Bali to Gili Trawangan One-Way Fast Boat Ticket

Padangbai Harbour, east Bali

Padangbai is a small fishing and ferry town on a curved bay in Karangasem, east Bali, and the main departure point for fast boats and public ferries to Lombok and the Gili Islands. The harbour is compact and busy in the morning, with outrigger fishing boats pulled up on the beach and the speedboat counters lined up along the waterfront. Nearby, the little Blue Lagoon beach is known for clear water and easy snorkelling.

With the default option you do not need to work out how to get to Padangbai: our shared shuttle collects you from your hotel and drives you to the harbour, and your pickup time is sent the day before. On arrival, the check-in staff exchange your voucher for a boarding pass and tag your luggage. A small harbour fee is paid in cash on site.

Crossing the Lombok Strait

The speedboat heads east across the Lombok Strait, a deep channel between Bali and Lombok that marks a natural boundary between the wildlife of Asia and that of Australia. As you leave Padangbai, the cone of Mount Agung rises behind you, and on a clear morning the great volcano of Mount Rinjani on Lombok appears on the horizon ahead.

The crossing takes about an hour and a half. The strait is open water with strong currents, so the sea can be choppy, especially in the afternoon and during the windy months of July and August; that is one reason the morning departure is recommended. Sit towards the back of the boat if you are prone to seasickness, and keep a light jacket handy against the spray and air conditioning.

Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan, often called Gili T, is the largest of the Gili Islands off the north-west coast of Lombok and the liveliest. There are no cars or motorbikes: people get around on foot, by bicycle or by cidomo, the small horse-drawn carts. A sandy path circles the island in about two hours on foot, passing white beaches, coral gardens close to shore and simple warungs. Lombok and the Gilis are mostly Muslim, so halal food is easy to find.

Gili T is known for snorkelling with green turtles just off the east coast, sunsets over Bali's Mount Agung from the west coast and a small hill in the south with views to Lombok. The best time to visit is the dry season from April to October, when the sea is clearest and calmest, but the island is pleasant all year.

Arriving on the island

Fast boats land on the east coast of Gili Trawangan, close to the main harbour area and the busiest strip of hotels, cafés and dive centres. Boats often pull up directly onto the beach, so be ready to step off into shallow water with your shoes in hand; crew members help passengers and carry luggage ashore.

The Gili Islands entry fee and harbour fee are paid on site in cash on arrival. From the beach, most hotels are a short walk away, and cidomo carts wait to carry you and your bags further along the island. If you plan to continue to Gili Meno or Gili Air, the neighbouring islands, local public boats and island-hopping shuttles leave from the same harbour.

Gili Meno, Gili Air and Lombok nearby

The Gili Islands lie close together in a row. Gili Meno, in the middle, is the smallest and quietest, with a salt lake, calm beaches and an underwater sculpture garden popular with snorkellers. Gili Air, closest to Lombok, is a relaxed island of village life and easy swimming. Many visitors stay on Gili T and spend a day hopping to its neighbours.

Lombok itself is a short boat ride away, with the waterfalls and rice fields around Mount Rinjani and long, empty beaches in the south. If you are wondering whether the Gili Islands are worth visiting from Bali, the answer for most travellers is yes: turtles, clear water and car-free calm are only a morning's boat ride from Padangbai.