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11 Best Secret and Unspoiled Indonesians Islands [2024]

By Tibs →
The next Bali or the next Lombok is listed below. If you are a tourist considering going to Bali to enjoy a quiet beach holiday, just forget it. Bali is ridiculously overcrowded and it is starting to look no different than Jakarta: Clogged with traffic, disorganized and polluted. It is far from the paradise it pretends to be. The good news is there are 17,000 more islands to explore in Indonesia, with far better beaches and scenery. Sure, they require a bit more efforts to visit and you may not find 5-star honeymoon resorts so easily there. But once tourism will develop and change the authenticity of these islands, you will probably regret not making the trip earlier.

Living in Jakarta: Best Neighborhoods for Expats (2024)

By Tibs →
I previously wrote about the best areas to stay in Jakarta for tourists . You may want to read this article as well to get a first introduction to the city's neighborhoods. I wouldn't say that there isn't one best place to live in Jakarta, as the criteria for each person will be different. The most important factor when deciding where to stay should be the distance between your home and your work or, if you have children, between your home and their school.

Best VPNs in Indonesia- How to Access Blocked Websites (2023)

By Tibs →
In this review, I will explain how to bypass Internet censorship in Indonesia (mostly targeting porn websites) by using a VPN service  (Virtual Private Network) . I will also give you tips on how to watch Netflix in Indonesia. Note : The VPNs I recommend here also work well for China, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos, etc.  Thousands of blocked websites in Indonesia Most porn and torrent websites are blocked in Indonesia . This includes all the most famous ones like XVideos, YouPorn, PornHub, XHamster, KickAss Torrents, and The Pirate Bay. It is also not possible to visit some forums like Reddit or InternationalSexGuide. Same thing with the hook-up website Adult Friend Finder  and the cam website Chaturbate . Some regular websites have also been banned, like Vimeo. Tumblr was shut down in March 2018 after its management refused to remove porn content from the platform. Another problem internet users are facing in Indonesia is the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactio

How to Buy Viagra or Cialis in Indonesia (Bali or Jakarta)?

By Tibs →
One of the questions I receive the most is how to buy viagra or Cialis in Indonesia, the two most common erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs available. It is actually very easy to buy them (at least in Jakarta or Bali), as well as some other "magic" pills like Levitra or Hammer of Thor. With 70% of Indonesian males who are smokers, it's not surprising that there is a lot of demand here for products that combat impotence. In this article, I will give you some tips on where to find them, how to avoid the fake ones, and how much they cost. Main differences between Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra Each man will have a different reaction to each of these drugs. That's why it can be a good idea to try all of them at different times to see which one is the best for you (of course, ask your doctor about it before taking anything). Generally speaking, though, these are the main characteristics of each: Viagra: Typically, you'll need a 50mg dose to get a

STDs / HIV Check-up and Treatment in Jakarta

By Tibs →
Many readers ask me where they can get a medical check-up for STDs such as AIDS, HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Hepatitis, Herpes, HPV (Human Papillomavirus), Genital and Anal Warts, etc. I will give you a list of recommended places in this review, plus some tips about safe sex in Jakarta. If you are wondering whether STDs are prevalent in Indonesia, the answer is "of course". If you are wondering whether you should get checked after sleeping with someone without a condom, the answer is "of course". Sex education in Indonesia is almost non-existent, and very few people know about STDs. For many, condoms are just a way to come inside a vagina without making babies. It is very common for Indonesians, guys or girls, educated or not, to have sex without any protection.

How I Learned to Speak Indonesian in 1 Month

By Tibs →
I can't say I'm particularly gifted at learning languages. Before Indonesia, I lived 2 years in Italy and 2 years in Brazil, and yet I can barely speak any Italian or Portuguese. Indonesian, or Bahasa Indonesia as it is called here, is different from any other languages. There are no tenses, no declension, no tones. There is nothing tricky about the spelling, nothing complex about the grammar, and you always pronounce the words the same way . You don't even have regional differences: It is spoken identically in Sumatra, in Papua, in Java or in Bali. And best of all, it uses the Roman alphabet. Put it simply, it is probably  the easiest language to learn in the world . I arrived in Jakarta in November 2018. After one week, I had learned enough words to get by in all the most common situations : Greetings, introductions, ordering food, buying groceries, asking for directions, expressing basic feelings, etc. After 1 month, I was able to have a normal

Why You Need Travel Insurance in Indonesia (2021-COVID Update)

By Tibs →
When I speak with tourists visiting Indonesia, I am often shocked to learn that they don't have proper travel insurance or medical evacuation insurance. Among long-term residents, there are also many who do not have health insurance, particularly those without a working permit (typically the digital nomads). The objective of this article is to convince you that spending a few dollars per day on insurance is not a waste of money, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. Even if you are on a tight budget, you can get cheap insurance ( as low as 3$ per day if you take a yearly subscription - check here ) that will at least save your ass in case of a serious illness or accident. If you cannot afford it, then you probably should not travel to Indonesia. Why you need travel insurance in Indonesia While you certainly need insurance everywhere, there are even more reasons to get it when you travel in Bali , Jakarta, or the rest of Indonesia: You are exposed to more risks When y

Best Online Dating Apps In Indonesia (Updated 2022)

By Tibs →
Whether you are holidaying in Bali or working in Jakarta, online dating is by far your best chance at finding someone special in Indonesia. It is now very common for Indonesians of any age or background to use dating apps, and the most popular ones have tens of thousands of members. Among my friends living in the country, the majority of them have met their partners online and it is no longer something to feel shameful about. To quote a famous pick-up line: No, you no longer need to pretend you've "met at the zoo" when you introduce your boyfriend or girlfriend to your parents. As dating apps became mainstream, the quality and the diversity of the profiles have improved as well. Gone are the days when dating apps were full of creeps and freaks. Nowadays, you can definitely find a potential wife or husband, someone attractive, smart, with a good job or career with whom you can build a serious relationship. That said, if you are a newcomer to the online dating scene in Ind