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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Bima
Use Bima as a transit stop between Sumbawa's west coast and Komodo: one night is enough to see the palace and mosque.
Bima is the largest city on Sumbawa and a former sultanate capital, but its sights are limited to a palace museum and an old mosque. Most travellers pass through on the way to Komodo National Park via Sape or to Mount Tambora. The city is dry and dusty; the real draw is the surrounding landscape and the ferry connections east.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (rainy season, rough seas for ferries)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- IDR
- Money
- Rupiah (Rp) in small notes for warungs, parking, offerings and drivers; large cards are common in tourist restaurants but not everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rp200,000–350,000 excl. bed · Mid Rp350,000–600,000 excl. bed · High Rp600,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telkomsel, XL and Indosat sell tourist SIMs at airports; foreign phones must be IMEI-registered if staying over 90 days — check.
- Emergency
- General emergency 112 · Police 110 · Ambulance 118
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European round pins.
- Tipping
- Warung: Nothing.; Restaurants: Often 10% service + tax on the bill; nothing more needed.; Drivers and guides: Rp50,000–100,000 a day.; Spa: Rp20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations common in Bali.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop elsewhere; paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Nasi campur (rice with sides) | Rp15,000–30,000 |
| Bottle of water (1.5 L) | Rp5,000–8,000 |
| Coffee at a warung | Rp5,000–10,000 |
| Ojek ride (short trip) | Rp10,000–20,000 |
| Museum Asi Mbojo entry | Rp10,000–20,000 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BMU · Sultan Muhammad Salahudin Airport
- About 20 min drive from city centre; flights from Lombok and Bali (check)
Typical fares
- Airport → city centre
- about Rp50,000–100,000 by ojek or car (check)
- Bima → Sape, shared minibus
- about Rp50,000 per person (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Bemo (minibus) and ojek (motorcycle taxi) cover the city; walking is fine for the centre. To reach Sape or Tambora, hire a car and driver or take a shared minibus.
See and do
Known for
- Museum Asi Mbojo (Sultan's palace)
- Masjid Sultan Muhammad Salahuddin
- Gateway to Komodo National Park
- Bima language and culture
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sape | Shared minibus or car, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
| Mount Tambora | Car to the trailhead, about 2 h, then a 2-day trek | About 3 h to trailhead |
| Sumbawa Besar | Shared minibus or car, about 3 h | About 3.5 h |
Sleep
- City centre (around Jalan Sultan Hasanuddin)
- Close to the palace and mosque; basic hotels and losmen.
- Near the harbour (Bima Bay)
- Convenient for early ferries to Sape; fewer options.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Apa kabarapa ka-bar |
| Thank you | Terima kasihte-ree-ma ka-seeh |
| How much? | Berapa?be-ra-pa |
| Where is the market? | Di mana pasar?dee ma-na pa-sar |
| I want to go to Sape | Saya mau ke Sapesa-ya mau ke sa-pe |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Light handshake then hand to chest; smile; avoid: Firm grips
- Left hand: Give and receive with the right; avoid: Passing anything with the left
- Temples: Sarong and sash; step around offerings; avoid: Standing higher than priests
- Keeping calm: Patience; indirect requests; avoid: Anger in public
- Pointing: Thumb; avoid: Index finger
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferries to Sape can be cancelled in rough weather (Nov–Mar).
- ATMs are limited; bring enough cash from Lombok or Bali.
- The airport is small; check flight schedules ahead.
Bima is generally safe. Watch for pickpocketing in markets and be cautious on the roads at night. The main risk is the ferry crossing in bad weather.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bima yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Museum Asi Mbojo (Sultan's palace)
- Masjid Sultan Muhammad Salahuddin
- Gateway to Komodo National Park
- Bima language and culture
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Bima city official website: www.bimakota.go.id/
- Wikivoyage: Bima, revision 5327618 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5327618
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/bima). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.