Practicalities - Promoting Bali

Buses from all destinations north of Bandar Lampung pull into the Rajabasa terminal , 7km north of the city, one of the busiest in Sumatra. Follow the signs towards the main road for " microlet " (bemos), where you can either get a light-blue bemo as far as Pasar Bawah, just south of Jalan Kotoraja, or catch the bus that goes to Pasar Bawah but then continues its circular route down Jalan Raden Intan, along Jalan A Yani and up Jalan Kartini before going out to Rajabasa again. If you stay on past Pasar Bawah it counts as two journeys, so you'll pay double.

Buses from Bakauheni and Kalianda arrive at Panjang terminal , about 1km east of Panjang market, to the east of the city on the coast. Some terminate here, while others go on to Rajabasa. Orange bemos run between Panjang terminal and Sukaraja terminal in the heart of Teluk Betung; depending on where you want to stay in town it may be better to get off at Panjang or stay on to Rajabasa.

The train station is on Jalan Kotoraja, about 100m from Pasar Bawah. The local high-speed ferry terminal from Jakarta is at Sukaraja, just next to the bemo and bus terminal. Branti airport is 25km north of the city; walk 200m onto the main road and catch a Branti-Rajabasa bus to Rajabasa (Rp250) and take connections to the city from there. Fixed-price taxis from the airport into town will cost Rp20,000. Merpati is at Jl A Yani 88b (tel 0721/258046).

The easiest way to get around the city are the DAMRI bus services that operate from 6am to 6pm and only call at designated stops. The Rajabasa-Karang service runs from Rajabasa along Jalan Teuku Umar into the city and left into Jalan Kotoraja to Pasar Bawah where it terminates. Its return route to Rajabasa is down Jalan Raden Intan, along Jalan A Yani and up Jalan Kartini before going out to Rajabasa again. The bus labelled Karang-Betung operates from the Pasar Bawah area down Jalan Raden Intan, Jalan Diponegoro and Jalan Salim Batubara, the southern end of Jalan KHA Dahlan and Jalan Yos Sudarso to Sukaraja terminal. Coming back up they run along Jalan Yos Sudarso, Jalan Ikan Kakap, up Jalan Ikan Tenggiri, Jalan Pattimura, Jalan Diponegoro, Jalan A Yani, Jalan Kartini and around to Pasar Bawah.

The buses are supplemented by small colour-coded bemos (flat fare Rp350; 5am-9pm) which often have their routes printed on the back .