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Is the Badung Strait rough? What to expect on the crossing

It can be. The fast boats from Sanur take about 30 to 45 minutes to Nusa Lembongan and about 45 minutes to an hour to Nusa Penida, depending on weather and sea conditions. BMKG put waves on the Sanur crossing at 2.5 m in May 2023 and forecast up to six metres in July 2023, and in August 2014 trips to Nusa Penida were cancelled for strong winds and high waves.

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Strait · Bali, Indonesia · Reputation among passengers: has a long-standing reputation for rough passages.

Reported risk: Badung Strait
  • Low
  • Moderate
  • High
  • Very high

Roughness summarises typical reported conditions for this crossing, not a forecast for any given sailing.

Strong tidal flow, monsoon wind and swell

In the Nausea Index table of the 121 sea crossings we cover, the Badung Strait is rated rough, one of 34 in that band, with 6 rated higher. Full table: the roughest sea crossings, ranked.

Key facts

  • The Badung Strait is a strait, and passenger reports place it in the high roughness band.
  • The mechanism behind that reputation: Strong tidal flow, monsoon wind and swell.
  • It is also known as Selat Badung.

Why is the Badung Strait so rough?

The Badung Strait is about 60 km long and 20 km wide, between Bali and Nusa Penida. Its tidal streams are semi-diurnal and complicated, and north of Nusa Penida the flow at peak tide is about three and a half knots. BMKG put waves on the Sanur to Nusa Penida route at 2.5 m, with winds up to 20 knots from the east-south-east, on 29 May 2023, and in July 2023 forecast up to four metres in the Badung Strait on 19 and 20 July and up to six metres, in its very high category, on 20 and 21 July. In August 2014 the Jakarta Post reported that a week of bad weather and high waves in the strait had cancelled many trips to Nusa Penida.

When is the Badung Strait roughest?

The southeast monsoon peaks around June, July and August and the northwest monsoon around December, January and February, and the winds across the region are stronger in the northwest monsoon. BMKG's May and July 2023 warnings for the Sanur crossing both came with easterly winds, and the July one came as the dry season neared its July and August peak.

Where to be on board

Front to back

  1. Bow (front)Avoid
  2. MidshipBest
  3. Stern (aft)OK

The crossing: About 30-60 minutes

Roughest stretch: The open strait between the Sanur coast and the islands

Sit midship, away from the bow, and keep your eyes on the horizon. The crossing is under an hour.

Where to sit: Bow (front): avoid; Midship: best; Stern (aft): ok.

Get your read

A few quick questions about you, then your trip. Nothing is saved or sent.

Step 1: about you

How you usually react to travel is the single best signal. These come from the validated MSSQ.

How often do you feel sick as a passenger in a car?
…on boats, ferries, or cruise ships?
…on amusement rides, swings, VR/3D, or reading on a screen in motion?
Can you read your phone or a book in a moving car without feeling queasy?
Do you get migraines or episodes of vertigo/dizziness?

Step 2: your trip

Pick the kind of trip you are planning.

Answer step 1 and pick a trip in step 2 to see your read.

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The crossings that cross it

RouteTypical durationWhat to know
Sanur to Nusa PenidaAbout 45 minutes to 1 hourScoot Fast Cruises' fast boat.
Sanur to Nusa LembonganAbout 30 to 45 minutesScoot Fast Cruises says the time depends on the weather and sea conditions.

What helps on this crossing

  • Check the BMKG forecast the day before. BMKG gives wind above 15 knots and waves above 1.25 m as the risk level for fishing boats, and wind above 21 knots and waves above 2.5 m for ferries.
  • Allow for a slower crossing. Scoot Fast Cruises says the Lembongan ride takes about 30 to 45 minutes depending on the weather and sea conditions, and the Nusa Penida ride about 45 minutes to an hour.
  • Sit midship, keep your eyes on the horizon and put your phone away for the crossing.

For the full toolkit see the seasickness guide, or what to do once it has already started. For what the trials actually say about the oldest trick on that list, see the verdict on looking at the horizon. If the rocking follows you ashore afterwards, that is land sickness, which is normal, and it passes.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Badung Strait rough in July?

Yes, at times. July sits in the dry-season peak. In July 2023 BMKG forecast waves of up to four metres in the Badung Strait on 19 and 20 July and up to six metres, in its very high category, on 20 and 21 July, with stronger easterly wind from Australia. BMKG names the Badung Strait as the Sanur to Nusa Penida crossing.

Is the Badung Strait rough in December?

Possibly. The northwest monsoon peaks around December, January and February, and a 2007 paper in the Journal of Geophysical Research on the Lombok Strait region notes that winds across the region are stronger in the northwest monsoon than in the southeast monsoon. Check the BMKG wave forecast for your sailing.

How long is the fast boat from Sanur to Nusa Penida?

Scoot Fast Cruises says about 45 minutes to an hour to Nusa Penida and about 30 to 45 minutes to Nusa Lembongan, depending on the weather and sea conditions.

What happens when the Badung Strait is too rough?

Trips are cancelled. In August 2014 the Jakarta Post reported that many trips to Nusa Penida and other islets had been cancelled because of strong winds and high waves, and that residents and visitors were encouraged to take the large vessels for safety reasons.

Other crossings

Sources & further reading

Sea conditions described here are typical patterns drawn from published marine and operator information as of July 2026, not a forecast: conditions on any given sailing depend on the weather that day, and any month can deliver a calm crossing or a bad one. Route and operator names are trademarks of their respective owners; Dizzout is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Seasickness sensitivity varies from person to person; this page is informational and not medical advice.