The ‘Gili Islands’ are composed of three Islands called Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. Of the three Gili Islands, Gili Trawangan is undoubtedly the most popular with the largest selection of hotels, hostels and resorts. All three islands are serviced by public ferries, which operate on a schedule. Public ferries also go in between the islands. Since the Gili Islands have become such a popular destination over the last 10 years or so, it’s become essential for tourists to be able to reach these Islands without being scammed, delayed or unnecessarily confused once landing at Lombok Airport.  Tourists must also be able to safely and efficiently reach Lombok Airport from the Gili Islands after their stay.
This article is intended to provided to summarize our recent travel experience getting from Gili Trawangan to Lombok International Airport.
Map of Gili Trawangan with Accommodation Options
Even if you didn’t book a room on Gili  Trawangan the first step in getting to Lombok Airport from any of the Gili Islands is to reach Bangsal Harbour on the mainland. From there you will work your way to the airport.
Here are more specific steps on how to get from the Gili Islands to Lombok Airport:
From Gili Trawangan to Bangsal Harbor
1. Go to the ticket office on the main beach of Gili Trawangan. The ticket office is a small white concrete building next to the departure and arrival point for boats.
You will not miss this office if you walk along the main road on the island. If you can’t find it, just ask around. Local workers and fellow tourists should have no problem pointing you in the right direction.
2. Purchase your ticket to Bangsal Harbour. The office sells public ferry tickets to Bangsal Harbour. However, you can also ask them about tickets for a speed boat.
Some touts in lurking around this office will tell you it’s better to get a speed boat. There are advantages of getting on a speedboat but if you have time and would rather not spend more, taking the public ferry is the more practical option. If you’re short on time the speedboat option is the way to go.
3. Wait for the boarding announcement.
The ferry, which is actually a big wooden boat that can accommodate around 20-25 people, picks up passengers in an area just adjacent to the ticket office.
You must wait for the announcement to board, but they usually say it in the local language. Sometimes, they do announce it in English. I suggest that you should be alert while waiting. If you see people boarding the boat, ask where they are going. During our experience, it wasn’t clear until we asked a few locals.
From Gili Air and Gili Meno to Bangsal Harbor
1. Proceed to the government-run ticket office on the main beach on Gili Air. The ticket office is a small concrete building near the departure and arrival point for boats coming into the islands.
2. Purchase your ticket to Bangsal Harbor. There is also an option to take the private speedboat, which is definitely faster but more expensive. The price is about 85,000 Rupiah (7 USD) per person.
3. Wait for the boarding announcement.
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Public Ferry Fare: Gili Islands to Bangsal
The public ferry fare is 15,000 Rupiah from Gili Trawangan, 13,000 Rupiah from Gili Meno 10,000 from Gili Air based on our very recent experience. Keep in mind this is subject to change over time.
Reminders:
If you are planning to take the public ferry, check the ferry schedule the day before you leave. But there is usually no need to purchase the ticket a day in advance. Â Boat seats are on a first come, first served basis.
The ferry schedule can change due to poor weather conditions. I recommend that you go to the ticket office an hour early especially if your final destination is Lombok International Airport.
From Bangsal Harbor to Lombok Airport
Lombok International Airport is a relatively new airport located in Praya, Lombok Island
1. Once you have reached Bangsal Harbour, you can take a taxi or a private vehicle to Lombok International Airport.
There is a taxi stand just outside the Bangsal Ticket Office, right near the official entrance to the pier. Â The stand has a visible sign that shows you the taxi fare rates going to the most popular destinations in Lombok.
These rates are expensive for the distance the taxi covers, but if you are happy to pay the rate, then take one of the taxis at the stand.
However, if you want a cheaper deal, you don’t have to take a taxi. There are men at the pier who will try to negotiate with you a cheaper rate. Try to haggle down the price. This is when your negotiation skills come in handy.
The estimated cost from Bangsal Pier to Lombok Airport is from 250,000 – 300,000 Rupiah (20 – 25 USD). The journey time is about 2 hours.
In our case, we were able to haggle down the price, and ended up going with a private car. This trip did not have any glitches and we safely reached the airport. But take note that there were two of us doing this trip. If you’re traveling alone and would like to minimize the risks, then I suggest you take an official taxi where the driver’s license is fully displayed. I haven’t heard of any dangerous taxi scams in Bangsal but extra precaution wouldn’t hurt if you are traveling alone.
Always try to go to the airport earlier than later to avoid any traffic delays. In our case traffic was fine, but due to the narrow roads on Lombok Island, we wouldn’t be surprised if people were delayed with heavier traffic.
This is a step-by-step guide on how to get from the Gili Islands to the Lombok International Airport based on our very recent travel experience. Whether you are going from Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, or Gili Air to the airport, we hope that this information has been useful.
Top Rated Properties on Gili Trawangan
Based on Verified Guest Reviews
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| Star/Budget Range | Guest Rating: Hotel Provider 1 | Guest Rating: Hotel Provider 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agoda.com (Gili Trawangan) | Booking.com (Gili Trawangan) | ||
| 5 stars/Luxury | Kokomo Resort – 8.6/10Â | Oceano Jambuluwuk Resort (7.9/10)Â | |
| 4stars/Comfort | Santan Gili Cottages (9.5/10) | Kaleydo Villas (9.5/10) | |
| 3 stars/Mid-range | Marygio Resort (9.3/10) | Marygio Resort (9.3/10) | |
| 2 star/ Budget | Gili T Sugar Shack (9.1/10) | Gili T Sugar Shack (9.1/10) | |
| 1 star/ Strict Budget | Gili Nyepi (9.2/10) | Gili Nyepi (9.2/10) | |
| Compare all room prices in Gili Trawangan using www.agoda.com | Compare all room prices on Gili Trawangan using booking.com |
Criteria:
- Properties rated based on ‘overall’ review scores from each respective website’s verified guests.
- Minimum of 50 verified guest reviews required to be considered eligible for comparison.
- All star ratings and verified guest review scores are tallied at the time of writing, and therefore, are subject to change.
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