SWEDEN AS A TRAVEL DESTINATION

1.    When to go ?

When to go to Sweden is a common question among first-time Sweden travelers. But it also has an easy answer. The best time regarding when to go to Sweden is early summer, particularly June.
Around June is when to go to Sweden if you want to experience outdoor events (like Midsummer's Eve) and activities, warm weather, and long hours of daylight called the Midnight Sun.
Also, May and July are great alternatives when you're deciding when to go to Sweden. However, May can be a bit more rainy than June, and while July is warmer, it also has larger tourist crowds. July and August can also be slightly more expensive that the earlier summer months, so June is still your best bet, as far as when to go to Sweden.
If you're a budget traveler trying to decide when to go to Sweden, I'd highly recommend late August and September. The flights to Sweden will be cheaper than during the high season, along with local hotel prices. And during that time, the weather in Sweden is still mild enough for outdoor attractions, although some sights begin to close during September.
As a winter traveler in Sweden, the question is not so much when to go to Sweden (as any month between November and March is cold and snowy). No, it's more about when you can avoid the crowds in the winter sports areas. The busiest times in Swedish ski resorts are late February, March, and December. It's really idyllic during Christmas in Sweden, though, plus you can visit the romantic Christmas markets in the bigger cities. And it's also the best time to see the Northern Lights in northern Sweden.
Now you know what to expect, and it'll be easier for you to decide when to go to Sweden.

2.    Top places to visit ?

-    Stockholm
Sweden's capital, is a delightful city that was founded in the 13th century. The city is spread over  fourteen islands and its environment is both scenic and stately.  To the west is the beautiful Lake Mälaren and to the east is the Stockholm Archipelago.  Water is a unifying theme in  Stockholm and the city's beauty reflects this charming pairing.

-    Gothenburg (Göteborg)
Many travelers feel that Göteborg. Sweden's second largest city is both easier to tour and provides better exposure to the culture and people of Sweden than Stockholm.  Once known as a seaport, the city is now one of Sweden's leading cultural and sports centers. Be sure to visit the Liseberg Amusement Park, the Röhsska Museum, the Haga/Linnéstanden area for shopping, and, if you have time, take a tour of the Volvo car assembly plant. Consider using Göteborg as a base for exploration of the coastal towns to the north and the Varbergs Fortress a massive castle overlooking the North Sea.  It is located,forty miles to the south of Goteborg and while there, you may be interested in learning more about the Hallands Kulturhistoriska Museum. While in the Gothenburg area, you might want to stop in Borås, also known as the "city of sculptures".  This delightful town has a large number of high-quality, outdoor sculptures by internationally noted artists. Some of the sculptures are  whimsical and some are statements, while others are simply enchanting.

-    Uppsala
Regarded as  a center of the Swedish culture and history, the city has played a crucial role in the development of Sweden. At the center of the Old Town visit the Domkyrkan (Cathedral) and the Castle.  Uppsala is less than an hour by train from Stockholm.

-    Southeastern coast/smaland
The Southeastern section of the coast of Sweden features beautiful seascapes, interesting islands, and a good bit of history.  There are several historic towns to see in the area and you might consider Kalmar as a base for your trip.

-    Crystal country
West of Kalmar and southeast of Växjö in Smaland Province , is the famous crystal production area of Sweden  often called the Kingdom of Crystal.  If you like crystal and would like to take home some new pieces, this area is a must see as there are more than a dozen producers of high quality crystal in this area, including Orrefors and Kosta Boda.

-    Gotland
If you want to bask in the sun, enjoy idyllic countryside, and explore an interesting historic area, the island of Gotland may be just the place for you.  The Island has a long history as a trading center.  Visby , a Viking strong hold awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, is considered to be the best preserved, fortified commercial city in Europe.

-    Gota canal
The Gota Canal is a continuous, scenic, waterway that connects the east and west coasts of Sweden.  Although represented as connecting Gothenburg with Stockholm, the Canal  actually connects Mem on the Baltic through Lake Vättern to Sjötorp on Lake Vänern with the Trollhätte Canal connecting to the west coast of the country.

3.    How to get there from Jakarta ?

We should go by plane from Cengkareng Airport , Jakarta .

4.    How to travel in that country ?

Getting around Sweden is easy. Choose from a number of airlines, trains, ferries, buses or go by car. Swedes uses their public transportation frequently. There are various types of coupons according to each city's bus, metro or tram system. These are usually bought in kiosks or information centers. We can use city cards. With the Swedish city cards, you get free public transportation and free admission to countless attractions in Stockholm. The card pays for itself immediately. Your other option for "almost-free" transportation would be using Stockholm's CityBikes, the popular bicycle rental service. In good weather, at least. You can use bike to Explore Sweden's estates, lakes and forests . The Stockholm Card (Stockholmskortet) offers free public transport in Stockholm and the surrounding area, free admission to 80 museums and attractions, free sightseeing by boat, free parking and several other benefits. The Stockholm Card are available at tourist information offices in Stockholm and the surrounding area, SL (Stockholm Transit Authority) information centers, most campsites, and youth hostels, or before your departure at Stockholm Visitors Board website.
The SL Travel Card gives access to public transportation throughout the Greater Stockholm area.
Rates:
115 SEK($17/£11/€13) for24hours
200SEK($34/£22/€26) for72hours
300 SEK ($44/£28/€34) for 7 days

Children age 7- 20/Senior citizens (+65):
70SEK($10/£7/€8) for24hours
140SEK($20.5/£13/€16)for72hours
180 SEK ($26/£17/€20) for 7 days

All travel cards are also valid on the Djurgården ferry from Slussen to Djurgården with Waxholmsbolaget.

5.    How much $ should you take ?

For plane is about USD 1,371 + USD 1,371 by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. If you want to stay in Sweden, we suggest to stay in hostel. Why? Because it’s cheaper than hotel if you want to stay more than 5 days . We suggest to stay in 2kronon Hostel Vasastan, this hostel is a 5 minute walk from Odenplan Metro Station. Guest can walk to several restaurants, bars and shops on the neighboring Sveavägen and Odengatan streets. Stockholm City Library and Stockholm Observatory are just around the corner. If you want to stay about 10 days for twin room with shared bathroom . It’s only SEK 6500 or USD 973,700. We need visa because we are non-EU/EFTA . As of 9 January 2012 the fee for a Schengen Visa is IDR 710 000 or USD 78,592. So if we count all the cost, it’s about USD 3793 without other funds such as for shopping or something like that, but only with USD 7000 you can stay have a great trip in Sweden.

6.    Important information (visa, places to avoid, rules, student cost, people characteristics)

-    We should bring :
•    Credit card. Nearly all stores and all ATMs accept VISA and MasterCard, as well as Maestro (Switch)
•    Passport or EU national identity card as identification
•    Warm clothes and extra shoes. Weather in Sweden is unpredictable. It can get cold and/or wet, but almost never too hot.
•    Mobile phone. Swedish GSM and 3G coverages are great, at least in populated areas but don't expect it to work everywhere.
Most Swedes have liberal, cosmopolitan, secular, egalitarian and environmentalist values by Anglo-Saxon standards. This spares Western tourists from cultural clashes which might be imminent in other countries. However, some strict rules of etiquette are almost unique to Swedish people.
-    Salespeople, waiters and other service employees are usually less attentive than their colleagues in other countries, to respect customers' privacy, except a short "hej" to entering customers. Customers are supposed to call for attention.
-    Always ask if you should remove your shoes or not when entering a Swedish home. In most homes it is customary to remove your shoes. Only on very rare occasions is the wearing of shoes indoors considered acceptable.
-    Greetings between men and women who know each other (e.g., are good friends, relatives, etc.) are often in the form of a hug. Swedes don't cheek-kiss to greet but are aware that other cultures do. If you are a visitor from France and do cheek-kiss a Swede, they will return the favor but probably feel a bit awkward doing so.
-    Traveling by night can be dangerous due to unexpected animals on the roads and the cold nights during the winter. Collisions with moose, roe deer, or other animals are a not uncommon cause of car accidents.