Gili Islands

Gili Air

The mellow Gili — shallow turquoise lagoons and an unhurried pace.

Find a fast boat Bali → Gili Air schedule

16
Daily departures
1h 55m
Crossing time
Rp 450.000
From / adult

Gili Air is the closest of the three Gilis to Lombok and the one that best balances peace and quiet with just enough going on. It's smaller and calmer than Gili Trawangan but has more life than tiny Gili Meno — a gentle middle ground of shallow, swimmable lagoons, sandy lanes and low-key beach bars.

If you want turquoise water and hammocks without the party, but still want a decent choice of cafés and dive schools, Gili Air is the pick.

Gili Air highlights

Shallow, calm lagoons — great for families and snorkelling
Quieter than Gili T but with plenty of cafés
Closest Gili to Lombok
Laid-back sunsets facing Bali

Sunrise over Lombok's mountains from the Gili Islands

Why go to Gili Air

Gili Air's east and south coasts have some of the best swimming of the three islands — shallow, clear and calm, ideal for families and unhurried snorkelling. The vibe is barefoot and friendly, with beach loungers, fresh coconuts and sunset spots facing Bali.

It's car-free like its neighbours, so days drift by on island time: snorkel, read, swim, eat, repeat.

Things to do

Snorkel the house reefs and swim with turtles, take a diving course, walk the whole island in an hour or two, rent a bike, or join an island-hopping boat trip to Meno and Trawangan. Sunset on the west coast with Mount Agung on the horizon is the daily ritual.

Getting to Gili Air by fast boat

Fast boats reach Gili Air daily from Padang Bai and Sanur in Bali; some services stop at Gili Trawangan first. As always, a morning departure gives the calmest crossing. See the live schedule and prices below.