Basics - The Rough Guide to Bali and Lombok - page 46

Bemos and buses
On both Bali and Lombok, public transport predominantly consists of buses and bemos. Be-
mos are minibuses of varying sizes: tiny ones scurry around local routes, while larger ver-
sions travel further afield. Buses operate long-distance routes such as Denpasar to Singaraja,
Denpasar to Amlapura, and Mataram to Labuhan Lombok. Because of the rise in motorbike
ownership, bemos are declining on the islands year on year making public transport ever
more time-consuming. Bemos don't really have fixed timetables, generally leaving every
hour or so (or when full). They are usually cheaper than buses as they take longer.
You can pick up a bus or bemo from the terminal in bigger towns or flag one down on the
road. Fares are paid to the driver or conductor, if there is one. You can't buy tickets in ad-
vance - except for inter-island trips, such as from Bali to Java or Lombok.
No local person negotiates a fare . When they want to get off they yell “Stoppa”, hop out
and pay the fixed fare. This system has variable accessibility to tourists. Some bemo drivers
insist on agreeing the price beforehand; tourists are usually charged several times the local
fare. At a few of the main terminals there are charts of prices to major destinations, but it
can be hard to find them. Ask a few locals what the fare should be and carry small notes so
you can pay the exact amount. If you sit with your luggage on your knees, you should not be
charged extra for it but bulky rucksacks will entail a supplement of around Rp5000.
Tourist shuttle buses
The most established tourist shuttle bus operator is Perama ( peramatour.com ) , serving
all major tourist destinations. Fares generally work out at least double that of public transport,
but the service is usually direct, while bemo routes often require connections; also there's
room for luggage, wheelchairs, buggies and surfboards. For example, fares from Kuta are
Rp50,000 to Ubud and Rp125,000 to Lovina. It's best to book the day before, though you can
sometimes get a seat the same day.
There are several rival companies operating on both Bali and Lombok who advertise
throughout tourist areas and offer a similar service, but are not as high profile. These are
worth checking out if, for example, the Perama office is inconveniently far from the town
centre (as in Lovina and Ubud): a rival company may drop you more centrally. They can also
make for a calmer arrival: every hotel tout on Bali and Lombok knows when and where the
Perama bus arrives and waits to entice passengers to their lodging. This has advantages when
beds are limited but a crowd of touts gathering to accost new arrivals can make for an un-
pleasant arrival anywhere. Smaller companies attract less attention.
Ferries and boats
Huge interisland ferries connect Bali and Lombok with the islands on either side, from Gili-
manuk to Java, from Padang Bai to Lembar on Lombok and from Labuhan on Lombok to