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BIMA |
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The rather sleepy port town of BIMA is a useful place to break up
the otherwise agonizing overland trip to Komodo, but little remains from
the days when it served as the most important port in Nusa Tenggara. The
town is centred on the market on Jalan Flores; most of the losmen lie to
the east of the Sultan's Palace, and the bus terminal is to the south.
The Merpati office is at Jl Sukarno Hatta 58, the Telkom office is
further out on the same road. Change money at the BRI bank (Mon-Fri
8am-2.30pm, Sat 8am-11.30pm) by the central square. The main post office
is a little out of town on Jalan Gajah Mada.
The last word in cheap accomodation is Losmen Vivi (Rp15,000) on Jalan
Sukarno Hatta, but it's a bit grotty and usually full; Losmen Lila Graha
at Jl Sumbawa 19 (tel 0371/42740; under $5) is a much more salubrious
and friendlier option. By far the most salubrious place in town is Hotel
La'ambitu, facing the market at Jl Sumbawa 4 (tel 0371/4333; under $15,
and offering great value standard rooms with hot water, fan and TV. The
restaurant of the Hotel La'ambittu is equally good, serving Chinese
dishes, omelettes, pancakes and fried potatoes. The Lila Graha also
serves regular Indonesian travellers' cuisine, or try the night stalls
at the market.
Most travellers arrive in Bima at the long-distance bus terminal , a
short dokar ride south of town. Scores of night-bus agents on Jalan
Pasar offer air-con and standard buses to all major destinations
including Mataram and Sumbawa Besar. Kumbe terminal for buses to Sape
(Rp2000) is in Raba, about 5km out of town. If you want to catch the
early-morning bus to Sape to connect with the ferry east, tell your
hotel the night before and the bus should pick you up at 4am. Ferries
including the monthly Pelni services KM Tatamilau and KM Tilongkabila
arrive at the harbour, 2km west of Bima and served by dokar. The airport
is 20km away; buses stop outside the airport and run all the way to the
bus terminal.
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