Bali, the famed Island of the Gods, with its varied landscape of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic.
![]() Public Ferry | Bali To Lombok. Ferry To Lombok – Bali. The public ferry departs from Padang Bai on the northeast coast of Bali. Without heavy traffic this drive can take less than one and a half hours. Getting to Padang Bai is relatively easy. Once you are on the bypass heading north, you simply follow the signs. Drive cautiously as this road is currently under construction and often times northbound and southbound traffic will converge to the same side of the median, sharing available lanes. After approximately one hour, the bypass returns to a two- lane road at which point you should keep a lookout for a sign directing you to the right turn towards the harbor. After a brief drive down this twisty road, you will see the ticketing gate at the end. Only purchase your tickets at the harbor ticketing windows. Ferries are scheduled to leave every hour, but with unloading and loading times, the ferry will seldom leave on time. A ferry departing at 4am might actually leave at 5am or later, and as a result it will delay those ferries behind it. Further delays are unlikely but possible, and a backup plan may help minimize any inconveniences and frustrations. As a general safety precaution, it is recommended to avoid taking the ferry when there are poor weather conditions. Another word of caution: There is a police checkpoint upon entering the harbor and you will be asked for both the registration of your vehicle and a driver’s license. Plan accordingly to make sure you have a valid International Driver’s License for operating a car, a motorcycle, or both. For rental vehicles, only the original registration will guarantee a smooth passage, as photocopies are not always tolerated. If traveling via scooter or motorcycle, make sure are wearing your helmet(s) at all times. Following the checkpoint you will arrive at several ticketing lanes clearly marked with pictures for scooters, cars, or trucks. The signs, however, are written in Indonesian only. Prices (IDR) as of April 2. Per Person. Adult 3. Child 2. 3,0. 00. Per Unit. Bicycle 5. Motorcycle (including 1 OR 2 people) 1. Motorcycle > 5. OR 2 people) 2. 32,0. Freight Vehicle up to 5 meters (Kendaraan Barang) 6. Passenger Vehicle up to 5 meters (Kendaraan Penumpang) 6. Freight Vehicle up to 7 meters (Kendaraan Barang) 1,0. Passenger Vehicle up to 7 meters (Kendaraan Penumpang) 1,2. Truck or Bus up to 1. Truck or Bus more than 1. Following the purchase of your ticket, you will be given 2 identical paper receipts and a plastic card. You will wait, hopefully not long, as mostly trucks and scooters exit the ferry first. Queue up normally and just prior to boarding the ferry you will pass the plastic card and receipt to the staff. You should retain one of the receipts as proof of purchase.Ferry staff will direct you where to park.Scooters and motorcycles should be put on their center stands and steering left unlocked.Remove all valuables from the scooter; helmets can be locked to the scooter, but it is recommended to take them with you into the cabin. . Every ferry is different but they all have comparable layouts.The lower deck is for vehicles.Above that is usually the passenger deck. Some have rooftop access, such as the Iron Miracle, which actually has some wooden lounge chairs on the roof that is suitable for sunbathing. There is almost always an “Executive Room” that is air- conditioned. The boats are not new, for example, the Iron Miracle is a Japanese ferry built in 1. There have, however, been modern additions and renovations throughout. The bridge boasts newer electronic safety devices such as radar, GPS, and radios. The “Executive Room” can be either one area, or several partitioned rooms. One ship may have airport- like rows of seating while another ship may have larger captains chairs. There is usually at least one area to rent a bed for around 2. IDR. Some have an additional open area that you can lay down in for free but without a sleeping pad. Rooms are also sometimes available with a varying number of beds for around 5. IDR but may or may not be air- conditioned and the price before entering the ferry might be less than when you actually walk onto the deck. In addition to the different layouts, each ship has a varying number of locals attempting to sell you overpriced goods and services. This can range from a casual sales attempt to telling 5 people within 3 minutes that you don’t want a cup of instant noodles or a sarong. It is best to politely decline their offer to avoid any confrontations. Some ferries will have a food “bar” with an ample selection of snack food. Although prices on the ferry aren’t ridiculously expensive, they are significantly marked up from normal prices. A bottle of water that is normally one thousand rupiah may be five thousand or more, Pop Mie Instant Noodles are normally two thousand but on the ferry they cost ten thousand, and charging your phone could run you five thousand rupiah as well. Unfortunately, there is not usually freshly cooked food. Plan accordingly and purchase whatever you will need for the journey before entering the harbor altogether. As a worst- case scenario, buy some nasi campur (rice with mixed vegetables/meat wrapped in banana leaves or wax paper) from those selling it in the harbor as you queue before boarding the ferry; this will be a less expensive and more satisfying option. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water and tissues and have your phone and other electronics fully charged. Lombok Ferry From Padang Bai Harbour. Taking the ferry after midnight can be a good way to get some rest and save on one night’s accommodation. Most boats will have at least one tv, but sometimes many more. The movies that are playing may or may not be in English, and may or may not have subtitles. Overall, the staff is very friendly and it wouldn’t hurt to journey to the anjungan, or command room, to give a knock and say hello to the captain. Upon arrival to the port in Lembar, a loud chime will sound and staff will go around to make sure everyone is awake and prepared to exit. Gather your things and wait inside of the Executive Room or on the passenger deck, as the idling trucks below cause it to get quite polluted with exhaust fumes. It won’t hurt to be one of the last people to exit the ferry, so just relax and enjoy the harbor view. When exiting the ferry, be cautious of the declined ramp and grating, it can sometimes be slippery for those on a scooter or motorcycle. From Lembar you can easily travel north and south to the various offerings of Lombok. All roads are in good condition with easily spotted signs most of the time. The process is the same for the return journey to Bali, with the police checkpoint at the exit of Padang Bai Harbor. Pros. Low cost. You already have means of transportation if you travel via car/scooter. Save on one night’s accommodation if leaving after midnight. Air conditioned lounges. Scenic views when taking a daytime ferry. Ferries leaving approximately every hour or so. There is most likely onboard entertainment such as movies or music. A unique experience. Cons. With a commute to Padang Bai, the waiting for loading and unloading and the ferry ride itself, this option takes a long time and can be quite fatiguing. No guarantee on how good or bad your ferry will be. Pushy locals selling overpriced goods and services. Xforce Keygen For Showcase 2013 Honda here. No freshly prepared food, only instant noodles etc.The possibility of rain while driving to Padang Bai on a scooter.Private Boat Charter – Lombok Bali. Indonesia By Motorcycle: How, Why, Where, Advice & Tips. Indonesia is an amazingly vast and impressive country. When I first arrived here I thought one month would be enough. HA! How wrong I was. Six months later and I am still exploring this diverse country. Doing almost all of it by motorcycle, as well. Many Westerns are scared or worried about navigating the wild and unpredictable streets of Indonesia — or any nation in Southeast Asia for that matter. Audrey of That Backpackerwrote a post about it several months back that further reinforced peoples’ fears. However I’m here to tell you it’s not as bad as you might think. Riyanni and I caught motorcycling around an elephant sanctuary in Siak during filming. For starters there are many upsides to renting a motorcycle while abroad. It is really inexpensive. Ridiculously cheap, in fact. Throughout most of Indonesia prices are $5/day, $2. That’s an absolute bargain. Fuel costs even less than that. For example, I traveled 4. Jogja to Surabaya in 7hrs using less than $5 worth of fuel. By contrast a train ticket would have cost me $2. I wouldn’t have met any cool locals along the way. Karanganya, home to several temples that foreigners never visit. Beyond the financial issue there is also the added bonus of being able to set your own schedule and go where you want, when you want. Renting a motorcycle allows you to avoid a multitude of things such as tour groups, waiting on buses/trains, and being stuck with crowds of foreign tourists. This is especially beneficial when your hotel or hostel tries to get you to join a group to see those stereotypical tourist attractions, like Borobudur or Mount Ijen. Tidak perlu, saya punya motor.” (“No need, I have a motorcycle.”) But hey, if you want to travel halfway around the world just to hang out with foreigners, that’s your choice. However I must at least try and encourage you to interact with locals more, to live the local way of life. It’s much more educational and rewarding. Plus when (or if) you ever return home then you will have a lot more to be thankful for. Accident Liability. In Indonesia the larger vehicle is always responsible and must pay damages (e. As such, you’ll find that vehicles on the road here usually tend to be very careful to avoid hitting anyone on two wheels. I’ve done dangerous and some might even argue stupid stuff on the roads here but because of this I always scrap through unscathed. That having been said, there are a few downsides to traveling by motorcycle in Indonesia. First there is obviously the traffic in the big cities and of course the condition of some of the roads, which are not quite the smooth and orderly roads we find in North America and Europe. Potholes, sinkholes and unexpected bumps in the pavement do occur, especially in places like Sumatra where the roads are notoriously dangerous for those very reasons. Jakarta one evening. Please pardon the rough quality of the photo. It was taken by phone while driving my motorcycle one- handed through — yes, you guessed it — traffic! There is also a general state of madness on the roads in southeast Asia, at least from a Western standpoint. As one of my local Indonesian friends put it: “I thought roads here are normal. But after two years at university in UK, wow, can see why bule [caucasians] are shocked.” However they are not as bad as other countries like the Philippines where: “Here everyone drives crazy. So you just have to drive crazier!”From cars suddenly stopping in the middle of highways to people crossing the street to motorcycles zigging and zagging around seemingly everywhere at once, the roads in this corner of the world are far from what Westerns would call “organized.” There is however an organized chaos to it all and if you go into it with an open mind — and a few heads- up pointers — then you’ll see that you really have nothing to be afraid of. Well, almost nothing. Here are a few pointers to help reduce your learning curve: Just an ordinary day on the road in Jogja. International Drivers License is NOT required. This may be a bad piece of advice to start with but its the truth. Anyone can rent a bike in Indonesia, even those who have never driven one before. Of course this is both a good thing and a bad thing. One of the things I mentioned frequently on the road was “I’m not afraid of the locals — I’m afraid of the tourist who just learned how to drive five minutes ago in the parking lot.”What about the police, you may ask. Not a problem. During my first extended two month road- trip I hit everywhere in Java, circled Bali, and circled Lombok. Not once was I ever pulled over or questioned by the police. However, when taking a motorcycle onto a ferry you do have to show your proof of insurance, which comes with all rental bikes. In Padangbai, a city in east Bali, the police officer at the port also asked to see my International Drivers License. Oops, I forgot it.” The officer rolled his eyes at me, stuck out his hand and said “Limapuluh ribu,” which means 5. IDR. That’s less than $5.USD. And simple as that I was on the ferry.Drive with your lights on 2. more. ALWAYS use your turn signals. Often times at night you’ll see locals driving around without their lights. I’ve done the same thing myself several times after having a few beers. The easiest way to avoid this is — no, not to skip the beer with dinner — is rather to turn your headlights on when you first get the bike and never turn them off. They shut off automatically when the motorcycle is off so don’t worry about draining the battery. Always remember to use your turn signals as well. When bikes are weaving in and out of each other and people are driving every which way, that turn signal is the only way people around you know what you are thinking and where you plan on going. Proper driving etiquette here in SEA is to pay attention to everyone around you. The locals will assume that you are also doing the same to them. Don’t be afraid to use your horn. In other parts of the world honking your horn at another driver is disrespectful. Not here in Indonesia. It is actually quite the opposite. It’s considered courteous and respective to do so, especially if you think the other driver might not see you. Use it when passing cars, trucks, buses, bicycles, becaks, even people walking alongside the road. Just as a warning, so they know you are coming. You also want to do it when approaching any free- for- all intersections or running red lights. That brings me to my next item…Drive as the locals do. This includes running red lights, driving down sidewalks or the wrong way down a one- way street, even making illegal u- turns. All of this is standard driving practice in Indonesia and will make it look like you have been in the country a lot longer than you have. With the exception of the southern part of Bali (Kuta, Sanur, Uluwatu) the police do not care the slightest about any of these tactics. In Indonesia it is first come, first serve. Even at convenience stores, where locals frequently skip the queue and just cut in front of others, especially foreigners. Just an ordinary day on two wheels in Indonesia. Also, if you start to notice that many other motorcyclists around you have their raincovers on already despite the fact that it has yet to start raining, you might want to pull over and put yours on real fast. Chances are that the rain is only a few minutes away. Slow down before bridges and railroad crossings. Most of these are bumpy, especially the railroad tracks. Large gaps several centimeters across in between the pavement and the rail are commonplace. Combine that with the lumps in the pavement and it’s easy to go flying. One time I hit a railroad crossing at 1. I literally flew out of my seat, completely lifted up into the air. Luckily my front tire was pointed straight forward and I had a tight grip on the handlebars. This railroad crossing isn’t bad but some of the others are more holes than pavement. Bridges are not as bad. Some of these are quite smooth actually. But many have a rough bump and the beginning and ending, where the bridge meets the roadway. Just to be on the safe side you want to slow down for these as well, especially if you see the other drivers around you doing the same thing. Be aware of potholes, sinkholes, and gaps in the pavement. These occasionally occur in the big cities but are more frequent on the long stretches of road in between cities. For the most part Java is not that bad. Other islands like Sumatra are a completely different story.
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