Padang Bai

Padang Bai (also Padangbai and Padang Bay) is a small port town in East Bali.

Understand
Most visitors to Padang Bai are there to catch a boat to Lombok. However, it is a charming little place in its own right and many people cancel their trip in order to spend more time in this lovely village. Spending a night or two here will certainly not be time wasted.

There is good diving and snorkeling in the immediate area, and a number of operators are present to cater for those activities. This is also a fairly convenient base from which to explore some of the wider attractions of East Bali. Accommodation tends to be quite basic and aimed at the backpacker market, although 3 stars villa is also available. The serenity of Padang Bai is suitable for old citizens or who want quiet place, no nightlife here.

By car
If you don't want to go to Lombok, rental car maybe is the best option. Rental car can be reserved online and picked up and returned at Ngurah Rai International Airport. Many rental cars now use Low Cost Green Car for Rp 150,000-175,000 per day with capacity maximum for 4 passengers including driver seats. The car Daihatsu Ayla and Toyota Agya is suitable for 2 persons with maximum 170 cm height and 2 children. Indonesia fuel price is relatively cheap and the cars run 15 to 20 km/L.

By taxi
Padang Bai is about 90 minutes by taxi from Ngurah Rai International Airport and a pre-paid coupon costs Rp 400,000.

Padang Bai is 54 km east from Denpasar and takes about 1 hour to 90 minutes to drive from the southern tourist areas of Kuta and Legian.

By bemo
Bemos may ply the main east coast route between Klungkung, Padang Bai and Candidasa. Bemos routed through Padang Bai leave from Batubulan terminal in Denpasar.

Bemos and minibuses arrive at, and depart from, the port entrance; orange bemos from Amlapura (25 km, Rp 30,000) via Candidasa, blue or white bemos from Klungkung and pale-brown minibuses for Amlapura or Batubulan terminal in Denpasar.

As of June 2024, it is more difficult to get one. If you try, be patient and have a fallback (hitchhike - lots of traffic on the main road, mostly trucks and tourist cars, or taxi/grab/gojek).

By boat
There are slow public ferries from Lembar (Lombok) every hour, 24 hours a day. The trip normally takes four hours (but it can be considerably longer in poor weather) and costs Rp 36,000. Ferry staff often offer their private room to tourists for an extra Rp 50,000. The room is clean and comfortable with 2 or 3 beds. It should be understood that this ferry has a poor safety record. There is a ticket office, waiting area and small cafe adjacent to the pier.

There are fast boat services from the Gili Islands via Teluk Kode (Lombok) to Padang Bai. Operators have been coming and going, but one constant has been the Gili Cat service for Rp 660,000 one way. Travel time is 2 hours. Gili Cat leaves Padang Bai daily at 09:00 and arrives at Teluk Kode (Lombok) at 10:00 and at Gili Trawangan Harbour at 10:30. In high season there's also a departure at 14:00.

There is another boat service from Sampalan at Nusa Penida to Padang Bai. Travel time is about one hour.

Get around
Everything in town is within walking distance (1-2 km). If you want to explore the surrounding area, motorbike rental and car rental are widely available. You can go on a one day tour to Candidasa, Tirta Gangga, Taman Ujung (Edge Sukasada Park), and see sunset at Lempuyang Temple.

Go next
Padang Bai functions as the gateway to Lombok and the Gilis for those traveling by boat.

Public ferry
Slow ferries go to Lembar on Lombok (Rp 40,000) and Nusa Penida (Rp 36,000). Book at the larger pier inside the harbor.

Fast boat
Virtually everyone in town will try and sell you fast boat tickets. During low season (Oct 2014) pricing appears to be extremely flexible. Posted prices can be up to Rp 660,000 for a one-way trip to the Gilis, but you may be able to negotiate open-ended return trip tickets for Rp 333,333. Prices during high season are likely much less negotiable.

Combined bus & boat tickets
Many operators offer combined tickets including both the slow ferry to Lembar and a follow up bus transfer on Lombok, e.g. to Senggigi (Rp 100,000) or Kuta Lombok (Rp 200,000). Such combined Tickets are also a cheap alternative to the fast but expensive speed boats to Gili (ferry to Lembar, bus transfer to Bangsal, ferry to Gili Air/Meno/Trawangan; Rp 150,000).

Beaches
The main beach is generally awash with colorful double outrigger fishing boats in the shape of a marlin. The front of the boat is shaped with the point of its mouth open wide and large eyes looking to the heavens. Either side of the main beach are two other hidden coves with nice, quiet white sand beaches.



Temples
If you need a break from the beaches, there are some temples to discover. Although not particularly famous, these temples are nevertheless worth a visit. Padang Bai has five major temples: Pura Dalem, downtown, Pura Segara, next to the beach in between town and the main beach, Pura Telagamas, Pura Silayukti and Pura Tanjungsari in the eastern end of Padang Bai. Don't forget to bring a sarong and a sash.



Do
Ocean activities are the way to go. There is good snorkeling in the bay, though the snorkeling at the Blue Lagoon is even better. Many of the local dive operators organize trips to this spot but you can easily walk to your destination. If the waves are large, don't bother snorkeling as the visibility will be minimal. On a calm day, expect great visibility and lots of fish. Buoys mark the farthest point snorkelers should go. For even better snorkeling you can charter a boat.

Diving
Padangbai is noted for its diving, and the friendly dive centers are right on the beach with their own bars for after-diving refreshments.



Buy
There are many ATMs in Padang Bai: BRI bank 100m away the police station (doesn't always function, gives a maximum of Rp 500,000 and does not accept Visa cards), Bank Mandiri 200 m from the harbour along the beach road (accepts Visa cards and gives a maximum of Rp 2,500,000), BCA and Danamon on the main road next to the Police station.

Eat
Padang Bai restaurants feature good-priced seafood and the usual travellers' fare.



Drink
There are plenty of bars and small cafes to choose from along the beach in the village. On entering Padang Bai, head over to the left of the bay, keeping the ferry jetty to your right. The road here runs along the beach and is full of activity, dive shops, bars and small home stays.



Sleep
A wide choice of budget-leaning accommodation is available in the village, and along the road behind the beach. Upstairs rooms in the village places, especially up on the hill, catch the breeze and have fine views.

Stay safe
There are reports of cases involving aggressive porters at the dock demanding excessive payments when you are waiting to board the ferry. To be safe, do not allow anyone else to carry your luggage.

There have also been cases with local taxi drivers/touts becoming extremely aggressive and threatening violence if they learn you are going to use Uber/Grab taxi/go-jek. Reports of locals ganging together and opening doors, shouting and dragging bags out of the cars to prevent you using the taxi apps. Be careful as it is extremely intimidating.

Go next

 * Easy drive or bus transfer to the popular East Bali areas of Candidasa, Mount Agung and Amed.
 * By ferry to Lembar (Lombok).
 * Gili Cat and Perama operate boat services from Padang Bai to the Gili Islands.