Bali Island-Hopping by Fast Boat: Gili + Nusa in One Trip
GiliBaliBoat · 16 August 2026
Bali is the hub of one of the best island-hopping regions in Asia. Within a couple of hours by fast boat you can reach the party-and-turtles Gili Islands, the clifftop drama of Nusa Penida, the mellow surf of Nusa Lembongan, and the wild beaches of Lombok. The catch is that these islands don't all connect directly — get the routing wrong and you waste days backtracking. This guide shows you how to combine them properly.
The one thing to understand: Bali is the hub
Most island crossings in this region run to and from Bali, not island-to-island. The Nusa islands are reached from Sanur in the south; the Gilis and Lombok from Padang Bai in the east (and some from Sanur). Direct boats between the Nusas and the Gilis exist but are limited and seasonal, so the reliable way to island-hop is usually to route back through Bali between the two groups.
That sounds like a downside; it isn't really. A night back in Bali between island groups gives you a shower, an ATM, and a short road transfer between the two harbours — Sanur (for Nusa) and Padang Bai (for the Gilis) are on the same side of the island.
The building blocks (and their crossings)
| Leg | Fast boat | Rough time |
|---|---|---|
| Bali → Nusa Penida | Sanur → Nusa Penida | ~45 min |
| Bali → Nusa Lembongan | Sanur → Nusa Lembongan | ~30 min |
| Nusa Penida ↔ Nusa Lembongan | Short local hop | ~15–30 min |
| Bali → Gili Trawangan | Padang Bai → Gili Trawangan · Bali → Gili Trawangan | ~1.5–2.5 hr |
| Gili ↔ Gili | Local island-hopping boat | ~10–20 min |
| Bali → Lombok | Bali → Lombok | ~2–3 hr |
| Gili → back to Bali | Gili Trawangan → Bali | ~1.5–2.5 hr |
The three Gilis are a short local boat apart, so treat them as one base with day hops. Same with the two Nusas.
Sample itineraries
1. The classic week: Nusa + Gili (7–8 nights)
The most popular combination, and the one this whole region is built for.
- Nights 1–2 — Nusa Penida. Boat from Sanur. Kelingking, Angel's Billabong, Crystal Bay, and Manta Point if the sea's kind. Staying over beats the day-trip crowds — here's why day trip vs overnight matters.
- Night 3 — Bali (Sanur). Boat back, easy night in Sanur, transfer to the east.
- Nights 4–6 — Gili Islands. Boat from Padang Bai. Base on Gili Trawangan or quieter Gili Air; day-hop the others. Turtles, snorkelling, sunsets over Mount Agung.
- Night 7 — back to Bali. Return crossing with a buffer before your flight.
2. Short and sweet: just the Gilis (4–5 nights)
Short on time? Skip the Nusas and go straight for the islands.
- Nights 1–3 — Gili Trawangan or Gili Air via Padang Bai.
- Day hop to Gili Meno for the quiet and the underwater statues.
- Return to Bali the day before you fly. If you can't decide which island, this guide helps.
3. The full loop: Nusa + Gili + Lombok (10–12 nights)
For those with time, add Lombok on the far side of the Gilis.
- Nusa Penida + Lembongan (3 nights) from Sanur.
- Back to Bali, then out to the Gili Islands (3–4 nights) from Padang Bai.
- On to Lombok — the Gilis sit right off Lombok's coast, a short hop from Bangsal — for Rinjani, waterfalls and the southern surf beaches. See the Lombok guide and Bali → Lombok.
- Return to Bali with a comfortable buffer.
Booking the legs — and the mistakes to avoid
Book each leg on the island you'll actually be on. The classic error is holding a return from Gili Trawangan while you're staying on Meno. Match the ticket to your real location.
Book return/onward legs early in peak season. Departures from the islands are fewer than departures to them, especially in the afternoon, and they sell out first. July–August and Christmas/New Year are tight — see the best time of year to cross.
Take morning boats. Every crossing here is calmest early; afternoon services are rougher and the first to be cancelled. Details in fast boat departure times.
Leave a buffer before flights. Fast boats are weather-dependent. End your trip with a night back in Bali before any international flight — never a same-day island return.
Don't assume Nusa ↔ Gili direct. Where direct services run they're seasonal and limited; plan to route via Bali unless you've confirmed a direct boat for your dates.
How to actually book it
You don't need a different site for each operator or each leg. Search any crossing, compare every operator on your date, and book an instant e-ticket — then repeat for each leg of your route. Bookings close two days before departure, so lock in the tight peak-season legs early.
Worried about the crossings themselves? Read is the fast boat safe and how to avoid seasickness before you go. Then pick your first island and start hopping.