What do Malaysians Think About Indonesia?
I still remember my first time in Indonesia. It was 2010, and also my first time flying alone. As the plane began to descend, I looked out the window and felt a jolt of alarm. Rows and rows of houses with tin roofs stretched out below. The airport looked like it was right in the middle of a shanty town.
This isn’t to say that Malaysia doesn’t have rural or impoverished areas. It’s just that I had been living a fairly sheltered life in big cities and had never really been exposed to those places, especially not on my own.
And there I was, alone in Medan, with no tour guide, no hotel reservation, and a mild panic attack after nearly being run over by a motorbike while trying to cross the road (there was no pedestrian crossing or traffic light in sight).
Everything turned out fine in the end. I’ve since developed a real affection for Indonesia, in all its chaos and beauty, but I don’t think I’ll ever forget that first impression.
Here are some of the culture shocks and pleasant surprises Malaysians are likely to experience when visiting Indonesia for the first time.*
*This article is written from my personal experience and point of view. Yours may be different. It’s meant to share observations, not to offend or influence how anyone should feel about Indonesia.
At first, everything sounds comfortingly familiar. You hear words you recognize and think, okay, I can manage this.
Then someone says something completely normal and you realize the meaning is totally different. Even simple words like “senang”, “kereta”, or “percuma” can trip you up because they mean completely different things in each language.
Indonesians also pronounce their alphabets differently from how we do in English or Bahasa Malaysia. It sounds minor, but can cause real confusion. I once thought I was told to wait at Platform A, when they actually meant Platform E. And I’ve also mixed up E and I more than once.
Then there’s the way time is expressed. When someone first said “setengah delapan”, I assumed it meant 8:30. It doesn’t. It means 7:30. This can be a problem when you turn up at the bus station at 8:30, only to realize that your bus left an hour ago.
2. You're suddenly a millionaire
Unless you’ve visited countries like Vietnam or Laos, you’re probably going to feel overwhelmed by the number of zeros on Indonesian banknotes.
RM1 is roughly equivalent to Rp3.500, so if you bring RM1,000 with you, you’ll be carrying around Rp3.500.000,- (another confusing detail is they use dots to separate thousands and millions, not commas).
It takes a while to get used to doing mental math in the tens or hundreds of thousands of rupiah when all you want to do is buy a plate of rice.
The good news is that most things in Indonesia (outside of Bali) feel very cheap compared to what you’re used to paying back home.
If you’re accustomed to traveling like a pauper in Europe, Japan, or even Singapore—where you practically have to ration your food—Indonesia will make you feel like a Crazy Rich Asian. After all, you’re quite literally a millionaire.
3. Someone's going to mention Upin Ipin
While we get tons of Indonesian sinetron every year and many of us grew up addicted to Bawang Putih Bawang Merah, the only Malaysian TV series that seems to have made it big in Indonesia is Upin & Ipin.
Once locals found out I was Malaysian, some of them suddenly started calling me Kak Ros. At first, I thought it was completely random. But after a few more people used the same name, I finally asked, “Who’s Kak Ros?”
Turns out, she’s a character in Upin & Ipin. They were genuinely surprised to hear that I’d never actually watched the show.
4. Spice levels play by different rules
Malaysians are no strangers to spicy food, but Indonesian spice hits differently. If you’ve tried ayam gepuk or any other Indonesian dish, where the spiciness can reach “god level,” you’d understand how Malaysian sambal can feel like child’s play by comparison.
Here’s the kicker: because we look and sound so similar to locals, it’s easy for servers to assume we can handle full-on local spice. That means we might get served the authentic level instead of the toned-down version they might make for tourists. If you’re not ready for it, that first bite can be a shock!
Always ask clearly how spicy you want it, and don’t assume your Malaysian tolerance will automatically match theirs.
5. Not everyone is Muslim; not everything is halal
Speaking of food, even though it’s generally easy to find halal options in Indonesia, you can’t assume that everything automatically is.
In (West) Malaysia, if someone looks Malay, we often jump to the conclusion that they’re Muslim. So Malaysians visiting Bali for the first time may be shocked (and perhaps even enraged) to see Malay-looking people drinking Bintang or selling babi guling.
Now, before you call the religious police and scream “Blasphemy!”, remember that even though Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, not everyone is Muslim.
Bali is predominantly Hindu, for example, while Manado has a largely Christian population.
6. Indonesia is not one culture
Indonesia has over 6,000 inhabited islands, and each island, each region, has its own values, food, and social norms. Java feels nothing like Sumatra, and likewise, Bali feels nothing like Lombok.
Yet, despite the diversity, they all seem to identify as proud Indonesians without constantly squabbling over whose ethnicity / religion is the most supreme or who owns the land.
Something that we, (West) Malaysians, should take a leaf from, perhaps?
7. Indonesia's traffic is just as bad, if not worse
You think rush-hour traffic in Malaysia is horrible? The macet in major Indonesian cities can be just as bad, if not worse. According to The Jakarta Post, Jakarta’s roads have been among the world’s most congested for decades.
And if you escape the congestion, another challenge might be waiting: the… “courageous” driving habits of some locals. If you’ve ever taken a long-distance bus journey in Indonesia, you know exactly what I mean — it makes you want to call your family and tell them you love them.
That said, you have to admit, these drivers are incredibly skilled. They manage to overtake vehicles at full speed on narrow, winding hill roads with potholes, minimal lighting, and what seems like no traffic rules at all, yet somehow, almost everyone survives the ride.
If you’re thinking of self-driving a car or scooter in Indonesia, be warned: you need to be highly experienced. Otherwise, I suggest you get good travel insurance.
8. Indomaret & Alfamart are your new favorite shops
You know how tourists in Japan or Thailand get obsessed with the 7-Elevens there? Indonesia has its own versions that are worth checking out too.
Just like Thailand and its many 7-Elevens, Indonesia has an Indomaret or Alfamart (or both) on almost every street. They’re open 24 hours and even have WiFi!
What makes them fun is discovering products you can’t get in Malaysia, or familiar brands with totally new flavors.
Some of my favorites to grab:
- Teh Sosro Melati – Refreshing and fragrant jasmine tea
- Qtela Kerepek Singkong Rasa Balado – Spicy cassava chips
- Qtela Kerepek Tempe Rasa Cabai Rawit – crunchy tempeh with chili
- Indomie Mi Goreng Rasa Dendeng Balado / Rendang / any other flavor that don’t exist back home
- Tora Bika 3-in-1 Cappuccino – Quick coffee fix on the go
9. There's no mee bandung in Bandung
If you came to Bandung thinking you’d find “authentic mee bandung”, think again. Locals have never heard of the dish. Or sirap bandung for that matter.
Mee bandung is 100% Malaysian (probably the only Malaysian dish in history that Indonesia can’t try to claim, ahem).
The word bandung in this context actually means “mixed”, referring to the mixture of sauces in the soup, or the mix of sweetened rose syrup and milk in the drink.
Read: 10 Malaysian Noodle Dishes that You Must Try
You can, however, find other Malaysian favorites like rendang and satay, which really originated in Indonesia. In fact, there are more than 25 types of satay in Indonesia — from satay Makassar to satay Madura — although personally, I still think they can’t beat Malaysia’s satay Kajang.
10. There's a very real risk of natural disasters
Geographically speaking, we Malaysians are a pretty lucky bunch.
Unlike our close neighbors Indonesia and the Philippines, we sit comfortably away from the Pacific Ring of Fire, the zone where most earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. In 2018 alone, Indonesia was rattled by over 11,500 earthquakes!
Like a baby elephant sheltered by the adults in the herd, we’re also largely protected from typhoons that sweep through Southeast Asia regularly.
As a result, many of us grow up quite complacent and ignorant about natural disasters. I doubt most Malaysians know how to recognize the warning signs of a volcanic eruption, or what to do during an earthquake. I certainly didn’t.
So, it’s quietly sobering to see earthquake evacuation notices in hotel rooms and public buildings. You’re constantly reminded that this isn’t hypothetical, but is part of everyday life there.
In any country, it’s always wise to familiarize yourself with the emergency exits and evacuation routes, but even more so in earthquake-prone countries.
Final thoughts
To all Malaysians who have yet to visit this beautiful neighbor of ours, I really think you should. I’ve visited Indonesia more times than I can remember, and even now, I still come across little surprises that remind me how alike we really are.
Despite the sibling rivalry and the constant bickering over who invented which dish (fine, Indonesia, you invented them, but we made them better), at the end of the day, we’re far more similar than we like to admit.
Let’s celebrate those similarities, and appreciate the differences that make each of us our own.
Pernah ke Indonesia juga. Sis pernah ke Jakarta, Medan, Padang, Bukittinggi dan Bali. Kalau kat Jakarta tu memang macet. Kalau nak balik tu kena bertolak awal ke airport takut macet pulak kat jalan. Sis rasa tenang ajer kalau ke Indonesia sebab budayanya lebih kurang kita. Nak cari makanan halal pun senang kecuali kat Bali.
Betul sis, rasa macam ‘at home’ sangat kalau kat Indonesia ni sebab budaya dan bahasanya lebih kurang sama. Haha, part yang macet tu memang kena jaga-jaga kalau nak kejar flight.
I was in Medan when the tsunami happened. I remembered we were all running out of the hotel after watching the water in the pool suddenly splashes everywhere like, just like the waves in the ocean.
But yes, I love Indonesia in a way that everybody lives harmoniously as I saw a mosque situated next to a church and everybody is so friendly
Oh my, that must have been terrifying. I’ve had a few close calls myself, for example, I left Lombok weeks before the earthquake, and Bali weeks before Mt Agung erupted. Glad to know you were okay, but sad that so many lives were lost because of the tsunami.
Akak ingat lagi masa pertama kali ke Indonesia. Akak ke Jogjakarta dan Dieng. Nak tengok candi dan nak try hiking kat negara orang. Akak tengok di sana, orangnya rajin berniaga. Bayangkan Ummi, akak keletihan hiking nak tengok sunrise. Tetiba ada kedai kecil jual teh susu panas. Nikmatnya tengok sunrise sambil minum air panas. Dieng tu kan tanah tinggi juga. Sejukkkkk. Masa tu tak snap gambar. Huwaaa. Kenapalah tak snap gambar waktu travel. Sekarang jadi sweet memory akak aje tau. 😔
Sama la kak masa saya panjat Gunung Batur. Sampai sebelum matahari terbit tapi dah ada warung makan dah bukak kat atas tu. Betul apa yang akak cakap, diorang ni rajin dan pandai ambil peluang untuk cari rezeki. Yang berniaga di tepi highway, dan dalam bas pun ada.
Sebelum pandemik, memang ada merancang untuk ke Indonesia, tapi semuanya terkubur. Harapnya selepas ini adalah peluang untuk ke Indonesia dan rasa pengalaman yg best ni 🙂
Indonesia ialah destinasi trip saya yang paling last sebelum pandemik bermula tahun lepas. Harapnya tak lama lagi kita semua boleh travel semula. 🙂
💯 Agreed with all 10 points.especially indomaret and alfa mart. hahaha. thats in my list when border opens. points number 9, inikalilahhhh hahahahah
Hahaha, biasa la, kita kan selalu gaduh pasal makanan, kan? Rindu pulak nak beli jajan dkat indomaret / alfamart. 😀
Thanks for sharing so many tips and things about Indonesia. I wish to go to Gili after pandemic.
You’re welcome and have fun! I loved Gili T. 🙂
totally agreeing with your sharing here as from my own travel experiences in Indonesia 😀 Miss travelling so much. cheers,siennylovesdrawing
Me too, Sienny. 🙂
Pwrnah pergi sekali je dekat bandung. Memang teruk sangat kesesakan jalan raya dia. Kalah malaysia. Hehe
Haha, tau takpe. 😀
Haha. I was laughing when I read this post. All so relatable and I what I experience on all my trips to Indonesia.
Glad to know you enjoyed the post, Zayani! I miss Indonesia 😭
walaupun family ada thai blood tapi khai boleh cakap yang indonesia is my 2nd home! even dalam family pun khai sorg je yang biggest fans of tempe. dulu before covid, khai akan make sure setahun sekali akan ke indonesia. i love all the foods and heritage dekat sana
Mesti Khai rasa rindu gila kan sekarang, sebab dah setahun lebih tak dapat pergi Indonesia. Saya pun tak sabar nak pergi lagi. Banyak lagi tempat tak explore ni. 🙂
Indonesia antara negara yg mmg ramai Malaysian pergi. Maybe faktor lakosi, budaya dan makanan halal senanh nak dapatkan. Teringin nak pergi bandung lagi
Betul tu Ayu. Indonesia ni memang tempat hotspot bagi pelancong2 Malaysia.
Tak pernah jejakkan lagi ke Indon. Tapi one day inshAllah. hope covid ni cpt cpt pergi la nak jenjalan ni lama betul duduk rumah T.T
Sama la. Padahal Sumatera tu kat sebelah je pun. Naik flight tak sampai sejam. Tapi apa boleh buat, PKP.