Located in the east of the island of Lombok, this small archipelago is one of the most important destinations in that area of Indonesia. Its incredible beaches, its calm atmosphere, its people and, above all, its coral bottoms attract thousands of travelers every year eager to spend a few good days in them.
Gili T. is the largest of the Gili Islands, despite that it is a place where you can rest and find almost or totally lonely beaches. Good hotel options at a good price. It is recommended to stay in a hotel not so far from the port of arrival to arrive on foot, (since the only means of transport on the island are bicycles or horse carts called Chiromos) You can rent a bicycle for about 50,000 Indonesian rupiah per day) to discover its less touristy spots and enjoy its magical sunsets.
You can also do snorkeling excursions at a very good price to visit the other two islands, rent kayaks, paddle surf boards among other activities.
HOW TO GO FROM BALI TO THE GILI ISLANDS
To go to the Gili Islands from Bali we will have 2 options, the fast and expensive one or the slow and economic one… Below we will explain everything in detail. Although we are already telling you that the most reliable and comfortable way to travel is fast, the economic option is only recommended for those travelers who travel with a lot of time and a small budget, since it takes a long time and the savings are insignificant.
HOW TO GO TO THE GILI FROM BALI (FAST AND SAFE OPTION)
Thanks to the tourist development of the Gili Islands, little by little, direct routes between Gili Trawangan and Gili Air Hotel with Bali have been opened. Before these routes also departed from Padangbai or Amed but now most companies operate from Serangan Harbor. Being located in the very south of the island, this location is perfect to go from Kuta, Ubud, Denpasar, Nusa Dua, Sanur, Seminyak or Legian.
These ferries are fast, making the journey in just over 2 hours. The good thing is that if you return from the Gili Islands to Bali with these ferries they will include the transfer service to any of the main destinations in the south of the island and of course also to Ubud.
Here we leave you the schedules and prices to go to the Gili Islands from different points of the island.
Bali (Padangbai) – Gili Meno
Bali (Serangan) – Gili Meno
Bali (Sanur) – Gili Meno
Nusa Lembongan – Gili Meno
Nusa Penida – Gili Meno
As you can see, the options to go to Gili Air are wide:
Serangan–Gili Air
Sanur–Gili Air
Padangbai–Gili Air
Nusa Lembongan – Gili Air
Nusa Penida – Gili Air
To go to Gili Trawangan there are also several possible options to go from Bali:
Padangbai–Gili Trawangan
Sanur–Gili Trawangan
Serangan–Gili Trawangan
Nusa Lembongan – Gili Trawangan
Nusa Penida – Gili Trawangan
Getting around the Gili Islands is relatively easy. There are public boats linking Gili Trawangan, Main and Air very regularly and there are also millions of private ‘agencies’.
But watch out for this. These “agencies” (most are simply people who have a private boat) are always more expensive than the public boat, and in fact they will tell you that their service is “fast boat”, while the public one is the “slow boat” (a play on words that many people fall into, because they think that “slow” is really slow).
The Gili Islands are so close to each other that the public service is still fast and it is not worth paying more for a private one.
One of the reasons why we did not go to Gili Meno is because when we went to ask about the prices of the boat on the port side of Gili Trawangan, we went asking the stalls that we saw on the street, which were nothing more than “companies » private.
Each one told us a different price and also very distant from what we knew it really cost. Some told us up to 80,000 IDR (about €5) each way and per person. We had read that it was much cheaper and that it was very simple.
And our eagerness to book a route was not being as cheap as it was, nor as simple. So, after asking several agencies and not trusting much, we left it. In addition, a couple told us that we should go directly to Gili Air, that in Meno there is practically nothing. With this we are out of any doubt.
Public Boats
Our mistake was not going directly to the public office that is right on the “port”, but on the part that faces the shore (we found out the last day and we were dying of rage!).
In both Trawangan and Air (I guess Maino too, but we weren’t there) there is a public boat office, with established hours and prices.
It is the most comfortable and cheapest option. As I say, the Gili Islands are so close to each other that it is only a short drive. From Gili Trawangan to Gili Air it takes just about 20 minutes.
Tickets to move between the Gili Islands cannot be purchased online. You have to buy them once you are there. That if, after seeing all the mess that can be mounted in the port, we would recommend that you go the day before and get the tickets a day before, to be safe.
Diving in Gili Trawangan: Without a doubt the main attraction of the island and why it became famous. In Gili Trawangan you will find very affordable prices both to dive and to start, making a contact or baptism of diving or take advantage and get your initiation license or open water course. Although the funds are not the best in Indonesia, the quality-price ratio is very good.
Snorkeling in Gili Trawangan: Another attraction that the island offers you. Simply with a pair of glasses and a tube, you will be amazed at everything you can see.
Tour the coast in Paddle Surf: Paddle surf is a new activity that is being developed on the island year after year. It consists of getting on a standing or sitting board and paddling. The island being small is ideal and the best thing will be to see the incredible sunsets over the neighboring island of Bali.
Strolling through the interior of the island: Gili Trawangan is an island that you have traveled for a couple of hours. A perfect activity to do on the island is to spend a day getting to know the whole island, exploring it on foot or by bicycle and enjoying its beaches (although it is true that the best area is the west coast). Do not miss the incredible views from the view point.
Take a cooking course: If you are a food lover and you are one of those who likes to learn the cuisine of each country, in Gili Trawangan you can take 1-day courses and learn the typical dishes of the area’s cuisine.
Witness a Presean fight: The Presean is the typical stick fight of this area of Indonesia. In it, 2 warriors with sticks and shields fight each other in exhibition mode. The fights usually take place on Sunday afternoons in the market square.
Snorkeling tour around the Gili: From Gili Trawangan you can take a tour and get to know its neighboring islands, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan. Apart from seeing the islands, you can snorkel and be amazed by the views of Bali and Lombok.
Hallucinate with the impressive sunsets: One of the things that you should not miss every day. Come to the south west part of the island and enjoy the incredible sunset over the sea and over the island of Bali.
Watch a movie at the cinema: Well, it wouldn’t be in a cinema itself, it would be in the many beach bars on the island. Every day you can relax at the last minute watching a movie while enjoying a good bintang (Indonesian beer).
Meet the local people: The people on Gili Trawangan are down to earth and friendly to the tourist. Enjoy the atmosphere that is created every afternoon in its central square and especially at night among its many warung or in the small night market.
Practice Yoga in Gili Trawangan: If your idea is to practice yoga in Gili Trawangan you will find options where you can do it.
Everyone knows that food in Indonesia is a real delight, one of our favorite cuisines is precisely that of the country of more than a thousand islands. One of the best experiences when traveling to such a different and distant country is to enjoy food, whether it is in street food stalls or in local restaurants. In this article we tell you what are the typical dishes of Indonesian cuisine.
On Gili Trawangan there are many food options for all tastes, from stalls with Nasi Campur or Nasi Goreng, the night market left of the port also offers a lot of local food, if not also on the beach you have many food options from all parts of the world.
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