How to Travel from Bali to Central Java

The island that houses the capital of Indonesia YET not many Indians venture to this part of the country often is Java. Divided into East, West and Central Java, this island that lies to the left of Bali Island, holds a cultural platter for those willing to experience its subtlety and beauty. Travelling there might seem a little cumbersome but hopefully this article will help travellers to plan a trip from Bali to Central Java.

By Flight

The best possible way is to fly from Bali to Central Java – not considerably economic but definitely timesaving. Consisting of Yogyakarta, Solo, Semarang and Borobudur, there are altogether 4 airports that cater to travellers. Yogyakarta International Airport and Adisutjipto International Airport (JOG) Airport in Yogyakarta, Adisumarmo Airport in Solo which is a domestic airport, Jenderal Ahmad Yani Airport at Semarang – all these have flights flying in from Bali.

By Train

Now this is what we did but there are also trains plying between Banyuwangi and Yogyakarta. However, it did not match our schedule, and neither are the trains frequent. Only two trains showed up on our search BUT if you are a slow traveller and have time in hand you can always check and try out the train too (we plan on doing this next time we are in Yogyakarta).

Since heading to Yogyakarta was an impromptu plan, the flight prices had surged by then. We chose the next best option, although it meant travelling for a good 21 hrs! But the experience was worth it

This is how we travelled:

1.     Bali to Gilimanuk Harbour – By Bus

 

The bus station at Bali is Terminal Ubung, which is close to Denpasar, from where the bus leaves for Gilimanuk Harbour. If you are looking for a leisurely drive with no worry of the world chasing, you then take the bus. Why? It may sound outlandish, but the driver makes it his sole purpose to provide you with an unrushed drive and entice you with the opportunity to absorb the rural setting of north-west Bali! The journey takes around 3-3.5 hrs by bus, which can otherwise be covered in about 2.5 hrs if you have a private vehicle or a cab. We started at 11 am from Terminal Ubung and reached Gilimanuk Harbour at 2:30 pm.

Trip Cost: The trip cost IDR 140,000/ person (INR 744 as per XE.com)*

Journey Time: 3 – 3.5  hours.

 

2.     Gilimantak Port to Banyuwangi Port – By Ferry

While researching on how to reach East Java by ferry I came across several sites that mentioned one must buy an online ticket and then head to one of the counters at Gilimanuk and get the printed ticket. That is INCORRECT.

 

What you need is to head to one of the several counters on the side of the road where the bus stops and purchase a ticket.

Then walk till the harbour and enter through the turnstile gates. First climb up the steps, then walk down another flight of steps and along the wharf to the ferry.

The journey takes around an hour or 1.15 hrs.

P.S.: The washroom is on the ground floor so before you ascend, you can use the facilities. Washrooms are also present inside the ferry. The ferry harbours snack area.

Trip Cost: Currently the price of one ticket is IDR 18,000/ person (INR 96 as per XE.com)*

Journey Time: 1 – 1.15 hours.

 

3.     Banyuwangi Port to Special Region of Yogyakarta – By Overnight Bus that reached early morning.

Once the ferry boat docks at Banyuwangi Habour, make your way to the exit and book a cab to Brawijaya Bus Station, which will cost you around IDR 70,000. The trip started at 5pm and the estimated time of arrival at Giwangan Terminal, Yogyakarta by 6:30 or 7 am which is a good 14 hr journey (I did not mind coz my courtship period consisted of travelling from Banglore to Mumbai on a bi-weekly basis).

P.S.: This is one of the luxury bus rides you get abroad. On the contrary this is for locals who don’t mind travelling on the bare minimum – my criterion was air conditioning, and they provided a strong one! What could have been achieved in 12 hours, stretched to 14 only because the driver thought it best to go at tortoise pace and stop at random spots for a smoke break.

Also, if you are expecting them to stop for dinner at 9 pm, then expect to be disappointed. After several failed attempts at trying to ask them when the dinner stop is expected (even tried Dumb charades but didn’t seem to work), finally they stopped at 12 am for dinner (more like mid-night snacking) at a place that served buffet. It was worth the miserable wait! Food and the spread – both were great. The best part about their platter is they have flavoured iced tea and hot tea (without milk) that not only complements the food but helps in digesting the yummy food too.

This bus may have stopped for food only once, but it made several ‘pee-stops’. This level of consideration was beyond my comprehension as I am used to long-distance buses in India making a total of 4 stops for an 18-hr journey. Overall this journey is good for those travellers who are not perturbed by mild discomfort and are okay to carry several snack packs to meet hunger pangs – then the ride will be a cake-walk!

Gratitude: We bought two tickets, but the conductor allocated us three seats, so we did not have to cramp with other passengers.

Trip Cost: IDR 200,000/ person (INR 1,063 as per XE.com)*

Journey Time: 14 hours

From Yogyakarta to Bali

To avoid multiple stops and rush we decided to take a bus that takes us directly to Bali. There are multiple bus operators, but we wanted a good sleeper bus. Since these luxury ones get booked in advance, we quickly made our way to Garasi Bus Tami Jaya to book ours. Fortunately, upper seats were available.

Quite expensive for a seat, we only realized the expenses included a snack pack, lunch, and dinner!

Trip Cost: IDR 600,000/ person (INR 3,189 as per XE.com)*

Journey Time: 16 hrs.

* Conversion Rates are subjected to change

You must be wondering about the ferry crossover part. Well, the bus smoothly rolled inside the Ro-Ro! No stoppages, no getting off and on, no harassing your hands loading, loading and pulling the luggage.

Travel isn’t always pretty but it subtly builds your character in its unique capacity, pushes your boundaries as a traveller, whets your appetite as a storyteller, exposes you to a culturally diverse world, fills you with awe and leaves you with an ever-lasting desire to be a better and kinder version of yourself🌿.

Before heading to Bali one must remain informed about these 12 things to ensure smooth curation of an amazing trip.

Until the next blog, live sustainably, travel responsibly & stay tuned to My Blogs for interesting itineraries, unique travel insights and culinary adventures!