Lembar Port Guide: The Bali–Lombok Ferry to Sekotong

3 October 2026

“Where exactly is Lembar Port, and what kind of port is it?” “Can you still take the ferry from Padang Bai?” “How do you get to Sekotong once you’ve arrived?” These are the questions that come up once you start looking into crossing from Bali to Sekotong in southwest Lombok by ferry instead of by plane. The short answer: Lembar Port is the public ferry gateway on southwest Lombok, connected to Padang Bai Port on the Bali side by more than a dozen ferry departures a day. However, since 2023, booking in advance through the online ticketing service “Ferizy” has become the standard way to buy a ticket (we couldn’t confirm whether counter purchases are still possible), and you’ll need to arrange separate overland transport from the port to Sekotong or the airport.

This article covers Lembar Port’s location and operator, the frequency, duration, and fares on the Padang Bai–Lembar route, how to buy a ticket, things to watch out for at the port, and how to get from the port to Sekotong, the southern Gilis, Mataram, and Lombok International Airport — based only on official sites, port operator information, and news coverage we could actually access and verify as of September 2026. Because fares and schedules change fairly often, we’ve used terms like “roughly” and “about,” and left out any figures we couldn’t confirm.

That said, private transfer times from Lembar Port onward (to Sekotong or the southern Gilis) vary noticeably between operators, and we’ve shown that range as-is rather than picking one number. This is written for people planning to cross from Bali to Lombok/Sekotong by public ferry, anyone who wants to bring a motorbike or car across, and anyone curious how this compares to flying or taking a fast boat. Bangsal Port, the gateway to the Gili Islands, is covered separately in our Bangsal Port guide — worth a look too.

As of September 2026

What this article covers

✓Where Lembar Port is, and how it relates to Sekotong
✓Approximate frequency, duration, and fares for the Padang Bai–Lembar public ferry
✓How to buy a ticket (now online-only) and how boarding works
✓Touts and porters to watch out for at the port
✓Approximate travel times from the port to Sekotong, the southern Gilis, Mataram, and the airport

In short

As of September 2026, more than a dozen public ferries run around the clock between Lembar Port and Padang Bai Port on the Bali side, roughly every 1.5–2.5 hours, with an adult fare of about Rp65,300 (about US$3.67). Tickets are booked in advance online through the official site or the “Ferizy” app, and we weren’t able to confirm from official sources whether counter purchases are also possible. Getting from Lembar Port to Sekotong takes about another 40 minutes by road, so this ferry is best thought of not as a direct route to Sekotong, but as one way of crossing from Bali onto the main island of Lombok.

TOC

Where is Lembar Port, and what kind of port is it?

Lembar Port is a public ferry port on the coast of southwest Lombok, right at the entrance to the Sekotong area. It’s operated by the state-owned PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero), with day-to-day port services handled by Satpel Lembar, a unit of the West Nusa Tenggara Transportation Management Office (BPTD Kelas II NTB) under Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation. It’s the main port linking Bali and Lombok by public ferry, and the gateway of choice for anyone who wants to bring a car or motorbike across by sea.

Lembar Port is neither an airport nor central Sekotong — it’s simply “where you get off the boat.” From the port, you’ll still need to travel overland to reach accommodation or the beach in Sekotong. If you’re arriving by air instead, we cover that route in our guide to getting from Lombok Airport to Sekotong.

Figure: Ferry + overland route from Bali (Padang Bai) to Sekotong

Figure: Crossing time varies with sea conditions. Further overland transport is needed from Lembar Port to Sekotong.

What is the Padang Bai–Lembar public ferry service like?

The route between Lembar Port and Padang Bai Port on the Bali side is about 36 nautical miles, and according to Satpel Lembar’s own information, the average crossing takes roughly 4 hours 30 minutes. Sea conditions and congestion can push that earlier or later, so build in some slack around any onward connections.

On schedules reported in September 2026, about 13 sailings a day were listed, running from morning until late night roughly every 1.5–2.5 hours. The port itself operates 24 hours, with sailings in the middle of the night and early morning too. Because timings are adjusted day to day, don’t rely on the figures in this article — check the official schedule or the Ferizy app right before you travel for the latest departures.

In a video published on our team’s YouTube channel in March 2026, Hiroki Nakamura mentioned that ferries come and go from Lembar Port daily, and that large cruise ships from places like Australia also call there regularly (video).

According to reporting from 2026, the adult (age 2 and up) passenger fare is about Rp65,300 (about US$3.67), and infants (0–2 years) travel for about Rp6,100 (about US$0.34). This fare is described as an all-in rate covering the port usage fee, transport charge, and insurance. Bringing a motorbike or car costs extra, and the amount varies a lot by vehicle category, so this article doesn’t go into specific vehicle fares. If you’re planning to bring a bike or car across, select your vehicle type on Ferizy at booking time to see the fare.

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Item	Guideline
Route distance	About 36 nautical miles
Crossing time	About 4h 30m average (varies with sea conditions)
Frequency	About 13 sailings/day, every 1.5–2.5 hours, 24-hour operation
Adult fare	About Rp65,300 (about US$3.67)
Infant fare (0–2 years)	About Rp6,100 (about US$0.34)
Buying a ticket	Online (Ferizy) booking in advance is standard (counter purchase unconfirmed)

*Guideline figures based on news reports and official information as of September 2026. Actual times and fares change with season, weather, and policy updates, so reconfirm with Ferizy or the official site before you travel.

How to buy a ticket and board the ferry

According to ASDP’s official announcement, the online ticketing service “trip.ferizy.com” was introduced at Padang Bai Port on August 25, 2023, and at Lembar Port on August 29 of the same year. Since then, booking in advance through the official site or the Ferizy app has become the standard way to buy a ticket. We couldn’t confirm from official announcements whether counter purchases are also available, so it’s safer not to assume you can just buy a same-day ticket at the port.

To book, you select your departure port, arrival port, sailing date, and number of passengers in the app or on the site, choose a sailing from the schedule, enter passenger details, and proceed to payment. Payment methods include bank transfer, cash at convenience stores (Alfamart, Indomaret, and others), e-money, and e-wallets. After payment, an e-ticket arrives by email — show it on your phone screen or as a printout when you board. Tickets can be bought up to 60 days before departure, and you’re expected to have your ticket ready by the day before you travel.

On the day, arrive at the port before your scheduled sailing time; vehicles board through the vehicle lane, and foot passengers board from the passenger terminal. If you’re carrying a lot of luggage or aren’t sure how the process works, it helps to arrive with plenty of time to spare so you’re not rushed.

Things to watch for at the port (touts and porters)

At public ferry ports in Indonesia, you may come across people offering to arrange tickets or carry your bags, separate from the official ticket counter. At Bangsal Port, also on Lombok, traveler reviews have reported cases of people being told their already-purchased ticket was “invalid” and being asked for extra money, or having their bags carried without being asked and then being pressured for a large tip. We couldn’t confirm specific incidents at Lembar Port itself, but the same caution applies.

As noted above, tickets are normally bought in advance through Ferizy, so anyone at the port offering to “arrange a ticket” for you isn’t necessarily an official channel. The safest approach is to book through Ferizy ahead of time, carry your own bags, and decline any help you didn’t ask for.

Getting from Lembar Port to Sekotong, the southern Gilis, Mataram, and the airport

Public buses do run through Lembar Port, but service is said to be infrequent and the schedule unreliable. Most travelers use a pre-arranged charter car or a shared or private car near the port instead. For the full picture of getting around, see our guide to transportation on Lombok.

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Destination	Approx. distance	Approx. travel time
Mataram City	About 24km	About 45 min by car
Sekotong	About 32km	About 50 min by car
Lombok International Airport	About 37km	About 50 min by car
Kuta Lombok	About 50km	About 1h 30m by car

*Guideline figures from private transfer operators; actual times vary with traffic, the rainy season, and vehicle type.

Figure: Approximate travel times from Lembar Port

Figure: Guideline figures from private transfer operators; actual times vary with traffic, the rainy season, and vehicle type.

You can’t get directly by boat from Lembar Port to the southern Gili islands, like Gili Gede off Sekotong. You’ll need to travel overland to a jetty in the Sekotong area first, then transfer to a boat from there. Choosing a jetty and arranging a boat is covered in our Sekotong boat charter guide. Ride-hailing apps (Grab, Gojek, and others) can sometimes be used for trips to Mataram or the airport during the day, but around Lembar Port and toward Sekotong there may be too few cars available to get a match, so it’s more reliable to arrange a hotel transfer or charter car in advance.

In the same video mentioned above, the travel time from Lembar Port to Sekotong is described as “about 30 minutes,” but that varies with road conditions, and this site uses about 40 minutes by car to our village as a guideline (private transfer operators quote about 50 minutes to central Sekotong) (video).

A note of caution

Arrange transport in advance for late-night or early-morning arrivals: because the ferry runs 24 hours, you might arrive late at night or early in the morning. Ride-hailing cars can be hard to find at those hours, so it’s worth booking a hotel transfer or charter car ahead of time.
Watch sea and road conditions in the rainy season: during the rainy season (roughly November to March), rough seas can affect ferry operations, and roads from the port can get muddy in the rain. Build extra slack into your plans.

Who is the ferry a good fit for, compared to flying or a fast boat?

The Lembar Port ferry isn’t the only way to get from Bali to Lombok. Flying between Denpasar and Lombok takes about 30–40 minutes, and a fast boat can take you directly from Padang Bai to the Gili Islands. We’ve laid out a detailed comparison of the different options in our full comparison of routes from Bali to Lombok, so here we’ll just cover the essentials.

The public ferry suits people who want to bring a motorbike or car across, want to keep costs down, and don’t mind a longer journey. On the other hand, if you want to minimize travel time, get seasick easily, or need to reach Sekotong reliably the same day, flying or taking a fast boat is a better fit. Even though the fare itself is cheap, keep in mind that getting to Padang Bai, the roughly 4.5-hour crossing, and the overland leg from Lembar Port add up to the better part of a day.

A note from Sekotong

One difference with heading to Sekotong via Lembar Port, compared with flying into Lombok International Airport, is that the boat’s arrival time is harder to predict. Sea conditions can stretch out the crossing, so if you’re arranging a hotel transfer, it works better for everyone to say “call us once you’ve reached the port” rather than pinning it to a specific sailing time. Also, if you’re bringing a motorbike or car across, you’ll follow a different path through the port than foot passengers, so it helps to settle which one applies to you at booking time so you’re not unsure on the day.

Beyond Lembar Port, there’s a place called Sekotong

Honestly, the ferry via Lembar Port isn’t a convenient way to travel. Getting to Padang Bai, a crossing of around 4.5 hours, and then more overland travel from the port to Sekotong — each leg adds its own time and effort. Among the ways to reach Lombok, this is one of the more time-consuming options. In the rainy season, sea and road conditions can throw off your plans too.

Even so, a certain number of people choose this route to reach Lombok, and for good reason. For people who want to bring a motorbike or car, long-term stayers looking to keep costs down, or anyone who simply enjoys the time spent at sea, the ferry is a sensible choice. And what’s waiting at the other end is Sekotong, a fishing village and coastline that hasn’t been built up for tourism. Sekotong also serves as a gateway to the southern Gili islands.

If you’re willing to spend the time in exchange for keeping costs down, or you want to bring a motorbike or car across, the Lembar Port ferry suits you well. If you have limited days and need to reach Sekotong reliably, flying into Lombok International Airport is the better route. Same destination, Sekotong — but more than one way to get there.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Can I buy a Lembar Port ferry ticket at the counter?

Since late August 2023, the online ticketing service Ferizy has been in place, and the standard approach is to book through the official site or app anywhere from 60 days to 1 day before departure. We couldn’t confirm from official announcements whether same-day counter purchases are also possible.

Q. How many ferries run, and at what times?

On the schedule we could confirm as of September 2026, about 13 sailings a day run roughly every 1.5–2 hours, 24 hours a day. Since timings are adjusted day to day, check Ferizy or the official schedule right before you travel for the latest departures.

Q. How long does it take from Lembar Port to Sekotong?

About 40 minutes by car to our village, as a guideline; private transfer operators quote roughly 50 minutes to central Sekotong. It varies with traffic, road conditions, and whether it’s the rainy season, so we’d recommend building in some slack.

Q. If I arrive late at night, will I easily find a taxi?

Since the ferry runs 24 hours, a late-night or early-morning arrival is possible, but ride-hailing cars are scarce at those hours, and you’re not guaranteed to find one quickly. It’s safer to book a hotel transfer or charter car in advance.

Q. Can I get to the southern Gilis (like Gili Gede) directly by boat from Lembar Port?

There’s no direct boat from Lembar Port to the southern Gilis. You’ll need to travel overland to a jetty in the Sekotong area first, then switch to a boat. See our Sekotong boat charter guide for details.

Summary

Lembar Port is the public ferry gateway connected to Padang Bai Port on Bali, running more than a dozen sailings a day, 24 hours a day, as of September 2026. Fares are cheap at around Rp65,300 for an adult, making it a sensible choice if you want to bring a motorbike or car across. However, tickets have been booked online through Ferizy in advance since 2023, and we couldn’t confirm whether same-day counter purchases are available. Getting from the port to Sekotong, the airport, or the southern Gilis (which also requires a boat) takes further overland travel, and the time this takes varies by transfer operator. Given the possibility of late-night or early-morning arrivals and rainy-season sea and road conditions, we’d recommend arranging transport in advance.

For a broader look at route choices — comparisons with flying and fast boats, and how to get to Padang Bai — see our full comparison of routes from Bali to Lombok. Rules and fares change fairly often, so always check Ferizy or the official site for the latest information before you travel.