New Fast Boat Services Connect Bali Tourists With Nusa Penida

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Anyone who has been in Sanur over the last month will have noticed things looking and feeling a little different…a little clearer and fresher. This is because local leaders have been following through on commitments to keep the area operating as efficiently as possible for both local communities and tourists.

One of the biggest ways this new change will be sustained is through transportation upgrades, which we here at The Bali Sun welcome, and many of you will think has been a long time coming.

Leaders in Sanur have confirmed that a limited trial will take place, reopening Mertasari Pier to help alleviate and better distribute fast boat passenger traffic from Sanur Port.

The port at Sanur has only relatively recently undergone a major upgrade itself, which is proving so successful that demand for travel out of the area is already surpassing its capacity. 

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From mid-February, Sanur’s Mertasari Pier will be available for a select group of fast boat providers to operate additional schedules connecting tourists to Nusa Penida. Nyoman Putrawan told reporters, “We have gone through a long coordination process, including with the Intaran Traditional Village, which is part of PT Pengelola Mertasari Bersama, which manages the pier.”

He added that operational trials will still be conducted on a limited basis, involving local fast boats and tourism businesses. He stated that, based on data from the Intaran Traditional Village, there are around 60 fast boat operators who are members of the Intaran Fast Boat Entrepreneurs Association.

Putrawan explained, “This trial is initially focused on local businesses. It will be expanded gradually, involving other parties, including associations and operators outside Sanur, while we wait for all regulations to be finalized.”

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One of the key reasons why Mertasari Pier is going to be reopened is to help alleviate tourist traffic around Sanur Port. By redirecting some of the traffic down to Mertasari Pier, there should, in theory, be a little less congestion around Sanur Port and the surrounding roads.

This should help make it easier for local community members to navigate around their village and for tourists to access the transport hub without getting stuck in traffic. 

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The Head of the Denpasar City Transportation Agency, Ketut Sriawan, told reporters that as demand for travel to Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan grows, long-term solutions such as this must be put in place.

He explained, “This will reduce the parking burden in the Sanur tourist area, especially on Jalan Danau Tamblingan, while also integrating land and sea transportation.”

He also touched on how both Sanur and neighboring Serangan have been designated as National Strategic Tourism Areas (Serangan to be known as the Kura Kura Special Economic Zone), which means that long-term solutions to infrastructure operations must be put in place. Demand for travel in both of these areas is increasing already, even though it is technically the low season. 

Yudy Suardana, Resort Manager of Sumitra Luxury Villas and Resort by Pramana, which sits next to Mertasari Pier, welcomed the idea and told reporters of his hopes that it would have a knock-on positive effect for local businesses.

He told reporters, “As far as I know, the pier existed long before this resort was built. It was delayed, and now there’s news that a trial run will be conducted again. So, you could say this is like a windfall for us.”

He added, “Around 15 percent of our market consists of tourists who, after visiting Nusa Penida or Lembongan, choose to stay overnight in Sanur before returning home. With this pier, we’re optimistic there will be a domino effect on occupancy.”

Suardana confirmed that Sanur, Nusa Penida, and Nusa Lembongan continue to have mass appeal to tourists across demographics.

He revealed that Sumitra Luxury Villas and Resort’s guest list is currently made up mostly by Australian tourists who account for around 50 percent of total guests. The next largest market is Europe, including Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, followed by tourists from the United States.

He concluded, “Middle Eastern tourists are also starting to arrive, and quite a few honeymooners are from Korea. India’s numbers are still very small, while Chinese tourists have been seen since December, although not yet significant.”