How to get from Bali to Gili Islands

There are 3 ways to travel the 62 kilometers (39 miles) from Bali to Gili Islands. You can choose between the flight, fast boat and slow boat (not recommended). The journey takes 1 to 9 hours and the quickest way is by fast boat. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by slow boat (not recommended) with tickets starting at 280,000 IDR (€14.60).

We don’t recommend travelling to the Gili Islands by public ferry. Although there are departures almost every hour, the trip will take almost an entire day. Here’s a rundown of your journey:

1. 1. Public boat from Padang Bai to Lembar in Lombok (5-6 hours) – 60,000 IDR (€3.10)

1. 1. Taxi from Lembar to Bangsal (2 hours) – 200,000 IDR (€10.40)

1. 1. Boat to the Gili Islands (10-45 minutes) – 20,000 IDR (€1)

Combined costs start from 280,000 IDR (€14.60) with a total travel time of almost 9 hours. The combined ticket prices are even higher than the cheapest fast boat going straight from Bali to Gili Islands.

The nearest airport to the Gili Islands is in Lombok. The flight from Bali to Lombok takes only 40 minutes, but this option requires several transfers to and from the airports, plus the boat ride to the Gili Islands.

First, you’ll have to take a 40-minute flight from Bali to Praya Airport in the south of Lombok. This is followed by a bus or taxi ride to the north of Lombok (Bangsal Harbour) and from there, you can take a local boat to one of the Gili Islands.

Considering that the journey from Praya Airport in the south of Lombok to Bangsal Harbour in the north takes about 2-3 hours, we recommend taking the fast boat from Padang Bai in Bali.

That single boat trip from Bali to Gili Islands will already be faster than the journey from Lombok Airport to the Gili Islands.

From our point of view, the only reason to take a flight is if you’re prone to motion sickness and don’t want to spend hours on a boat. The distance from Lombok to the Gili Islands is very short and the ocean is usually less rough than the (more open) ocean between Bali and the Gili Islands.

The total travel time of this flight option is about 4 hours 20 minutes to 4 hours 55 minutes, excluding boarding time. Combined rates start from 1,108,000 IDR (€58) if you travel by public bus from the airport to the port.

TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.

Bali Airport, also known as Ngurah Rai Airport or Denpasar Airport, is 4 km away from Kuta in Bali. This airport is a short taxi ride from top destinations like Kuta, Seminyak, Nusa Dua, and Sanur.

The most convenient way to travel to Bali Airport is by taking a taxi or Grab from your hotel. From Kuta, Grab fares start from 75,000 IDR (€3.90). Expect to pay at least 300,000 IDR (€15.70) if you’re coming from farther areas like Ubud.

Klook also offers private transfers to Bali Airport that you can book in advance. Fares depend on where you’re coming from in Bali.

Wings Air and Lion Air offer multiple flights from Bali to Lombok daily.

Fares start from 990,000 IDR (€52) for the flight to Lombok Airport which takes 40 minutes.

From Lombok Airport, you need to go to Bangsal Harbour, where boats to the Gili Islands depart from. This harbour is on the north coast, about 60 km from the airport.

DAMRI buses are available outside the airport arrivals area, on the left side. Its main routes are Mataram, Ampenan, Senggigi, and Selong in Lombok, but they recently added buses going straight to Bangsal Harbour.

Buses depart every hour between 09:00 and 16:00 and tickets cost 50,000 IDR (€2.60) for the bus ride to Bangsal that takes 3 hours.

If you book in advance with Traveloka, tickets only cost 20,000 IDR (€1). To find this trip, you’ll have to search for “Lombok International Airport (LOP)” to “Lombok (all terminals).”

You can also take a taxi from Lombok Airport to Bangsal, but it will be expensive. Fares start from 525,000 IDR (€27) on 12GoAsia, although you might be able to get a taxi for lower prices at the airport.

The Gili Islands are just a short boat ride away from Bangsal Harbour. From here, slow and fast boats are available to take you to the Gili island of your choice.

Tickets for the public boats cost only 23,000 IDR (€1.20) per person. However, these boats don’t have specific departure times, and they leave only when the boat is full (around 40 passengers). The waiting time may take about an hour or so, and travel time is around 30-45 minutes to Gili Trawangan.

If you want to get to the Gilis much quicker, you can take a fast boat. It takes only 10 to 15 minutes from Bangsal Harbour to the Gilis, and these fast boats depart every hour from 09:00 to 16:00. Tickets are slightly pricier at 85,000 IDR (€4.40) per person.

Unlike the fast boats from Bali, the boats from Bangsal Harbour head to Gili Air first, then to Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan.

The best and fastest way to travel from Bali to Gili Islands is by fast boat. Several fast boat companies operate from the main ports in Bali: Padang Bai, Sanur, Serangan, and Amed.

Depending on the port you take the fast boat from, you can get to the Gili Islands in 1 hour to 4 hours 30 minutes.

Most of the fast boats head to the two busiest islands, Gili Trawangan and Gili Air and few stop at Gili Meno.

Fast boat ticket prices start from from Bali to Gili Islands.

Quick tip:

For a fast and easy way to book, you can find the best prices on BookAway and 12GoAsia.

Padang Bai is the best port to depart from when travelling from Bali to Gili Islands. The fast boat will take around 1.5-2.5 hours to Gili Trawangan, then Meno and last Air.

While dropping off passengers at each of the islands, the boat will also pick up the returning passengers going from the Gili Islands back to Bali. This means it will take around 15 minutes extra to travel to the next island.

Here are the travel times from Padang Bai (Bali) to each of the Gili Islands:

• Bali to Gili Trawangan: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Bali to Gili Meno: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Bali to Gili Air: 2 hours

Occasionally, the fast boat from Bali makes a short stop at the mainland in Lombok first. It’s close to the Gili Islands, but be aware that it can make the total journey last longer than the indicated 1h - 2h 30m.

Which ferry to book?

We recommend not just going for the cheapest ferry ticket out there, but paying a few dollars more for a ferry ticket with Eka Jaya.

Maarten’s insider tip: I travelled with several boat companies between Bali and the Gili Islands, and I’d strongly recommend booking with Eka Jaya (available on BookAway and 12GoAsia).  The ride was smooth and I loved the fact that they had a seating area on the open deck.

TIP: The ocean between Bali and the Gili’s can get rough, so we recommend booking a ticket for a larger fast boat. If you are prone to motion sickness, bring your motion sickness pills!

If you don’t mind a relatively bumpy ferry ride, we think that Wahana Gili Ocean Fast Boat offers the best value for money.

The biggest advantage of the Wahana Gili ferry is that this service includes (free) pick-up from almost all popular destinations in Bali: Denpasar Airport, Legian, Kuta, Seminyak, Kerobokan, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Canggu, Ubud and Sanur. Not bad for ticket prices starting from 285,000 IDR (€14.90)!

Most fast boats only stop at the two busiest Gili Islands, Gili Trawangan and Gili Air. Luckily, Eka Jaya drops passengers off at Meno too.

The ferry journey from Bali to Gili Meno is the same, but since Gili Meno doesn’t have a big harbour, you will be transferred to a small pier. This small pier functions as a little ferry and will bring you to Meno Island within a few minutes.

Gili Air is usually the last stop of the fast boats from Bali. You’ll have to wait for other passengers to get off the boat at the other two islands, but the good thing is that you already got a quick glimpse at all three Gili Islands!

Make sure to be at the port at least 30 minutes before departure. Note that you also need to pay a small village entrance fee of 15,000 IDR (€0.80) in Padang Bai before you board the fast boat.

Maarten’s insider tip: Some travel agencies offer tickets with a shared shuttle from your hotel to the harbour. Although this sounds convenient, keep in mind that it can take up to an hour to pick up the other passengers. Booking a private taxi (via Grab or Gojek) is often cheaper when sharing the costs with your travel buddies.

How to get to Padang Bai port

Padang Bai is located in the east of Bali and is the most popular ferry port for fast boats departing to the Gili Islands and Lombok. In addition, Padang Bai has a separate pier for large vehicle ferries, allowing you to bring a motorbike or car to Lombok or Nusa Penida.

To get to Padang Bai Port, you have two options. You can take a minivan departing from Kuta or Ubud, or more conveniently, a taxi from your hotel.

Taxi fares to Padang Bai

You’ll find an estimation of the taxi fares from Bali’s most popular tourist destinations to Padang Bai in the table below. When sharing the costs with your travel buddies, it will be around the same price or cheaper than paying a higher-priced ticket including pickup.

An important advantage compared to a shared pick-up service is that your transfer won’t be delayed by picking up other passengers. This alone could add 1-hour extra to get to Padang Bai.

Estimated taxi fares to Padang Bai Port

Departure point	Travel time	Taxi fares*
Canggu	2-2.5 hours	from 280,000 IDR (€14.60)
Ubud	1.5-2 hours	from 300,000 IDR (€15.70)
Kuta, Seminyak	1.5-2 hours	from 330,000 IDR (€17.20)
Uluwatu	2.5-3 hours	from 400,000 IDR (€21)

Minivan to Padang Bai Port

As an alternative, you can also take the minivan operated by Perama Tour & Travel. The minivans depart at 07:00 from their offices in Kuta and Ubud.

See here the costs of the minivan tickets:

• From Kuta 225,000 IDR (€11.70)
• From Ubud 175,000 IDR (€9.10)

The price of this ride is quite high and you’ll be better off sharing a taxi if you are travelling with two or more people.

When staying in or around Sanur, it might look more convenient to depart from Sanur Port.

However, the distance from Sanur to the Gili Islands is a lot further compared to Padang Bai. This means the fast boat from Sanur will take about double the time compared to fast boats departing from Padang Bai.

To illustrate, the fast boat leaving from Sanur will take 3.5 hours, while fast boats from Padang Bai can get you to the Gili Islands in around 1.5 hours. Even when you add the 1.5-hour minivan ride from Sanur to Padang Bai, you will likely reach the Gili’s at the same time or even earlier.

Still interested in departing from Sanur? See the fast boat schedules below.

Note that this indicated arrival time is based on Gili Trawangan, so if you’re staying on Gili Air, expect to arrive about 30 minutes later. Prices are the same for the two Gili islands.

Tickets for the fast boats departing from Sanur start at on BookAway.

With Sanur Port’s digital ticketing system, you are required to buy your tickets online in advance. Your ticket or boarding pass includes a barcode that will be scanned and checked at the port.

How to get to Sanur Port

UPDATE: In November 2022 — just before the G20 — Sanur opened a new port. It’s one of the most modern ports you’ll find in Southeast Asia and all boats now conveniently depart and arrive from a pier instead of from the beach. The new port is equipped with a digital ticketing system and an air-conditioned waiting area with clean bathrooms. Just be aware that the new port is about a 5-10 minute walk from the old port.

To get to Sanur Port, you have two options. You can take a minivan departing from Kuta or Ubud, or more conveniently, a taxi from your hotel.

Taxi fares to Sanur Port

You’ll find an estimation of the taxi fares from Bali’s most popular tourist destinations to Padang Bai in the table below. When sharing the costs with your travel buddies, it will be around the same price or cheaper than paying a higher-priced ticket that includes pick-up.

An important advantage compared to a shared pick-up service is that your transfer won’t be delayed by picking up other passengers. This alone could already add 1-hour extra time to get to Sanur Port.

Estimated taxi fares to Sanur Port

Departure point	Travel time	Taxi fares*
Canggu	1-1.5 hours	from 100,000 IDR (€5.20)
Kuta, Seminyak	30 minutes – 1 hour	from 110,000 IDR (€5.70)
Ubud	1-1.5 hours	from 190,000 IDR (€9.90)
Uluwatu	1.5-2 hours	from 200,000 IDR (€10.40)

Minivan to Sanur Port

As an alternative, you can also take the minivan operated by Perama Tour & Travel. The minivans depart at 07:00 from their offices in Kuta and Ubud.

See here the costs of the minivan tickets:

• From Kuta: 65,000 IDR (€3.40)
• From Ubud: 100,000 IDR (€5.20)

Keep in mind that these minivans depart from Perama Tour & Travel Offices. This means you might need to take another taxi from your hotel to the departure point.

Four companies operate ferries from Serangan Pier to Gili Islands: Eka Jaya, Golden Queen, Gili Getaway and Blue Water Express.

However, with one-way tickets selling for at least , we don’t see an advantage in booking a ferry from Serangan. They are more expensive, and travel time is almost twice as long.

While the port looks near to Sanur, it is still a 30-minute drive south. The fast boats will take 2h 15m - 3h, compared to 1.5-2.5 hours from Padang Bai. It’s faster to take a taxi directly to Padang Bai and board the ferry to the Gilis from there.

Still interested in the fast boat schedules? Check them out below.

*Important: The last time we checked (September 2024), Freebird Express was no longer operating. You can visit their website or e-mail them at info@freebird-express.com to see if anything has changed.

About a 1.5-hour drive north of Padang Bai is the village of Amed, famous for its diving spots. Amed Port is located directly across from the Gili Islands, so the travel time from this port is a bit shorter than other ports, around 1h 15m.

If you’re staying in Amed or other parts of the northern coast of Bali, then this port is the best option for you.

The downside is that only one ferry operates from this port: FreeBird Express. The ferry heads to Gili Trawangan first and then to Gili Air. Tickets with Freebird cost 380,000 IDR (€19.80) per person.

The differences between the fast boat companies

The duration of the ferry rides is more or less the same, regardless of the company you book with. Most of the boats are called a fast boat. Even if they are called a ferry, it doesn’t mean they are slower.

The difference between the boats is the level of comfort, particularly how you experience the ride.

With stormy weather and high waves, the ride on small boats can be quite rough and feel bumpy. We recommend booking a larger boat if you are prone to motion sickness or simply prefer a calmer ride.

Still, there are many differences between the fast boat companies operating between Bali and the Gili Islands.

Small fast boats (Semaya One)

If you never get seasick and don’t have any problems with boat rides, you can buy fast boat tickets with one of the smaller boats like Semaya One.

The journey with one of these smaller fast boat companies from Bali to the Gili Islands starts from 240,000 IDR (€12.50) with Semaya One.

A few more companies operate smaller boats, but considering they’re more expensive tickets, booking a ticket with larger fast boats like Eka Jaya is a better choice.

Large and more comfortable fast boat (Eka Jaya)

Does your stomach easily turn upside down after a boat ride or do you simply prefer some more comfort while enjoying the ocean views from the deck?

Then we recommend booking one of the larger fast boats. These ferries are better at absorbing the shocks of the ocean, making the journey less rough.

Most larger fast boats are more expensive, with the exception of Eka Jaya. It’s the biggest fast boat operator from Bali to the Gili’s and operates large boats with a capacity of over 200 passengers. Ticket prices start from 410,000 IDR (€21).

Fast boats with more comfortable seating

Although Eka Jaya is one of the most popular companies, slightly more luxurious options are also available.

Two of these companies are Blue Water Express with tickets selling for 720,000 IDR (€38) and Gili Getaway for 790,000 IDR (€41). It’s up to you if the upgrade is worth the premium price.