Indonesia — how to identify

Name: Indonesian

Script: Latin

Origin: Dutch

Indonesian (Dutch Origin) vs Malay (English Origin)**:

Taxi: Teksi (Malay) vs Taksi (Indonesian)

Police: Polis (Malay) vs Polisi (Indonesian)

Office: Pejabat/Ofis (Malay) vs Kantor (Indonesian)

Pharmacy: Farmasi (Malay) vs Apotek (Indonesian)

Bicycle: Basikal(Malay) vs Sepeda (Indonesian)

and etc

Indonesian private license plates come in two main types.

Older plates: Black background with white text.

Newer plates: White background with black text.

On Street View, blurred Indonesian plates show three white stripes. This helps distinguish them from Malaysian plates, which show two white stripes.

In Indonesia, red-and-white banners matching the national flag are seen everywhere.

During festivals, they are often joined by extra multicolored decorations in

• yellow
• green

and other colors

Indonesian street signs are usually start with the abbreviation

• ‘Jl.’ for Jalan (street).

and also:

• green or
• blue

In Malaysia, the same word is shortened as ‘Jln.’ instead

Cylindrical with a flat or rounded top. Painted in black-and-yellow stripes

Reflector is white on the front and red on the back side

Driving side: Left side

Motorcycles have a small license plate on the front.

Unlike most nearby countries, every motorbike shows its registration number on a plastic plate above the headlamp

Name: Indonesian rupiah

Symbol: Rp

Example: Rp 30,000

Cylindrical with a rounded top and black-white stripes. Reflector is a white rectangle on the front and red on the back

Sometimes with a circle in the center of the white line

Type: Commercial, buses and taxi

Shape: Long

Background: Yellow

Text: Black

Indonesia sometimes uses yellow center lines, though not always

Malaysia always uses white road lines

Cigarette ads are very common in Indonesia.

They almost always include graphic health-warning images, which are a clear sign you’re in Indonesia.

The word ‘PERINGATAN’ means ‘Warning’ in English