Indonesia: Minimal Contact — Personal Space Is Valued.
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Minimal Contact — Personal Space Is Valued. A light handshake (sometimes with a slight bow or hand-to-chest gesture afterward) is standard, but keep it gentle — a firm Western-style handshake can come across as overly forceful.
Indonesia: Minimal Contact — Personal Space Is Valued. A light handshake (sometimes with a slight bow or hand-to-chest gesture afterward) is standard, but keep it gentle — a firm Western-style handshake can come across as overly forceful.
In Indonesia, a light handshake or verbal greeting is fine, but personal space is valued and closer contact is reserved for close relationships.
A light handshake or friendly nod is a safe default almost anywhere in the world. Let the other person initiate anything closer, like a hug or cheek kiss — following their lead avoids any awkwardness.
This reflects the general, most common pattern for a destination, not a fixed rule — greeting style varies by region, generation, and setting, and it's always fine to follow the other person's lead or offer a simple handshake if you're unsure.