Garuda Evening flight/GilliT

Hi, can you please advise me if it is possible to get a boat over to Gilli T at around 8.30 at night? I am assumming not. Is it easy to catch the local ferry the next morning? or how much for a speed boat? Many Thanks.

Hi,

Lombok is in the backwaters. Garuda flight arrives late evening in Lombok and it takes at least an hour to get to the harbor where the public ferry leaves. You will not find any soul there at that time.

Last month we were in Lombok and went on a day trip to one of the gilis (Trawangan) for the first time with a party of five adults and two children under 6. The arrangement was door to door - pick up at Holiday Resort at 9 a.m. for the ride to the harbor, 10-15 minutes speed boat ride to Trawangan and after lunch next ride to Meno and pick up there at 4 p.m. for the return speed boat ride and taxi to Holiday Resort.

The kids had fun at the beach and we did not go to Meno but stuck to the schedule. The total cost was Rp.1.2 million. You can contact Mr. Jabong at +62 81907818597.

I never met the man but conducted business through SMS and cell phone. He was business like and so were the Taxi Driver and the Speed Boat pilot. Everything ran smooth.

While in Trawangan I saw a shop with ads for ferry rides from Bali. I wonder if anyone takes that.

If you are trying to squeeze many activities in a short time, my recommendation is you take the Garuda flight (as far as I know they may delay but never cancel the flight), stay in a place like Tjabe Merah (have a web site) near the airport and then do the gili trip.

Remember if you can do three things in 24 hours in Australia, probably you can do one in Lombok unless you drive yourself nuts.

Lombok and gilis are worth visiting the hassle involved. Enjoy your trip.

Josi
Falls Church, Virginia, USA

The easiest thing for you would be to stay the night in Senggigi. When you arrive go to "Dream Divers" shop and by a ticket for transport to Gili T the next morning. Dream Divers stay open late so no problem getting a ticket. They leave Senggigi at 8.00 and bring you with car to the harbour in Ternareh and then boat to Gili T. I have done it many times and it's very convinient. The ticket used to cost $US 5 but it's likely to have changed.

I also posted this on your thread on BTF, which I know you read but this is for anyone else

If you are going to the Gili from Bali then the faster option is by fast boat. The ticket on the fast boat is about double the cost of flying (around Rp 660,000 one way). However, if you add up the cost of
1. travel to airport (fast boat often have free pickup in Bali) est Rp 80,000
2. travel from Lombok airport to Gili est. 150,000
3. airfare to Lombok + 30,000 departure tax, est 330,000
you will find that the cost of the boat transfer vs flying with the add-ons is getting pretty close (est 560,000 vs 660,000). Then weight it up against the time you waste with all the transfers, and the fast boat starts to look attractive. (you will be at the Gili by 10:30 am vs maybe mid afternoon if you fly).

There are fast boat services from Benoa and Padang Bai. Both take about the same amount of time ex Kuta Bali. The Benoa harbour is closer, but the water part of the journey is about an hour longer. My preference is Padang Bai as the water part of the journey is shorter, and less rough. It is about an hour or 1.5 hours from Kuta to Padang Bai. Someone like Gili Cat are good operators.

However for anyone considering going to the Gili around Christmas through to Feb/March, I do not recommend the fast boat due to very rough seas at that time of year. I would only ever fly then.

Many Thanks, I have done a lot of research and when I first started I preffered the Fast Boat. After checking the Forum and other sites I was led to believe that Flying was the preffered method, however I have decided together with your good advice is to do the Fast Boat door to door one price, one hassle and yes less stress. I agree that it would not work out any cheaper in the long run to Fly.