Indonesia's longest-running guide for expatriates.
Written by volunteers who live here. Rebuilt in 2026 for its third decade.
Built by volunteers, for people who had nowhere else to ask.
In 1997 there was almost nothing online about the practical reality of moving to Indonesia. A small group of volunteers set out to fix that, one article at a time.
Twenty-nine years later the goal is unchanged. We cover the paperwork you dread, the neighbourhoods you’re weighing up, the schools with waiting lists, and the cultural shifts nobody warns you about.
Everything here stays free to read. That has been non-negotiable since day one, and it is why we work with a small number of sponsors instead of a paywall.
Twenty-nine years, in brief.
The first practical, expat-written resource of its kind in Indonesia.
Named by djakarta! magazine — our first recognition from the local press.
The inaugural gold award issued by baliweb.org.
Alongside the Bagus Award and the Golden Crane.
After years of service the Expat Forum went offline. Its most-asked questions were rewritten as permanent guides.
New architecture, directories and neighbourhood guides — and a system that keeps 1,200+ articles genuinely current.
Nine awards, mostly for being useful.
Most Useful Website in Indonesia
Toorista Selected Site
Bagus Award
World Culture, Indonesia
Asia Pacific Award
Gold Award, Bali Web Directory
Bubu Awards
Golden Crane Award
GAR Award
The site's early development was also covered by The Jakarta Post.
Reach expats at the moment they're deciding.
Our readers are choosing a school, signing a lease, picking a hospital or setting up a company — usually within weeks. Sponsorship keeps every guide free to read.
Found something out of date?
We update daily, but it is impossible to stay on top of 1,200+ articles alone. If a fee has changed or a rule has moved, tell us and we’ll fix it.