Visiting the Gili Islands from Bali has become part of many peoples Bali Itineraries. These Islands are small and beautiful and are actually part of Lombok. Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida are also beautiful Balinese Islands to visit during your trip to Bali. So if you’re planning on visiting the Gili Islands and the Nusa Islands, we think the best way to do so is to go straight from one to the other. So how to get from Nusa Lembongan to the Gili Islands? Here is exactly how we did it, our first-hand experience and alternate options. We also have a video of our journey on how to get from Nusa Lembongan to the Gili Islands.
Getting A Fast Boat From Nusa Lembongan To The Gili Islands
So how to get from Nusa Lembongan to the Gili Islands? It’s not possible to fly directly from one to the other. The only way to go directly from Nusa Lembongan to the Gili Islands in Lombok is by fast boat. This is a great way to get to the Gili Islands if your Bali itinerary includes Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Penida. This way, you are essentially eliminating a boat ride back to Bali mainland from Nusa Lembongan. See how to get from Bali to Nusa Lembongan here.
Fast Boat Companies
Not a lot of fast boat companies do this route directly from Nusa Lembongan to the Gili Islands. We used Blue Water Express from Nusa Lembongan to Gili Air. Their route from Nusa Lembongan is a fast boat to Gili Trawangan to Gili Air to Lombok mainland (Teluk Kode). When we were looking for boat companies, we always consider which is the safest boat to Gili islands, and we were happy with what we found for Blue Water Express. We have used them previously to go from Bali to the Gili Islands and also to get from Bali to Lembongan and had great experiences.
Fast Boat From Lembongan To Gili Price
Depending on the fast boat company you choose, prices can vary greatly. We always choose to go with Blue Water Express, and they are generally one of the more expensive companies. Although they can offer discounts from time to time, especially the earlier you book, the full price of a one-way ticket from Nusa Lembongan to the Gili Islands is 690 000 IDR (approx. $65 AUD) per person. Check the most up-to-date prices and schedules here. All tickets include free pick-up from your hotel within selected areas and once you reach the islands you make your own way to your accommodation.
How To Get From Nusa Lembongan To The Gili Islands: Our Experience
Journey Route: We travelled from Nusa Lembongan to Gili Air, which was the second stop.
Journey time: Although estimated at 1.5 to 2 hours, our journey took about 2.5 hrs. The length of the journey can vary depending on sea and weather conditions.
Fast Boat Company: Blue Water Express.
Fast Boat Price To Nusa Lembongan: 690 000 IDR One Way (approx. $65 AUD) per person. Check prices here.
Nusa Lembongan Departure Point: Jungut Batu Harbour. You will get picked up in a bemo from your accommodation and taken to Jungut Batu harbour. Here you will wait at the Blue Water Express shop where there are some seats, then you will board a small boat, that takes you out to the larger boat.
Gili Air Arrival: You will arrive at Gili Air harbour (or Gili Trawangan). At Gili Air, you will get off the boat onto a jetty and then make your own way to your accommodation.
Gili Trawangan Arrival: At Gili Trawangan, you will hop off the boat into most likely ankle deep water then make your own way to your accommodation.
Best Sea Conditions: According to Blue Water Express, the best sea conditions, in general, are in the months of April, May, June, October, November until Mid-December. You can see Blue Water Express details here.
The Experience: We were lucky to have good sea conditions on our last trip to the Gili Islands from Nusa Lembongan, so the trip was smooth and enjoyable. I would definitely try to visit the Gili Islands in the months that offer the best sea conditions.
How To Get From Nusa Penida To The Gili Islands
To get from Nusa Penida to the Gili Islands, you can make your way first from Nusa Penida to Nusa Lembongan by boat, and then follow the same route from Nusa Lembongan to the Gili Islands. I would opt to stay the night before on Nusa Lembongan to make sure there were no issues with transport linking up.
How To Get From Nusa Lembongan To Lombok
You can reach Lombok from Nusa Lembongan on the same route to the Gilis. With Blue Water Express, Lombok is the 2nd or 3rd stop, depending on the day. You will stop at Teluk Kode harbour. From here you will need to make your own way to your accommodation/destination on Lombok.
How To Get From Bali To The Gili Islands
You can get from Bali to the Gili Islands by fast boat with Blue Water Express and numerous other companies. These boats will leave from Serangan Harbour (near Nusa Dua), Sanur, Padang Bai, and some leave from Amed.
Another option is to fly from Bali to Lombok, and then drive from Lombok Airport to a harbour near the Gili Islands and then get a 15-minute fast boat from there.
Personally, I would use Blue Water Express fast boat to the Gili Islands during the months with the best sea conditions. If I were travelling during the months with worse sea conditions, I would consider flying, another option for getting to Gili Islands, although I think it’s really a personal choice. You can see the estimated sea conditions on Blue Water Express here. Ultimately, safety is important, and I think it’s important to do your research and go with a company you feel comfortable with.
Let us know if you have any questions about how to get from Nusa Lembongan to the Gili Islands in the comments below…
We have previously chosen to use Blue Water Express for our boat transfers in Bali and Lombok as paying customers. However, our latest trips were done in collaboration with Blue Water Express to share our experience and were courtesy of Blue Water Express. Everything we share with you is our personal experience to help you plan your trip to Bali.
which island is better with better stays and cleaner beaches? Gilli Air or Nusa Lembongan
Hi Draveena, we love both Nusa Lembongan and Gili Air but they are still quite different. Nusa Lembongan is a bigger island and you will either need to organise transport with your hotel or rent a scooter. Gili Air is smaller and has no motorised transport so you will be walking, riding a bicycle or horse and cart. Gili Air being a smaller island the whole island is a beach with some parts nicer than others. On Lembongan there are some nice beaches too. There are great stays on both, we loved staying at The Tamarind Nusa Lembongan and Slow Gili Air Villas.
https://almostlanding-bali.com/our-stay-the-tamarind-resort-nusa-lembongan-bali/
https://almostlanding-bali.com/where-to-stay-in-nusa-lembongan-bali-our-accommodation-guide/
https://almostlanding-bali.com/our-stay-slow-gili-air-villas/
https://almostlanding-bali.com/where-to-stay-in-gili-air-lombok/
Hi, I am planning to have a 1-day trip in Gili Islands. How do I go to the beach area when I arrive at the Gili Air Harbour?
Hi Amanda
1 day will go so quick! I recommend staying for at least a couple of nights if you can. One of the best parts of Gili Air is the slow island life and relaxing. When you get off the boat if you head right (east) towards Scallywags and Manta dive, this area of the beach is our pick for swimming. Being an island the whole island is a beach but this area was one of our favourites.
I am planning to spend two days in Gili island and then ply to Nusa Penida or Nusa LEMBONGAN and spend two days there. is this a good option, if so could you please tell me is there a way to from gili to Nusa pendia or nusa LEMBONGAN through ferry.
Hi, If you do plan on doing both Gili Islands and Nusa Penida/Lembongan only for a couple of nights, it may be too much travel to truly enjoy the islands. It may be better to spend longer in either Gili Islands or Nusa Islands. If you are happy with always moving, and doing both, then that is fine too. You can get a boat from Gili Air/Gili T to Lembongan in 1.5-2.5hours with Blue Water Express. All the details are in this article. Thanks for your comment and have a great trip!