How to get to Lombok from Bali
Before I went to Lombok I head to Padang Bai from Ubud, what took about 1.30h.
The sea had been rough during the previous weeks and there were no speed boats running. Plus Lombok was hit by a massive earthquake the week before.
When things seemed to start getting better and because I had the time, I decided to go and to Padang Bai and wait there.
Padang Bai is a small beach town and the port for public ferries and speedboats. I found the town itself quite ugly, dirty and a bit pushy towards tourists. Even with no boats running there were still people trying to sell tickets trying to convince you that there were boats running 🙂
Everything in town is within walking distance but to explore the surrounding area, you will need a motorbike. And there are many nice places around to visit.
How to get to Lombok
If you do some quick research you will see that not many people have good things to say about the transports between Bali to Lombok or the Gili by sea.
if you keep researching you will be slightly horrified at your options… at least I did…
First off, you should know that there are only three options, and none are great.
Public ferry, speedboats and aeroplane.
They go from not being reliable, have poor safety records, do not follow International safety and operational standards, to be cancelled frequently. Plus the stretch of ocean between the islands is between 2,600 and 3,200 feet deep, so you definitely don’t want to sink here.
If you are thinking on getting a boat, stories and tales of sinking or nearly sinking, water pouring in through the windows, thoughts of jumping into rough seas, crying, screaming, mass panic, no lifejackets, no rescue boats, boats catching fire, and exploding … is all you have.
If you are planning to go by air
some Indonesian airlines are in the top 5 most dangerous airline in the world.. so choose wisely.
If you are going by boat I strongly advise you to consider weather conditions as a major factor of your journey. Install the APP WINDY – wind & waves forecast to check how the sea is before you go.
Ferry
If you travel on a budget and you are a slow traveller, public ferries are the best option. I’ve paid RP.46,000 ($3) for a one-way ticket.
Just keep in mind that Padang Bai is full of touts, trying to sell you fake or super expensive tickets. Ignore all the attempts and make your way to the official ticket booth.
They say that the trip normally takes four hours, but it can be, and most of the time is considerably longer. Count with at least 5 to 6 hours, and if the sea is rough can take up to 10.
Ferries leave every hour or so although (24 hours a day) they are typically running on their own schedule and almost always delayed.
Safety is a big issue and the ferries have poor safety records.
fast boats
Fast boats are the most popular option, but boat safety in Indonesia is a joke. You can find an endless supply of horrifying TripAdvisor reviews that are far away from encouraging.
There are multiple fast boat companies to choose from nowadays, the trick is trying to find the one that is safe and that in essence guarantees you a seat, as some companies overload their boats.
Flight
To avoid the choppy waters you can flight to Lombok but not to the Gilis, the flights are a quick 25 minutes.
Flying is the easiest and fastest way to get from Bali to Lombok and tickets are around $10-40.
photography – all rights reserved – Ana Rocha