Cruise port in East Bali hoped will improve the local tourism economy and make his area a gateway to Lombok and East Nusa Tenggara.

Tourism Ministry spokesmen are confident that improved port facilities will allow large cruise ships to dock and disembark passengers in Bali, luring an increasing number of cruise ships to Indonesia.

Reported by Kompas Daily News, the construction of the new cruise port located some 60 kilometers from Bali's capital of Denpasar, will consume Rp. 70 billion (US$7.6 million) of the State (National) budget, Rp. 15 billion (US$1.6 million) of the Provincial budget, and Rp. 3.5 billion (US$380,400) of Karangasem's budget. Add that all together for a total budget of US$9.5 million to complete the development of terminal complex on an 1.5 hectare site that will include two 150 meter piers. When placed into operation these piers will allow large cruise ships to dock in Bali, a vast improvement over the past when ocean going vessels were compelled to anchor far offshore and ferry their passengers between ship and the main port.

The many charms of East Bali are often overshadowed by the higher visibility enjoyed by Bali's South, the artist's colony of Ubud and the volcanic crater at Kintamani. However, the recent construction of a new east coast highway in Bali has reduced driving time from the South Island to East Bali from 3 hours to just 1.5 hours and, as a result, opened this area to increased levels of tourist visits.

Those traveling along Bali's new I.B, Mantra highway that has shrunken the distance between the tourism areas of South Bali to the East Coast, can now rediscover Bali's sacred Mother Temple of Besakih and pleasure palaces built by East Bali royalty in the Island's recent past.

3 billion (US$326,000) over the past three years improving the area's infrastructure, including street lighting in Candi Dasa and public parking facilities at local tourism sites.