Getting there and around

Getting There

BY AIR: Bali can be easily reached by air as there are now many International Airlines operating scheduled flights to Ngurah Rai International Airport. In addition to Garuda Indonesia, the National Flag carrier, there are several foreign operators flying to Bali.
Most of the other International Airlines fly to Singapore – the nearest foreign airport, from which the flight to Bali is only two and a half hours. There are also flights to Bali via Jakarta from Abu Dhabi, Rome, Zurich, Brussels and Frankfurt, while regular flights to Australia touch down at Darwin, Port Hedland, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville.

OVERLAND: Bali is connected to Java by a regular ferry service running between Gilimanuk and Banyuwangi. If you are taking the train or night bus from Jakarta, Bandung or Yogyakarta, travel first to Surabaya for the connection to Banyuwangi, where you will board another bus for the final passage to Denpasar. Petrol pumps and service stations are to be found in every large town, however in an emergency there are always roadside kiosks selling fuel out of drums and bottles at a slightly more expensive price.

BY SEA: Two of the four sea ports in Bali that are anchored by International cruise ships and yachts are: Benoa, south of Denpasar, and Padangbai on the east coast for larger and luxury cruise ships. The harbor of Singaraja (Telukan Bawang), on the north coast now plays host only to very few Bugis schooners and smaller crafts serving the line between North Bali and Java. Gilimanuk, in the northwest, links Bali with Java where a regular ferry service connects the two islands around the clock.

Getting Around

UPON ARRIVAL: If your hotel has not arranged transportation from the airport, you will be able to hire a taxi from the transport counter outside the arrival gate. Fares are listed by destination and must be paid in advance. Metered taxis are also available in Kuta, Sanur, Nusa Dua and Denpasar.

BY BEMO OR DOKAR: Bemos, pickups or mini-vans, cover the short routes between towns. They are not air-conditioned and can be crowded, but they are cheap. Fares vary according to distance, and bargaining is recommended. Alternatively, for something different, hop on a traditional dokar. These small horse-drawn carts are still available in Kuta and Denpasar and a shore ride costs next to nothing.

To reach Lovina from Denpasar by public transport you need to get a bus from Ubung Terminal to Singaraja then you take regular blue bemos from Singaraja’s Sukasada terminal to Kalibukbuk, you can also get this bemos from Banyuasri terminal or you can flag them down anywhere on the mainroad of Singaraja. For getting around in Lovina you can travel back and forth with bemos, rent a motorcycle, bicycle or car.