On the high seas 1 | Bali Echo Visitor's Guide

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cover

Oct/Nov, 1998
No. 037/VI/98

On Live The Banjar
Balinese communalism in the age of reform

All In Good Fun
Lombok's stick fighters

Regular

Home Grown
Grommet Grrls

Gallery
Murni's Pure Instinct

Health and Beauty
Ubud's Bali Hati Foundation

Adventure
Cruising on the High Seas

Food
Hard Rocks's new spirit

Books
The Kris of Death reviewed

Fiction
Oka Rusmini's 'Clouds over Kuri Gede'

Jungle Drums

Tide Charts

Bali Sing Kenken

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Even from as far away as Sanur, the beauty of the island of Lembongan can be appreciated as it filters the sun's dawn rays. Traditionally, most visitors have reached the island by small fishing boats - a rather hairy voyage as docking on the island requires careful navigation over strong currents and a large break. But now an increasing number of companies are offering relaxed cruises on luxurious vessels. Various exciting activities as well as private clubs offering a relaxed atmosphere await visitors at the other end. And for those who choose to go further afield for short periods, companies such as Ombak Putih are now making cruises to the lesser-traveled islands off Lombok. Here, Jaye Wood writes of her voyages on some of Bali's best cruise boats.

view from wakalouka's catamaran at dusk Lombok Straight, the body of water that separates Bali and Lombok islands, is said to be one of the deepest channels of water in the world. Apart from being a National Geographic diver's wet dream, it has a notorious reputation for being an unpredictable and rather choppy channel for boating. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that setting asea on the Lombok Straight with Bali's various cruise companies proved to be very smooth and enjoyable sailing.

Wakalouka, Island Explorer and Bali Hai Cruises offer daily excursions that leave from Bali's Benoa Harbor and cross the 20 kilometers north east to Nusa Lembongan, a small, calm island with a stretch of white sand, vibrant coral, good surfing and several cultural points worth exploring. Bali Hai and Island Explorer have a number of boats to make the crossing and match your agenda. Express boats make the trip across quickly if enjoying their beachside resorts and water sport activities at the island is of maximum interest. If a calm day at sea gliding with winds and currents is more enjoyable, then they, like Wakalouka, offer sailboat crossings, which take a little longer (about two hours versus one), but make the crossing itself one of the major highlights of the day.

WAKALOUKA, BALI HAI AND ISLAND EXPLORER

The Wakalouka and Bali Hai luxury catamarans are definitely the high end of recreational sailing and will appeal to enthusiasts who get excited by jibs and sails and exquisite rigging. The Wakalouka catamaran is the larger of the two, with a large inside lounge, finely detailed with Balinese touches of natural wood, rattan, cotton and barefoot sailors. There is also plenty of room on the deck, both comfortable benches and a top-side mattresses beneath the boom and mast that allow you to take in the sun and the spray of the sea and the action of sailors hoisting rope in unison to the song of canvas gently flapping and bracing the wind. Bali Hai's 'Aristocat' catamaran also has a comfortable canvas-covered, stern-side lounge and room on deck to get closer to the elements, particularly the ocean spray from the bow. Island Explorers' fun ship The Island Princess is a motor-driven boat with comfortable lounges and lots of cushions on the upper and lower decks. All companies serve refreshments and snacks during the crossing.

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