Bali to the Gili Islands by Helicopter
Sanur to Gili Trawangan in 30–40 min instead of 2–2.5 hours on a fast boat. Gili landing sites are limited and approved in advance.
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How to Get From Bali to the Gili Islands: Five Ways Compared
The quickest way from Bali to the Gili Islands is a private helicopter: 30–40 min from Sanur to Gili Trawangan, from $2,700 for the whole helicopter, or about $675 each for four guests. The usual way is a fast boat from Serangan or Padang Bai, about 2–2.5 hours. The other three are the public ferry plus a boat, a plane to Lombok plus a road transfer, and a privately chartered boat. This guide compares all five and ends with a decision table.
In this guide
- Five Ways From Bali to the Gili Islands at a Glance
- The Fast Boat From Serangan or Padang Bai
- Ferry Plus Boat, or Plane Plus Transfer: The Long Ways Round
- A Private Charter Boat or Yacht to the Gilis
- The Helicopter: Flight Times and One-Way Prices to the Gilis
- Where a Helicopter Can Land on the Gilis
- Which Way to the Gilis Fits Your Trip
- Packing and Planning for the Crossing
At a glance
Five Ways From Bali to the Gili Islands at a Glance
All times start at the harbour, airport or pad and leave out the drive to it. Boat and ferry times depend on the operator and the sea.
| Way | Time on the move | Where you start | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast boat | About 2–2.5 h | Serangan or Padang Bai harbour | Morning departures, swell in the afternoon, arrival at a beach or small pier |
| Public ferry plus boat | 4–5 h Padang Bai to Lembar, then road and a short boat | Padang Bai ferry terminal | A long day; you cross Lombok by road to reach the Gili harbour |
| Plane plus transfer | About 40 min in the air, then road and a short boat | Ngurah Rai Airport | Check-in 60–90 min ahead; Lombok airport is in the south, the Gilis in the north-west |
| Private charter boat | Set by the vessel and the sea | A harbour you agree | Price is for the vessel; check crew licence and safety gear |
| Helicopter | 30–40 min Sanur to Gili Trawangan | A pad near you, for example Sanur | Landing sites on the Gilis are limited and need prior approval |
The helicopter figure is airborne time; add 15–20 minutes at each end for pick-up, briefing and shutdown. For the route page with all three islands see Bali to the Gili Islands by helicopter.
Way 1
The Fast Boat From Serangan or Padang Bai
The fast boat is how most people reach Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. Boats leave Serangan, on the south coast near Sanur and Denpasar, or Padang Bai, the east-coast harbour near Candidasa, and take about 2–2.5 hours to cross the Lombok Strait. Pick the harbour that is closer to where you sleep, because the drive can take as long as an hour or more from some areas.
Book a morning departure. The strait is deep, its currents are strong and the swell builds through the day, so the first boats are usually the smoothest and the least likely to be cancelled. Arrival on the Gilis is often at a beach or a small pier. There are no motorised vehicles on the islands, so you walk, cycle or take a horse cart to your stay, and soft bags are easier than hard cases.
Our comparison of the boat and the aircraft is in helicopter vs fast boat to the Gilis.
Ways 2 and 3
Ferry Plus Boat, or Plane Plus Transfer: The Long Ways Round
The Gilis sit off the north-west coast of Lombok, so both of these options reach Lombok first and then double back north. By ferry, you sail from Padang Bai to Lembar in about 4–5 hours, then drive across the island to Bangsal harbour and take a short public boat to the island. It costs the least per person and takes the longest. By plane, you fly Ngurah Rai to Lombok International Airport in about 40 minutes, then take a road transfer north to Bangsal and a boat across.
Neither is fast, but both have a use. The ferry carries vehicles, so it suits anyone moving a motorbike or car to Lombok. The plane suits travellers who already hold an onward ticket via Lombok and want to stay on one itinerary. For the Lombok-only comparison, including the airport side, read Bali to Lombok: ferry, fast boat, plane or helicopter.
Way 4
A Private Charter Boat or Yacht to the Gilis
A private boat gives you your own departure time, your own stops and room for a group. The price is for the vessel, so it works out better per person with a full boat. Speed varies a lot: a motor cruiser can match a fast boat, a sailing yacht will be slower, and the strait sets the pace either way.
- Ask for the crew's licence and the vessel's life jackets, liferaft and radio before you pay.
- Ask what is included: fuel, port fees, drinks, snorkel gear and the return leg.
- Agree a weather plan in writing. The strait is not a place to push a schedule.
- Allow a spare day at each end of a sailing trip.
We do not sell boat charters. If a private boat is your plan and the helicopter is the back-up for the return, say so and we can plan the flight around your boat's schedule.
Way 5
The Helicopter: Flight Times and One-Way Prices to the Gilis
A helicopter crosses the strait in a straight line, so it does not matter which harbour is closest. These are the flights from Sanur; the flight from Padang Bai to Gili Trawangan takes 20–30 min.
| Destination | Distance | Air time | One-way helicopter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gili Trawangan | 93 km | 30–40 min | from $2,700 |
| Gili Meno | 95 km | 30–40 min | from $2,700 |
| Gili Air | 98 km | 30–40 min | from $2,700 |
One-way prices include the helicopter's flight back. A same-day return with a one-hour wait adds $300. Guide prices for the whole helicopter, up to 4 guests; the 6-seat class costs about 1.4 times as much.
Landing on the Gilis
Where a Helicopter Can Land on the Gilis
This is the honest limit of the helicopter option. The islands are small, there are no cars, and landing sites are limited. Every landing needs prior approval from the owner and the operator, and we confirm the exact site before you pay. A flat area of roughly 25–30 m across, with no loose items and no overhead lines or tall trees close by, is the rule of thumb for a light helicopter.
If a site on the island is not available on your date, there are two fall-backs. Land at an approved site on the Lombok coast near Bangsal and take the short boat, or land at Lombok International Airport and use the Lombok airport to Gili helicopter leg, which takes 20–25 min. You still save the long morning on the water. The Gili Islands guide lists what each island looks like from the air.
Decision table
Which Way to the Gilis Fits Your Trip
| Your situation | Best way | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Two backpackers, flexible dates | Fast boat | Lowest cost for the time; take the first morning boat |
| Family with small children and bags | Helicopter | No harbour queues, no wet landing, 30–40 min in the air |
| Four friends, short on time | Helicopter | About $675 each for four guests, and a day saved |
| Moving a motorbike or car to Lombok | Public ferry | The only option that carries vehicles |
| Group of ten wanting a day on the water | Private charter boat | One vessel, your timetable, a stop to swim |
| Already flying to Lombok on a ticket | Plane plus transfer | One itinerary, then a road transfer and a short boat |
| Anyone connecting to an international flight | Helicopter, with a spare day | A fixed take-off time, but weather can still cancel it |
Prices for the helicopter are guide prices for the whole aircraft. Details are on the price page.
Before you go
Packing and Planning for the Crossing
- Pack soft bags. On a boat you carry them over sand or a pier; in a helicopter they go in a small compartment where hard cases do not fit.
- Keep documents and medication on you. Not in the hold, not in a bag left on the deck.
- Allow a buffer day before a flight home. Boats, planes and helicopters all cancel for weather.
- Plan the last mile. With no motorised vehicles on the Gilis, a cart or a bike is the way from the beach or pier to your stay. Tell your hotel your arrival time.
- Book the helicopter on a weekday morning if you can. The air is calmest and slots are easiest to hold. Peak months are July and August and the Christmas to New Year weeks.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to get from Bali to the Gili Islands?
For most travellers it is the fast boat: about 2–2.5 hours from Serangan or Padang Bai. If time matters, the helicopter takes 30–40 min from Sanur and costs from $2,700 for the whole aircraft, about $675 each for four.
How long does the fast boat from Bali to Gili Trawangan take?
About 2–2.5 hours on the water, plus the drive to the harbour and the time to check in. Boats from Padang Bai are often the shorter drive for guests staying in the east of Bali.
Can a helicopter land on Gili Trawangan?
Only on an approved site. Landing sites on the Gilis are limited and need prior approval, so we confirm the spot before you pay. If none is free, we land on the nearby Lombok coast or at Lombok airport. See the Bali to Gili route.
Is it cheaper to take the plane to Lombok than a boat to the Gilis?
Not necessarily. The plane adds a road transfer north and a boat across, and fares change by date. Compare the total door-to-door cost, not the ticket alone.
Is the sea rough between Bali and the Gilis?
It can be. The Lombok Strait is deep, with strong currents, and swell builds in the afternoon. Choose a morning departure and keep a spare day if you must reach a flight.
Can I do one way by boat and one way by helicopter?
Yes. Many guests take the boat out in the morning and fly back, or the reverse. The one-way helicopter price includes the helicopter's flight back, so a single leg costs close to a return; see inter-island charter.
Bali to the Gilis in 30–40 min: Send Us the Date
Tell us your date, your guests, your bags and the island. We reply the same day with the pad, the landing site we can approve and a fixed price. Nothing is paid on this site.
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