Indonesia etiquette: temple dress, mosques, sarongs and photo manners

The rules that apply almost everywhere

The ministry of tourism describes Indonesians as religious on the whole, and as open and tolerant of each other's faiths and customs while keeping their own. For a visitor, that translates into a few habits that work from Sumatra to Papua. Dress modestly away from the beach: Wikivoyage's country guide notes that bikinis are accepted on most beaches in Bali and Lombok, but elsewhere women are advised to keep legs and necklines covered, and to swim as local women do. Shorts are unlikely to cause actual offence in a town, but they are wrong for temples, mosques and palaces.

Use your right hand to give, receive, eat and shake hands. The left hand is associated with the toilet, and Wikivoyage suggests a quick 'maaf, tangan kiri' (sorry, left hand) if you have no choice. A handshake is a light touch of the palms, often followed by bringing the hand to the chest; let a Muslim woman offer her hand first. Do not touch anyone's head, point with a finger (use your right thumb or an open hand), or show the soles of your feet. Take your shoes off before entering a home.

Address people politely: the ministry's phrase list gives Bapak (sir) and Ibu (madam), and a 'permisi' (excuse me) or 'terima kasih' (thank you) goes a long way. Saving face matters, so in a dispute stay calm, smile and ask for a solution rather than raising your voice. The ministry lists places of worship among the places where smoking is prohibited by law, and both the ministry and the UK government advise carrying your passport at all times as identification.

Bali's temples: sarong, sash and the inner courtyard

Every Balinese temple (pura) expects visitors to wear a sarong, called a kamen, with a sash tied at the waist, over clothes that cover the shoulders. The ministry's pages for Uluwatu, Lempuyang and Tirta Empul all say the sarong and sash are provided or lent at the entrance. When we checked on 3 October 2026, the ministry's Lempuyang page said they were included in the foreign visitor ticket or rented for about Rp10,000–20,000, and its Tirta Empul page gave about Rp10,000–15,000 for rental if you do not bring your own. If you plan to visit many temples, a sarong of your own is handy.

A Balinese temple is laid out in courtyards, from the outer jaba to the inner jeroan where the main shrines stand. Wikivoyage notes that visitors are almost always allowed into the outer court, while access to the inner court depends on the temple and on the ceremonies being held. Follow signs and the instructions of temple attendants. At Tirta Empul, the ministry says non-Hindus may enter the inner court if they dress properly, and visitors of any faith may join the melukat purification ritual if they come with respect; bring a change of clothes.

Several temples restrict entry for women who are menstruating. The ministry's Uluwatu page says they are prohibited from entering the central area of the temple, and its Lempuyang page says women who are menstruating, pregnant or in mourning may not perform rituals there. Wherever people are praying, lower your voice, do not walk in front of them, and keep out of the way of priests and processions.

The small palm-leaf trays of flowers and incense you see on pavements, steps and shop counters are canang sari, daily offerings. Bali's Governor Circular No. 07 of 2025, summarised on the provincial government's Love Bali site, tells foreign visitors not to step on, damage or interfere with offerings or ceremonial items, to dress modestly at temples and ceremonies, and to avoid inappropriate photos and disrespectful behaviour in sacred areas. The same site lists the one-off foreign tourist levy of IDR 150,000 per person, payable online or at the airport and Benoa port.

Mosques: what to wear and how to visit

Indonesia's great mosques are open to respectful visitors, and the ministry encourages visiting them even during Ramadan. Dress more conservatively than you would for a Balinese temple: cover arms and legs, and for women bring a headscarf. At the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, the ministry says women are expected to wear a headscarf and loose clothing that covers arms and legs, and that the mosque usually lends robes and headscarves to visitors who need them.

Shoes come off before you enter the building. At Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, the ministry's page says the mosque is open daily with no admission fee and that guides are available to show non-Muslim visitors around. Some areas of a mosque may be reserved for worship; follow your guide.

Plan your visit between the five daily prayers, when the halls are quieter. The ministry says photography is welcome at Baiturrahman, as long as you do not disturb worshippers or intrude on moments of prayer. Do not photograph people at prayer, and keep your phone on silent. If you stay near a large mosque in Ramadan, the ministry warns light sleepers that the pre-dawn reminder for sahur, the meal before fasting begins, comes over loudspeakers.

Ramadan, Nyepi and Aceh: when the rules tighten

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. The UK government's travel advice asks visitors not to eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public in the daytime, including in a car, not to play loud music or dance, and to follow local dress codes more carefully than usual. The ministry notes that many restaurants and food stalls close or draw their curtains in the day, while fast-food chains and larger restaurants usually stay open. In the late afternoon, takjil stalls selling sweets to break the fast appear near markets and big mosques. Idul Fitri falls on 10–11 March 2027 under the government's holiday decree, so Ramadan 2027 runs mainly through February and early March. The ministry notes that the holiday is extended by about 7 to 10 days of collective leave as families travel to their home towns.

Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, is the one day on which the rules bind everyone in Bali, not only Hindus. The ministry's Nyepi FAQ says that for 24 hours you may not go outside, light fires or use bright lights (low light inside a hotel room is allowed, balcony lights are not), or make loud noise; the airport and all transport stop. Local watchmen, the pecalang, patrol the streets. Stock up on food and medicine beforehand and stay inside your hotel. The 2027 holiday decree puts Nyepi on Monday 8 March 2027. On the evening before, villages parade and burn ogoh-ogoh effigies representing evil spirits.

Aceh, at the northern tip of Sumatra, is the only province that formally implements Sharia law. The ministry says this covers dress codes and public conduct, and the UK government's advice says the laws apply to non-Muslims too: drinking, making and selling alcohol, gambling, extra-marital sex and same-sex sexual activity are illegal there, with public caning among the punishments after a Sharia court process. Dress conservatively throughout the province, beaches included, and plan a dry trip.

Ceremonies, palaces and villages beyond Bali

Toraja funerals (Rambu Solo') in South Sulawesi last days or weeks, gather the whole family and village, and include the sacrifice of buffalo and pigs, according to the ministry. They are private family events: go only with a local guide who can confirm you are welcome, dress in dark or subdued colours (the ministry notes that Torajan women wear darker versions of their traditional dress at funerals), and follow the family's lead. At burial caves such as Londa, the ministry asks visitors never to move or take bones, skulls or objects, and to ask permission if they bring betel nut or flowers.

In Java, palaces and temples have their own dress rules. When we checked on 3 October 2026, the Yogyakarta Kraton's official tourism site asked visitors to wear modest clothes with sleeves, banned hats in the museum area, and said that awisan batik motifs, the patterns reserved for the royal family, may not be worn. At Borobudur, the operator's climbing packages require modest clothing and supply special upanat sandals, worn on the monument to protect the stone, with a guide.

Village visits follow the same logic. For the Sasak villages of Sade and Ende in Lombok, the ministry asks visitors to be polite and follow local rules, especially on dress and on how they interact with residents. At Trunyan, the Bali Aga village on Lake Batur, it asks for modest clothing, no loud talk or jokes in the cemetery, permission before photographs and no touching or removing objects from the burial site.

Photography: when to ask and when to put the camera away

Most sacred-place rules end in the same place: the camera. The ministry's Lempuyang page asks visitors not to photograph a ceremony unless authorised and always to respect people praying, even though its split gate draws long queues of people waiting for a photo. Trunyan asks for permission before photos in sacred spaces, and Bali's governor's circular warns against inappropriate photos in sacred areas.

With people, ask first. A smile and a gesture at the camera is usually enough; accept a no. At the Baliem Valley Festival in Papua, the ministry suggests asking participants politely if they will pose. Expect the reverse as well: Wikivoyage notes that many Indonesians will want a photo with you, which is curiosity rather than rudeness.

• Pack daily: a light layer for shoulders and knees; in Bali a sarong and sash; for mosques a headscarf (women) and long sleeves.
• At the entrance: remove shoes where others have, put on the sarong, read the posted rules and ask the attendant if unsure.
• Inside: right hand only, voice down, keep the soles of your feet out of sight, never walk in front of people praying, step around offerings.
• Photos: ask people first; no photos of ceremonies unless you are told they are allowed; no flash in faces.
• Calendar: no flights in or out of Bali on Nyepi; eat and drink discreetly in daytime during Ramadan; plan Aceh as a dry, conservative trip.