Get from bali to gili. Speed boats to gili how to get from bali to gili islands and lombok
Three islands with stunningly beautiful nature are located 35 km from Bali. Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, Gili Memo will appeal to travelers who are tired of a busy and dynamic pastime in Bali. There are three different ways to get to them. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. In this article, I will explain all three methods so that you can choose the one that suits you best.
speedboat
The fastest and most convenient way to get to the Gili Islands is by speedboat (superfast boat) . The journey takes 1.5 hours. The price of such a trip fluctuates around $ 20-25. There are many transport companies involved in transportation.
Most speedboats depart from the port of Padang Bay. Departure from Sanur Pier is also possible.
You can buy tickets at the port itself or online on this site. It is most convenient to order a transfer from your place of residence to the boat and a speedboat ride right away. This is the fastest and most comfortable way to get to Gili. The cost does not differ much. Representatives of the company will pick you up from your hotel (home) and take you to the pier, then you will transfer to the boat and sail to Gili.
The speedboat first sails to the island of Gili Trawangan, then Gili Meno, and only then to Gili Air. On the way back, you will also be delivered to the door of your accommodation. Round-trip ticket price from $30. It is better to buy travel in both directions at once. There are open tickets so you can decide when to sail back to Bali.
If you decide to get to the pier on your own, you can do this by taxi or your own transport. It takes about half an hour to get from Kuta to Padang Bay. Taking a taxi is quite expensive. Upon arrival, you need to find an employee of your boat company and check in for the flight.
For $100 you can hire a private boat. The transfer will pick you up from the hotel and take you to the port, and then you will transfer to the boat.
Airplane and boat
On the neighboring island of Gili, Lombok has an airport, so you can fly to it by plane. The Gili Islands themselves do not have an airport. Lombok International Airport is located 60 km from the beaches of Senggigi and Kuta, from where boats leave for Gili.
There are regular flights between Denpasar and Lombok (at least 5 aircraft per day). You can choose from several companies: Lion air, Wings Air, Garuda Indonesia, Merpati, Riau Airlines, Trigana Airlines. The cost of a ticket in economy class ranges from 20-35 dollars. They can be purchased on the Aviasales.ru website. Fly to Lombok for half an hour.
It should be borne in mind that flights from Bali to Lombok are often postponed or canceled, so you need to follow the information. From Bali to Lombok, most often 8 flights are made daily. Merpati Airlines is recognized as one of the most reliable in this direction.
When you arrive in Lombok, you need to get from the airport to Bangsal Pier. This can be done by taxi. Travel time is a couple of hours, the price is about $25. Motor boats depart from the port to all three islands. The fare is 1 dollar, in time it will take 30 minutes. The last flight to the islands leaves at 16.00, after which you will have to order a private boat. It costs several times more.
If you do not want to overpay for the boat, you can stay at the Lombok hotel for the night. For one you can see the island of Lombok. You can choose the right hotel on the Hotellook website.
Ferry
If you are looking for the cheapest way to get to Gili from Bali, then the ferry is the best option. However, this is the longest way. There are no direct ferries to Gili from Bali, as the ocean around the islands is too shallow and it is difficult to land on it by ferry. Therefore, you will first have to sail to the island of Lombok.
From the port of Padang Bay, ferries depart hourly day and night to Lombok. The trip takes 5 hours. The ticket costs 3 dollars. You can also take your own vehicle (bike or car) on the ferry. But keep in mind that you cannot transfer your vehicle to Gili. This is suitable for those who, in addition to the Gili Islands, want to explore Lombok. For such pleasure you will have to pay from 10 to 70 dollars.
On the ferry, you will moor at the port of Lembar on the island of Lombok. Boats to Gili leave from Bangsal Pier, which takes about an hour and a half to get to. The boat fare from Lombok to Gili is $1. She swims for half an hour. In order not to overpay, it is worth buying tickets only at the official box office.
Moving in this way is quite tiring, so on the first day it is better to swim to Lombok and spend the night on it, and the next go to Gili.
Now you know about all the available ways to get to Gili. For those who want to do it as quickly as possible, it is better to use a speedboat, and if the main criterion is savings, then the ferry is the best option.
The Gili Islands is another place near Bali, which, so to speak, is a “must have”. Well, that is, if you came to Bali and did not go to Gili, this is a real failure! 🙂
Some “unique personalities” are looking for information about this place on the request: “Gili Island - Bali”, but this request is not fundamentally correct, because Gili is not one island, but three at once: Trawangan, Meno and Air. More about each and, in general: why is it worth going there? everything in today's article with real photos from the Gili Islands.
Not so long ago, my husband and I visited them personally, so the memories are still fresh. I will try to be as detailed as possible, but not boring… Let's go! 🙂
Gili Islands in Bali
The Gili Islands in Indonesia is a place where fans of bounty-style holidays rush from all over the world, and of course those who just love the party nightlife. Moreover, the joy of being here is equally received by both.
Wikipedia about the Gili Islands briefly reports the following - the Gili archipelago consists of 3 islands: Meno, Air and Trawangan, which are located northeast of the island of Lombok, which is also located in Indonesia. The whole thing is generously washed by the Bali Sea. Internal combustion engines are prohibited on all three islands (this is true - this is where tourists enjoy riding horses):
Therefore, nothing prevents travelers from enjoying the wonderful sea air and many other delights of these islands.
What? You will soon find out...
The Gili Islands on the map are located between Bali and Lombok. For the first time, I visited them with my husband in 2014. Fortunately, then he already knew how to get to the Gili Islands from Bali. And when we decided to do this after a week of rest in Bali itself, we had no difficulties.
And everything is done quite simply. On the island itself. In the Karangasem area (where, by the way, a volcano recently thundered) there is a port called “Padang Bai”. So that's where we usually buy tickets to the Gili Islands in this port. But here it is important not to fall for the bait for those who for the first time ...
Yes Yes! You can go to the same islands at completely different prices - I guarantee you that. The last time a round-trip ticket on a speedboat for one person cost us 400 Indonesian rupiah (about 2,000 rubles in Russian money). But for this you need to bargain ... :)
Because when you come to one of the many stalls that sell tickets for boat brands: Eka Jaya or Marina Srikandi, at first they offer you a ticket at a cost of 2 times more. And even more! Moreover, the sellers claim that this is a single price for all ...
Fortunately, we know the real prices. So this time, we quickly reported that we know the real prices and we have an offer for 500 rupees to leave directly with a transfer from the villa, which is located 50 km from the pier. To which the seller, of course, agreed to sell us tickets immediately from the ferry for 400 rupees each. And we rode in a speedboat company Eka Jaya. From the inside it looks like this:
Soft seats are almost like on an airplane, before departure, local sellers actively sell food and drinks. And on the second floor there is an open sky, music plays and beer is sold ... 🙂 But it was very windy there. So I didn't even get a photo.
But back to buying tickets. So the most important thing here is to decide where you will go? If from the port, it is better to come here by 9:00 in the morning in order to have time to buy a ticket. Boats run until 13:00, but it is better to protect yourself from any force majeure and arrive early. Well, or buy tickets in advance online through some trusted service, for example, and be sure that you are guaranteed a place on the boat. 🙂
By the way, have you already decided which Gili island to choose? 🙂
In general, in this case, everything strictly depends on only one thing - what do you want to get from your vacation? All the islands are beautiful in their own way and further I will describe the charm of each separately.
Speaking in general and in general, the weather on the Gili Islands, as a rule, is always better than on the island of Bali itself. So this time we also left the cloudy captivity of Bali, and ended up in the sunny Gili:
This means that during the high season from April to September, it is hotter here than in Bali. And in the low season, when it rains on the big island, the sun shines brightly on the Gili at least during the day.
So if you suddenly made a mistake with the season and Bali met you with constant rains, then go to Gili. And draw your own conclusions on the topic: “Gili Islands: which is better?”
In November 2017, we again decided to visit the Gili Islands. And this time we traditionally decided to start from Trawangan.
Gili Trawangan is the largest island. This is clearly seen in the photo from the Gili Islands in Indonesia. You can see it clearly on this map:
It can be seen with the naked eye that Trawangan is the largest. It is also the most popular, the most “moving” in every sense of the word. There are a lot of hotels around and in the center of the island. The entire embankment is covered with a network of cafes, clubs and restaurants that are open until late at night.
When I first saw this island in 2014, the impression of it, of course, was simply indelible! In the good sense of the word. Of course, by that time in my life I had never seen such beauty, purity, and at the same time the opportunity to have a good rest in the evening, so Trawangan looked like a dream in my eyes ...
But everything changed in November 2017… The fact is that this time we arrived there at the beginning of the rainy season. And either the season, or the global restructuring on the island did not allow to enjoy it to the fullest.
The fact is that the following happened on the island of Trawangan itself: someone from the government came there and forbade the construction of restaurants right on the waterfront in the port. And a ridge of decent establishments - the face of the island, was taken and demolished ... They left only tables with umbrellas along the coast, and that's it.
In addition, so much garbage appeared on the island that it became somehow even unpleasant to walk on it.
We did not take a lot of photos of garbage places, so in reality it looked a little worse ...
There was garbage on Trawangan before, but all of it accumulated in the center of the island. Along the edges, where the main flow of tourists, this was not noticeable at all. But apparently, there have been too many tourists in recent years and the island authorities simply could not cope with so much garbage, which eventually broke through to the embankment and spoiled the whole view.
In general, after staying on Trawangan for 2 days, we realized that while there is such a global restructuring, there is nothing to do here. Of course, the lovers of night parties were not too upset that their island became a little dirtier... 🙂 But everyone else got really depressed and went to other Gili Islands.
Gili Air Island
So we got into a private boat and sailed to the second island - Gili Air (or as the locals call it - “Air”, which means “water” in Indonesian).
Our photos from Gili Air Island turned out to be not much better and more interesting. Because although the island itself turned out to be much cleaner than Trawangan, the weather failed.
But let me first tell you what is special about Eyre.
The Gili Islands in Bali each have their own specialty. So if the first one - Trawangan - is an island of youth and night parties, then its neighbor Air is intended for completely different purposes.
Air is such a “tropical village”. Here chickens and roosters quietly roam, horses ride. And in recent years, the island has rebuilt so well that in terms of its restaurants and cafes it can already easily outperform its older “party brother”. Therefore, both lovers of peace and quiet and those who want to touch the evening restaurant life will like it here.
We stayed on the island for 1 day. For which they managed to rent bicycles and travel around the entire island, dine in a restaurant that served salads and seafood. And even capture a tornado in Bali!
Yes, yes, just at the very time when on the island, there was also such a mini-tornado flying over it.
Of course, we did not see the sunset that evening. But it was worth it too!
Gili Meno Island
Well, the last island of the Gili archipelago is Meno. We were there only once in 2014. Why is it not the most attractive for us?
But before answering this question, let's decide: where is the island of Gili Meno? And actually everything is there. Close to Lombok. Meno is located between Trawangan and Eyre. The area is about the same as Air and, accordingly, smaller than Trawangan.
Meno Island specializes in “honeymoons” for lovers. This island is notable for the fact that for the most part couples in love come here very often right after the wedding, in order to enjoy each other's company in peace and paradise.
With us, all the times it turned out that trips to the Gili Islands were always in the company of relatives. So back then in 2014 we drove to this island just to see it without spending the night.
Briefly about the impressions: clean, beautiful, expensive housing. In general, not much different from Eyre, but it's really more expensive to shoot something.
But these are impressions from 2014. In 2017, everything could change. Therefore, if you decide to choose the island of Gili Meno for a long stay, then it is better to read a couple of fresh reviews about it on the net. Then you will have a more complete picture of it.
The Gili Islands in Indonesia are located close to each other on the map. And in reality, it really won’t take you more than an hour to get from one to another. On a public boat in the morning to get from one Gili island to another will cost about 100 - 150 rubles. Only the schedule of these boats needs to be found out in advance at the pier. They rarely go and only in the morning.
But travel isn't the only money spent on Gil. The biggest expense is, of course, housing. Trawangan in this sense is more expensive than Air and is approximately equal to Meno.
So a simple room in a homstay on Trawangan will cost about 1000 - 1500 rubles. In this case, you can choose a clean decent option with breakfast. But no hot water in the shower. On Air, the situation with homestays is about the same, but there are more offers for such a price and they look more decent.
Please note that I am reporting prices for the rainy season. In the high season, they grow by an average of 500 rubles for homestays and 1000 - 2000 for hotels and villas.
This time we were incredibly lucky to rent a villa for 2 couples on Trawangan for only 10,000 rubles. for all for 1 night. In the high season, such a villa would cost us 15,000 rubles. - not less.
It was very bright, tastefully furnished, with its own private area and swimming pool. And the shower... What a shower it was! When you wash in it, you get the feeling that you are washing right in the middle of the tropical jungle! By the way, she was handed over to us by a very pleasant Russian hostess - Olga.
In general, we were delighted, so here's the name of the villa - Rustic Charm. Located in the center of the island. You can find and book this villa or other hotels on Gili on the Booking website.
The distance from Moscow to Indonesia is about 10,000 kilometers - to Denpasar Airport, which is located on. But this is not the end point! We still have to get to the Gili Islands.
Denpasar - Gili
Denpasar is one of the most popular transit points among travelers, although it is not the closest in terms of distance.
So, I flew to beautiful Indonesia. Since I landed late in the evening, it was not possible to get to Gili. So I had to spend one night in a hotel in Kuta.
(P.S. You can see the city on the map just below the airport. Public transport is poorly developed in Bali, it’s even better to say that there is none in this area, so you need to take a taxi. Uber will come in handy, but you shouldn’t neglect the local either. Drive from the airport to Kuta is about 30 minutes and costs about 4 USD (50,000 Indonesian rupiah, IDR. Drivers who ask for more will just get impudent).
The tourist town turned out to be a great place for me to have a little snack after a long flight. I had a lot of strength, because an unprecedented vacation was waiting for me.
The next morning, fresh, well-rested, I set off for Gili. My choice fell on, in the common people "Gili Ti". This is the largest of the three islands (Gili Meno and Gili Air), but you can choose the order in which you want to visit them. In order to be in the neighboring territory, listen to some tips.
Firstly, to get on the boat, you need to get to the port of Padang Bai. As soon as the locals take you there, the fight will immediately begin! Lots of travel agencies sell tickets for their spitboats (fast boat), so don't be shy and bargain. Remember: boats do not have a schedule, everyone leaves as soon as people are recruited. The price tag starts from 34 USD. This is the cost of a round trip.
My advice is this: not much more expensive, and sometimes even for the same money you can buy a ticket from travel companies that are "stumbled" near any hotel. This is especially true for Kuta. The guys specially appointed by the agency pick you up at the right time from the hotel and comfortably take you to the ferry. Which is what I recommend. Saving time and effort! A ticket with an open date, so you can leave the islands at any time, you just need to find the check-in desk of your operator on Gili (this is not at all difficult to do: there are inscriptions and signs everywhere. Managers on the islands will be happy to advise you). Travel time varies from the quality of the provided transport. Usually you can rush to Trawangan in an hour and a half. Sometimes you don’t even have time to blink an eye as you are already being dropped off, so once I “flew at the speed of the wind” in 20 minutes. As a rule, the boat is designed for 40 people, but I note that it is not always clogged. Another important detail: suitcases. You don't have to worry about them. They will be "removed" before boarding. The loader guys will politely and affectionately ask you to check in your luggage - you can’t refuse, they will put a special marking “Trawangan” or “Meno”, or “Gili Air” (because the ferry goes to all three islands) and invite you to stay in the cabin. At first I was scared , the luggage of all passengers was mercilessly thrown off into a common pile. There was no place for order and order. Having taken all the valuables, in my soul I already said goodbye to my friend, who had served me faithfully for seven years already. But, to the great surprise, on Gili, the luggage was issued safe and sound, in principle, as well as to all those present. I note again that the same boat gathers people to all three islands at once. The difference is only in the price of the trip, it differs not critically.
The most expensive way to get to the paradise island (from Bali), but also the most convenient one, is to hire your own boat. But its price will be approximately 100 USD. A special transfer will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Padang Bay. Travel time does not depend on the cost, and you will also spend more than an hour.
Lombok - Gili
If you landed at Lombok Airport, then getting to Gili is much easier. The distance between these points is much smaller.
From the airport you need to go to the port of Bangsal (Bangsal), buy a ticket at the box office and in 20-30 minutes you are on Gili. The price for one way is only 1 USD (or 13,000 Indonesian Rupiah).
Again, you can buy a ticket to any island, and boats constantly run between the islands, which will take you to any island at any time.
Bali - Lombok - Gili
- By ferry
For extreme travelers who have plenty of time, but a thin wallet, I suggest getting from Bali by ferry to Lombok (issue price 3 - 5 USD), and there already according to the scheme described above. This means that you need to buy a ticket from the port of Padang Bay to the port of Lembar, from there to get to another port called Bangsal. I think it's worth taking a taxi and buying a ticket there to Trawangan, or another island.
Of course, you will kill a merciless amount of time: about 8-9 hours. However, save on the boat. Everything is more civilized in the port of Lombok: the fare is paid at a special ticket office (do not buy "on the street", i.e. the trip will cost many times more - there are enough swindlers there, as elsewhere).
- By plane
An option for those who can't wait to put on swimming trunks and be in paradise. For those who "simply do not have the strength to wait" - there are regular flights between Denpasar and Lombok, about 7 flights a day. They are operated by three airlines:
- lion air. Cost - 19-20 USD;
- Wings Air. Average price - 25 USD;
- Garuda Indonesia– 35 USD.
Prices are one way per person in economy class.
Another important tip: as soon as you land on Trawangan, locals will start pestering you. They will offer their services as cabbies. Yes, yes, it was cabbies, because there is no transport on the island, except for a bicycle and horses. Everyone will touch you and try to throw your luggage into your cart. But hold on tight! All hotels are within walking distance, and the local "horse taxi" is not cheap. With this money you can live on the island all day. But I didn’t know this by that time, so I decided to try out a local attraction - a carriage ride. For 200 meters we paid about 7-8 USD. The price is fixed, but it's not worth it! Rip off!
Here on such signs - identification marks - tourists are looking for their hotel.
And the last thing: remember that having been on one island, you can go to another. Every day boats run between the islands, and the tourists themselves constantly move from one corner to another, depending on their mood. There is no labor in movement. You just need to buy tickets at the pier of the island, the prices do not bite.
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Gili Trawangan
The largest and most populous island. It has a cave tunnel, from where the name of the island came from: in Indonesian terowonganmeans tunnel. Here life boils almost the same as in Bali. In the western part of the island there is a port that accepts boats with tourists. There are good restaurants, hotels, cozy cafes and noisy bars. The presence of shops, ATMs, as well as places to rent equipment for snorkeling and diving allows you to go to the island light. A variety of entertainment - parasailing, wakeboarding, subwing, yoga on the board in the sea and much more - will not let those who love outdoor activities get bored
Here there are the famous swings in the water, which Instagram bloggers love so much. In the northern part of the island, while snorkeling or diving, you can meet sea turtles. On the south side, it is easy to find picturesque places for recreation and photography. This island has become the most visited and popular among tourists.
You can hide from the hot sun in the shade of trees, which, as a rule, grow along the line of the beach. The downside is that too much dry foliage can appear due to the trees on the beach. There are also beach cafes and restaurants along the beach, where you can use sun loungers if you buy something from their menu.
On the western side of Trawangan, there are plenty of stylish and enjoyable sunset beach bars. Among the most interesting are the very stylish Casa Vintage Beach with the Excile bar, which sometimes hosts drum concerts, the Aston bar, which hosts movie screenings in the evenings, and the Window Bar, which is popular simply because it is located right at the entrance to the beach with road leading through the center of the island.
In the evenings, pleasant music is played here, jockeys ride horses offering a ride, and those who come to the beach take pictures on a swing in the water, of which there are more than seven on the beach.
The beaches of the northern part of Trawangan are generally quite similar in terms of conditions to the beaches of the western side. There are no more sunset bars, but it is just as quiet and calm. Swim at high tide. There are already much fewer deciduous trees and more conifers.
To enjoy the beauty of Gili Trawangan, you can get to the island by speedboat, having purchased in advance and by registering on the site. The price also includes a transfer to the port and back. If you want to relax and fully breathe in the beauty of the island, we recommend that you book a Gili tour 2 days / 1 night. The price already includes transfer, accommodation in an excellent hotel, snorkeling and much more. To find out more, follow the link .
Gili Air
Air on Indonesianlanguage means "water". As you already understood, the island has fresh water. This is the second largest island and it will take you no more than three hours to get around it.This island is not as noisy as Trawangan and is famous for its many restaurants and parties.Gili Air is often chosen for honeymoons and romance. It is believed that here are the most beautiful beaches, which offer a beautiful view of the clouds-wrapped mountains of the island of Lombok. The busiest place is located in the south of the island, as there is a port and all the infrastructure for excursions and snorkeling.
To the east of the island are magnificent bounty-style beaches with white sand and views of Lombok. Here, while snorkeling, you can meet a variety of fish and large turtles. In addition, from here you can go diving and swim with sea devils - huge manta rays, which are completely safe.
In the northern part of the island you will find not only white sand, but also a wide reef, which at low tide forms shallow and warm pools with crystal clear water, in which both adults and children can swim. There are all kinds of hammocks, as well as swings on the shore and on the water, which are suitable for both relaxation and Instagram decor. On a hot sunny day, coniferous trees along the coastline create a cozy shade and exude a pleasant aroma.
In the western part of the island, you can enjoy a stunning sunset among all kinds of scenery and take many beautiful photos.
Gili Meno
This is the smallest, quietest and most deserted island. People come here to enjoy solitude, meditation, beautiful snorkeling and diving. In the morning, when boats from other islands arrive, it is most lively here, but in the late afternoon, silence reigns and it becomes almost deserted. There are only a few hotels with bungalows and a few cafes on the island. The population of the island is only 500 people.
In the western part of the island there is a small lake that produces salt during the dry season. There is a small but interesting bird sanctuary here. The beaches on Gili Meno are no less colorful than on the other Gili Islands. Coral reefs grow along the island, where you can meet a variety of colorful fish and sea turtles while snorkeling or diving. Here, at a depth of 12 meters, there is a small wreck of the Bounty, which can be viewed by renting diving equipment or having good freediving skills. Gili Meno Island is considered an ideal place for snorkeling and diving, as there are the most beautiful places under water with all kinds of statues, bikes and other underwater scenery. There are several small cozy cafes on the island, where guests and residents of the island gather in the evenings to have a good time in a relaxed atmosphere.
So which of the Gili Islands to choose?
✔ A small picturesque Gili Air is designed for those who are looking for privacy and tranquility, but do not mind passing the evening in a cozy beach bar.
✔ Peaceful Gili Meno, the smallest, cleanest and most romantic of the three islands, is ideal for a honeymoon or meditation retreat.
✔ Gili Trawangan will appeal to those who like to meet new people, chat and listen to music. This is the largest, noisiest and most crowded island of the three.
To fully enjoy your holiday on it, you can independently get to the island, or go to Where already all inclusive:transfer, hotel, meals and snorkeling.
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