Nusa Penida, Lembongan, the Gilis or Lombok? Which island suits your trip

If you want to add one island to your Bali trip, choose Nusa Lembongan for two or three nights: close by, quiet and good for snorkelling. Nusa Penida has the famous cliffs, but it is crowded at the well-known spots and rough to drive around. The Gili Islands are for beaches and snorkelling without traffic. Lombok is for travellers with more time who want a big, quiet island.

Which island suits you?

Nusa Lembongan

The smallest and easiest island: half an hour from Sanur, and once there you get around by scooter or golf cart. What to do there is on the Nusa Lembongan page. From Lembongan a local boat takes you to Penida in about a quarter of an hour. That way you see Penida without the crowds of a day trip from Bali.

Nusa Penida

Penida is the biggest of the three Nusa islands. The famous spots are mostly on the west coast: the Kelingking cliff, Broken Beach and Angel's Billabong. To be honest: the viewpoint at Kelingking is often packed, the path down to the beach is steep and at your own risk, and swimming there is banned. The roads are narrow and bumpy, so getting from one viewpoint to the next can easily take an hour.

On a day trip you take an early boat, drive all day and sail back in the late afternoon. If you stay one or two nights, you can be at the cliffs before the day trips arrive or after they have left. More on the crowds at Kelingking in Instagram Bali vs the real Bali.

On Nusa Penida, Lembongan and Ceningan you pay a local levy to Klungkung regency when you arrive: around IDR 25,000 per adult (2026). It comes on top of Bali's tourist levy.

The Gili Islands

Three small islands off the coast of Lombok: Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. There are no cars or scooters; you walk, cycle or take a horse cart (cidomo). Trawangan is the biggest and busiest, with the most bars. Meno is the quietest, and Air sits in between. You can snorkel straight off the beach and often see turtles.

A day trip makes no sense: the boat takes 1.5 to 2.5 hours from Padang Bai, and 3 to 4 hours from Sanur. From Amed it is shorter, but fewer boats leave from there. Many boats stop at more than one island.

Lombok

Lombok is a little smaller than Bali and a lot quieter. In the north stands Rinjani, a volcano of 3,726 metres. The climb takes two to four days and is hard. The trails are closed from January to March, and sometimes at other times too; check just before you go. On the south coast there are white-sand bays and surf beaches around Kuta Lombok. Most people on Lombok are Sasak and Muslim. Away from the beaches, dress a little more modestly.

You can fly to Lombok from Denpasar in about 40 minutes, or take the ferry from Padang Bai to Lembar: slow (4 to 5 hours) but cheap. Fast boats go via the Gilis to the northwest coast of Lombok. Allow at least a week for Lombok.

How do you get there, and what does the boat cost?

• Sanur to Lembongan or Penida: fast boats from about 7am to 5pm, about 30 to 50 minutes, around IDR 150,000 to 250,000 per person one way (2026).
• Padang Bai to the Gilis: 1.5 to 2.5 hours, around IDR 350,000 to 700,000 one way (2026). From Sanur or Serangan it takes 3 to 4 hours.
• Padang Bai to Lembar (Lombok): the public ferry, 4 to 5 hours, throughout the day.
• Flying to Lombok: about 40 minutes from Bali's airport.

Book with an established company, through its own website or a well-known booking site, and check the departure time the day before. In some places you get on and off in shallow water: wear sandals and keep your bag high. Dek Leonk can book the boat for you and take you to the harbour.

Are the fast boats safe?

Usually it goes fine, but not always. Government travel advice, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for example, calls boat travel between the Indonesian islands unsafe: boats are often in poor condition and overloaded, and in bad weather the risk is high. In August 2025 a fast boat from Nusa Penida capsized near Sanur harbour, and two passengers died. The sea between Bali and Lombok is rougher than the short crossing to the Nusa islands. High waves occur both in the rainy season and in the middle of the dry season. The Indonesian weather agency BMKG then issues warnings, and boats don't sail.

• Choose a company with good recent reviews, and check that there are enough life jackets.
• Don't get on an overcrowded boat. The back is less bumpy than the front.
• If your boat is cancelled, don't look for another one that does sail.
• Put your phone and passport in a waterproof bag.
• Plan at least one night in Bali between the island and your flight home.

How does an island fit into your route?

The Nusa islands fit at the start or end of your trip, via Sanur, half an hour from the airport. For example: two nights on Lembongan, back to Sanur for the last night, then home. Padang Bai is in the east, so the Gilis and Lombok fit well after a few days in Sidemen or Amed. Allow at least four days for the Gilis, travel included, and a week for Lombok. On a two-week trip, one island is a better choice than three. If you are not sure, we can work it out in your personal trip plan.