Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 242

INFORMATION
Tourist offce There's a (not particularly helfpful) tourist
o ce just off Puputan Square, at Jln Surapati 7 (Mon-
Thurs 7.30am-3.30pm, Fri 8am-1pm; T 0361 234569).

sarongs, batik cloth and ceremonial gear,
but you may get landed with a self-
appointed guide. he four-storey Pasar
Kumbasari is across on the west bank of
the river just south off Jalan Gajah Mada,
and is another good source of inexpensive
handicrafts and clothes.

GETTING AROUND
Bemos Colour-coded public bemos shuttle between the
city's bemo terminals and cost about Rp5000, though
frequencies are erratic (more common in the morning).
Turquoise Kereneng-Ubung bemos go past the tourist
o ce; both the dark blue Tegal-Sanur bemos and the
beige Kereneng-Tegal bemos will take you close to the
downtown department stores on Jl Dewi Sartika.
Taxis Metered taxis circulate around the city (Rp5000
flagfall, then Rp5000/km). Bali Taksi, recognizable by its
distinctive blue colour, or Bluebird, with a small bird logo
on its roof light, are the most reliable choices.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane All flights to Bali land at Ngurah Rai Airport,
which is not in Denpasar as usually implied, but just south
of Kuta (see p.246). Taxis charge Rp70,000-90,000 to/
from Denpasar.
By bemo or public bus Denpasar has four main
terminals, from where trans-city bemos beetle into the
centre and out to the other bemo stations. Bemos from
Tegal run to destinations south of Denpasar; Batubulan
is for Ubud, east and north Bali; and Ubung serves north
and west Bali, Padang Bai (for Lombok) and Java. No
shuttle buses operate out of Denpasar. Bemo services are
becoming less reliable on certain shorter routes because
of the huge rise in motorbike ownership, so expect to wait
for up to an hour between departures, especially in the
afternoon; most don't run after 5pm.
Destinations from Batubulan terminal Candi Dasa (2hr);
Gianyar (1hr); Kintamani (1hr 30min); Kuta (eastern edge;
DAMRI buses; 40min); Padang Bai (for Lombok; 1hr 40min);
Sanur (western edge; 20min); Semarapura (1hr 20min);
Singaraja (Penarukan terminal; 3hr); Ubud (50min).
Destinations from Kereneng terminal

ACCOMMODATION
Nakula Familiar Inn Jl Nakula 4, a 10min walk from the
museum or a 15min walk from Tegal bemo terminal
T 0361 226446, W nakulafamiliarinn.com. Welcoming
family-run losmen with plain, huge, mode rn fan room s;
ones with a/c or TVs cost an extra Rp50,000. Rp175,000
Niki Rusdi Jl Pidada, just behind Ubung bus and bemo
terminal T 0361 416397, W hotelnikirusdi.com. Good clean
fan and a/c rooms at this little hotel that's id eal for Ubung bus
departures/arrivals, though also a bit noisy. Rp150,000
Taman Suci Jl Imam Bonjol 45 T 0361 485254,
W tamnsuci.com. Friendly business-traveller-style hotel
with smart, if charact er-free, room s, in a convenient spot
in the centre of town. Rp375,000

4

Sanur (15-25min).
Destinations from Tegal terminal Kuta (25min); Ngurah
Rai Airport (35min); Sanur (25min).
Destinations from Ubung terminal Bedugul (1hr
30min); Cekik (3hr); Gilimanuk (3hr 15min); Jakarta
(24hr); Kediri (30min); Lalang Linggah (1hr 15min);
Medewi (1hr 30min); Singaraja (Sukasada terminal; 3hr);
Solo (15hr); Surabaya (10hr); Yogyakarta (15hr).
By boat All Pelni ships from the rest of Indonesia dock
at Benoa harbour (Pelabuhan Benoa), 10km southeast.
Pelni boat tickets for long-distance ferries can be bought
from Pelni o ces at Jl Diponegoro 165 ( T 0361 234680,
W pelni.co.id) and at Benoa harbour ( T 0361 723689).
Bemos meet the ships and take passengers into Denpasar,
terminating near Sanglah hospital. A taxi from the port
costs Rp35,000-50,000 to Denpasar, Kuta or Sanur.
Destinations from Benoa harbour

EATING
Babi Guling Jl Sutomo, next to Pura Maospahit, opposite
Bale Banjar Gerenceng. Simple warung serving the city's
best roast suckling pig. The standard plate comes with a
selection of cuts including fat, offal and crispy pigs' ears
served with rice and vegetables, but you can point to the
leaner, more expensive bits when ordering. A good feed
costs around Rp20,000-30,000. Daily 11am-10pm.
Bali Bakery Jl Hayam Wuruk 181 T 0361 243 147,
W balibakery.com. Free wi-fi, decent coffee and tasty baked
goods (from Rp10,000) to fulfil any craving; the cheese
croissants are especially tasty. Daily 7.30am-10.30pm.
Cak Asm Jl Tukad Gangga. The setting is basic, but the
food, particularly the seafood, is delicious and extremely
good value (from around Rp15,000). As a result, this
simple little café is always buzzing with customers. Daily
11am-9pm.
Pasar Malam Kereneng Off Jl Hayam Wuruk, next to
Kereneng bemo terminal. Night market with over fifty hot-
food vendors, serving from dusk to dawn. Rp20,000 will
buy you several dishes. Daily sunset-dawn.

Bima (Sumbawa;
3 fortnightly; 21-31hr); Bitung (Sulawesi; fortnightly;
5 days); Ende (Flores; fortnightly; 2 days); Kupang (West
Timor; fortnightly; 26hr); Labuanbajo (Flores; 30hr);
Makassar (Sulawesi; 2 fortnightly; 2-4 days); Maumere
(Flores; fortnightly; 3 days); Surabaya (Java; fortnightly;
23hr); Waingapu (Sumba; fortnightly; 26hr).
By ferry Benoa harbour to the Gili Islands (1-2 daily;
2hr-2hr 30min).