We usually arrive around midnight. Easiest time to arrive. Paying $50 is laughable. That’s a weeks wages for an average worker here.

In my roughly 50 entries to Indonesia, I’ve never paid a dime. Of course since obtaining lifetime residency I don’t need VOA’s any more, but I have gotten about 30 of them in the past. Average wait for me these days is 3 minutes.

I find the staff at the airport to be quite helpful. The porters used to have vests with their ID number and a big NO TIPS on them too. I don’t recall seeing the NO TIPS thing this year. I’ve always tipped nicely for helpful service. These guys are working hard.

Paying $60 for a hotel room where the AC turns off every 90 minutes doesn’t sound like any fun. I understand why someone would want a hotel close to the terminal. Heck, I paid about $60 a night for stays at the Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott during 2020 in Jakarta.