Benoa - General Info
Where is Benoa?
Located on the eastern side of the southern tip of Bali, Benoa is the official Port of Entry for Bali. It is a very busy commercial harbour with many fishing boats, freighters, paragliders and day boats. It is very shallow in places and the shoal extends well into the marked channel in places, especially on the north side of the outer channel.
Entrance Notes or Cautions for Benoa:
The harbour is restricted by the tide in parts and its entrance – on the Lombok straight – can be tricky, with 8-knot currents and sometimes standing waves if there is a swell and an opposing current and tide that sets to the south. Time things carefully when planning on entering. Currents flow south during the SE monsoon and north during the NW monsoon.
The channel is regularly dredged so depth shouldn’t be an issue. It is recommended to move to Serangan Harbour after completing formalities in Benoa. Serangan is about one km north of Benoa and provides two anchorage areas. Moorings are available for short and long term stays
The pass through the reef leading into Benoa Harbour should not be negotiated at night as the lights can be confusing.
Cruiser Highlights for Benoa:
Good provisioning; some repairs possible; lots of small hardware and supply shops; excellent supermarkets; wide range of cultural, historical and natural tourism options including surfing, diving, yoga and meditation retreats. Excellent medical and dental facilities.
Positions:
Benoa Harbour entrance – 08°45″S, 115°14″E
Last updated: December 2024
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Related to following destinations: Benoa, Indonesia, South / Central Indonesia - Bali
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Bali is one of Indonesia’s most well known islands and a designated port of entry for yachts who want to explore the archipelago of more than 15,000 islands. In my job as regional sub-editor for Noonsite, I recently visited the island as part of a land-based visit to the country and met with several agents and officials to discuss some of the current issues facing cruising sailors. Unfortunately Bali has gained a reputation as being less than welcoming to sailors with limited services and facilities and crowded harbours and anchorages. However, while there are issues which other Indonesian islands also face including rubbish and overzealous officials, there are some positives to be aware of. There is good provisioning here and medical facilities are easy to access and reasonably inexpensive. There is a new marina planned for Benoa Harbour which will include haulout and repair facilities and the developers are planning several more marinas on other islands in the near future. Overall, the message was one of welcome for visiting sailors, but please make sure you understand the rules and regulations, prepare all the relevant documentation and if you are not sure – please ask for help!. Indonesia’s new president is keen to encourage the marine tourism industry as he believes the country has huge potential. Whether that desire will come to fruition remains to be seen
Is the entrance to Serangan really 10m wide as per the detailed description?
Hi SV Australia
The entrance is quite narrow and tricky due to the fringing reefs on either side, however not sure about the 10m so have amended the description to read “narrow”. We had booked a mooring when we were there pre-pandemic and a boatman came out in his dinghy to guide us through the channel. Glad we did because it was not well marked then – it may be better now.
Royal Bali Yacht Club is not out of business contrary to wilfrid7777 post. It has moved to Serangan Harbor to the North. There is a new concrete pier at 08.42.8594’S by 115.14.8821’E that extends out past the tidal flats and there are floating docks attached to the pier. The dock is intended for yachts over 24m to be med moored to the eastern face with the stern tied to permanent moorings and the floating dock meant for access only. It sounds like they plan to keep extending the dock to allow for more yachts to tie stern to, and to allow smaller yachts to tie on the western facing side. There are fast ferries that use the south facing dock and it should be kept clear of dinghies. Right now, dinghy access is restricted to the western face of the dock and to vessels that are doing business with the yacht club out in the mooring field or at anchor. I do not believe it is a public dock and I believe there is a security guard posted there. We spoke with Cilian of Indo Yacht Support and he set us up at the RBYC. WhatsApp +62 813 3746 1901
We have been looking for the Royal Bali Yacht Club, and finally found out this is finished, the company went off business about a year ago. Islematine remains, and Ruth is helped by Hilda, who will solve any issue.
While arriving at benoa, we were Following the 260° alignment as specified on the map, as well as in various guides. At say 200 yards from the “Safa water” buoy, we saw a series of Breaking waves, about 25 feet high, coming from the South. No big deal for our 18tons Amel, but still stressing.
Later, at the marina, we were told the Harbour had been closed a full Week for this Reason. If this situation is encountered, there are two ways to enter safely, along with the coast, either South or north. I have to add that this happened last Week, just after the full moon.
“Brahminy Too” recently took up a mooring in Serangan Harbour and noted the pier and new pontoon on the Mertasari Beachside to the north. After having some contact with one of the Royal Bali Yacht Club members, we received the following email:
Having been members of RBYC for 10+ years and seen the demise of it as a dinghy club, we decided to take the Club over last year and will run it as a purely commercial entity (no voting rights for members). We will create facilities in due course and start a membership drive when applicable.
Currently, IYS/RBYC have joined forces with another Balinese company to create a fast ferry, yacht, and phinisi facility.
The jetty and fast ferry part are separate to the yacht mooring area; we have only installed one 12m pontoon for large yachts to date, on the Southside.
We identified the location and designed the jetty five years ago. It then took 3 years negotiating with 29 banjars (Bali village districts) to secure a 30-year lease. Our plan is to have 60 linear meters of pontoon set up by end-2018 with
8 mooring spaces for large yachts (over 24m) and hope to have 8 spaces on the inside for yachts up to 15m LOA.
CIQP officials have agreed that we can process International clearances in & out at the RBYC facility.
Once we have sufficient spaces we will be making press announcements. For now, we have our own clients using the dock and some fast ferries. SOP and charges are being written.
We would probably include a dinghy dock for visiting small yachts to come ashore using tenders and have a daily charge, but nothing has been decided as yet.
Captain Cilian Budarlaigh
MCA Master 3,000 Unlimited
Dr of Intl Trade & Business
Tel. +62 (0)81 337 461901
Reported by Liz Datson:
1) There is a report about Serengan on noonsite – dated admittedly 2012 – and they give a guy called Mande a bad wrap. We dealt with a chap called Mande (in his own words “like Monday, not Tuesday”) from Mande Yacht Service. I don’t know if it’s the same guy who got the bad wrap in 2012, but this Mande was great for us.
Good English provided a mooring in good condition, a safe place to leave your dinghy when going ashore, took the small amount of rubbish we had, provided us with excellent CLEAN diesel for the price quoted and at the time(s) specified, carried by his boat out to ours. Could also help with laundry, water etc. which we didn’t need, and sent one of his guys to show us the way to a particular shop we were looking for.
2) Benoa Marina: We were unable to obtain diesel here – the minimum amount they appear to be able to organise is 500lts – more than my total capacity.
Un potable water only available from the tap on the wharf.
Wifi – they were working on it – meaning none.
The laundry service – (overnight) took 3 days.
They do have electricity, but we couldn’t access it from the berth we had.
However, the staff (Made)are friendly and did try to find for us a couple of services we required, sail maker and hf radio tech. Neither of whom actually materialised, but at least they tried to contact them!
The small cafe/restaurant does excellent omelettes for breakfast and has good real (Bali) coffee!
Transiting through Indonesia – stopping to refuel.
Posted on behalf of Robert Geier / SY China Dolphin
While in transit from Darwin to Malaysia I needed to refuel but did not have a visa or CAIT for Indonesia, so was not sure what kind of reception I would get when I stopped in Bali looking for a diesel.
There is was an Indonesian Marine Police boat stationed in Benoa Harbour, and after explaining my problem to them they were extremely helpful in letting me tie up alongside, calling their fuel supplier who turned up with a barge about an hour later and charged a very low rate for diesel, and drove me to an ATM to get cash for payment.
I am not sure if all cruisers will get this kind of help when stopping in Bali to refuel without visa or CAIT, or if I just got lucky, but worth trying if anyone else is in a similar situation.