In the coming months, a series of new water taxi services will be available directly from Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
The plan is to help tourists travel between the airport and their hotel as quickly as possible, improving the tourist experience and reducing the amount of traffic congestion on the roads.
According to the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, the new water taxi service will connect tourists directly from the airport to Bali’s most popular destinations, including the outlying island of Nusa Penida.
In an Instagram post, the Ministry of Transportation wrote, “Landing at Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali, then where to go? There are many popular tourist attractions on the Island of the Gods.”
“One of the easiest ways, besides the land route, was conveyed by Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi, namely the sea route via water taxi service. From Ngurah Rai, tourists can use this service to go directly to Sanur, Seminyak, Kuta, and Nusa Penida.”
“This route is shorter than the previous one; for example, when tourists going to Nusa Penida had to cross by speed boat from Sanur Harbor.”
The Ministry added, “Minister of Relations Dudy Purwagandhi has asked the Directorate of Maritime Relations to review this water taxi service from Ngurah Rai Airport directly to Sanur, Seminyak, Kuta, and Nusa Penida.”
The routes will connect Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport to Tanjung Benoa too. While there is no set date for the launch of this new water taxi service, the boats have already been assigned to the initiative.
Since I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport’s runway is built on land reclaimed from the sea, the airport is surrounded by ocean on two sides.
The west side of the airport runway provides easy access for ocean taxis to travel towards Kuta, Seminyak, and Canggu, and the east side of the airport building connects to Benoa Bay, the body of water that the Bali Mandara Toll Road travels over.
There are hopes that this new water taxi initiative will totally change the way in which tourists travel onwards from Bali Airport. Traffic congestion around Bali Airport has been an issue for years; leaders are keen to implement new ways to help keep tourists moving around the island efficiently.
This is, in part, why the new Bali Urban Rail Network is being constructed. The public transportation metro line will also connect Bali Airport with destinations like Kuta, Seminyak, and Sanur, though it will not be operational until later this decade.
The ocean taxi service from Bali Airport is one of a range of ocean taxi services that will be launching in 2025, in addition to the widely available fast boat transfers between main island Bali, Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan, the Gili Islands and Lombok.
In early 2025, there will be a water taxi service that will operate between Canggu and Nusa Dua, with a possible stop at the airport.
Speaking in December 2024, the Regent of Badung Nyoman Giri Prasta explained, “God willing, between January or February, we will build a sea toll road so that tourists on the coast (Canggu-Berawa) will no longer use the main road but sea transportation.”
He added, “There will be a ship docked at the airport. Guests who arrive will be escorted to the front of their hotel (in Canggu-Berawa).”
“The current priority is from the airport to Canggu and to Nusa Dua. The specific type of ship will be announced later. Maybe a large boat with cooperation from a third party.”
Water taxi services, including GoBoat’s services, are already in operation. Operating over 300 departures within Bali and Lombok every day, water taxi services between Canggu and Uluwatu have proven to be a huge time saver for tourists.
The service runs between Canggu’s Nelayan Beach and Uluwatu’s Padang Padang Beach. GoBoat also runs a water taxi shuttle service between Canggu and Kedonganan Beach in Jimbaran.
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Shorty
Tuesday 7th of January 2025
How will they get from the Arrivals Hall,Departures and their hotels from the wharves?
Dan
Monday 6th of January 2025
Awesome Idea boat shuttle without proper harbours . Can't wait for the story of laptops and other luggage swept away. Get the popcorn ready