Fast Boat Nusa Penida to Gili Islands

You do not have to go back to Bali to reach the Gili Islands from Nusa Penida. Fast boats leave Banjar Nyuh, on the island's north-west coast, and cross the Lombok Strait straight to Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno: one boat and one ticket.

The crossing to Gili Trawangan takes around 2 hours 15 minutes on a direct boat. Some departures call at Nusa Lembongan or another Gili first, so the trip to Gili Air or Gili Meno can run past three hours. Each departure in the timetable above shows its own duration and stops.

Departures run in the morning and in the afternoon. The Lombok Strait is usually calmer in the morning, and a morning boat leaves a later one to fall back on if the weather shuffles the schedule.

Current fares for every departure are shown in the live schedule above and vary by operator, seat class and season. Child and infant fares appear when you choose the number of passengers.

Banjar Nyuh is a short drive from the hotels around Crystal Bay, Ped and Toya Pakeh, but Penida's roads are slow and steep in places. Agree the drop-off time with your hotel the night before and be at the harbour before the check-in time on your ticket.

Luggage travels together in the bow of a fast boat rather than at your seat, so keep your passport, phone and anything fragile in a small bag you hold. Each operator's baggage allowance is shown on its card when you choose the boat.

Every visitor to the Gili Islands pays a small island eco-levy in cash at the jetty on arrival. There are no cars or scooters on the Gilis: from the landing it is a walk, a bicycle or a cidomo (pony cart) to your hotel.

If no direct boat suits your date, the alternative is to cross back to Sanur and take a second fast boat to the Gilis. That means two check-ins and a longer day, so compare the whole itinerary with the direct boats before booking.