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PADANG BAI , the port for Lombok (ferries run to Lembar every 2hr), nestles in a small cove with a white-sand beach lined with fishing boats. The jetty, ferry offices and car park are all at the western end of the bay, and everything is within easy walking distance from here. Increasingly, people are choosing to stay a night or two in Padang Bai, and the village has developed into a small laid-back resort. If you find the main beach a bit busy, the bay of BIASTUGAL , to the west, is smaller and quieter. Follow the road past the post office and, just as it begins to climb, take the track to the left. Alternatively, over the headland in the other direction, take the path from Pura Silayukti, to another small, white cove. Several places in Padang Bai rent out snorkelling equipment: there's good snorkelling at Blue Lagoon, just around the headland in Amuk Bay, but it's even better to charter a boat (you'll start negotiating at Rp100,000 for 2hr); ask at Celagi restaurant or your guesthouse. The dive operation, Geko Dive (tel 0363/41516), is a large set-up on Jalan Silayukti with a lot of experience diving in the area and offers the full range of PADI courses (PADI Open Water from US$320 per person) and dives for experienced divers (US$45-70 depending on location, including equipment rental).

Bemos arrive at, and depart from, the port entrance; orange for Candi Dasa (20min) and Amlapura (40min), blue or white for Klungkung (aka Semarapura; 20min). The government tourist office (daily 7am-8pm) is 500m further east on the beach road, Jalan Silayukti, and also rents cars and motorbikes. Perama tourist shuttle buses to destinations on Bali and Lombok operate from their office near the jetty in Café Dona. There is a post office near the port entrance, many seafront restaurants change money and Made Homestay can arrange car rental (Rp40,000) and motorbike rental (Rp15-25,000).