Traveling from Bali to Gili Islands

Gili Islands are the most popular destination for backpacker traveling in Bali. Here’s the most affordable way to travel Bali to Gili Islands!

If you’re going to Indonesia odds are you’ll visit Gili Trawangan. This small pocket of heaven has been a great choice for backpacker hideaways in the archipelago. Indonesia, as you may know, has over 17.000 islands. Thus, traveling can be difficult. So, we’re here to take you from Bali to Gili Islands!

Which Gili Islands is the Best?

The Gili Islands consist of three islands located east of Bali, of the coastline of Lombok. Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, Gili Air make up the Gilis. The word “Gili” literally means “island”.

Backpackers love to take Bali to Gili Islands day trip due to its beautiful beaches, crystal-clear oceans, and natural coral reef. Bali to Gili Islands distance is around 95,6 km. The most popular of the three is Gili Trawangan, which is 3 km away long and 2 km broad.

How to Get to Gili Islands from Bali

Gili Islands has no airport, therefore the main transportation option to get to the Gili Islands from Bali is by speedboat. Bali to Gili Islands speed boat cost no more than USD 23 or IDR 345k, and it’s relatively easy to book a speedboat from Bali to Gili Islands. Although you can take a slow ferry to the Gili Islands, you will wasting a lot of journey time. That’s because you will need to travel first to Lombok by slow ferry and there take another boat to the Gili Islands. The trip may take up to 8 hours, so this is definitely not recommended.

Padangbai is the main gateway to Gili Islands from Kuta and surrounding areas. The port is a 1 – 1.5 hrs drive from Kuta, however, to get to the boats, you need to drive from your location to Padangbai port, you can do it by yourself or opt to use the hotel transfer facility available via booking at Gili Voyages. Booking a ticket with a hotel transfer will save you the headache of finding any transportation hassle.

In short:

• You need to drive to Padangbai before taking on of the speedboats. The drive would take about 1.5 hours from Canggu or Ubud.
• Then, you can take the Speed Boat to Gili Islands for another 1.5 hours.

Moreover, these choice can also get you to Gili Air or Gili Meno if you plan to go there. The following is a list of Speed Boat from Bali to Gili Islands:

• Eka Jaya would stop at Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Lombok
• Golden Queen would stop at Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, and Lombok
• Semaya One would stop at Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, And Lombok

Take the one suitable for your destination. For instance, if you want to go to Gili Meno, you would need to buy the ticket for Eka Jaya. Meanwhile, if you want to go to Gili Trawangan or Gili Air, all of them are fine.

Booking your transportation from Bali to Gili islands via Gili Voyages is the most convenient option. You can find our office at Jln. Penataran Agung, Padangbai, Bali – Indonesia. However, you can also book the speedboats through our website.

Prices will also change according to the season. A round-trip ticket is usually less expensive than two one-way tickets, and your return trip is usually available. 

Hotel Transfer

You can get to the check-in point by driving or using the shuttle bus for an affordable price. The shuttle bus would be available in certain areas depending on the boat you will use. 

Here is the list of the available areas for shuttle bus on each boat; Kuta, Seminyak, Airport, Tuban, Jimbaran (Mc.D), Nusadua (BTDC), Ubud (central), and Sanur.

However, the hotel transfer could not cover all the locations due to the time and distance limit. There for, the bus might charge additional fees if your locations is outside the drop-off/pick-up zone. 

Thus, you might need to contact us for detail reservation and information.

Speedboat Check-in Point

Different check-in sites are available on different speedboats. As a result, be sure you’re heading in the right direction for each boat.

• For Eka Jaya: The Check-in point is at the Eka Jaya Office Padangbai, which is which is situated close to Central Park. Additionally, arrive at least 30 minutes before departure.
• For Semaya One: The check-in point is at Wannen Bali Padangbai, which is situated close to the port. Additionally, you must check-in 30 minutes before departure.

How Long Does it Take from Bali to Gili Islands

The timings might vary depending on where you’re staying (and whether or not you require a hotel pick-up service). Pick-up from the hotel normally occurs between 1-2 hours prior to your scheduled departure, with check-in taking place one hour before departure. 

Generally, boat departures from South Bali take between 2 and 2.5 hours. However, Bali to Gili island’s travel time is approximately 1.5 hours.

Traveling Tips

Some traveling tips to keep in mind while traveling from Bali to Gili Islands:

• Keep in mind that every day comes with different circumstances. Therefore, prices and departure timings are subject to change without notice. 
• Our best recommendation is to book via Gili Voyages website since we have the broadest network in Bali. However, you can also opt for another option, such as coming to our office right before the departure. 
• Certain routes may not be available for service, depending on the time of year. Thus, it is important to confirm the timings and availability with us before traveling.
• Moreover, to guarantee a space, make your reservation at least one day in advance. Even if you opt to purchase a hotel transfer package, the delay is still possible. Yet, the ferry would likely come on time.  
• If you arrive at the port early enough, you may dine at one of the Restaurant or Cafe around there before boarding the ship.

Bali to Nusa Penida & Lembongan

Those wishing to go to Nusa Penida or Lembongan from Bali should be aware that swift speed boat the islands leave from few points:

• Sanur is a port town on Bali’s southeast coast, roughly 30 minutes from Kuta and 1 hours from Canggu.
• The second one is Kusamba Port (Br. Bias) located in the southeast of Bali.

You need to drive to one of the ports before taking a speed boat to Nusa Penida and we provide speed boat to Nusa Penida as well. You can book your ticket at our official website.