After an unforgettable island escape on Gili Trawangan (seriously, the highlight of our Bali trip!), it was time for our gili to bali return journey. As we shared in our last post, “Bali to Gili with Kids: Booking a Fast Boat with Komang & Wahana Virendra (2025 Family Review)”, getting to Gili T with Wahana via Komang was a breeze. So, naturally, we planned to do the same for our trip back.
This time, our gili to bali route took us from Gili Trawangan, through the bustling Padang Bai harbor, and finally to our new base in Sanur. It wasn’t all smooth sailing (pun intended!), starting with a little scare about our chosen boat company for the gili to bali leg. So, grab a drink, and let me walk you through our family’s return adventure, complete with some real-talk and essential tips for anyone planning a similar gili to bali transfer!
The “Oh No, Wahana’s Broken!” Panic
Just as we were mentally preparing for the trip back, a ripple of concern went through the “Jalan-Jalan” Bali travel community forum I follow. Whispers (okay, fairly loud digital shouts) were circulating: Wahana’s boat was apparently out of action! My heart sank a little. We’d had such a good experience with them on the way to Gili T, and a last-minute change for our gili to bali leg felt like a hassle we didn’t need.
I immediately scrambled to look at alternatives for our gili to bali crossing, with Eka Jaya being the main contender.
According to Eka Jaya official website(https://ekajayafastferry.com/):
- Price per person (one way): 550,000 IDR (or 440,000 IDR with a 20% Friday discount).
- For our family of four + private pick-up (approx. 550k IDR): This was looking at around 2,310,000 IDR, even with a discount for the gili to bali fast boat. Ouch.
- Schedule woes: The morning departures seemed to be sold out or just weren’t showing, leaving only a 3 PM departure or options with multiple island stops. That would mean a very late arrival in Sanur, which wasn’t ideal with the kids.
Komang to the Rescue (Again!)
You guessed it – my first call (well, WhatsApp message) was to our trusty local agent, Komang. I quickly explained the breakdown rumors and asked about Wahana’s operational status for the gili to bali route. He replied almost instantly, confirming that yes, there was an issue with one of their boats, and as a result, Wahana had reduced their Gili T to Padang Bai (our first step on the gili to bali journey) schedule from three daily trips to two.
Phew! Not a total cancellation. Our original booking was for the 12:30 PM boat, but Komang swiftly rebooked us onto the 10:30 AM departure. (Trust me, you’ll want to know why an early boat is crucial for any gili to bali transit – more on that later!)
Here’s how the costs broke down with Komang for our return:
- Wahana Gili Ocean (Gili T → Padang Bai): 300,000 IDR per person (same as our trip to Gili).
- Total for 4 family members (boat): 1,200,000 IDR.
- Private Car (Padang Bai → Sanur): 300,000 IDR (again, same great price).
- Our Grand Total for the Gili to Bali leg: 1,500,000 IDR.
By sticking with Wahana (and Komang!), we saved approximately 810,000 IDR (that’s over £40 / $50 USD!) compared to the Eka Jaya alternative for our gili to bali trip. Decision made!
Gili Trawangan Harbour: Check-In & The Port Tax Tip
At the Wahana check-in counter on Gili T, we paid our 1,200,000 IDR boat fare in cash. The staff then mentioned the Gili Trawangan Harbour Tax: 25,000 IDR per person, payable at their counter.
Hold on! Port Tax Saver Tip:
We’d heard you could pay this directly at the port office for less. So, we politely said, “We’ll pay it directly, thanks!” and headed over.
- Where to pay: As you enter the Gili Trawangan harbour area, it’s the building immediately on your left.
- How to pay: Just tell them you’re there for the “harbour tax.” They’ll ask for your boat company, number of passengers, and each passenger’s name (as per passport/booking). The fee here was 20,000 IDR per person.
- We received a printed ticket with two QR codes – keep this safe, as they check it at boarding!
- (For our family of four, this little detour saved us 20,000 IDR – not a fortune, but every little helps on your gili to bali adventure, right?)
Waiting Game: Coco Cafe & Keeping Your Eyes Peeled
Wahana’s check-in staff suggested waiting at the open-air cafe opposite their office. However, with our luggage, we opted for the nearby Coco Cafe. While not ice-cold A/C, it was definitely cooler than sitting outside, and we could grab some drinks and a smoothie bowl while we waited.
Crucial Warning Though: There are NO boarding announcements for specific boats. You absolutely must keep an eye on the harbor, watch for your boat (Wahana in our case), and see when people with the same lanyards (given at check-in) start moving towards the jetty.
All Aboard! The Journey Begins
- 10:30 AM Scheduled Departure: We started heading to the harbor entrance around 10:45 AM.
- At the entrance, we showed our QR-coded port tax tickets and were waved through.
- Checked luggage is collected at a designated spot, and staff load it onto the boat.
- Just like our journey over, we were each given a small bottle of water upon boarding.
We opted for the upper deck again (the lower deck had a bit of a fuel smell on our inbound trip). The aisle on the upper deck is quite narrow, so be mindful if you have a large backpack – it’s easy to bump into seated passengers.
Luck was on our side – there was one spare seat, so our daughter managed to stretch out and nap!
Timeline of the Sea Journey:
- 11:05 AM: Departed Gili Trawangan.
- 11:16 AM: Arrived at Gili Air. (Passengers on/off)
- 11:23 AM: Departed Gili Air.
- 11:33 AM: Arrived at Bangsal, Lombok. (More passengers on/off)
- 11:42 AM: Departed Bangsal.
- 13:20 PM: Arrived near Padang Bai harbor, then a bit of a wait to dock.
(Good news: Our Telkomsel SIM card had decent data signal for most of the boat trip, which helped pass the time!) - 13:50 PM: Finally docked and disembarked at Padang Bai. It was pretty chaotic with passengers getting on and off. Stay alert!
- (No additional port tax was required at Padang Bai.)
Padang Bai to Sanur: The Final Leg
- 14:00 PM: We were off the boat. Our driver, holding a sign with our name, was waiting right there – a welcome sight!
- We made a quick pit stop at the Wahana office in Padang Bai to use their restroom (our driver’s car was conveniently parked there too).
- 14:15 PM: Our taxi pulled away from Padang Bai, destination Sanur!
- 15:58 PM: We arrived at the Prime Plaza Hotel Sanur. What a journey!
The Return Trip: Overall Verdict & Must-Know Tips for Your Gili to Bali Transfer
So, what did we learn from this gili to bali return leg?
- Padang Bai Port Transport is Tricky: This is a big one. Trying to hail a Grab or Gojek from right outside Padang Bai harbor is virtually impossible. You might have luck walking 5-10 minutes away from the main scrum, but with tired kids and luggage in the Bali heat? No thank you. Always, always pre-book your onward transport (shuttle or private car) when you book your boat from Gili to Padang Bai. Our pre-booked car was a lifesaver for our onward gili to bali journey.
- Actual Gili T → Padang Bai Boat Time: Brace for ~3 Hours!
Don’t just count the 1.5-2 hour sailing time. Our “1.5-hour” boat ride actually took closer to 3 hours from scheduled departure to disembarking, factoring in the slight departure delay, stops at Gili Air and Lombok (Bangsal) for passengers, and then waiting to dock at Padang Bai. This is typical for many gili to bali fast boat services. - Padang Bai → Sanur Drive Time: Allow for Traffic!
This leg took us about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Bali traffic can be unpredictable, so always factor in a buffer. - Total Travel Time (Accommodation Check-out to New Hotel Arrival): A Whopping 7 Hours!
We checked out of our Gili T accommodation at 9:00 AM for our 10:30 AM boat. We walked into our Sanur hotel lobby at almost 4:00 PM. That’s SEVEN HOURS of travel and waiting for our complete gili to bali transit. This is especially important to manage if you’re traveling with children – plan snacks, entertainment, and manage energy levels! - And The Golden Rule Is… ALWAYS Book the Morning Boat for your Gili to Bali return!
Can you imagine if we’d taken that 3 PM Eka Jaya boat? We’d have been arriving in Sanur well after dark, tired and hungry. Getting to your next destination before sunset, with time to settle in, is priceless. Book the earliest practical boat when travelling Gili to Bali.
Winding Down
Despite the initial stress of the “broken boat” news, our return journey, thanks again to a bit of research, reviews, and the wonderful Komang, was ultimately successful and significantly cheaper than the alternative. It’s another reminder that in travel, a little flexibility and good local contacts can go a long, long way, especially when navigating routes like gili to bali.
I hope this detailed account helps anyone planning their own gili to bali return. It’s an adventure, for sure!
Have you made the gili to bali journey? Any other tips to share? Or perhaps you have questions about our experience? Drop them in the comments below – I’m always happy to chat travel!