Kupang - General Info
Where is Kupang?
Kupang is a busy port situated at the western end of the island of Timor. It is a popular Port of Entry for entering Indonesia from Darwin, Australia or for clearing out of Indonesia on the way to Australia.
Entrance Notes and Cautions for Kupang:
The anchorage is exposed to the NW and a lee shore in most weather. Conditions can get boisterous in the afternoon when the northerly breeze sweeps down the anchorage, quite strong at times, raising a nasty wind chop. Skippers should be diligent and keep an anchor watch on board, in particular in the afternoons, for any dragging or neighbouring yachts doing the same. Fortunately, this weather is rare for July when most yachts visit.
Cruiser Highlights for Kupang:
Good provisioning stop if heading into or out of Indonesia. Hospitals, hardware stores, supermarkets and restaurants are close by the anchorage off Teddy’s Beach.
Position:
10°10’S, 123°34’E.
Last updated: June 2024
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Related to following destinations: Eastern Indonesia - Timor, Indonesia, Kupang
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Beware of check in agent “Mr Napa”, we used his services after reading a comment here recommending him but got completely scammed. Charged $300 for check in service but our visa was never entered into the system so big issues with immigration a month later, charged $600 for diesel engine repair which did more damage than anything, $1000 for his staff to stay on the boat for 3 weeks while we were away… came back to a complete mess, blocked toilets, oil over the deck, big marks on the hull from other boats(!?), disgusting black spit(?!) in all the bathrooms. I asked for some money to be refunded but he has gone MIA.
Avoid at all costs.
15/11/2022 Sailing boat Brule-Vent Pascal Lenjalley
Good stage despite engine failure.
Thanks to Frenky excellent agent. Rally(phone: 081246211950) the king of the beach who provides water, gas oil, watches over the dinghies. Samuel excellent mechanic (ask Rally to contact him). If you need a guide ask for Agustinus OME the philosopher.
New check in procedure in Kupang
When checking in Indonesia you visit Quarantine, Immigration, Customs and the Harbour Master.
On your vessel declaration (that you fill in before you arrive in Indonesia) you should fill in as port of arrival : Port of Tenau, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara Province
In Kupang they made the whole check in procedure easy for yachters. Quarantine, Immigration and Customs work in a team together. In our experience you do not need an agent, though there is a big chance that someone will pay you a visit and offer to do the whole procedure for you. Altogether he asks about US $ 80-100,- for that. We choose to do it ourselves.
You can leave your dinghy on the beach and pay somebody to be guard. We tied our dinghy to the big concrete blocks of the big pier to the west side of the anchorage bay. But here you need to climb a little bit…
We used a motor bicycle taxi to bring us to the respective places.
On arrival you go visit the Quarantine office, and they coordinate with Immigration and Customs to pay you a visit on board as one group. The ladies at Quarantine speak English. You give your telephone number and tell them where you are anchored and they call you when they are on the beach so that you can come pick them up. Be prepared that they will come with about 8-9 people all together. They will inspect the medicine you mentioned on your vessel declaration on expiry dates, they will inspect your food stores as you show them where they are, they will stamp your passport and give you document of immigration. Everything in the most pleasant atmosphere and with a lot of respect.
After this they will return to their respective offices. Later that day, or the next day you are supposed to visit the same quarantine office where you went at first, to pick up a green booklet, with the health clearance and some other documents. Next you go to Bea Cuakai (customs office) in Tenau to pick up your customs clearance. And finally you report to the office of the harbor master (syahbandar). This is about 7 minutes walk from customs (walk further to the south, take the road on your left side, follow that about 5 minutes walking up hill, and you find the office at your right hand side). To enter here you should be clothed properly (i.e. shoes or sandals, long trousers/not too short skirt, T-shirt with at least short sleeves). Here they will inform you that you have to come by again 24 hours before you leave, to pick up your port clearance, which you will need to sail around in Indonesia.
Posted by SY Hoogtevrees date 7 Nov. 2018.
Anchored in the night next to a catamaran at 10°10.08’S 123°33.83’E to find the next morning that it was a perfect spot. A boy and his father living on Namsain beach guarded the yacht and gave us tender service.
They introduced me to Mr Napa the agent. Very efficient, experienced, and professional agent. He drives you around on his scooter to all the government addresses. His Mobile no.+62 82144635956.
Next day we beached my boat (retractable keel) on 10°10.31’S 123°33.77’E and the father and son helped us with a very professional cleaning of the hull.
Recommend Matthew +6285253243999 WhatsApp as a mechanic and for help clearing in. He works with Jimmy who is super helpful and will look after your dinghy on the beach at Teddy’s Bar for 50000IDR per day for as many in/out as you need.
Also, recommend Charles +6281337570669 who is a tour guide (could also do clearance). We went up the country with him to Fotemvasi and Kingdom of Boti, fascinating
Posted by Dom Perignon on the main Kupang report:
Kupang – was our port of entry for Indonesia. Armed with information from noonsite, we did all the clearance on our own.
We dropped our anchor in front of 999 bar (Next to Teddy’s bar) and landed around 8:00 AM.
Right away local thugs on the beach started offering their services: guide, agent, a driver for 100’000/hour etc.
One of the most active was Ayub – a local beach thug with guide, agent, dealer, diesel & water supplier skills. Although he’s not a trustworthy person. He took our outboard engine into repair, could not get an original impeller so decided to build a new one, it seemed like the only plan. Later that day the job was done.
We tested our outboard at the shop – it worked. Brought it back to the beach – no more. 1’300’000 paid & lost. The Mechanic says he gave the money to Ayub. Ayub says the money has already been spent. So we left Kupang with a broken dinghy engine, paddling our way towards the boat against an incoming tide.
Posted on behalf of Catamaran JAVA:
Visa Extensions/Renewals
Kupang Immigration, not good for Visa renewals. They are OK for checking into the country, but if you just want to do your monthly Social Visa renewal, this is not the place since they require you to use a LOCAL Agent.
We had used Ruth in Bali (info@islemarine.com) to get our Social Visa while in Davao, Philippines. She’s a very reasonably-priced, popular Agent. Kupang would not accept her, so we asked around and found Isak who was supposedly the most honest local Agent.
He charged us 1 million Rp each and took care of it, but this is 10 times what Ruth charges. Also could not get a receipt from Immigration, I think because Isak gave some money to the “Boss” behind closed doors. I never saw him give any money over the Immigration counter. This duplicity is reported to be a problem in Lombok also.
In Labuan Bajo, it only took 5 days for Visa Extensions with no “funny business”.
Denpassar (Bali) takes 10 days for the same process and you have to make three trips to their office, which will cost you in Taxi fares the same amount as two Visa Extensions.
Hope this helps some of my fellow Indonesian cruisers.
Evan del Faro, Catamaran JAVA – August 2017
I agree with SYAkka. First, we follow anchor in front of Teddy’bar, but there is a big swell there and the music some Bars or dancing keep us awake until the song from the mosque take over.
Do not trust the people there, they will cheat you, taxi drivers and people who want to take care of your dinghy ask twice the normal price.
We find the service of Napa Chaman wonderful, and the anchoring spot from SY Akka with Lambert for help and watch the dinghy on the beach first class… Also looking at the building of wooden fisher boats was amazing.
Posted on behalf of SY AKKA
We’d like to give you the coordinates for our anchoring spot, which is not off famous “Ted’s Bar”. We saw that boats anchored at that spot came over to our anchorage to land their dinghies there, so here is where we anchored:
10°09.38 S and 123°34.75 East in 5-6m over sand/mud. Good holding.
Since we had to dive for a lost item, we saw the bottom and it was clean without rubbish. The dinghy landing is right at the beach next to some palm trees and bushes, where we met Lambert, who lives there with his family and is a trustworthy dinghy watcher and always keen to help you with getting the dinghy ashore. Do not forget to pay him for his services (20.000 Rp. is fine) from time to time! The best dinghy spot in Kupang, we think!