A short boat ride from Benoa village
at the Tanjung Peninsula's northern tip, or a relatively
long trip by road around the cape via Jimbaran,
takes you to the other side of Benoa Harbor to Benoa
Port on the southern coast of Bali. For hundreds
of years, reef-sheltered Labuhan Benoa was the entry
point from the sea for all of south Bali.
The accumulation of alluvium has long since rendered
much of this natural harbor unnavigable, but a long
causeway was built by the Dutch after their 1906
invasion. At the end are fuel tanks, a big wharf,
dozens of moored vessels, warehouses, a lighthouse,
fisheries, charter-boats offices and a PELNI office.
Reach Benoa from Denpasar's Tegal Station by 'bemo'.
If traveling by car, 10 km from Denpasar and just
south of Pasanggaran on the main Kuta/Sanur road,
turn right and travel down a two-kilometer-long
jetty (Jalan Pelabuhan) which stretches toward the
northeast corner of the Bukit Peninsula. Large cargo
ships, fishing boats, oil tankers, cruise ships,
private yachts, and intra-island 'kapal layar' moor
in this wide and shallow bay.
The port is also the location of the Bali International
Yacht Club, tel. 62361-288391. If you'd like to
crew on one of the visiting overseas yachts, hire
a 'jukung' to take you around to the different vessels.
Ask if there are any openings. Visiting oceangoing
yachts usually arrive at this anchorage in the high
season. If you get on as crew, give the captain
your passport and he'll clear it with the harbormaster
when he gets the Sailing Permit (Surat Ijin Belayar).
Just join on one of the yacht and these well-promoted
companies will pick you up at your hotel for an
early morning departure, arriving in a quiet bay
off Nusa Lembongan 2 to 2.5 hours later. These outings
are especially popular with surfers who are able
to paddle in to-not out to-the reef breaks off Nusa
Lembongan. Late that afternoon you sail back to
the mainland, enjoying the sunset en route. |
