Overview Compare Gili Trawangan Gili Meno Gili Air
Famous for its fine white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and party scene, the Gili Islands are a great destination to head to after you explored Bali.
The Gili Islands are a group of three islands off the northwest coast of Lombok. All equally beautiful, each of the three islands offers a different atmosphere.
Haven’t decided yet which island to visit? Jump to our FAQ and find out which island is the best choice for your vacation to the Gilis.
How to get from Bali Bali to the Gili Islands
The distance from Bali to the Gili Islands is 62 km (38 miles) and you can take a fast boat from several ports in Bali, including Padang Bai, Sanur and Serangan. Depending on which port in Bali you leave from, the boat trip lasts between 1.5-3.5 hours.
We recommend taking a fast boat from Padang Bai as this is the closest harbour to the Gili Islands. Fast boat tickets already start from 225,000 IDR ($14.50).
Before you book your ticket, it’s important to know that almost all fast boats from Bali first stop at Gili Trawangan and most also at Gili Air, but fewer stop at Gili Meno. If you stay at Gili Meno, make sure to book with a company that also stops at this small island.
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.
Travel times from Padang Bai (Bali) to each of the Gili Islands:
- Bali to Gili Trawangan: 1.5 hours
- Bali to Gili Meno: 1hr 45m
- Bali to Gili Air: 2 hours
Occasionally, the fast boat from Bali first makes a short stop at the mainland in Lombok. It’s close to the Gili Islands, but be aware that it can make the total journey last longer than the indicated 1.5-2 hours.
Quick tips:
- The ocean between Bali and the Gili’s can get quite rough. Avoid small fast boats if you are prone to getting seasick on boat rides.
- Eka Jaya operates the largest boat and offers the best value for money.
- Most fast boats depart two times a day. One in the morning around 9:00 and one in the afternoon around 13:00.
- For quick bookings, you can find the best prices on BookAway and 12GoAsia.
3 ways to get from Bali to the Gili Islands
Keep on reading for a detailed breakdown of how to get to the Gili Islands by fast boat from Padang Bai, Sanur, or Serangan — including schedules and where to book your tickets.
Fast boat to the Gili islands from Padang Bai
Padang Bai is the best port to depart from when travelling from Bali to the Gili Islands.
We recommend not directly buying the cheapest ferry ticket out there, but paying a few dollars more for a ferry ticket with Eka Jaya. I travelled with several boat companies between Bali and the Gili Islands, but I’d strongly recommend Eka Jaya. The ride was calmer and I loved the fact that they had a seating area on the open deck.
If you buy your ticket with BookAway, you can already buy a ticket with Eka Jaya for 335,000 IDR ($21.50). Via the Eka Jaya website or 12GoAsia, tickets will cost at least 375,000 IDR ($24). At the port, it will likely be even higher.
TIP: The ocean between Bali and the Gili’s can get rough and that’s why we recommend booking a ticket for a larger fast boat. If you are prone to motion sickness, bring your motion sickness pills!
Fast boat schedule from Padang Bai to Gili Islands
Below we share the fast boat schedules for all three Gili Islands. The availability of fast boats from Bali to Gili Air is the same as for Gili Trawangan.
Fast boat companies normally arrive after 1.5 hour at Gili Trawangan, then some of them make a short stop in front of Gili Meno and last Gili Air. This means that the fast boat ride takes about 30 minutes extra when travelling from Bali to Gili Air.
Bali to Gili Trawangan fast boat schedule (December 2022)
Bali to Gili Trawangan fast boat schedule (December 2022)
Bali to Gili Meno fast boat schedule (December 2022)
Bali to Gili Meno fast boat schedule (December 2022)
Most fast boats only stop at the two busiest Gili Islands, which are Gili Trawangan and Gili Air. Luckily, Eka Jaya also drops off passengers at Meno.
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.
Bali to Gili Air fast boat schedule (December 2022)
Bali to Gili Air fast boat schedule (December 2022)
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 ($0.95) in Padang Bai before you board the fast boat.
PRO 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 (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 northwest 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 which allows 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 and time to Padang Bai
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 already add 1-hour extra time 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 ($18) |
| Ubud | 1.5-2 hours | from 300,000 IDR ($19) |
| Kuta, Seminyak | 1.5-2 hours | from 330,000 IDR ($21) |
| Uluwatu | 2.5-3 hours | from 400,000 IDR ($25.50) |
– Minivan to Padang Bai Port
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 ($14.50)
- From Ubud 175,000 IDR ($11)
To be fair, the price of this ride is quite high and you’ll be better of sharing a taxi when you are travelling with two or more people.
Fast boat to the Gili islands from Sanur Port
When you are staying in 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 over 3 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.
Fast boat schedule from Sanur Port to the Gili Islands
Note that this indicated arrival time is based on Trawangan, so if you stay at 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 460,000 IDR ($29.50) on 12GoAsia. 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 and time to Sanur Port
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 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 already add 1-hour extra time to get to Padang Bai.
Estimated taxi fares to Sanur Port
| Departure point | Travel time | Taxi fares* |
|---|---|---|
| Canggu | 1-1.5 hours | from 100,000 IDR ($6) |
| Kuta, Seminyak | 30 minutes – 1 hour | from 110,000 IDR ($7) |
| Ubud | 1-1.5 hours | from 190,000 IDR ($12) |
| Uluwatu | 1.5-2 hours | from 200,000 IDR ($12.50) |
– Minivan to Sanur Port
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 ($4.20)
- From Ubud 100,000 IDR ($6)
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.
Fast boat to the Gili islands from Serangan Port
Blue Water Express and Gili Getaway are two exceptions that operate from Serangan Pier. However, with one-way tickets selling for at least 710,000 IDR ($45.50), we don’t see an advantage in booking either ferry. Not only are they more expensive, but travel time is almost twice as long.
While the port looks closeby to Sanur, it is still a 30-minute drive south. The fast boats will take 3-3.5 hours, compared to 1.5-2 hours from Padang Bai. You will be faster when you take a taxi directly to Padang Bai and board the ferry to the Gili’s from there.
Still interested in the fast boat schedules? Check them out below.
Fast boat schedule from Serangan Port to the Gili Islands
The schedule is based on the fast boats’ trips to Gili Trawangan, but they also head to Gili Air for the same price.
If you’re taking the Blue Water Express ferry from Serangan Port, you can take advantage of the free hotel pick-up from several areas in Bali. These include Sanur, Denpasar, Kuta, Canggu, Uluwatu, Ubud, and Nusa Dua. You can also ask to be picked up from Bali Airport.
How to get to Serangan Port
There is no regular public transport going to Serangan. This means your only options are hailing a taxi or booking a private car via taxi apps like Grab and Gojek. The rates and duration are more or less similar to the ones going to Sanur Port.
See here the travel time and taxi fares when going to Serangan Port:
– Taxi fares and time to Serangan Port
Taxi fares to Serangan Port
| Departure point | Travel time | Taxi fares* |
|---|---|---|
| Canggu | 1-1.5 hours | from 100,000 IDR ($6) |
| Kuta, Seminyak | 30 minutes – 1 hour | from 110,000 IDR ($7) |
| Ubud | 1-1.5 hours | from 190,000 IDR ($12) |
| Uluwatu | 1.5-2 hours | from 200,000 IDR ($12.50) |
Public boat from Bali to the Gili Islands (not recommended)
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:
- Public boat from Padang Bai to Lembar in Lombok (5-6 hours) – 60,000 IDR ($3.85)
- Taxi from Lembar to Bangsal (2 hours) – 200,000 IDR ($12.50)
- Public boat to the Gili Islands (45 minutes) – 20,000 IDR ($1.25)
Combined costs start from 280,000 IDR ($18) 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 Trawangan and the other islands.
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, but 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)
Small fast boats (Semaya One)
If you never get seasick and do not 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 already starts from 225,000 IDR ($14.50) with Semaya One.
There are a few more companies operating smaller boats, but considering their 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)
Large and more comfortable fast boat (Eka Jaya)
Does your stomach easily turn upside down after a boat drive or do you just prefer some more comfort to enjoy 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. Eka Jaya is the biggest fast boat operator from Bali to the Gili’s and operates large boats with a capacity of over 200 passengers. Tickets start from 335,000 IDR ($21.50).
– Fast boats with more comfortable seating
Fast boats with more comfortable seating
Although Eka Jaya is one of the most popular companies, there are also slightly more luxurious options available.
Two of these companies are Blue Water Express with tickets selling for 710,000 IDR ($45.50) and Gili Getaway for 800,000 IDR ($51). It’s up to you if the upgrade is worth the price premium.
With or without pick-up services?
Some of the fast boats also offer pick-up services from your hotel. If it’s included and you already paid for it, that’s great! The company will take care of your transport, and you just need to be ready at the agreed pick-up time on the date of your trip.
If pick-up is not included, we still have some good news for you. Taxi fares are pretty low in Bali and booking private transport can easily save you more than one hour in picking up other passengers.
My own experience: When I travelled back from the Gili Islands to Bali, our van went from Padang Bai to Sanur, Kuta and Canggu (where I was staying). In total, the journey lasted over 2 hours, instead of just a little over an hour on the way to the port. For me, it wasn’t a big issue, but if you don’t feel like picking up other passengers, it’s best to book your own transport.
Frequently Asked Questions about visiting the Gili Islands
Where are the Gili Islands located?
The Gili Islands are located on the north coast of Lombok. From west to east, the islands are named:
- Gili Trawangan
- Gili Meno
- Gili Air
Regardless of what island you choose, we highly recommend going on an island hopping trip to dive or snorkel around the best coral reefs of the three islands. Just don’t forget to put on sunscreen as the sun can make you sunburned easily, even when she’s hiding behind the clouds!
TIP: Not sure whether to go to the Gili Islands or Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan? Check out this guide on how to get from Bali to Nusa Penida to see a brief comparison between the three destinations.
Why visit Gili Trawangan?
Gili Trawangan — the liveliest
Gili Trawangan, often called Gili T, is the liveliest of the Gili Islands. Go to Gili T if you want to party at night and relax at the white sand beaches during the daytime.
You are sure to find a similar soul who likes socializing and getting to know people from all walks of life.
Gili Trawangan is also the perfect spot to see huge sea turtles. If the ocean is calm, there is almost a guarantee that you will see several sea turtles when you go snorkelling only a few metres from the beach. You’ll get the best chance to see them on the east side of Gili T. Best in the morning around 08:00 or afternoon after 16:00.
Why visit Gili Meno?
Gili Meno — a romantic getaway
Gili Meno is the quietest and the most romantic. This little paradise island is best for honeymooners or solo travellers who want some peace of mind.
Note that most hotel choices are on the expensive side. If you’re on a budget, check first if the few remaining budget hotels still have available rooms.
Why visit Gili Air?
Gili Air — laidback beach life
Gili Air is a good mix of the two other Gili islands. There is still some nightlife on the island, but more of the chill hippy kind. Mostly, you can enjoy the beaches with good music and a laid-back atmosphere while enjoying the sun at Gili Air.
If you’re into yoga, there are also a few great options at Gili Air. And in case you missed the chance to surf some waves in Bali, you might be lucky and even find some surfable waves at the reef in the southwest corner of the island!
How can I travel between the Gili islands?
How to travel between the Gili islands by public boat
If you can’t decide which Gili Island you want to go to, no problem. You can take a private speedboat for around 450,000 IDR ($29) or a public boat for just 40,000 IDR ($2.55).
This is also an ideal solution if you are staying at Gili Meno and your fast boat from Bali is not making a stop at this island.
The public boat is a small boat that fits 20-30 people and runs from 07:45 to 17:00. Note that there is no schedule, and the boat just usually departs when it is full of passengers.
Here’s the fare breakdown between the Gili Islands:
- Gili Trawangan – Gili Meno: 40,000 IDR ($2.55)
- Gili Trawangan – Gili Air: 45,000 IDR ($2.90)
