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.
Island guide · Gili Islands
Helicopter Gili Islands: Reef, Turtles and Three Car-Free Islands
A helicopter to the Gili Islands takes 30–40 min from Sanur to Gili Trawangan, from $2,700 for the whole helicopter, up to 4 guests. The fast boat takes about 2.5 hours. The catch is the landing: the Gilis have no cars, no airport and few suitable sites, so every landing is approved before you pay. If no site fits your date, you land on Lombok and cross by a short boat.
- Sanur to Gili T30–40 min
- One-way from$2,700
- Fast boatabout 2.5 hours
- Landinglimited · pre-approved
The three islands
Gili Trawangan, Meno and Air Compared for a Helicopter Visit
All three sit off the north-west coast of Lombok, a few minutes apart by air. None allows motorised vehicles: luggage moves on horse carts and bicycles, which matters when you land with bags.
| Island | What it is like | Air time from Sanur | Landing note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gili Trawangan (Gili T) | The biggest and liveliest: beach bars, dive shops, a long western shore with sunset views toward Bali | 30–40 min | Most requests. Sites are limited and approved case by case |
| Gili Meno | The smallest and quietest: few buildings, a salt lake inland | 30–40 min | Few sites; often better as a flight over than a landing |
| Gili Air | Closest to the Lombok mainland: village life next to small resorts and cafés | 30–40 min | Limited sites; ask early for the dates you want |
Hopping between islands by air is short: Trawangan to Meno 6–10 min, Trawangan to Air 7–11 min. A loop over all three is a sightseeing flight, priced by time in the air. Lombok's own coast is in the Lombok island guide.
Landing
Landing on the Gilis: Limited and Approved Before You Pay
The Gilis are small, flat coral islands with a lot of people on the shore and very little spare open ground. A light helicopter needs a clear flat area of roughly 25–30 m across with no loose items, no overhead lines and no tall trees close by. A beach with a sunbed row does not qualify, and public beaches are closed to our landings in any case.
That leaves a small number of private or resort sites, each of which needs the owner's agreement and the operator's clearance (the same rules as for a villa or hotel landing). We confirm the exact site, a back-up, and the walking distance to your accommodation before you pay. We do not name sites on this page because they change with owners and bookings.
If no Gili site is approved for your date
There are two fall-backs. Fly over the islands without landing, which is a pure sightseeing flight. Or land on Lombok at the airport or an approved Senggigi-area site and cross by a short boat; the Lombok airport to Gili route gives the numbers.
Think about quiet, too. The islands are small and calm, and a landing is heard across much of the shore. Sites that are away from the main strip are easier to approve, and your hotel needs to agree that guests are arriving this way.
From Bali
Flight Times and One-Way Prices From Sanur to the Gilis
Our Gili route starts at Sanur, on Bali's east coast. If you start in the south or the west, we pick the closest approved pad and show the difference in the quote.
| 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 |
| Senggigi | 89 km | 30–40 min | from $2,700 |
| Lombok International Airport | 112 km | 35–45 min | from $3,050 |
Straight-line distance and airborne time. One-way prices include the helicopter's flight back. A same-day return from Sanur to Gili T with one hour on the ground is about $3,000; each extra hour of waiting adds $300. For four guests the one-way share is about $675 each.
From Lombok
From Lombok Airport to the Gilis
If you have already landed at Praya, either by plane or by helicopter, the hop to the islands is shorter and cheaper.
| Destination | Distance | Air time | One-way helicopter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gili Trawangan | 52 km | 20–25 min | from $1,750 |
| Gili Meno | 51 km | 20–25 min | from $1,750 |
| Gili Air | 49 km | 20–25 min | from $1,750 |
These figures assume a helicopter is already at Praya. Without one, the Bali to Gili price above applies.
A day trip
A Gili T Day Trip by Helicopter, Hour by Hour
A sample plan for a same-day return. Flights run only between sunrise and sunset, so the last take-off from the island is set by the light.
- Meet at the Sanur padWeights, bags and a five-minute safety briefing. Soft bags only, because the baggage hold is small and the island has no cars.
- Lift-off, east over the straitThe Lombok Strait is deep and often shows tide lines on the surface. Nusa Penida and Lembongan pass on the right.
- Reef and shorelineThe helicopter slows over the reef edge where the water changes from pale sand to blue. On a calm, clear day turtles surface near the reefs; a sighting is never promised.
- Land at the approved siteWalk or ride a horse cart to the beach. The helicopter waits on the ground; one hour of waiting is already in the $3,000 same-day price.
- Fly backLift-off after lunch or a swim. Add standby at $300 per hour for a longer stay, and plan to be back in Bali before the light goes.
Boat or helicopter
Helicopter or Fast Boat to the Gilis
| Fast boat | Private helicopter | |
|---|---|---|
| Time on the move | About 2.5 hours from Serangan or Padang Bai, plus the road to the harbour | 30–40 min from Sanur, plus 15–20 minutes of briefing and shutdown |
| Cost basis | Fare per person; check the operator's current price | One price for the helicopter: $2,700 one-way, about $675 each for 4 guests |
| Luggage | Stowed by the crew; rules differ by operator | Soft bags in a small hold; weights are checked |
| Arrival | A beach or jetty landing among other boats | An approved site, or the Lombok coast and a short boat |
| Weather | Swell can cancel or delay the departure | Wind, cloud and visibility decide; the pilot makes the call |
Both can be cancelled by weather. The helicopter wins on time and on carrying a family with bags; the boat wins on cost per person and on landing without a permission. Our guide how to get from Bali to the Gili Islands lists all five ways.
What to book
Gili Flights You Can Book
Bali to Gili Trawangan
From $2,700 · one-way
Sanur to the islands in 30–40 min. The quote names the take-off pad and the Gili landing site, or the Lombok back-up.
Lombok airport to the Gilis
From $1,750 · one-way
For guests who fly into Praya: 20–25 min to Trawangan and a fixed price for the aircraft.
Honeymoon flight
A golden-hour flight with a landing on a quiet Gili beach, if a site is approved, or a loop over the reef if not.
Island-hopping day
Penida, the Gilis and a Lombok lunch in one charter, with the helicopter waiting between stops.
Before you fly
What to Settle Before a Gili Landing
- Tell your accommodation. A resort or a guesthouse owner may need to agree to the landing and to arrange a cart from the site.
- Pack soft bags. The cabin hold is small, and on a car-free island you carry the bags or pay for a cart.
- Give honest weights. Combined weight in tropical heat decides the aircraft class and the fuel load; see the helicopter classes.
- Choose the island by the stay. Trawangan for restaurants and nightlife, Air for village life, Meno for quiet. Landing options differ for each.
- Keep a spare half-day. Strong wind or cloud can move a flight by hours. The pilot decides, and we move or refund the part not flown.
Booking
How to Book a Helicopter to the Gilis
Send the date, guests and the island
Say where you start in Bali and which Gili you are staying on. If you are flexible, ask for the best landing option and we propose one.
We ask the landing question first
Before we quote the aircraft, we check whether a site is available on your island for your date. You get the site, a back-up and the fixed price in one reply.
A deposit holds the slot
The deposit details sit at the bottom of the quote, which is built from the guide prices on the price page. You pay nothing through the website.
Fly
Arrive 20 minutes early at the pad, with soft bags. We confirm the pick-up time the day before after the wind check.
Route pages
Route Pages for Flights to the Gilis
Bali → Gili T
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.
Air time30–40 min · 93 km
One-wayfrom $2,700
Lombok airport → Gili T
Skip the cross-island drive to Bangsal harbour. Lombok International Airport to Gili Trawangan by air, with the landing agreed in advance.
Air time20–25 min · 52 km
One-wayfrom $1,750
Bali → Lombok
Across the Lombok Strait in about 35–50 min instead of a half-day by boat or ferry.
Air time35–50 min · 122 km
One-wayfrom $3,250
Bali → Rinjani
Across the Lombok Strait to Rinjani's crater and Segara Anak lake and back to Bali the same day. Priced by quote.
Air time40–60 min · 149 km
One-wayby quote
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can a helicopter land on Gili Trawangan?
Only on an approved private or resort site, and only with prior clearance from the owner and the operator. We confirm the site, a back-up and the walking distance before you pay. If no site is approved on your date, you land on Lombok and take a short boat.
How long is the helicopter from Bali to the Gilis?
30–40 min from Sanur to Gili Trawangan, 30–40 min to Gili Air. From the Bukit it is 30–45 min. Count on another 15–20 minutes for the briefing and shutdown.
How much is a helicopter to Gili Trawangan?
From $2,700 one-way for the whole helicopter, up to 4 guests, about $675 each for four. The one-way fare already covers the empty flight back. A same-day return with one hour on the ground is about $3,000.
Why are there no cars or taxis at the landing site?
The Gilis do not allow motorised vehicles. People use bicycles and horse carts, so ask your accommodation to arrange a cart, and keep to soft bags that you can carry.
Can we see turtles from the helicopter?
Sometimes, on a calm, clear day near the reef edges. A helicopter flies higher than a snorkeller swims, and we never promise a sighting. The colour change at the reef edge is visible on almost every flight.
Is a helicopter better than the fast boat to the Gilis?
For time and for families with bags, yes: 30–40 min against about 2.5 hours. For cost per person and for a landing without permission, the boat is better. The detailed comparison is in helicopter vs fast boat to the Gilis.
A Gili Landing, Checked Before You Pay
Send your date, your Bali start point, your guest count and the Gili you are staying on. We reply today with the landing site or the back-up plan, the aircraft and a fixed price.
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More Ways Around the Gilis and Lombok
Lombok Airport to the Gilis by Helicopter
Skip the cross-island drive to Bangsal harbour. Lombok International Airport to Gili Trawangan by air, with the landing agreed in advance.
Helicopter Lombok
From $2,700 one-way · whole helicopter
Senggigi, Mandalika and Mount Rinjani by private helicopter from Bali. Flights based on Lombok are by quote. Approved landing sites only.
Bali to the Gili Islands: Five Ways
Fast boat, ferry plus boat, plane plus transfer, charter boat or helicopter: times, effort and a decision table.
Helicopter vs Fast Boat: Bali to Gili and Lombok
Time, cost per person for 2 and 4 guests, luggage, sea conditions and arrival logistics, and when the boat is the better choice.
Honeymoon Helicopter Flight
From $1,150 · whole helicopter
30 minutes for two over Ubud and the Batur caldera, or a golden-hour coast flight that ends at sunset. Sparkling wine and photographer optional.