Time zone
North Sumatra is part of Western Indonesian Time (WIB) Zone, which is located at UTC/GMT +7.
Visa and immigration
Upon your arrival in Indonesia, you will get a 30-days Visa on Arrival (VoA). If you want to extend your visa for another 30 days, the quickest way is to take a return flight to Singapore (KNO – SIN – KNO), and you will get another 30-days Visa on Arrival (VoA) on your second arrival in Indonesia.
Hotels, resorts, places to stay
There are several recommended places to stay in North Sumatra. Boraspati have long-standing partners with resorts and hotels here. We can recommend and book the hotels upon your request.
Electrical plug type
Indonesia’s electricity voltage is at 230V with frequency operating at 50Hz.
The common types of electrical plug available in Indonesia are Type C and F. Make sure you bring a universal electrical plug converter.
You might wanna check the Type C and F plugs here.
Money changer and ATMs
Indonesian law requires all transactions to be carried out in Rupiah. You may need to exchange your native currency into Rupiah when you arrived. There are money changers available at the KNO airport and others distributed around the Medan city. It is better for you to exchange the currency in the city or at the airport before you go to a remote destination in North Sumatra.
Shopping centers/convenient stores
Convenient stores are available at the KNO airport, in Medan city, and even in other cities near your destination spots. You wanna stop-by if you want to have some snacks at the destination spots.
Cellular provider and connectivity
There are several cellular-service provider in Indonesia and they provide limited-time service plans for visiting tourists. We can organize to buy and activate a local cellular number for you upon your request.
Local pharmacy, doctors, and hospitals
In the case of medical emergency, there are several hospitals or local doctors you can visit. Their services will require payment. If your conditions require you to stay longer/shorter, we can help you adjust your plane tickets, transport and all.
Means of transportations
You can get to North Sumatra via airplanes as Kualanamu (KNO) airport is an international airport, and there are several smaller airports to get into tourism destinations. Alternative way to get into remote places would be through land, ferry, or speed boat. Boraspati can arrange your transport from and to any destinations in North Sumatra. We understand local situation, people and routes.
Language
Indonesian people speaks Bahasa Indonesia throughout Indonesian regions with the additional of local dialects. North Sumatra is no different, people here speaks Bahasa with local accent and also local language of Bahasa Batak.
Today, many Indonesians also speak (limited – fluent) English as the International language of choice.
Emergency
Sometimes misfortune happens, like when you arrived but not your board bags. Our team on the ground will help you coordinate through the process to make sure that you get your board bags back to you. This service comes at a cost as it requires a ferry/speed boat services to get your board bags to you in a resort destination. The process will take time but we will make sure the fastest and safest way to get your board bags back to you.