New Water Taxi Routes Will Drastically Reduce Travel Time For Bali Tourists

Share The Article

Bali is launching a series of new water taxi services that will radically change the way tourists travel around the island.

As fast boat services connect tourists with outlying islands like Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan, now, ocean taxi services are connecting top tourism resorts around the island. 

A new ocean taxi service looks set to be launched between Benoa and Tanjung Benoa in Denpasar. The service has undergone a trial period, and leaders are confident that introducing the routes as a permanent offering would help boost tourism and benefit local communities. 

Speaking to reporters, the Executive Director of 3 Pelindo Daru Wicaksono Julianto, explained, “We want to ensure that development not only touches the infrastructure aspect, but also brings direct benefits for the local community.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GoBoat.id (@goboat.id)

The trial ocean taxi service operated between Pier 1 at Benoa Port and the harbor at Tanjung Benoa. The route only takes 10-15 minutes, depending on the tide and wave height, which cuts the travel time down by half. Typically, it takes 30 minutes by road traveling over the Bali Mandara Toll Road. 

Julianto also explained that the development of water taxis docking in Tanjung Benoa would help strengthen five micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM) outlets, which are assisted by the BUMN through the social and environmental responsibility program (TJSL).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GoBoat.id (@goboat.id)

Speaking separately, the Head of Tanjung Benoa Village, Made Wijaya, welcomed the presence of the pier and new boat services and appreciated the initiative that was in line with the values of local people. “We are very grateful for his attention to the indigenous people of Tanjung Benoa.

The presence of this pier not only increases access, but also opens up new opportunities for culture and marine-based tourism.”

Tourists traveling to the Benoa area of Bali will also see more cruise travel activity happening in the area as it enters the final stages of its transformation into the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub.

The multi-million dollar transformation of Benoa Harbor now means that the port area can accommodate three cruise ships that are up to 1,100 square meters in size at any given time.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GoBoat.id (@goboat.id)

The new ocean taxi service is not the only sea shuttle to be operating in Bali. Over the last two years, GoBoat has expanded its route network across Bali, the outlying islands, and even Lombok Province.

With over 300 departures daily, tourists can hop aboard fast boat services connecting to destinations like Nusa Penida or the Gili Islands, or travel by boat to help avoid traffic between Canggu and Uluwatu. 

Over the coming months, tourists can expect to see even more ocean taxi services launching, as well as improved fast boat and ferry services, and an increased focus on cruise travel. Just last week, Bali celebrated the launch of a brand new fast boat service connecting travelers from Denpasar to Banyuwangi in East Java.

The new boat service not only offers domestic tourists and commuters an affordable and efficient way to travel between East Java and Bali, but also offers international tourists the chance to experience more of what Indonesia has to offer.

East Java has a wealth of travel opportunities to explore, including the incredible Mount Ijen, which is considered to be one of the most impressive bucket list activities in all of Indonesia. 

The Banyuwangi – Denpasar fast boat service takes just 3 hours and dramatically cuts down the travel between the two regions.

While the ferry crossing between Bali’s Gilimanuk and Banywangi is typically only 30 minutes, traveling from central Denpasar to Gilimanuk by car takes at least four hours, often more. 

Last week, officials confirmed that the Banyuwangi-Denpasar route will be operated exclusively on the Express Bahari fast boat.

The service will operate 6 days a week, except on Tuesdays. The Banyuwangi-Denpasar route is scheduled to depart at 9:00 a.m. local time. The Denpasar-Banyuwangi route departs at 2 pm local time.