Village of Padangbai
Just Dive in
Padangbai is a small village located in Manggis Sub-district, Karangasem regency, Bali Province, Indonesia. Although the place mainly serves as a small port for visitors to catch a boat to Lombok Island, many people simply cancel their trip schedule and choose to spend more times in Padangbai due to its quiet beauty. It is a popular place for those who prefer small village atmosphere to the more crowded and large scale beach such as Kuta. This place is located at 54 km east of Denpasar or 90 minutes of driving from Kuta or Legian.
One of a Kind Padangbai Village
One of the most popular attractions in Padangbai is scuba diving activity. There are only few main beaches, but all of them are equally nice and they can be perfect place to calm yourself down for a while before continuing your journey. If you intend to go scuba diving in Padangbai, a number of operators are available to cater. There is also a PADI-certified diving course in the location run and maintained by OK Divers. It has been providing scuba diving courses and tours in Bali since 2003, and is one of the most successful operators in the island. The courses take place in Padangbai and are available for beginner and advanced divers.
This small village has two main beaches including Blue Lagon and Bias Tugal (Little Beach). The former is only about 100 meters in length, but it is still a great place for snorkeling. This particular beach is also popular because the sand can change color from white to rather black especially when the currents come from the east. Bias Tugal is as well beautiful white sand beach and mainly used for swimming, although the currents can be quite strong.
Because this place is basically a small traditional village, accommodation in Padangbai is quite basic and it tends to be more suitable for backpacker, despite the existence of 3-star villas. There is no merry nightlife here, so it is quite, relaxing, and different from typical resorts. Another good thing is that you do not really need any transport in Padangbai because everything is within walking distance. However, if you want to explore surrounding areas, car rental and motorbike rental are readily available.
People who travel from Padangbai usually are going by boat or ferries to Lombok, an equally impressive island in Indonesia, comparable to Bali. Many of them, however, are actually heading to The Gilis, an archipelago consisting of three islands including Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air. These Gili Islands are popular resorts for tourists who simply yearn for remote life experiences.
