THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Bali and Lombok - page 265

BY BOAT
Car ferry to Lembar An hourly service operates 24hr and takes 4hr. Tickets are Rp40,000/
person; motorbikes Rp112,000 (including two people); cars from Rp733,000 (including pas-
sengers). Perama ( peramatour.com ) runs a cheap and hassle-free daily car ferry-and-bus
combo to Senggigi using this connection (9am; 6hr; Rp100,000). Let your rental agency
know beforehand that you intend to travel between Bali and Lombok to ensure all require-
ments are met (see Rental vehicles ) .
Fast boats to the Gili Islands and mainland Lombok Half a dozen different operators offer
services to Gili Trawangan (1hr 30min-2hr; Rp200,000-700,000), and on to Bangsal, Teluk
Kodek or Senggigi on mainland Lombok (same price), most leaving Padang Bai between
8.30am and 9.30am, with additional departures in high season. Some operators stop off at
Gili Air as well. Scoot has two daily boats to Nusa Lembongan (1hr). Tickets are sold online,
in shops and from freelance agents throughout Padang Bai; the price varies a lot according to
demand and your bargaining skills. Full-price tickets include transfers from south Bali. It's
good to check the safety record of unknown operators before purchasing a ticket, especially
in rough weather. Reliable daily services include Blue Water Express ( 0361 895 1111,
bluewater-express.com ) , Gili Cat ( 0361 271680, gilicat.com ) , Giligili ( 0361 763306,
giligilifastboat.com ), Marina Srikandi ( 0361 729818, marinasrikandi.com ) and Scoot
Cruise ( 0361 285522, scootcruise.com ) .
BY TAXI
Fixed-price taxis from Ngurah Rai Airport cost Rp350,000 (2hr); preordered pick-ups from
Padang Bai will charge around the same amount.
TOURS AND ACTIVITIES
Courses You can do courses in batik, ikat , basket-weaving, Balinese dance, sculpture, cook-
ing, wayang kulit and more at Topi Inn , from Rp160,000.
Tours Pak Pret is a recommended local driver and guide for east Bali excursions (Rp400,000/
day); his tour agency is located opposite the boat jetty on Jl Silayukti (daily 6am-9pm;
0813 3836 4551, [e-mail] ); he can also arrange car and scooter rental
(Rp200,000/50,000/day).
ACCOMMODATION
Except for Bloo Lagoon Village , none of Padang Bai's accommodation is more than 10min
walk from the ferry port or jetty, or more than 200m from the sea. This also means that
nowhere is out of earshot of the ferry announcements and horn blasts which resound through
the village at all hours.
Bamboo Paradise Jl Penataran Agung 0822 6630 4330, bambooparadisebali.com . A
cosy Dutch-run hostel and homestay with good dorms and a variety of basic private rooms.