Ferry from Gili Air to Bangsal

Gili Air Guide

Gili Air Ferry Port

Just off the western coast of the Indonesian island of Lombok are a line of three almost perfectly spherical islands known as the Gili Islands. Gili Air is the island found closest to the mainland. It is an area of tranquil tropical beauty, featuring swathes of lush palm-tree woodland and golden beaches that hem the ultramarine shallows of the Bali Sea. Those visiting the west-facing beach are treated to a spectacular view of the Mount Rinjani volcano that soars from the centre of Lombok. Gili Air is a popular honeymoon retreat due to its laid-back atmosphere and collection of stunning secluded spots. The coral-reefs that bedeck the coast are also superb spots for diving and snorkelling. Some local instructors even teaching free-diving, a form of the sport where people learn to dive on one breath without the aid of any breathing apparatus. The port of Gili Air is found on the shore of a small bay to the south of the island. It consists of little more than a narrow jetty topped by a sheltered waiting area from which passengers can board the incoming fast ferries. A small café and shop selling food and drink can also be found by the port entrance. There is no motorised transport on Gili Air meaning that travelling` to the port can only be achieved on foot or by riding one of the horse carts known locally as Cidomos. However due to the island’s small size no point is further than an hour’s walk away from the harbour, with most of the villages and resorts connected by a labyrinth of picturesque lanes. A number of ferry routes operate from the port throughout the week. Scoot Fast Cruises offers a number of services to the Balinese village of Sanur to the west, the village of Senggigi on the mainland of Lombok and the islands of Nusa Lembongan and nearby Gili Trawangan. Other services include a Freebird Express line to Amed in Bali and two Bluewater Express lines that sail to Padang Bai and Sarangan; a destination also serviced by a Marina Srikandi line.

Bangsal Guide

Bangsal Ferry Port

On the north-western tip of Lombok, one of the islands in the West Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia, is the tiny port of Bangsal. This busy ferry terminal, formed of just a single pier that juts into the Bali Sea, is found close to the imposing Mount Rinjani volcano that dominates the island's northern landscape. A single rural road leads to and from the port, heading to the nearest village of Pamenang. It is a route that cuts through lush tropical vegetation and slowly rises towards the vista of inland hills. Facilities at the port are limited to a few small shops and a car-park, though a market selling food and drink is nearby. Those travelling to the port from other areas in Lombok can join the Ji. H. Mansur road that heads north from the island’s capital city of Mataram. It’s an hour-long route that twists through the dense countryside and arrives almost directly at the harbour-side. Only one passenger route currently operates from the port. A FreeBird Express line sails the short distance eastwards to the port of Amed in Bali a few times throughout the week.