Latest news:
Rote slow ferry is running again
The Rote slow ferry is operating again between Kupand and Rote. It departs Kupang at about 3.30pm, arriving into Pantai Baru, roughly 4 hours later, at 7.30pm.
The Bahari Fast Ferry is now arriving in Pantai Baru
The Bahari Fast Ferry have changed the arrival port in Rote to Pantai Baru. It is no longer arriving in Papela. This means less driving time on your arrival in Rote.
Traveling to Rote Island, Indonesia and Boa Vida
Placed in East Indonesia, in the East Nusa Tenggara province, and just southwest of Timor Island, Rote might seem a little out of the way. But getting to Rote Island and Bo’a Vida Rote is easy with several travel options available to suit you.
The steps to get to Rote Island Indonesia are:
Fly to Kupang (KOE) in Timor: There are regular flights from Jakarta (CGK) and Bali Denpasar (DPS).
Stay the night in Kupang: Most trips to Rote involve an overnight stay in Kupang.
Fly or Ferry from Kupang to Rote Island: The options available to you will depend on which day you are traveling and the size of surfboards you might be bringing.
Drive from Ferry Port or airport port to your final destination in Rote or to us at Boa Vida Rote.
Some Quick Tips
If you’re flying internationally into Indonesia on your route to Rote, the fastest and most economical way to travel is to fly into Jakarta (CGK) airport.
If you arrive in Jakarta in the afternoon or evening, you’ll find many hotels close to the airport with a range of prices to choose from. These hotels offer various amenities such as rooms with refreshing showers, gyms, spa treatments, and restaurants, giving you time to relax before taking the Kupang flight.
Bring cash to pay for drivers on your transfers. Typically the Kupang airport to the hotel and to the ferry in the morning will cost around 300k IDR, you will need to pay this in cash.
Step 1: Fly to Kupang (KOE)
Jakarta (CGK) to Kupang (KOE)
There are several flights Jakarta Kupang however, if you do not want to spend 1 night in Kupang on your trip to Rote, we recommend you take the Batik Air flight from Jakarta to Kupang that departs every morning at 2:00 am.
This flight arrives in Kupang at 6:10 am allowing you time to either catch the daily fast ferry to Rote Island at 9 am or take the Susi Air flight at 7:30 am (Only available on Mondays, Wednesday,s and Fridays)
There are several airlines flying directly from Jakarta to Kupang. These include
- Lion Air
- Batik Air
- Citilink
One-stop routes from Jakarta to Kupang include
- Garuda (short layover in Surabaya)
- Air Asia (with a short layover in Denpasar)
Traveling from Bali (DPS) to Kupang (KOE)
If you are traveling to Rote from Bali, there are several flights available from Bali to Kupang. However. we recommend choosing the Lion Air flight that departs at 11:05. am and reaches Kupang at 12:45 pm.
Once you arrive in Kupang, you can take the slow ferry that departs ar 3pm, or check into a hotel for an stay overnight and take the 7:30 am Susi Air flight or the daily 9 am ferry the next day. Please remember that Susi Air flights on Monday, Wednesday and. Friday at 7:30 am.
Step 2: Overnight Stay in Kupang
Most travel itineraries involve an overnight stay in Kupang. For this we highly recommend the Aston Hotel or La Hasienda, which can be booked directly or through popular booking sites like Booking.com or Agoda.com. The Aston Hotel offers everything you need for a comfortable night, with a restaurant, rooftop lounge, pool and spa.
If you want to venture outside the hotel there is a great restaurant, Taman Laut Handayani Seafood Restaurant, just a short walk from the hotel. There is a garden and terrace with great views of sunset, making it a great way to end a day of travel.
Boa Vida can assist you with transfers and hotel booking in Kupang. Our driver will pick you up at the airport on arrival and take you to the hotel. In the morning they will then be waiting at the hotel to take you to the ferry, or the airport depending on your requirements.
Step 3: Kupang to Rote
Once in Kupang, there are 3 main options for your onward journey to Rote. These depend on what day of the week, and the time you arrive into Kupang.
Option 1: Fly Kupang (KOE) to Rote Islands (RTI) with Susi Air
Susi Air is an Indonesian airline that primarily operates in remote and hard-to-reach areas of the country, and currently operates 3 flights per week between Kupang and Rote.
The Susi Air flight schedule from Kupang to Rote is:
- Monday – 7.30 am
- Wednesday – 7.30 am
- Friday – 7.30 am
Flights with Susi Air can only be booked 90 days before your date of travel. Book with Susi Air Rote – WhatsApp +62 811 2001 1917
The flight takes about 30 minutes, and from the airport to Boa Vida takes roughly 1 hour 30 minutes by car. This means you can be at Boa Vida and ready to start your trip by late morning.
Option 2: Take the Bahari Fast Ferry
The Bahari Fast Ferry is a very popular option for your journey to Rote. If you are traveling with multiple surfboards, in particularly longboards, this will be your best option as Susi Air is not able to accommodate larger boards.
Our driver will meet you after breakfast at your hotel and will take you to the ferry port, Terminal Helong Kupang, about 30 minutes drive from the Aston Hotel. They will assist you with your luggage, getting tickets and paying the porter fee for surfboards.
The ferry ride takes an hour and a half and it doesn’t go particularly far from land, so you will have good data and phone coverage for the journey which helps pass the time quickly. The VIP area of the boat has comfortable reclining chairs, cold AC, as well as TV and music for entertainment.
Currently, the fast ferry arrives in Pantai Baru and the drive from here to Boa Vida takes around 2 – 2.5 hours, meaning you typically you will arrive at Boa Vida 1-2 pm.
The Bahari fast ferry schedule is as follows:
Kupang – Rote Schedule
- Monday to Sunday at 9:00 am
Rote – Kupang Schedule
- Monday to Sunday at 12:00 pm
We highly suggest you double-check the schedule on their Instagram page Bahari Kupang or at their website expressbahari.com
How much does the Bahari fast ferry cost?
Fast ferry bahari ticket costs 245.000 IDR VIP Class or 172.000 IDR Executive Class one-way and takes about 1.5 – 2 hours.
Can I take surfboards on the Bahari Fast Ferry?
Yes, you can. There is a small additional fee to be paid, around 30,000 IDR per board bag. This is paid separately to your tickets.
To the far right in front of the ferry terminal building in Kuoang, you will see a man usually surrounded by boxes. He will write you a receipt with your information and the amount to pay, you then keep this to show the staff when boarding and they will load your surfboards.
Option 3: Take the flow ferry
If time is not of concern and you would rather get to Boa Vida in one day of travel but cannot make the early flights or fast ferry, there is the option of the slow ferry. The slow ferry departs Kupang at 3:30 pm and takes around 4 hours, arriving at Pantai Baru Harbour, around 7.30 – 8pm.
There are basic snacks and drinks available for purchase on board, as well as an indoor air-conditioned seating area.
It cost 64,000 IDR for adults and 41.000 IDR for kids.
From there, it takes around two hours to reach Boa Vida. You will arrive at Boa Vida around 10 pm, and dinner will be ready when you arrive.
Traveling with surfboards
If you are traveling with surfboards there is some important things you must know.
Susi Air does not charge for surfboards if you bring one surf bag with a maximum of two boards inside. The weight allowance for the surfboard bag is 20 kg, if more than that there will be an extra charge. If you need to bring extra boards it will cost 774.250 IDR.
Please be aware there are size restrictions of 1,80 cm. If you are traveling with a longer board bag or a longboard let us know and we will arrange for it to be transported by ferry. A Boa Vida representative will meet you at the airport to collect your boards, which will then be shipped on the next ferry crossing, collected, and delivered directly to you at Boa Vida.
Lion Air charges 200.000 IDR per surfboard and there is no size restriction.
There is a small additional charge for the Bahari Fast Ferry, around 30,000 IDR per board bag.
There is no additional fee for surfboards on the slow ferry, but you will need to leave your board bag in the vehicle parking area of the ferry.
Departing Rote
Rote (RTI) to Kupang (KOE) with Susi Air
Susi Air flight departs Rote (RTI) at 8:10 am and arrives in Kupang (KOE) at 8:30 am. This flight is very convenient as you can connect with any Jakarta or Bali flight of your preference.
We always recommend that our guests travel with travel insurance that covers travel disruption because flights in remote Indonesia are quite weather-dependent. Additionally, we advise our guests to leave a minimum of 24 hours of spare time to catch their onward international flights, to ensure there is enough time to reach Bali, Jakarta or Surabaya for their onward flight should there be any delays.
Rote to Kupang with the Bahari Fast Ferry
The Bahari Fast Ferry departs Rote at 12 pm daily, reaching Kupang around 2pm. Tickets can be purchased on arrival at the harbor.
Rote to Kupang with the slow ferry
The slow ferry departs Rote at 9am daily, arriving in Kupang around 1pm. Tickets can be purchased at the harbor.
