A full day of fun with Quicksilver Bali Cruises

Quicksilver Bali Cruises is a great way to spend a day of unlimited fun with the family. It's not only a blast for children but as adults you will find yourself queuing for the banana boat ride a second time and maybe even a third time...;-)

Check here for other One day Cruises

Quicksilver is the name of a huge 37 meter Waterpiercer Catamaran which leaves the little harbor of Tanjung Benoa every morning at 9.15 hours.

After a ride of about 1,5 hour it arrives at Toyapakeh Bay in Nusa Penida where you can spend your day doing all kinds of water activities or just relax and enjoy the view.

Ready to board the fast Quicksilver boat

 

My girlfriend and I decided to check out one of these Bali cruises and to experience what it's actually all about. I'm glad we did because at the end we had a wonderful day, despite being the only Europeans in a large group of Koreans and Japanese;-)

I guess it's just not attractive for independent travelers who specificly choose to go to Bali to see its culture and nature.

But when you travel with your family and you are staying in one of the hotels in Nusa Dua, Tanjung Benoa or Kuta than Quicksilver Bali Cruises is a really good option for a great day out.

Children around the age of 6-13 years old will love it...

And for "the first timers" to Bali or any tropical destination then you should definitely go with the Quicksilver Bali cruises too.

You will have a chance to do some snorkeling and see beautiful tropical fishes or hop on the semi-submarine and see the underwater world while staying nice and dry.

 

Nusa Penida in the distance...

 

My girlfriend and I gathered with about 200 other people at the docks of Tanjung Benoa at 9am. Once we boarded the Catamaran it was time to relax and enjoy what was coming.

It seemed that the Quicksilver staff was everywhere just to ensure that everybody was having a great day.

When joining this cruise you can expect that everything will be arranged for you.

And believe me, this is no exaggeration: full service from the minute you are picked up from your hotel till you are dropped off there again at the end of the day.

 

 

Once the engine started we cruised full speed towards Nusa Penida island just off the shore. Meanwhile unlimited complimentary breakfast was served with tea and coffee.

For those with sea sickness the Quicksilver Bali cruises provided more then enough anti-sickness pills.

Like I said, everything is arranged on this day cruise...

 

All the activities at this Nusa Penida Day Cruise take place on a floating pantoon created specially by Quicksilver.

They have chosen this location because it is still very quiet and the surrounding coral is of good quality.

There are no other Bali cruises here unlike in Nusa Lembongan. Additionally the pantoon is just off shore from where smaller boats will bring you to Topayakeh village.

The village has had an economic boost when they started to create seaweed farms for the international cosmetic industry.

When we approached the island we already could see the seaweed plantations just below the surface.

 

On the island you can have a look at how the local people process seaweed and you also have the opportunity to see everal demonstrations, such as traditional weaving and a Balinese cock-fighting match.

But don't worry, the birds fight without the blades and are therefore not harmed in any way...

Besides the demonstrations there is enough time to just hang around the village, play some volleyball or to check out some turtles that belong to a conservation project operating in Bali.

 

Weaving demonstrations on Nusa Penida

 

The small boats leaving from the Pantoon also head for the semi submersible vessel located just 30m further away.

About 20 people can enter the vessel at a time. Once the door is closed it takes you down to the surface where you can see the underwater world very clearly.

 

Checking out the fish while staying nice and dry...

 

We were amazed about the amount and scale of fish swimming around, they were huge....

And I must admit I was really surprised and fascinated after the ride. It was a better experience than I expected it to be.

 

Check out the massive fish!

 

Activities that can be done straight from the pantoon are snorkeling, the banana boat ride, diving and jet skiing. The last two activities are optional and cost you extra. 

But the other two are unlimited and if you want to snorkel the whole day non-stop, you can.

Same for the banana boat ride. First I  thought 'mmm, this banana thing might be too boring for me' but after one round we couldn't resist a second ride and I can guarantee that you get hooked too.

My girlfriend and I couldn't stop laughing, which made it only more difficult to hang on to the banana boat.

 

Have a laugh on the Banana boat ride

 

For all these activities the Quicksilver staff advises you to use a life jacket. But don't worry, staff is always there to assist you and to keep an eye on you.

This is especially the case with snorkeling since there might be a current.

That's also the reason why Quicksilver has placed a rope in the water on which you must hold on while checking out the colourfull waterworld through your goggles.

 

Snorkel safely by holding on to the rope

 

Instead of swimming, you then have to pull yourself along the rope till you end up at the boat again. This safety rope makes it ideal for non-swimmers to experience the wonders of snorkeling too.

There are also more relaxing things to do on the pantoon such as a small spa treatment and getting a tan on the sundeck.

So if you just want to laze around, this is possible too.

With all these things to do you will get hungry soon. Well, as you can expect this is all taken care of as well...

 

If you go on one of the Quicksilver Bali cruises you can expect an unlimited tropical buffet and barbecue lunch. An abundance of food is prepared by the staff and served from 11.30 till 14.00.

It is a real feast and I had no trouble with choosing from the many delicious dishes.

Besides the spectacular choice of grilled prawns, sea food sate, grilled fish or clams there were other dishes as well such as salads, spaghetti, chicken and various vegetables.

So don't worry you will definitely find something you like here.

 

Don't forget to leave some room for dessert. This is the perfect chance for you to try out all the different Indonesian sweets, puddings, fruit cocktails and fresh fruits.

For special requests you can make prior arrangements and the staff will take this into consideration.

Around 14.30 everybody started to pack things up and to prepare themselves for the trip back to Tanjung Benoa. Coffee and tea was served again with snacks.  

 

On the way back; some are tired while others can't resist the microfone

 

As mentioned before we had a fantastic day with Quicksilver Bali Cruises.

It was awesome to do whatever you  want to do such as snorkeling as long as you want, hop on the banana boat till you are really fed up and go down the water slide till you get dizzy.

The atmosphere was also great because everybody was really having a terrific time.

Prices for a Nuse Penida Island Day Cruise with Quicksilver Bali:
Adults USD 85 per person
Children between 5-14 years are half price.

This includes free hotel transfer from Kuta, Seminyak, Sanur and Nusa Dua. Prices for a charter cruise are upon request.

Other One-day Bali Cruises

Besides Quicksilver there are other Bali cruises that take you for a day trip along the Bali coast or to other islands.

For all these Bali cruises, the prices include hotel transfers to Kuta area, Nusa Dua and Sanur. If you are staying in Ubud then expect to pay additional charges.

On top of that children between 5 and 12 years usually pay half price. So inform about the exact price during the reservation.

 

Bali Hai Luxury Aristocat Sailing Cruise

 

Bali Hai (+62 361-720331) in Benoa Harbor has probably the most number of choices in Bali cruises. They have tours on their Bali Hai II Catamaran to Nusa Lembongan island (US$ 95) where you can enjoy all the facilities at their Beach Club. You can also go on a dinner cruise with the Bali Hai II (US$ 45) which leaves at 5.45pm and returns at 8.45pm.

Another Bali Hai tour is on their luxurious Aristocat Sailing Catamaran which takes you to Crystal Bay in Nusa Penida (US$ 98). Here you can experience great snorkeling in one of the best coral reefs. Other activities are village tours, massages and relaxation. Dinner evening cruises are also available (US$ 55)

Bali Hai Ocean Rafting 3 island cruise (US$ 90) includes a full day of snorkeling and touring at beautiful coral reefs. The Raft boat is a fast way to see the best of Bali's waters...

 

Go on one of the Bali cruises and sail along the coast..

 

Bounty Cruises (+62 361-726666) has a similar boat, pontoon and activities as the Quicksilver Cruises. However this cruise (US$ 95) takes you to Nusa Lembongan. It leaves at 10am and returns at 4pm.

Other Bali cruises that offer a trip to Nusa Lembongan, use of the facilities at their resort and activities such as snorkeling are Lembongan Paradise Cruise (+62 361-281974 US$ 85), Island Explorer (+62 361-728088 US$80) and Sail sensations (0361-725864 US$ 95)

The Waka Experience (+62 361 723629/723659) has Catamaran tours leaving from Benoa harbor to Candidasa and Nusa Lembongan. The Candidasa cruise (US$125) includes a visit to the beaches in the area, snorkeling, a village tour and lunch.

The Waka Experience tour to Nusa Lembongan (US$ 95) docks at a island resort from where you can do all kinds of activities including reef snorkeling and surfing. BBQ and buffet lunch is included.

The Waka also offers dinner cruises (US$ 69) also departing from Benoa Harbor

 

Condor Sailing tours, Amed

 

Condor sailing Amed (+62 363) 23465 offers sailing tours on their 18m traditional vessel. The day tour leaves at 9am and returns around 4pm. You can either go snorkeling (33euro) or diving (2 dives 69euro, 3 dives 86euros).

You can also board the ship for their sunset sailing cruise (17 euro). It leaves at 4.30pm and you'll be back before dinner at 7pm. Condor Sailing is part of Hotel Uyah and Cafe Garam Restaurant in Amed. So if you want to make arrangements you can head over there.

Odyssey Submarine Bali (+62 361 759777/759888) leaves from Amuk bay in Padang Bai (US$82). Here you can admire the underwater world without getting wet. Lunch is included in the 5 hour tour. Activities such as Bali scuba diving and water sports are possible upon additional charges.