| KHO: The British owned BlueWater
Express company is now operating a daily fast boat service to the Gili
Islands off the Lombok North West coast. The company claims to have a longer
track record than any other service and carries full international standard
safety equipment. Fare includes air-con vehicle hotel transfers in Bali. |
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Daily Departures Bali-Gili
Isles.
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2 Hour Service
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| The BlueWater 2 hour Express boat
departs daily at 0800 from |
|
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| Padangbai and 1100 from Gili Trawangan
and costs Rp 595,000 (A$ 75) one way. Contact info@bwsbali.com. |
| There are a number of other ways
to travel to the Gili Islands from Bali. The cheapest and slowest is the
public ferry from Padangbai which costs Rp 30,000 (A$3.75) to Lembar Harbour
Lombok, however you have to arrange your own transport to Padangbai and
then from Lembar to Gili Trawangan. Purama Transport offers a packet price
using the slow ferry from Kuta and Ubud for A$20 all the way to Gili Trawangan.
The most expensive is to fly, only 25 minutes with Marparti or Wings air. |
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O/W Fare Comparison
|
| Fly + Taxi + Boat |
|
A$ 78 |
| BlueWater |
|
A$ 75 |
| Purama Transport |
|
A$ 20 |
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Bali Road Toll
|
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| ANTARA BALI: A total of 529 people
were killed in road accidents in Bali in 2007, police said. The traffic
accidents also left 897 people seriously injured and inflicted material
loss of more than Rp 2.25 billion, Chief of the Bali Provincial Police
Insp. Gen. Paulus Purwoko said. He put the blame on reckless driving and
bad road condition for the higher number of accidents. "There are still
many narrow roads with sharp bends, while only a few traffic signs are
found there," he said. The mentality of some motorists had become cause
for serious concern, especially tourists, "They not only drive recklessly
but also overtake and cut into traffic and grossly ignoring traffic signs,"
he said. |
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Rental Car Security
|
| TO ENHANCE security procedures over
the busy Christmas and New Year's period, Bali's Chief of Police Inspector
General Paulus Purwoko has directed that photo copies of driver licenses,
identity cards or passports be kept in special file to assist police authorities
in tracking down renters who may participate in criminal activities involving
a rented vehicle. |
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Spending More,
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But Leaving Sooner
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| INDONESIAN DIGEST: The most recent
2007 Passenger Exit survey conducted among international visitors to Indonesia
reveals that tourists spent on average US$ 57.89 more per stay this year
than was the case in 2006. At the same time, length of stay declined by
0.7 days. In the survey covering eight entry/departure points, namely the
airports of Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya, Manado, Balikpapan, the seaport of
Batam and the land-gate at Entikong, showed that tourist average expenditure
per stay increased to US$ 970.98, up from US$913.09 per person per visit
one year before. In 2007, the average stay is down to 9.02 days, decreasing
from 9.09 days in 2006. Europeans, Americans and Australians stayed longest
at an average 11.6 days – 17.17 days, compared to Asians from Japan, South
Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan, who stayed ~4.96 days – 7.13 days. Highest
spenders among 12 main markets are United Arab Emirates who spent an average
US$ 1,796.26 per visit, compared to Malaysia with the lowest spending at
US$ 585.99 per person/visit. |
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