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Here’s how I travelled from Sanur to Gili Trawangan in 2025.
I recently travelled from Sanur to Gili Trawangan. When researching ferries, the staggering number of options left me completely overwhelmed. Not to mention the number of bad reviews! My friend and I tried two different fast boat companies: one from Sanur to Gili T and one from Gili T to Padang Bai. Here’s my honest review of both Gili Trawangan ferry services, along with my recommendation.
How to get from Sanur to Gili Trawangan
The primary mode of transport from Sanur to Gili Trawangan is by ferry. The only other option is to fly to Lombok International Airport, drive to a harbour, and then take a ferry.
Option #1: Gili Getaway
The first option is Gili Getaway. Here’s the breakdown of our Sanur to Gili Trawangan ferry experience:
- Gili Getaway is a slightly more expensive option at approximately $75 AUD per person, one-way.
- They’ll ask you for 10K IDR per person to cover the Gili Trawangan harbour tax. It’s helpful not having to line up to pay it when you arrive on Gili T.
- When I was booking, it was also one of the faster options, being just over two hours from Sanur to Gili Trawangan. However, I received a message a couple of days beforehand stating that our time had changed and we’d be leaving an hour earlier, but arriving at the same time. So the journey took just over three hours instead.
- Gili Getaway departs from Serangan Harbour, located at the southern end of Sanur. As someone who’s visited Sanur several times, I’d never heard of it. However, several boat tours and ferry services depart from the Sanur port. There you go!
- Your ticket price includes transfers. We were promptly picked up from our Sanur hotel and driven to the harbour, about 20 minutes away.
- We travelled on a smaller, fast boat. Approximately 20 people can fit on board, and it features large windows and small fans – no air conditioning. It thankfully wasn’t too hot for the wet season, and they offered us ice-cold towels to cool down before disembarking.
- There’s WiFi on board and a TV playing a movie.
Option #2: Ekajaya Fast Ferry
The second option is Ekajaya Fast Ferry, one of the most popular Gili fast boat companies. Here’s a breakdown of how we travelled from Gili Trawangan to Sanur via Padang Bai.
- The fast boat ticket cost us approximately $55 AUD per person, one way to travel from Gili Trawangan to Sanur. The cost covered the ferry from Gili T to Padang Bai and a private transfer from Padang Bai to Sanur. However, I think this was a low-season deal, as we got a $40 AUD discount! It appears that the usual high-season price is approximately $55 AUD per person, one way, plus an additional $23 AUD for the private shuttle service. So, it works out to be about the same price as Gili Getaway.
- We did the morning service, which departed from Gili T at 10 am and arrived at Padang Bai at noon. It’s an express cruise with only one stop on Lombok; we didn’t stop at Gili Air or Gili Meno. There are also daily departures from Padang Bai to Gili Trawangan.
- The ferry is massive, with multiple levels and delicious air-conditioning.
- They also have a movie playing and even staff going around with a mini food and drink trolley!
- You can organise your own transport from the ferry terminal in Padang Bai. There was an overwhelming number of drivers waiting outside the ferry doors. But I hate bartering, so we were happy to be whisked away by our organised driver without any hassle.
- It took us just over an hour to travel from Padang Bai to Sanur.
Which Sanur to Gili Trawangan fast boat would I choose?
Personally, I would choose Eka Jaya Fast Ferry because the larger, air-conditioned ferry was more comfortable. The overall travel time from Gili Trawangan to Sanur is less than 3.5 hours, which is comparable to the travel time of most slow boats from Gili T to Sanur. I prefer being in a car rather than on a boat!
Other popular fast cruise options to the Gili islands include Scoot Fast Cruises. However, the Google reviews made me nervous. Do you know which companies have an even worse rating? Starfish Fast Cruise and Wijaya Perkasa. Yikes! We were lucky in that we had great weather for both trips, which didn’t negatively impact our experience, either.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the boat from Sanur to Gili Trawangan?
The average sail time is 3 hours and 40 minutes. However, if you choose a fast boat operator like one of these companies, you’ll arrive quicker, even taking into account the transfer time from Padang Bai to Sanur.
How do I get from Sanur to the Gili islands?
The quickest and most popular way to travel from Sanur to the Gili islands is via boat.
Is it worth going to Gili Trawangan?
Definitely! I’m glad I ticked it off my list as the snorkelling and water-based adventures are amazing. If you also stick to the east side of the island, you’ll skip the party vibes (at least we did in the low season).
How many days are enough for Gili Trawangan?
We spent 3.5 days and four nights in Gili Trawangan, and our holiday included a good mix of relaxation and adventure. I think three days on Gili Trawangan would suit most people.
I hope this helps you plan your trip from Sanur to Gili Trawangan!
I enjoyed my time in Gili Trawangan (a blog post is coming soon) and will always return to Sanur. Speaking of Sanur, check out my Sanur travel guide, Sanur food guide, and Sanur accommodation guide. Can you tell it’s my favourite place in Bali? 😂 It’s also super close to Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan, which many of these fast boats travel to. I also have a Southeast Asia packing list you might find handy.
PREPARE FOR YOUR TRIP
– Book accommodation with Booking.com or Hostelworld. Yes, I am that person who checks both places before booking accommodation to get the best price.
– Organise travel insurance.
– Book adventures via GetYourGuide, my preferred provider. In some instances, I’ve found activities here that were sold out elsewhere.
– Check out my travel resources page for more info.
Any and all support is appreciated 🫶🏻.
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