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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Day plan · Bali, Lombok and the Gilis
Lombok and Gili Day Trip by Helicopter: Out at 07:15, Home by 17:00
Fly from the Bukit to Lombok's Gili side in 30–45 min, spend about six hours there and be back in Bali before 17:00, more than an hour before the earliest sunset. One-way to Gili Trawangan is $2,850 for the whole helicopter, up to 4 guests, and a same-day return with a one-hour wait is $3,150. The catch is the landing: Gili sites are limited and need prior approval, so the plan has a Senggigi fallback and a southern version through Lombok airport.
- Air time30–45 min each way
- One-way$2,850
- Same-day return$3,150 with 1 h wait
- Back in Bali by17:00, sunset 18:05–18:40
About 10 hpad to pad, 07:00 to 17:00
30–45 minin the air, each way
Up to 4guests, 6 in the larger class
from $3,150same-day return, 1 h wait inside
Plan A · Gili Trawangan
Gili Day by Helicopter, Hour by Hour
This is the plan when a landing site on a Gili is approved. Bali and Lombok share one time zone (WITA, UTC+8), so there is no clock change. Sunrise is about 06:35 in June and 05:50 in December.
- Car to the Bukit padGuests in Uluwatu, Ungasan or Jimbaran are a short ride from the pad. Staying near Sanur? A Sanur-side start shortens the flight to 30–40 min; see helicopter from Sanur.
- Weigh-in, briefing, headsetsSoft bags only, weighed at the pad. Pack as if you will carry them: there are no cars on the Gilis, and bags travel by bicycle, horse cart or on foot.
- Lift-offThe helicopter heads east over Nusa Dua and the strait, with Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan on your right. Mount Rinjani, 3,726 m, rises ahead on a clear morning.
- Landing on the approved site30–45 min after take-off, on a resort or private plot that is cleared in advance. The pilot shuts down and your host takes over. If no island site is approved, this step moves to the Senggigi coast; see Plan B below.
- Island daySwim and snorkel off the beach, rent bicycles for a loop of the island, have lunch at a beach café. The helicopter waits on the ground, or flies home and returns, depending on the fare you chose.
- Back at the siteThe pilot checks the wind over the strait, which usually builds through the afternoon, and re-weighs the bags.
- Lift-off homeThe latest Lombok take-off we plan is 16:00. A 15:30 start puts the helicopter back on the Bukit pad by about 16:15, and a 16:00 start by about 16:45, with an hour or more of daylight in hand.
- Wheels down in BaliA car takes you to the hotel in time for dinner. Do not plan a same-evening international flight on the back of this trip; the weather buffer is the point of the day.
Three versions
Gili, Senggigi or Kuta Lombok: Which Day Fits
The landing decides the version. All figures are from the Bukit pad, for the whole helicopter, up to 4 guests. The same-day return price includes one hour of waiting on the ground.
| Version | Lands at | Air time | One-way | Same-day return | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · Gili Trawangan direct | An approved Gili site | 30–45 min | $2,850 | $3,150 | A beach day with a short flight, if a site is approved |
| B · Senggigi coast, then a short boat | An approved site on Lombok's north-west coast | 30–45 min | $2,850 | $3,150 | The Gilis when no island site is cleared |
| C · Lombok airport, then Kuta Lombok | Lombok International Airport, then a hop or a car | 35–50 min | $3,250 | $3,550 | Mandalika, Tanjung Aan and Selong Belanak beaches |
Version B adds the boat fare per person, set by the boat operator, and a car to the harbour. Version C adds a hop of 9–15 min to an approved resort pad, or a car from the airport. Details per route: Bali to the Gili Islands, Bali to Lombok.
Onward hops
Hops From Lombok Airport to the Coast and the Gilis
If the day starts with a landing at Lombok International Airport, these are the short hops that follow. Any pad that is not an airport is named in the quote before you pay.
| Destination | Distance | Air time | One-way helicopter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gili Trawangan | 52 km | 20–25 min | from $1,750 |
| Senggigi | 39 km | 15–20 min | from $1,350 |
| Kuta Lombok | 15 km | 9–15 min | from $950 |
| Mandalika | 16 km | 9–15 min | from $950 |
| Mount Rinjani | 43 km | 15–25 min | from $1,550 |
Straight-line distance and airborne minutes. One-way prices include the helicopter's flight back; see the Lombok airport to Gili route for the detail.
One-way or return
One-Way Against Same-Day Return: What the Day Costs
A one-way fare already pays for the helicopter's empty flight home, which is why a one-way costs nearly as much as a return. A day trip can be priced two ways.
| Option | Guide price | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Same-day return with a wait | $3,150 | The helicopter parks on the site; one hour of waiting is inside the price |
| Each extra waiting hour | $300 | A six-hour stay is the return price plus five extra hours |
| Two separate one-way fares | 2 × $2,850 | The helicopter flies away and comes back at an agreed time; no waiting charge |
| One-way only, per person for 4 | $715 | For a stay of several nights with the flight home booked later |
| Fast boat for comparison | per-person fare | About 2–2.5 hours each way from Serangan or Padang Bai, set by the boat operator |
For a stay of about six hours, waiting is usually the cheaper way, but the helicopter can only wait where the waiting spot is itself approved. For a long stay, ask for two one-way quotes. Prices come from the price page.
Landing limits
Honest Limits: Where a Helicopter Can and Cannot Land on the Gilis
The Gilis are small and the beaches are public. Trawangan, Meno and Air are lined with guesthouses and beach bars. A helicopter does not land on a public beach. It lands on an approved site: a resort or private plot with a flat, cleared area of roughly 25 to 30 m across, nothing loose, no overhead lines or tall trees close, and the owner's agreement plus the operator's clearance.
A day trip needs more than a landing. The helicopter also has to wait, or leave and return, for several hours. A site that accepts a short drop-off may not accept a parked aircraft. We ask about both before we quote.
If no island site is approved, you hear it in the first reply. The fallback is Version B: land on the Senggigi side of Lombok, then cross by boat. The airport and Kuta Lombok are Version C. We never promise a Gili landing before it is cleared, and approval at a private site can take a few days, so ask a week ahead.
Return before sunset. Flights are daylight flights. We set the latest Lombok take-off at 16:00, wheels down in Bali by about 17:00, an hour or more before sunset at 18:05 in June and 18:40 in late December. Wind over the strait usually builds in the afternoon, so a morning start is the reliable one; the helicopter vs fast boat guide compares the options.
Pack and book
What to Send and What to Pack
- Name your Gili stay or lunch spot. Send a map pin. We ask the operator to clear the site and tell you in the first reply if it cannot work.
- Pick the fallback now. Decide whether you accept Version B or C if the island site is not cleared, so the day is not lost.
- Send weights and bags. Weight decides the class in Bali heat. Soft bags only, and light ones: no cars on the Gilis.
- Set the return time. Our default is 15:30 to 16:00 from Lombok. Tell us if a boat or a dinner needs an earlier one.
- Wear swimwear under your clothes. Bring a waterproof bag, reef shoes and sun protection. Hats are for the island, not the pad: rotor wash takes them.
- Allow a back-up day. If wind or cloud over the strait stops the flight, the pilot moves it to the next suitable slot or the part not flown is refunded.
Flights in this plan
The Routes and Guides Behind the Lombok and Gili Day
Bali to the Gili Islands
From $2,700
The main flight in Plan A, with the landing rules for Trawangan, Meno and Air.
Bali to Lombok
From $3,250
Across the strait to the airport or the coast, with a comparison of boat, ferry and plane.
Lombok island guide
Senggigi, Kuta Lombok, Mandalika and Rinjani, with flight times from Bali.
Five ways to reach the Gilis
Fast boat, public ferry, plane, helicopter and combinations, side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I do Lombok and the Gilis in one day from Bali?
Yes, by helicopter. Lift off from the Bukit at about 07:15, land on the Gili side in 30–45 min, spend about six hours there and return to Bali before 17:00. By fast boat the same trip uses most of the day just for the crossings, at 2 to 2.5 hours each way.
Can a helicopter land on Gili Trawangan?
Only on an approved site. Landing sites on the Gilis are limited and need prior approval from the owner and the operator, and beaches are never used. If no site is cleared, you land on the Senggigi coast and finish by a short boat, or fly to Lombok International Airport.
How much is the same-day return?
A same-day return with one hour of waiting is $3,150 for the whole helicopter, up to 4 guests, and each extra waiting hour is $300. One-way is $2,850, about $715 each for four guests.
What is the latest we can leave Lombok?
Our default is 15:30, and the latest we plan is 16:00. That lands the helicopter in Bali by about 17:00, an hour or more before sunset, which is about 18:05 in June and 18:40 in late December. We do not fly at night.
Is landing at Lombok airport better?
It is the sure option: a controlled runway and ground handling. It suits Kuta Lombok, Mandalika and the south, where a short hop or a car follows. For the Gilis it is longer, because the airport sits inland on the south side; the direct flight to the coast is shorter.
Can we stay overnight instead?
Yes. Fly out one-way and book the flight home later, or ask for two separate one-way quotes. Overnight stays make a flight home on a later morning easy; read the Gili Islands guide for where to stay.
Lombok and the Gilis by Lunch, Home Before 17:00
Send the date, the number of guests, your Bali area and the Gili stay or lunch spot you have in mind. We reply the same day with the landing options, the aircraft and a fixed price for a one-way or a same-day return.
Get My Quote on WhatsAppRelated
Plan the Rest of the Trip
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.
Bali to Lombok by Helicopter
Across the Lombok Strait in about 35–50 min instead of a half-day by boat or ferry.
Helicopter Gili Islands
From $2,700 one-way · whole helicopter
Gili Trawangan, Meno and Air by private helicopter, over the reef or onto an approved site. Landing is limited and checked before you pay.
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.
Inter-Island Helicopter Charter
Penida from $1,300 · Lombok from $3,250
Fly from Bali to Lombok, the Gilis, Nusa Penida or Lembongan in one private hop. Whole helicopter, your timetable, multi-leg trips by quote.