Le Isole Ghili | Da visitare se vai a Bali o Lombok

If you’re planning a trip to Bali and Lombok, cut a few days to the Gili Islands. These are my feedback after the last in Indonesia.

Whether you’re going to Lombok or you’ve just decided to visit Bali for a few weeks, a hit and run to the Gili islands is a must. They are very small, you can turn your feet on average 1-2 hours walking along the beach and have all bungalows and beachfront accommodation.

Getting to the Gili islands

The three islands are connected continuously both in Bali in Lombok, bearing in mind that they are just close to the north west of Lombok

On my last lap in Bali and Lombok I have reached the Gili Islands from Lombok , via the dock located on  Senggigi  and then went to Bali from them, for so I can give you a general overview of the costs .

By boat from Lombok to Gili

Wherever you are in Lombok you will be possible to arrange a taxi or a local travel agency via the arrival to the marina on  Senggigi . From figures may ask crazy but agencies (the stalls) located anywhere the cost is much lower.

To say that it is all from Kuta Lombok south to the port I have asked 175k rupees (about 13 Euros) for a journey of one hour and a half.

The harbor is very small, the means of transport (such as taxis or buses) will leave the outside because there is a half-mafia with “carts.”

Basically they leave some out, so if you have a thousand suitcases you take a cart (20k rupiah person) to face the pier. If it does not rain and you have 100kg of stuff you can do it on foot, 15 minutes.

The public boat

To go to the islands you can take the public boat which costs about 1 euro. Buy it from the official ticket at the bottom, do not fall into the trap, a thousand will call you on the way to sell the speed boat saying that the boat will not start.

When you stay at the ticket office will try in every way to sell the speed boat, be tough and resist!

The hours of the public boat are not really specified. I went in the morning around 9 and we left at 11. At 16.30 is the last public boat.

Officially went from 8 am to 16.30 and takes about 40 minutes.

I suggest you ask in Lombok where you are staying on the day that you want to begin to ask the exact times that are not actually there, this to be safe.

The Speed ​​Boat

If you take the speed boat (price to be discussed by 200k person, about 14 Euros), you do get to the island in 5 minutes. Convenient for those who do not want times, because there are so many, about one every hour.

With the boat fishermen

A  Senggigi  you can find the price of 500-600k rupees (type 30 €), a nice tour that I think if you are 2+ worth. In the morning, they take you to the port, climb them with one of the many fishermen in one of the typical boat of Lombok at a time of Gili! Stroll around all three islands and landing on the island where you have the hotel by real pirates.

I did and do not regret it in the end the cost is super cheap and I guess it’s a great cool. I saw from the boats in the morning from a dune and it was just something epic!

From Ubud to the Gili

If you are in Ubud sell a combined ticket shuttle bus from your hotel + speed boat to 250k rupees. And ‘the fair market price. 300k high season. Do not pay more.

The port is to Padang Bai, about 1 hour by speed boat.

The “slow” boat is really “slow”, like 4-6 hours, do not recommend it, in case still costs about 40k, or 3 euro.

From Bali (Kuta) to Gili

From Bali, the situation is complicated. If you want to go to Kuta or Seminyak it is not a problem, but the combined ticket you do pay dearly. I do not exclude that you find in an average of 300k but try to pizzarvelo 600k. About 2 hours by speed boat from the port of Serangan.

Links between the three islands

The most inhabited island is Gili Air. The least populous and known by the local as “honeymoon island” Gili Meno (which has fewer connections) and more tourist it is Gili Gili Trawangan or T.

The island is connected Gili T, from here a lot of speed boats and public boat to Bali.

Main-Gili Gili Trawangan   08.15am 15:20

Gili Meno  –  Gili Air at 09.50am 16:20

Gili Air – Gili Meno at 08.30am 15:00

Gili Air – Gili Trawangan at 8:30 15:00

Gili Trawangan – Gili Meno at 09.30 16.00

Gili Trawangan – Gili Air at 9:30 16.00pm

Cost an average of about 3-5 euro travel between the islands, takes a few minutes and as you understand they cost “much” in proportion than longer trips.

Where to sleep Gili islands and why

The islands are just small but there are some things to keep in mind.

Although all have some sort of road along the sea that does go around the island (of each island) in fact there is no real light.

In high season it is easy to have difficulty finding accommodation.

Unlike Thailand hotels here use a lot more than Agoda Booking.

Here you can find the map of Gili hotels marked with

Gili Meno

Gili Meno is “less” populous. Go to Gili Meno means seeking maximum relaxation.

Early in the morning until early afternoon you can snorkel directly from the beach walking to reach what is called “The Wall” which is just a wall of coral which then starts the high water and many are diving.

The most beautiful beach where “stop” to go snorkeling is along the central west of the island. It comes in a large open space where there are 3-4 private villas, you not perceive it because there are buildings only trees facing beach.

Bring snorkel, mask and anti scarpettine curly selling type to dechatlon 10 Euros.

Here it is where there is the most beautiful sea, full of fish, to snorkel on foot.

You’ll be done in an area where you can see beautiful fish or turtles and go in and walk free while day boats arrive with the people who pay to make issued from diving.

If you are lucky you can swim with the turtles in the early morning.

Gili Meno is a breeding place for themselves on the island and there is a small “shrine” where to get the selfie with baby turtles.

By contrast in the evening there is nothing. Some small restaurant to eat and drink and then go to bed with the chickens.

I have been there 3 nights, I liked it, but it puts you to the test. Let’s say 2 days and 1 night or 2 nights are ok.

Where I recommend you to sleep:

Biru less , on the east coast of the island. Beautiful Bungalow beach front, snorkeling but not in sand. Clean water and excellent restaurant. Which it is a good thing for the fact that precisely in the evening that there is nothing around is handy to have the amenities around the corner.

For those who want to try the combination Diving + Accommodation, for combined packages advice Divine Divers , located on the west coast in an area where the evening you also find something to do.

Eye if you want to visit during the day: the afternoon at low tide for so the water is very low and you will not enjoy the initial area where snorkerling do because the water level goes down to the ankles.

Gili Air

And ‘the closest island to Lombok, one with more local.

Perhaps the most “economic” between three and more spartan. We say that is a mix between the tranquility of Gili Meno.

Here I recommend you sleep on the beach west. What is the best part in my island. There was no camera because I was snorkeling.

I caught walking on foot bungalow which is located opposite the beach and costs money 2: Salili Bungalow , segnatevelo.

Walking around I can tell you that in my opinion among the three is the one with less “character”, however I think are personal tastes. Talking to people who have been to all Gili each has its own vision of what is beautiful and what is not.

Gili Trawangan, Gili T for friends

I’ve been to Gili T in October. Full “low” season.

However, during the periods from June to August it is always full stra.

Also this island tours on foot in a few hours. Unlike the other two it is the most “prepared” to turisimo.

We can divide the island into two:

The eastern part , where the highway has one behind the other an ocean of restaurants and bars facing the sea and the west, where there are several sunset bars, party areas for some super grand hotel of luxury stra.

Walking towards the west we find then also the quieter beaches and deserted with a sea of panic .

If you are not possessed of Snorkeling (where in that case Gili Meno is the top), I think that among the three islands would choose this.

Because if you want to “mess” and a bit of life or simply change the restaurant, you can find it, otherwise you will always be in the most peaceful of the island.

Australian average customer / in 20 years!

Conclusions

The Gili are worth a visit, especially if you want to stay in Bali three weeks has really sense be 3-4 days to the Gili Islands!