A water taxi service is expected to be launched from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali in the coming months.
The plan is to provide tourists with a fast and convenient way to travel from the airport to their hotels, while also redirecting tourist flows via water to help ease traffic congestion on the roads.
According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation, the water taxi will transport tourists to popular destinations, including Sanur, Seminyak, Kuta, Tanjung Benoa, and Nusa Penida. Until now, tourists heading to Penida have typically traveled from the airport to Sanur Port and then taken a speedboat to the island.
By early 2025, a water taxi service between Canggu and Nusa Dua is also expected to begin operations, with an on-demand stop at the airport. Although the official launch date has not yet been confirmed, several boats are already in operation.
Since the runway of Ngurah Rai International Airport is built on an artificial embankment, the airport is surrounded by the ocean on two sides. The western side of the airport’s runway provides easy access for ocean taxis heading toward Kuta, Seminyak, and Canggu, while the eastern side borders Benoa Bay, which is also home to the Bali Mandara toll road that runs over the water.
There is hope that this new water taxi initiative will completely transform the way tourists travel from Bali’s airport. Traffic congestion on the island remains a major challenge, and new solutions are needed to help tourists move around Bali and its surrounding areas more efficiently.
For the same reason, a Bali metro system is currently under construction. This public transportation project will eventually connect Bali’s airport with key destinations such as Kuta, Seminyak, and Sanur.
Water taxi services, including GoBoat, have already been in operation for some time. Regular water taxi routes between Canggu and Uluwatu, as well as services connecting Bali and Lombok, have proven to be effective and time-saving alternatives.
One of the most popular water taxi routes runs between Nelayan Beach in Canggu and Padang Padang Beach in Uluwatu. GoBoat also offers water taxi services between Canggu and Kedonganan Beach in Jimbaran, providing an efficient alternative to traditional road transportation.
You can add one right now!