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Learn 5 essential Indonesian cultural practices for expats to avoid mistakes in social interactions. A complete guide to Indonesian social etiquette, communication, and traditions for foreigners.
Living in Indonesia isn’t just about enjoying the natural beauty and delicious cuisine. More importantly, understanding local culture is key to feeling comfortable and accepted in daily social life as an expat. Many foreigners unknowingly make small mistakes that are considered impolite because they don’t understand the prevailing cultural norms. This article is here to help you recognize five important cultural practices in Indonesia that you must know to avoid missteps.
By reading this article, you’ll gain a deeper cultural understanding, from greeting etiquette and small talk to the importance of respecting prayer times. Everything is presented in an easy-to-understand and friendly style, ideal for those who are just learning Indonesian or living in Indonesia for the first time.
Respectful Greetings and Body Language: More Than Just Formality
In Indonesia, greeting someone isn’t just a habit, it’s a form of respect. Proper handshaking is usually done gently and not too firmly. In cultural practices context, handshakes are followed by a light touch to your left chest as a symbol of sincerity.
Use your right hand when giving or receiving something. Using your left hand can be considered impolite, especially when giving food or gifts. If you must use your left hand, apologize first.
Some important greetings you should learn as expat, include:
- “Permisi “(excuse me) when you want to pass by or interrupt a conversation.
- “Maaf” (sorry) when you accidentally make a mistake.
- “Selamat pagi/siang/sore/malam” (good morning/afternoon/evening/night) according to the time.
- “Assalamualaikum”, which is an Islamic greeting that is widely accepted.
The Concept of "Basa-Basi": The Art of Indonesian Small Talk
In Indonesia, small talk or basa-basi is a way to build closeness and show politeness. Safe topics like weather, food, work, or hometown are good choices. Avoid sensitive topics like politics, religion, or income unless you’re very close. Basa-basi is considered as the easiest way to practice an important Indonesian cultural practice in daily life.
Safe Topics for Small Talk
- Weather : “Panas ya hari ini” (It’s hot today) or “Hujan terus nih” (It keeps raining)
- Food : “Sudah makan belum?” (Have you eaten yet?) – a classic Indonesian question
- Family : “Keluarga sehat semua?” (Is your family all healthy?) – without too much detail
- Travel : “Tadi macet tidak?” (Was there a traffic jam?) or “Jauh dari sini?” (Is it far from here?)
DO's & DON'Ts
DO’s :
- Smile genuinely and show interest in your conversation partner
- Ask back to show attention
DON’Ts :
- Answer too briefly or go straight to the main topic
- Show impatience
- Discuss sensitive topics (politics, religion, money)
Small talk is considered an important part of building social relationships. According to the Language Development and Cultivation Agency, contextual communication in Indonesian culture has high social value and cannot be separated from everyday language structure.
Hierarchy and Respect: Navigating Indonesia's Social Structure
Indonesian culture highly values respect, especially for older people or those with higher social positions. Greetings like “Pak“ (for men) and “Bu“ (for women) show respect. “Mas“ and “Mbak“ are used to greet peers or slightly older people politely.
In many local cultures, sitting lower than elders or community leaders during conversations is a form of respect. For example, in family or traditional ceremonies, children or young guests will sit on the floor while elders sit in chairs.
In work environments, it’s important to understand job hierarchy. Ignoring this can create an impression of being impolite or arrogant.
Common mistakes: Greeting elders or superiors without respectful greetings, or speaking too directly without paying attention to intonation and body language, which can be seen as impolite in Indonesian cultural practices.
Culture of Avoiding Direct Confrontation: The Importance of Being Polite and Not Offended
Indonesians tend to avoid direct confrontation to preserve others’ feelings. They prefer to express disagreement subtly to maintain harmony. For example, instead of saying “tidak bisa” (can’t do it), someone might say “saya pikirkan dulu ya” (let me think about it first) or “mungkin minggu depan lebih cocok” (maybe next week would be better).
Examples of Indirect Communication:
- Nanti saya coba lihat dulu (I’ll try to see first) = probably won’t be done
- Mungkin bisa dipertimbangkan (Maybe it can be considered) = small chance of approval
- Agak sulit ya (It’s a bit difficult) = almost certainly can’t be done
- Insyaallah (if God wills) = not certain, depends on the situation
Tips for expats:
- Pay attention to tone and word choice.
- Avoid saying “tidak” (no) directly to keep the conversation polite and respectful.
- Use neutral expressions like “boleh saya pikir-pikir dulu?” (may I consider it first?) or “mungkin ada cara lain?” (maybe there’s another way?).
Situations that Reflect Indonesian Cultural Practices:
At the Office: If a boss says “nanti kita diskusi lagi” (we’ll discuss it again later), it might mean there are objections that haven’t been expressed yet.
At a Restaurant: A waiter saying “makanannya mungkin agak lama“ (the food might take a while), is actually warning that it will take very long.
Giving Criticism: Use the sandwich method – praise, criticism, praise. Example: “Presentasi Anda bagus, mungkin bisa ditambah data di bagian ini. Overall sudah baik sekali.” (Your presentation is good, maybe you could add data in this section, overall it’s very good).
Traditions and Religion in Daily Activities: Prayer Time Isn't Just Routine
Indonesia is a country with high religious diversity. Ministry of Religious Affairs data shows that 87% of Indonesia’s population is Muslim, but there are 5 other official religions recognized. Understanding the spiritual dimension in daily life is very important for expats.
Muslims perform prayers 5 times a day. Offices usually provide break time for prayers, especially Friday prayers which are longer. Indonesia also celebrates all major religious holidays. Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Christmas, Nyepi, Vesak – all are national holidays that are highly respected.
Adjustments During Ramadan
During Ramadan, there are several things to note:
• Work Hours: Usually shortened to allow time for breaking fast
• Meeting Schedule: Avoid scheduling meetings close to breaking fast time (around 5-6 PM)
• Eating in Public: Avoid eating/drinking in open places during the day
• Work Pace: Usually slower due to different physical conditions
Tips for Respecting Religious Practices
Places of Worship:
- Don’t walk past people who are praying
- Turn off device sounds near mosques or places of worship
- Dress appropriately when visiting places of worship
Food and Drinks:
- Understand the concept of halal-haram in Islam
- Ask politely if unsure about food ingredients
- Respect people who are fasting
Regional Variations
Aceh: A region that implements Islamic law, you need to be extra careful with dress code and behavior.
Bali: Majority Hindu, there are special days like Nyepi (day of silence) that must be respected by everyone.
Glossary of Terms
- Permisi – Excuse me
- Maaf – Sorry / Excuse me
- Selamat pagi/siang – Good morning/afternoon
- Basa-basi – Small talk
- Pak / Bu – Mr. / Mrs.
- Mas / Mbak – Older brother / sister (respectful)
- Insyaallah – Expression meaning “if God permits,” often used for uncertain answers
- Ramadan – The fasting month in Islam
- Ibadah – Worship
- Relasi sosial – Social relationship
Becoming part of Indonesian society isn’t enough just by living here—you also need to understand its cultural values. The five cultural practices above will help you build better relationships, avoid misunderstandings, and feel more accepted.
If you want to get to know Indonesian culture more deeply and learn the language in a fun way, join our online classes at Basantara! You can learn Indonesian directly from teachers while understanding the social and cultural context.
