I’m writing this post as a public service announcement for all other innocent travelers to spare you the hell that is the boat ride between Bali and the Gili Islands.
Unless you’ve reserved an expensive private charter boat, I would strongly recommend skipping the boat ride and flying directly from the Bali airport to the Lombok airport. I took the plane on the way there, and then, because it was cheaper, I took the boat back. I’ve compared both experiences below. The prices are rough estimates because some of it is based on memory, and prices might change.
The Boat Ride Itself
I bought a boat ticket from Wahana, a company with a desk prominently placed at the corner of the Gili airport, which is probably how they so easily attract business.
After waiting an hour for the boat, a porter who pointed to the Wahana logo on his shirt picked up my backpack and suitcase without me even asking, walked my stuff about 100 feet onto the floating dock, then demanded money for carrying my things. He didn’t even put my things on the actual boat, just dropped it on the dock. For that, I gave him 10,000 rupiah.
By other accounts that I’ve read online and heard from other passengers, our actual boat ride was relatively smooth. But because it was crammed, I made sure I knew the exact location of the life jackets in case something unexpected occurred. I also breathed through my mouth the entire time because the smell of gas fumes in the cabin was so strong it made me dizzy.
The real chaos waited for us at Padang Bai. There was a lot of yelling, crowds rolling up against each other on the dock. Passengers were spilling out from our boat like beans from a ripped sack, filling up every space on the dock right up against the edge and so close to the water I was afraid of bodies falling into the ocean. Three men passed suitcases and backpacks in a relay from the hull of the boat, over three feet of water, and onto the dock. The pile grew like firewood for a bonfire. I was nervous when I didn’t see my bag for what felt like half an hour. When I spotted it, I lunged forward and yelled, “That’s mine!”
The next part was mired in confusion. I fended off scammers shouting “Taxi! Taxi!” in my face, and my eagle eyes scanned the scene for the men in the distance yelling, “Wahana! Wahana!” with the logo on their shirts. Meanwhile, as I tried to focus, random vendors kept crossing my path trying to sell watermelon and chips, like a comedic non sequitur break in the plot.
After dodging all that, I arrived at the curb for the airport shuttle. I nearly missed it because the Wahana men only said “airport” once. Our driver was a young man who texted on his phone practically the whole way. He stopped twice: Once to pee (and, we saw, pick up a bag of drugs from a motorcyclist) and again to fill up gas. Even though our ticket was supposed to be inclusive, each of us still had to pay 10,000 rupiah extra for the airport toll booth.
Other passengers told me that on their other boat rides, they saw a woman’s foot get trapped under the boat ladder during the hectic loading process, and no one came to help her. They also saw people vomiting left and right because the captain kept chopping through big waves at high speed. These companies hold little regard for the safety of passengers.
Just don’t do it. Do yourself a favor and take the plane.
Boat Vs. Plane to the Gilis?
Plane: Little stress and low safety risk, but it’s three times as expensive
From Bali airport to Gili Air Island
- Fly direct from Bali airport to Lombok airport; one hour of waiting; then a 30-minute plane ride; $30 plane ticket, $20 to check in one suitcase on the budget airline
- Pickup by private driver direct to Bangsal port on Lombok; car ride was 1-1.5 hours; 250,000 rupiah for the driver
- Took the public ferry from Bangsal port to Gili Air; it runs about every hour but you have to stand by and wait until 35 passengers have bought a ticket (I got lucky and didn’t have to wait, but the max waiting time would be about 25 minutes anyway); 15-minute boat ride; 12,000 rupiah ticket
- Porter to carry heavy stuff off the ferry: tipped him 5,000 rupiah
Total time: 3.5 hours
Total cost: $70
Boat: Cheaper, but extremely stressful, dangerous
From Gili Air Island to Bali airport
I was supposed to leave at 11 a.m. Didn’t get to airport until 4:30-5 p.m.
- Boat ride from the Gili Air docks, about a one-hour delay; then it was a 1.5 hour-boat ride from hell (see below)
- Waited 30 minutes for suitcase unloading; waited another 30 minutes for the airport shuttle at Padang Bai; then it was a two-hour car ride to the Bali airport, hitting traffic on the way
Total time: 5+ hours
Total cost: 300,000 rupiah ($22)