Bali’s Tanjung Benoa, better known as the watersports capital of Bali, is booming in popularity right now.
Despite high waves and less-than-ideal weather in the last few weeks, tourists are still making sure they tick Tanjung Benoa off their Bali bucket list.
Questions had been raised over whether water sports activities in Tanjung Benoa would be halted during the high waves and bad weather forecast last week and into this week, but tourism managers have given their assurances that regular service is ongoing in the area.
The concerns were raised after the Sanur-Nusa Penida fast boat and ferry crossing was closed following a fatal fast boat disaster in Sanur at 3 pm on 5th August.
A fast boat approaching Sanur was overturned during a high wave. Dozens of passengers on board were injured, and three people were killed in the tragedy.
Speaking to reporters from Tanjung Benoa, Pandawa Watersport Manager, Made Wijaya, noted that the water sports operators in the area are experienced and always factor the weather and wave conditions into their operational plans.
He added that teams are continuously checking the wave and weather forecast via the Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency channels.
Wijaya told reporters, “It’s true that the weather has been quite extreme these past few days, but water sports operations are continuing as usual. The boat captains and tourism operators here are familiar with the characteristics of Tanjung Benoa’s waters.”
Wijaya, who is also the Head of Tanjung Benoa Traditional Village, told reporters that changes in ocean waves frequently occur in the eastern area of Tanjung Benoa due to the varying conditions of the deep waters, which also serve as a cruise ship route.
He noted that these major fluctuations generally occur between August and October when westerly winds begin to blow and the rainy season begins. “We have extensive experience dealing with this, so there are no significant obstacles.”
When asked about tourist interest in Tanjung Benoa right now, Wijaya shared that interest is soaring. He shared that of the total daily visits, 75% of visitors are foreign tourists. An average of 500 people visit daily to enjoy the water sports in the Tanjung Benoa Bay Area. He reached that during peak seasons like the New Year holidays, the number of visitors can soar to 1,500 people per day.
He noted, “Domestic visitors have decreased somewhat, perhaps because they’re looking for other destinations like Pandawa Beach. It could also be due to traffic issues.”
There are 27 different waterspout companies operating in Tanjung Benoa, all offering family-friendly vacation fun. Of all the offerings available at Tanjung Benoa, parasailing is the most in demand across all tourist demographics. Activities like banana boating, jet skiing, and snorkelling are also incredibly popular.
Water sports rates at Tanjung Benoa vary based on the activity but are generally deemed to be really very affordable. Activities range from IDR 50,000 to IDR 250,000, and rates are fairly consistent across providers. Snorkelling is generally priced at IDR 160,000 per person.
Wijaya reiterated that watersports providers and the community of Tanjung Benoa are committed to ensuring public safety. He concluded, “All these activities meet safety standards, and weather is a primary consideration before tourists depart.”
Tourists considering booking any kind of adventure or watersports activities in Bali must first check what is and is not covered by their travel and medical insurance providers. In many cases, adventurous activities such as ATV driving, rafting, parasailing, banana boating, and jet skiing are not covered by standard travel insurance policies and require policyholders to buy an add-on policy cover package.
Australia’s Smarttraveler advises tourists travelling to Indonesia, and Bali specifically, “If you plan to do an adventure activity: check if your travel insurance policy covers it; ask about safety, search and rescue procedures before you accept and pay for an activity.”
“Ask about and insist on minimum safety requirements; always use available safety gear, such as life jackets or seatbelts; check with your travel provider on vessel capacity limits before embarking on sea, land or air travel.”
Smarttraveler adds “check weather and ocean conditions, and whether the vessel has had any mechanical issues, on the day and before continuing with water activities or sea travel; check where the nearest medical facilities are.”
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