HOW TO GET TO THE GILI ISLANDS FROM BALI

Are you planning a trip to Indonesia and want to know how to get to the Gili Islands from Bali? You have arrived at the right place, here we will tell you the different options to get to the Gili Islands from Bali without you going crazy.

There are two ways to do it: a simpler and somewhat more expensive (with the variant of hiring from home) and another for authentic backpackers, with which you save a few thousand rupees but it will take you more time and effort. Which is yours?

This is the preferred option for most travelers. It consists of hiring a transport package which includes the collection in minibus in central areas of Bali (Denpasar, Ubud, Sanur, Nusa Dua, Candidasa ... all these areas are included), the ferry to the island from the port of Padang Bai (in the southeast of Bali) and if you take a round trip you will also have transportation to your final destination. The fast ferry ride takes just under two hours to Gili Trawangan.

| Process

• The collection: it is done directly at the accommodation that you indicate approximately two hours before the ferry schedule. They are usually vans shared with other travelers or private cars hired by the company itself.

• Padang Bai Port: upon arrival you have to do the check-in process at the company's office. They give you a sticker with the destination and the company you belong to and you will have to wait in the covered area of ​​the port for your ferry to leave. Do not worry, there are employees who are in charge of announcing those who leave, but it is worth noting to take a look at those who wear your same sticker. Boarding is done from the port.

• Arrival on the island: the landing is made directly on the beach. There are some companies whose ferries have a catwalk (for example Eka Jaya) and others where you will have to jump to the shore of the beach (Wahana's case).

• The return: go to the port half an hour in advance and look for the office where to do the check in process (for example Wahana is in front of the Ocean 2 restaurant), where they will give you a ballot with your final destination (Ubud, Denpasar , Candidasa, etc). When you arrive at the port of Bali, the workers will be waiting for you, which will indicate to you what is the transport that corresponds to you showing the paper.

| Where to book and price

To make the reservation can be done through the websites of the companies themselves, option that is usually something more expensive and less personal or through some travel agency (bars, restaurants, hotels are also worth). Some companies are:

• Wahana: small boats, regular service, no seats at the top, landing at Gili without ramp and walking along the edge of the boat ...
• Eka Jaya: larger ships, with seats on the upper terrace and landing ramp (without having to maneuver on the sides).
• Blue Water Express: company with better service, more expensive than the previous ones.

The price If you book online it is fixed and usually costs about 650,000-800,000 IDR round trip. In the case where you choose the option to book through the agency, the final price will depend a lot on your bargaining power and the ferry company with which they work. They can be taken out for some 550,000 - 650,000 IDR.

| Schedule

The journey from Bali to Gili Trawangan takes just under 2 hours. Each company has its schedules, these are some of them:

• Wahana
  • Padang Bai (Bali) → Gili: 09:00 / 13:00
  • Gili → Padang Bai (Bali): 11:00 / 15:00
• Eka Jaya
  • Padang Bai (Bali) → Gili: 09:00 / 11:00 / 13:00
  • Gili → Padang Bai (Bali): 11:00 / 12:30 / 13:30

| Book with a Spanish agency

You also have the option to book through the agency Civitatis Transportation from Bali to Gili, with the round trip ferry plus transfers. You can do it here. Something more expensive may come out but you forget the bargaining issue and the stress of going without having the tickets already reserved ...

Picture of tuahlensa / Shutterstock.com

There is an alternative to the bus + ferry package to get from Bali to Gili. It is do it for free combining several transports and ferries to reach the destination. We warn you, it is much more complicated and it will take you a few extra hours, but if you are one of those who improvise aventurillas on the trip, of those that you later remember with some nostalgia (“that time that to save me € 10 I had to change a thousand times of ship … ”), Consider it! The thing would be like this:

1. Reach Padang Bai on your own by bus (for example with the company Perama there are uses from Ubud for 75,000 IDR), in bemo (good luck!) or by taxi (or the alternatives of Uber or Grab).
2. Take a public ferry to the port of Lembar in Lombok They leave every hour throughout the day and take about 4-5 hours (it can be something else in unfavorable weather conditions). The price of the ticket is 40,000 and they are bought at the port offices. More info here.
3. From the port of Lembar you have to travel to the port of Bangsal (north of Lombok), from where ferries depart to Gili. To do this you have to take a Perama bus It costs about 60,000 IRP and takes 1.5 hours (you can also try it with a bemo).
4. The last step is to take a public ferry to one of the three Gili Islands: Air (11,000 IRP), Meno (13,000 IRP) and Trawangan (15,000 IRP). The journey is much shorter than the previous ones (15-20 minutes). More info here.

Hopefully your doubts of how to get to the Gili Islands from Bali have been resolved! And if you find another way to do it, you know, stop by again and leave us your experience!

* Photos from Shutterstock.com

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Video: How To Travel Between The Gili islands and Bali (April 2024).