Benoa - Docking
Benoa Harbor has limited mooring/anchoring options as it is Bali’s busy commercial and fishing harbor, with tugs and barges coming and going for dredging and bulkhead upgrades.
Cruisers who have checked in at Benoa recommend anchoring in the harbor on the NE side, by the local boats.
After completing clearance formalities, it is usual to then head for the more popular anchorage at Serangan, just north of Benoa.
Benoa Harbor
A buoyed channel leads to Benoa Harbor and Bali Marina is located in the NE part of the harbor. The marina monitors Channel 77 during office hours (08:00- 20:00). Bali Marina is small- about 20 slots – most of which seem to be filled with resident boats. There is a restaurant/bar area but prices are expensive by Indonesian standards and there are no moorings available via the marina. The marina charges a US$5/day landing fee to tie up dinghies. There are moorings here, run by a local who will find you if you pick one up.
July 2019 reports indicate that the Bali Marina is in a serious state of disrepair and can be quite hazardous depending on the berth assigned and weather conditions. For additional information see Related User Comments.
A few boats manage to anchor north of the marina and moorings, but it is very shallow and space is very limited here.
Serangan Harbor
Serangan Harbor lies one km north of Benoa and is accessed through a separate channel through the reef. Multiple masts are visible from the Lombok Channel and the channel into Serangan anchorage is marked by red-and-green buoys. The entrance is quite narrow and is marked by small unlit buoys, passing through the breaking reef. Entrance by night should be avoided.
This location is the most popular place to anchor or moor for visiting yachts. Several businesses offer moorings and the Royal Bali Yacht Club, on the Sanur side of the harbor, has a new floating pontoon and pier predominantly for super yachts and vessels 24m LOA and above.
- Serangan anchorage (c) sv-totem.blogspot.com
Once inside the buoys, you have two well-protected anchorages with about 30 or 40 moorings that cater to a mix of cruisers and local boats. Even if these fill up, there is still plenty of room for anchoring. This harbor is well protected from the NW monsoon, but more open to the SE.
The price of all moorings here includes a Village Fee, which is supposed to go to the people of Serangan.
Moorings can be booked via Isle Marine Services, Serangan Yacht Services or Mande Yacht Service (see details below).
There is plenty of room behind the reef to anchor in 7m mud. In fact, with the SE monsoon, there is less of a fetch here than at the moorings, but it’s less convenient for getting ashore. Swell protection is good everywhere at Serangan. However, it is not advisable to anchor inside of where the moorings start as the area dries at low tide.
Security does not appear to be a problem here, but it is advisable to observe sensible precautions if leaving the vessel for any length of time.
Drinking water is available from the shops in the village, there is a supermarket not too far away and a fuel station on the main road out of Serangan. A local market operates from about 06:00 to 10:00 daily on the ground floor of the large tsunami shelter, about five minutes walk from the dinghy dock. Fresh vegetables and fruit are available.
No toilets or showers on shore but you may be able to book into a nearby hotel for a night and use their shower and toilet facilities if need be.
Unfortunately the harbor is very dirty and suffers from a great deal of rubbish in the waters. It is also adjacent to Bali’s rubbish mountain and the anchorage can be unpleasant when the wind is blowing from the south.
Dinghy Docks:
A dinghy dock is available for yachts anchored/moored in Serangan Harbor. A fee is payable for the use of this facility.
Marinas:
Bali International Marina is reported to be in a state of disrepair with limited facilities.
The Royal Bali Yacht Club has been re-established on the north (Sanur) side of the Serangan anchorage but does not (currently) have berths for yachts less than 24 meters LOA or moorings or anchorage space available to visiting yachts. The company running the RBYC is planning a new marina here as well. See Related User Comments for more information.
Last updated: November 2022
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Related to following destinations: Benoa, Indonesia, South / Central Indonesia - Bali
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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.