Gili and Lombok to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida: Fast Boats, Times, Fares and Sekotong

From the Gili Islands or Lombok, you can cross by fast boat directly to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida, off the south-east coast of Bali, without going through mainland Bali. The booking site Direct Ferries (3 November 2026) shows about 2 fast boats a day (14 a week) from Gili Trawangan to Nusa Lembongan, taking about 2 to 3 hours depending on the operator. From Bangsal harbour on mainland Lombok to Nusa Penida, one operator runs one boat a day.

Most boats leave between the morning and early afternoon, and because they cross open sea, they are rough on days with big waves. For this article we opened and read, on 6 November 2026, the route pages on Direct Ferries and the Nusa Penida travel information site nusapenida.org, and set out how to choose a boat and what to watch for.

It is written for anyone who wants to stop at Lembongan or Penida after time on Lombok or the Gilis before returning to Bali, or who wants to move the other way, from Bali’s outer islands to Lombok.

Information as of November 2026

Where are Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida?

Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida lie off the south-east coast of Bali, on the Bali side of the Lombok Strait. Besides boats from mainland Bali, there are direct boats from the Gili Islands and Lombok. Seen from Lombok, they are across the strait to the west.

How the two islands differ, and how they compare with Bali’s other nearby islands, is covered in Islands Near Bali.

Boats from Gili Trawangan to Lembongan

The Direct Ferries page “Gili Trawangan – Nusa Lembongan” (as shown on 3 November 2026) lists these operators to Jungut Batu beach on Nusa Lembongan: Scoot Fast Cruises (7 a week, about 2 hours 45 minutes), Dcamel Fast Ferry (6 a week, about 3 hours 5 minutes), Sugriwa Express (13 a week, about 2 hours 15 minutes) and Wijaya Perkasa (14 a week, about 2 hours). The FAQ on the same page says there are 3 operators, so the page is not consistent.

In the sample timetable on that page (week of 2 to 8 November 2026), departures are at 09:30, 12:15, 12:30 and 12:45, every day. The first boat is around 09:30 and the last around 12:45, so on the day you leave the Gilis, head to the harbour in the morning.

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Direction	Operators (Direct Ferries)	Crossing time
Gili Trawangan to Lembongan	Scoot, Dcamel, Sugriwa, Wijaya Perkasa	About 2 hr to 3 hr 5 min
Lembongan to Gili Trawangan	Scoot, Dcamel, Sugriwa, Wijaya Perkasa	About 1 hr 45 min to 3 hr
Bangsal to Penida (Sampalan)	S’gening Fast Boat	About 2 hr

Source: Direct Ferries route pages (as shown on 3 November 2026). Frequencies and times by operator vary by direction and season.

The other way, Lembongan to the Gilis

The page for the opposite direction (as shown on 3 November 2026) lists the same four operators, with crossing times of about 1 hour 45 minutes for Scoot, 2 hours for Dcamel, 2 hours 25 minutes for Wijaya Perkasa and 3 hours for Sugriwa. In the sample timetable, boats leave daily at 10:00 (Dcamel, arriving 12:00) and at 10:00 and 12:30 (Sugriwa, arriving 13:00 and 15:30).

The same operator can take a different time depending on the direction. On the booking screen, check which ports the boat stops at on the way and when it arrives.

Figure: Examples of fast boat crossing times (November 2026 listings)

From mainland Lombok to Penida

The Direct Ferries page “Bangsal – Nusa Penida” (as shown on 3 November 2026) lists one operator, S’gening Fast Boat, from Bangsal harbour in north-west Lombok to Sampalan harbour on Nusa Penida. The sample time is 12:30, arriving 14:30, about 2 hours. The page says 6 sailings a week, but the timetable shows it running every day, so the figures do not match.

nusapenida.org (updated 10 July 2026) names Semaya One, Eka Jaya and BlueWater Express as the larger boats between Penida and the Gilis or Lombok. It gives about 1 hour 45 minutes for the fastest direct boat, and up to about 4 hours for boats that stop at Padang Bai or Senggigi. How to use Bangsal harbour is covered in Bangsal Harbour Guide.

How much are the fares?

In Direct Ferries’ listings (service fees not included), fares from Gili Trawangan to Lembongan start at US$29 and go up to US$210, with an average of about US$68. Lembongan to Gili Trawangan is shown at US$56 to 75, and Bangsal to Penida at US$16 to 67.

nusapenida.org gives per-person fares from Penida to the Gilis of about Rp756,000 for BlueWater Express, about Rp777,000 for Eka Jaya and about Rp470,000 for Semaya One. Fares change with the operator, the date and whether transfers to the harbour are included, so compare several boats on the same day.

What about rough seas?

nusapenida.org says the crossing is open sea and can get rough, and that on days with heavy swell smaller, cheaper boats can be uncomfortable or frightening. Times change with the season and sea conditions, and some boats run only on certain days, so it recommends checking the latest timetable before you go.

In case boats do not run or are delayed, it is safer to reach mainland Bali the day before you head to Bali’s airport. Booking ahead is recommended in busy periods. Sea safety on Lombok is covered in Lombok Sea Safety.

Taking the boat from Sekotong

Sekotong is in the south-west of Lombok, while Gili Trawangan and Bangsal harbour, where boats to Lembongan and Penida leave, are in the north-west. The sources opened for this article did not list any direct boat from Gili Gede off Sekotong to Lembongan or Penida. From Sekotong, either drive to Bangsal harbour or spend a night on the Gilis and take a morning boat.

Moving between the Gilis and Sekotong is covered in Gili Islands to Sekotong and the South Gilis. You can also do the trip the other way round: from Bali via Lembongan to the Gilis, finishing in Sekotong.

Figure: Example: moving from Sekotong to Lembongan or Penida

Downsides, and who this route suits

First, the downsides. The boats cross open sea and are rough on days with big waves. Departures cluster between morning and early afternoon, so there are not many times to choose from. Booking-site listings sometimes give conflicting frequencies or numbers of operators on the same page. From Sekotong, you have to cross to the other side of the island to reach the ports.

For people who want to combine Lombok, the Gilis and Bali’s outer islands in one trip, it is a way to move without going through mainland Bali. The Semelar Beach Village stay programme runs from 3 nights and 4 days to 5 nights and 6 days and costs Rp4,800,000 (about US$270) per person, including airport transfers, transport during the stay, a guide, a welcome dinner and a massage (flights and accommodation are separate). For a trip that starts or ends in Sekotong, see Stay and Getting here.

Summary

Fast boats take about 2 to 3 hours from Gili Trawangan to Nusa Lembongan and about 2 hours from Bangsal to Nusa Penida. Departures cluster between morning and early afternoon, and fares vary a lot by operator and date.

From Sekotong, drive to Bangsal or spend a night on the Gilis first. In case of rough seas, cross to mainland Bali by the day before you head to Bali’s airport (as of November 2026).

Sources used for this article

• Direct Ferries “Gili Trawangan – Nusa Lembongan” (operators, frequency, times, fares; as shown on 3 November 2026)https://www.directferries.com/gili_trawangan_nusa_lembongan_jungut_batu_beach_ferry.htm
• Direct Ferries “Nusa Lembongan – Gili Trawangan” (opposite direction; as shown on 3 November 2026)https://www.directferries.com/nusa_lembongan_jungut_batu_beach_gili_trawangan_ferry.htm
• Direct Ferries “Bangsal – Nusa Penida” (as shown on 3 November 2026)https://www.directferries.com/bangsal_nusa_penida_sampalan_harbour_ferry.htm
• nusapenida.org “Nusa Penida to the Gili Islands: Fast Boats (2026)” (updated 10 July 2026)https://nusapenida.org/nusa-penida-to-gili-islands/