When you have enough of a busy, party patch in Bali, and need to stretch a bit from the crowd, Lombok might be an excellent next destination for you. Lombok is the island that offers you almost everything. This island has long beautiful beaches, calming waterfall, surfing spots, the highest mountain in Indonesia called Mount Rinjani, and also a party island, which is probably famous among travelers called Gili Trawangan.
But let’s focus on how to get from Bali to Lombok. At this time, there are 3 ways to go to this laid-back magnificent island, by flight, fast ferry, and slow boat. Let’s elaborate on each alternative above and find the best option for you to choose in the upcoming trip.
By Flight
Taking a flight from Bali to Lombok might be an easy thing to do. Because when you’ve arrived in Bali, it means you are already familiar with the airport, Ngurah Rai International Airport, right? The flight from Bali to Lombok is available every day with several airlines to choose from.
The price for one way flight starts around IDR 1.000 K (USD 66). This price might vary depending on the airlines you choose. And always keep in mind that some airlines have excluded baggage regulations, so you need to pay more if you travel with a big suitcase.
Bali and Lombok are practically close to one another. After 40 minutes on the plane, you’ll arrive at Lombok International Airport. It’s located in Central Lombok Regency, which means you probably need to hire a driver when you planning to stay around Kuta, where most tourists stay while they visit Lombok. This area is also closer to every travel destination in Lombok, so we recommend you book accommodation in this area for better mobility. You can always hire a personal driver (fee starting from IDR 500 K (USD 33), taxi, Go-car, Grab-car, or any other public transportation like DAMRI bus.
If your plan to hike Mount Rinjani, or to transit before heading out to Gili islands it’s better if you book your accommodation around Senggigi at West Lombok Regency. It takes one hour to arrive in this area, and you can also hire any types of transportation we’ve mentioned above.
Fast Ferry
From Bali, you can leave from two different ports, Padang Bai in the Northeast of Bali, and Serangan Port, in the Southeast of Bali and closer to Sanur. The price for this high-speed ferry starts around IDR 320 K (USD 21), but it might be double if you choose to depart from Serangan Port. Also, keep in mind that the ferry schedule from Serangan is quite limited. The duration to travel from Padang Bai to Lombok is around one hour and a half, but if you choose to travel from Serangan the duration might be double up to 3 hours.
There are also two arrival ports that you can choose from if you travel from Bali to Lombok, Senggigi Pier, and Bangsal Pier. If the Mount Rinjani and Gili Islands are on your top lists on your travel days in Lombok, we recommend you choose Bangsal Pier. But if Senggigi is your first destination, pick the Senggigi Port as your arrival port. Senggigi Port is also the most popular arrival in Lombok. That’s because this area is the most developed tourist site with a lot of tourist attractions, like bars, restaurants, hotels, and many tour companies.
If your top travel list is to visit the Gili Islands, Mount Rinjani, or the Senggigi area, it’s better to choose a fast ferry instead of the flight, because it’s closer. But, if you want to stretch your days with more calming vibes like Kuta, Lombok taking a flight is the best option for you.
Slow Ferry
Slow ferry probably is the less desirable option for a lot of travelers. We only recommend this transportation if you’re planning to bring your car, or motorbike, or even get a cheaper price to cross to Lombok. The slow ferry is only departed from Padang Bai Port. The official states it only takes 5 to six hours duration, but don’t forget the time that the operator needs to load those cars and motorbikes. So, you’ll probably spend around 8 hours only to cross from Bali to Lombok. This ferry will arrive at Lembar Port, around 1.5 hours south of Senggigi and 1.5 hours west of Kuta, Lombok.
The price for each passenger starts around IDR 60 K (USD 3), IDR 150 K (USD 9) for motorbikes, and IDR 300 K (USD 300) for cars or other vehicles above 500 CCs. Once again, we only recommend this type of transportation if you’re bringing your car or motorcycle because it’s probably too time-consuming for your relaxing vacation days. You might also want to consider this option if you travel around bad weather when the oceans are too wild for smaller fast boats.