Bus from Semarang to Bali-Denpasar
The bus from Semarang to Bali is long, but the views are beautiful, and tourists can see a lot of different parts of Indonesia along the way. To start your trip, you'll need to select a bus that goes from Semarang to Bali. Gunung Harta is the only bus company that runs on this route. The trip can last up to 18–24 hours. You can book tickets online at sites like Easybook, or you can go to the Semarang bus station and book there. To get your chosen departure time and make sure your trip goes smoothly, it's best to check schedules, seat availability, and fares ahead of time. On the day you leave, you'll go to Semarang's main bus station, which is usually Terboyo or Mangkang Bus Terminal and is where most long-distance buses stop. For ticket checking and boarding, arrive at the terminal at least an hour before the bus leaves if you're staying in Semarang's city center. You'll be ready to get on the bus once you've checked your ticket with the operator and found it.
Most routes from Semarang to Bali stop in Surabaya, which is the busy center of East Java. Depending on traffic, this first leg takes 5–8 hours. Along the path, you can see rice fields, small towns, and local villages in Central Java's rural areas. Along the way, you might have one or two rest stops where you can stretch, use the bathroom, and get a quick meal or food. When you get to Surabaya, the bus will usually stop for a short time at a bus station, like Purabaya Station, so people can change transportation or take a break. Some buses may require you to change to a bus that goes to Bali, while others may go straight there. You may also find some food stands and shops where you can try East Javan dishes like soto ayam and nasi rawon. Surabaya is a major transportation hub, so it will probably be busy with people going to different parts of Indonesia.
The trip starts in Surabaya and goes southeast to Banyuwangi, which is the most eastern city on Java Island. This part of the trip could take an additional 5 to 6 hours. Your trip will take you along beautiful seaside roads where you can see the Java Sea and, in the distance, Mount Bromo and Mount Ijen. The bus will then proceed to the Ketapang Ferry Port in Banyuwangi, where you will board a boat to make the short journey across the Bali Strait to Gilimanuk Port in Bali. Most of the time, this boat ride takes an hour to 45 minutes. People can get off the bus and enjoy the sea breeze, look at the coast, or watch what's going on on the boat. For many tourists, this crossing is the best part of going from the island of Java to the island of Bali. When you get to Bali, go from Gilimanuk to Denpasar. Once the bus gets to Gilimanuk, it keeps going toward Bali. It takes about 3 to 4 hours to get from Gilimanuk to Denpasar, which is the center of Bali. The road from Gilimanuk to Denpasar is beautiful. The road winds through Balinese villages and rice fields, offering glimpses of Bali's unique Hindu temples adorned with intricate stone carvings. In Bali, the roads can be small, especially in the countryside, so the trip might take longer than planned.
When the bus gets to Denpasar, it will probably stop at one of the main terminals, like Ubung Bus Terminal. From there, you can take a number of different types of transportation to get to famous tourist spots like Kuta, Ubud, Seminyak, or Nusa Dua. From Ubung, you can get to where you want to go in Bali by cab, local bus, or ride-hailing app. Taking the bus from Semarang to Bali is an intriguing trip because you can see how the scenery, cultures, and ways of life change as you cross Java and enter Bali. Along the way, you can see more of Indonesia's beautiful islands and scenery.
