonesian alphabet sounds very similar (to almost identical) with alphabets of other European languages. It is written exactly like English from A to Z, but pronounced more like German. Here’s a side by side pronunciation of the Indonesian and German alphabets. They’re almost identical.

Lake Toba

Lake Toba is a crater lake which is almost the size of Singapore at its center. And it is the largest volcanic lake in the world! Locally called ‘Danau Toba’, it is found on the island of Sumatra. The lake itself has an interesting backstory. It is said that about 74,000 years ago, a supervolcanic eruption divided the land. The locals who lived on the lands in that area were also divided and later branched out into 2 ethnic groups: the Batak Toba and the Batak Simalungun.

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kw1YiX1RtTTnKFhF9 

Gotong Royong – The Spirit of Mutual Cooperation

‘Gotong Royong’ is a big deal in Indonesia. It translates to ‘mutual cooperation’ and ‘helping one another’. The concept isn’t just a passing trend or expected behavior, but it is the essence of being Indonesian. It is a philosophy. The idea being that, alone you can only do little, but as a group, so much more can be achieved. It’s similar to the saying: ‘The whole is greater than the sum of its parts’. In practice, it has a lot to do with things like, a whole neighborhood helping each other to raise a child, a general sense of more flexibility, adaptability and very flat hierarchical groups.

Nasi Goreng Everywhere

Nasi goreng is Indonesian fried rice. It’s a very common dish that families cook up and can be ordered from restaurants as well as hawker stalls. Nasi goreng is somewhat sweet and savory; that is what makes it different from most other fried rice dishes. The color is also rather dark, usually brown to very dark brown which comes from the sweet sauce used, called ‘kecap manis’.

A rather ‘smelly’, but must-try variation of nasi goreng is the ‘nasi goreng pete’. Pete (or petai)  is a type of green stinky bean that tastes either absolutely delicious or disgusting depending on a person’s taste bud! This nasi goreng dish is usually cooked with pete beans and shrimps.

Fried Bird and Gold Fish dishes

At most restaurants, you can order ‘burung darah goreng’, which is fried pigeons, and ‘ikan mas goreng’. This translates to fried goldfish! But don’t worry, it doesn’t mean the cute round pet goldfishes. ‘Ikan mas’ refers to the carp fish species with a golden hue.

Frogs Are Yummy

Variations of frog leg dishes are enjoyed by many countries such as France, Thailand, China and others. What’s different about Indonesia then? Frog legs aren’t simply the once-in-a-while type of dish for locals, but you can buy raw frogs from fresh markets as you would chicken or fish. It’s also possible to buy frog leg soup from street food vendors as you would a hotdog or boxed noodles to-go.

Loud is Good. Loud means friendly! Not rude.

While some cultures consider speaking loudly as being rude. In Indonesia, it’s the opposite. Speaking up, showing excitement and curiosity is about being friendly. The truth is, if you were to keep to yourself, speak very softly (inaudibly) and do not keep eye contact, that would be considered rude.

Iced Avocado Coffee

This is an all time favorite among locals and foreigners living in Indonesia. You get to gulp down a dose of your daily caffeine along with filling avocado breakfast all in one go! It’s called ‘Es Kopi Alpukat’ in Indonesian, which is a direct translation. Sometimes it’s served with whipped cream and the ingredients might differ a bit such as with the addition of condensed milk or chocolate.

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Bajau Sea Gypsies (Bajau Laut)

Since Indonesia is made up of over 17,000 islands, it should come as no surprise that sea-oriented communities and seamen are abundant. However, the most unique of these sea families are the ‘Bajau Laut’. They are essentially sea nomads who could hold their breaths for over 5 minutes. They live in floating homes connected to the sea and have their own unique culture and traditional art that are highly regarded in Indonesia. The Bajau Laut are probably the last of the nomad sea tribes left in Indonesia.

Ketupat is More Than Just Food

There’s food, and then there’s traditional food. It’s always good to know some of these traditional foods, what they symbolize and how they are handled during important events. One that you might see more often than others is the ‘Ketupat’. This dish is served during important events such as Idul Filtri (breaking of fast Ramadan for Muslims), birthdays and weddings. Ketupat is basically rice cake wrapped in pandan leaves and is usually served with chicken or beef curry. It symbolizes a few things: admitting mistakes, forgiving, giving, absolving sins and purifying the self.

Pencak Silat – Martial Art

The Pencak Silat, originating from Indonesia, is a full body martial art that incorporates the use of weapons. Some might compare it to techniques similar to street fighting. For this very reason, the Pencak Silat is very effective for fighting in real world situations. Local schools teach the Pencak Silat as an extracurricular activity.

The word ‘Pencak Silat’ itself basically means ‘training for true combat’. It focuses on both defensive and offensive but is majorly more about striking, taking down and use of weaponry such as the keris, machete and knives. Today the martial arts is more globally known. It is included in the Southeast Asian games and in 2024 it has been performed at the olympics. 

Maluku Spice Island

The Maluku islands (it’s actually a group of small islands), also known as Spice island, was once the spice capital of the world. Spice trade is still very active today, but visitors both locals and foreigners visit Maluku for many other things such as the beaches and historical sites. One of these sites being Fort Nassau, an ancient Dutch fortress built in 1609.

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/dJqG2Usbz3PpE4nX8 

Don’t Whistle at Night!

Despite science and technological advances today, Indonesians continue to be very superstitious. All Indonesian kids have probably been told off at least once for whistling at night. This particular one, is an absolute no, no. The belief is that if you whistle at night, you might unintentionally invite some evil and unwanted spirit into the vicinity, which is bad for both yourself and for others in the area. 

Don’t Cut Your Hair or Nails at Night Either

Another belief is to refrain from cutting your hair or nails at night. If, as a foreigner, you’d like to do so, it’s usually alright and you won’t offend anyone. However, for locals it’s been told generation after generation that negative energy is amplified at night. Night-time is also when our ‘light or life spirit’ is rather dim, so avoid getting any cuts and open wounds. 

The simple act of grooming might include cutting and trimming our nails and hair (or even shaving), so elders tend to remind us that by doing so, we are nevertheless inflicting open wounds on ourselves at hours when our spirit is weakest. So, the tendency to get sick becomes much higher.

Don’t Sweep at Night

In general, night time is considered a time when our spiritual energy is low, so a lot of the beliefs tend to circulate around avoiding doing certain things at night. For this case, of refraining from sweeping the floor at night, it is so as not to disturb roaming spirits (good and bad). In addition, it’s even more important to avoid sweeping during the ‘twilight zone’; dusk and dawn.

Mirrors and Doors

Some beliefs are less public and more personal, so the chance of accidentally offending anyone for these is probably little to none. However, it doesn’t hurt to know what the fuss is all about if it is ever brought up in conversations. For instance, you should never position your bed, sofa or other sleep related furniture in a way that your feet would be pointing to the door or a mirror. Reason being, this is how corpses are led out, so it’s better to avoid this position.

Ask Spirits for Permission Before Cutting Down Trees

This is another one of those beliefs. The chance of you ever having to be in a situation related to cutting trees is low, but it’s always good to know the traditions. While it might not be publicly practiced by everyone, a deeply rooted tradition is to pray (say thanks) and ask permission before cutting down trees, especially among the indigenous people. It reflects Indonesia’s strong connection to nature.

Remove Shoes Before Entering Homes

Similar to many other countries in Asia such as Japan and Thailand, always remove your shoes before entering homes. This is generally a common practice throughout the country to ensure cleanliness indoors.

Don’t Touch Kids’ Heads

Avoid touching a child’s head (unless they’re yours of course), because it’s seen as a sign of disrespect. For many Indonesians, the head is considered the seed of the soul, hence it’s a sacred area that can only be touched if the person allows it. In some communities, it’s alright to do so among friends and relatives. However, to be on the safe side, it’s simply better to avoid touching anyone’s head.

Giving and Accept Gifts

It’s always good to know some of the most common etiquette in Indonesia about gifts. Firstly, always give gifts using either both hands or the right hand. When you accept gifts, make sure to use both hands. It’s a sign of thanks and respect. Also, it’s more polite in Indonesia to open the gifts at a later time instead of infront of the giver and everyone else there to witness your reaction. 

Don’t Touch or Point to Religious Artifacts and Sacred Relics

Generally, Indonesians consider it impolite to point your fingers at someone or something. Hence, if you were to point to a religious artifact or relic, it would be seen as an act of desecration and highly offensive to locals in the area. It is better to verbally refer to and explain which relic you are talking about. Also, it’s best to avoid touching anything deemed sacred and you should only take photos if it is explicitly allowed or you have been granted permission.

Addressing Others

Indonesians address others using the Mr. and Ms. versions of the language followed by the first name. So, if you were to address a Mr. Leonard Agung, it would be ‘Pak Leonard’ or ‘Bapak Leonard’. And for Ms. Mina Agung, it would be ‘Bu Mina’ or ‘Ibu Mina’. Apparently, ‘Bapak’ and ‘Ibu’ are also used to refer to father and mother! 

The formality is skipped among friends, relatives and children, for which the first name or nickname is used.

Cleaning Beds Using a Broom!

If you were to witness anyone cleaning a bed using a broom, do not be surprised. Indonesians use brooms for everything, but of course if the broom is used for bedding, it would be kept clean and used only for that purpose. The broom we’re talking about here is called ‘sapu lidi’. It’s made from dried coconut leaves bunched up together. It’s used for almost everything from cleaning up gardens, beds, streets, indoor areas, and even for swatting mosquitoes.

Eating Rice Using Your Hands 

Eating rice using your hands is a very common practice throughout Indonesia. If you ever get the chance to enjoy traditional food such as rice with ‘sambal’ (chili paste), get ready to scoop up some hot chili using your bare hands! There are some etiquettes to follow nonetheless, such as making sure you’re mainly using your right hand and keeping it to three fingers instead of five. Most use only the thumb and the first two fingers to scoop up the food.

Tempeh – Fermented Soybean for Your Health

More recently, tempeh has become a must-know food for health-savvy individuals worldwide. The tempeh craze is further boosted by Japanese cuisine which features a variety of tempeh dishes. Surprisingly, a lot of people tend to associate tempeh with Japan. In fact, tempeh originated from Indonesia.

Tempeh is essentially fermented soybeans that have white edible fungus growing around them, lumping the beans altogether. It is then chopped up and cooked into all sorts of dishes. A favorite among Indonesians is ‘Tempeh Goreng’ (fried tempeh).

Honk Away! Om Telolet Om

Honking while driving can be seen as rude and brash for some cultures, but in Indonesia honking is the norm. Drivers may honk the horn to alert, rush or ask permission before taking over a car or passing pedestrians nearby. There’s even a social media trend called ‘telolet’ that originated from Indonesia. When big buses drive by, kids, teens and sometimes adults, would call out, ‘om telolet om!’, asking the drivers to honk their horns. And these buses are almost always equipped with musical honks! 

Rujak – Indonesian Somtum

If you’ve been to Thailand and enjoyed the popular crunchy, spicy green papaya salad called ‘som tum’, you’re going to want to try some Indonesian ‘rujak’. It offers the same full flavor crunch as a way of enjoying raw fruits and vegetables. The difference is that ‘rujak’ consists of only fruits and veggies, but Thailand’s ‘som tum’ comes with dried shrimps or crab.

Knowing Someone’s Religion Without Having to Ask

Most Indonesian names correlate with their family’s religion. As such, you might meet someone from Indonesia called Diana, or Aditya, and Krishna. Diana is most likely a Christian or Catholic name, Aditya is a Muslim name and Krishna is a Hindu name. The same goes for surnames, which can vary greatly from Chow, Yohanes and Budi. 

In this way, locals as well as long-stay foreigners can easily navigate among themselves without having to delve into sensitive questions around religion. As in, if you’re preparing a gift for someone named Bayu, you might want to avoid alcohol and pork without having to ask about his religion. Although, it’s good to keep in mind that there are the rare cases when someone might change their religion without changing their original name.

Beating Around the Bush

Indonesians very rarely address the elephant in the room and state the obvious. Most prefer to avoid direct type of speech so as to not offend anyone. For example, instead of saying, “The room is too hot, can you adjust the aircon”, they might say “Oh wow, it feels like we’re at the sauna today doesn’t it?”. Or instead of saying, “I’m hungry, let’s wrap it up and get some food”, they might say, “Time just flew by didn’t it? I hardly noticed it’s already 2 hours past noon”. It’s important to take note that there is usually no sarcasm involved, but just a polite and indirect way of stating things that many have gotten used to.

Kuntilanak – Indonesian Vampire

There’s Count Dracula, and then there’s Kuntilanak. Indonesia’s got its very own vampire legend. The story of Kuntilanak has been around for generations. Kuntilanak is often depicted as a beautiful woman with very long hair in a nightgown, who lures her victims at night. It’s unclear if she’s a ghost, monster or undead, but she is bloodthirsty and she feeds on her victims. Some legends suggest she literally dissects her victims and eats their organs. Similar to vampires, the Kuntilanak can be defeated by driving a nail through her. Definitely not the type of ghost story you would want to share with kids.