Bali Benoa

Benoa is a ‘tricky’ port; affected by strong tidal currents, having numerous shoals and sandbanks` and involving some sharp, precise turns. Local fishermen are standing in the water only a few meters away from your ship while approaching the dock.

Benoa is a relatively new port. At the dock, you will be greeted by Balinese dancers. Most of the ships now dock in the improved port, Some anchor and will tender their passengers ashore.

The Port of Benoa is approximately 11 kilometers (7 miles) south of Denpasar, the capital city of Bali. It typically takes around 20-30 minutes by car to reach the city center from the terminal, depending on traffic.

Distance/drive time from cruise terminal of Benoa to town center (Denpasar): 12 km. To the international airport: 10 km.

There are many taxis available just outside the cruise terminal, as well as many drivers hawking tours. Bali is not easy to get around since the many attractions are widely spread out over the island and the road infrastructure is poor. The main areas of interest include the Nusa Dusa area which is filled with nice resorts and beaches, Denpasar which is the capital and main market area and Ubud which is the cultural center of the island.

You can hire at the pier a car or van & driver for 4 hours for about $65. Make sure the driver speaks some English. Taxi to Denpasar $30, to Kuta $27 and to Nusa Dua about $37.

Rideshare apps such as Grab and Gojek are available in Bali. Please download the app and follow instructions for traveling options. Grab only accepts cash here.

Within the precincts of the terminal there are demonstrations of Balinese art and culture. Dancing, puppets and a Gamelan Orchestra in addition to demonstrations including: wood carving, batik printing, paintings and sculpture.

Benoa Harbor has now being developed as a turn-around port, capable of accommodating international cruises that embark or disembark from the island.

Note: If your room steward is from Bali, do him or her a favor be requesting that your stateroom not being cleaned. This way he will have time to meet his family.

Bali has the most popular cruise ports in Indonesia, followed by Komodo Island and Lombok.

Kuta Beach is the most popular and developed beach in Bali.

Blessed with natural beauty, one of the top attractions for visitors to Indonesia is without any doubt the island of Bali. With its multitude of mountains, volcanoes, beaches, paddy fields, customs, local lifestyle, art, religions and attractions, Bali is popular as a gateway destination. The friendliness of the Balinese makes many visitors feel at home on the island. Geographically, Bali is situated between the Islands of Java and Lombok, and thus boasts a stunning coastline of beautiful beaches for relaxing or waves of international standards for surfing.

Nusa Dua is an enclave of large international 5-star resorts in south-eastern Bali. It is located 40 kilometers from Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali.

You will probably find areas like Ubud, Celuk, possibly Sanur etc appealing but more enjoyable done with a driver or very small group.

If renting a car you will need an International Drivers License. Infrastructure is rather poor.

There are some small stalls set up in the cruise terminal and souvenir sellers outside the terminal gates.

In Indonesia eating with your hand (instead of utensils like forks and spoons) is very common. The basic idea is to use four fingers to pack a little ball of rice, which can then be dipped into sauces before you pop it in your mouth by pushing it with your thumb. There's one basic rule of etiquette to observe: Use only your right hand, as the left hand is used to clean yourself in the bathroom. Don't stick either hand into communal serving dishes: instead, use the left hand to serve yourself with utensils and then dig in. Needless to say, it's wise to wash your hands well before and after eating. Eating by hand is frowned on in some…

Be careful when using credit cards, as cloning and fraud are a major problem in Indonesia. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, but American Express can be problematic. At smaller operations, surcharges of 2-5% over cash are common. Australian as well as US dollars are widely accepted.

The sole official language is Indonesian, known as Bahasa Indonesia.

A note about male names in Bali. Male children are named by their birth order. The first is Wayan, the second is Mate (pronounced mah-tee), the third is Komang, and the fourth is Ketut. If there are more than four, they begin again with Wayan. Each male also has a middle name, and they may choose to go by that name.

Free Wifi internet connection is available in the cruise terminal of the East Berth.

Internet: Prices vary considerably, and as usual you tend to get what you pay for, but you'll usually be looking at around Rp 5,000 per hour. In large cities, there are free hotspots in certain shopping malls, McDonald restaurants and Starbucks cafes. Some hotels provide free hotspots in the lobby.

mobile phones emergency number: 112