How to get around in Lombok and get in to Gili Trawangan
1. How to get around in Lombok
It is easy to hire car in Lombok. Normally car hire start in tourist area like Mataram or Senggigi. Mostly car rental agency in Lombok hire the car with driver, it is for Toyota Avanza 400.000IDR per 10 hours (including the driver). The petrol depends on where you are going to. For example, if you are traveling from Senggigi to South Lombok (Kuta Beach, Tanjung Aan Beach, Selong Belanak) expect to pay 250.000IDR for petrol. If you are going north to Senaru Rinjani, expect to pay more for the pertol. Toyota Avanza is comfortable enough, but if you want more comfort you can choose Toyota Innova or Toyota Fortuner (but Fortuner, I think is way too expensive).
Our transportation recommendation in Lombok is:
1. Lombok Car Transport (Sharing or Private Ride)
Lombok Car Transport offers sharing ride service from Lombok International Airport to Bangsal Harbor. They have good reputation, excellent and clean vehicles, as well reasonable price. Sharing shuttle rate starts from 125.000IDR per person. Daily schedule is 9.30 am and 11.30 am.
Day tour from Mataram or Senggigi to Kuta beach and nearby beach is 400.000IDR (for Toyota Avanza), including driver but not include petrol. Expect to pay 150.000IDR to 250.000IDR for petrol.
They have pretty good service, their staffs speak English too.Â
You can visit their web www.lombokcartransport.com or their gallery picture on their Instagram account . You can reach them via email, phone, or even Whatsapp.
2. Blue Bird Taxi
Blue Bird Taxi / Lombok Taxi is a national-brand taxi, that has many vehicles all over Indonesia. It has very good reputation and very safe to ride. Price per kilometer starts from 4.000IDR.
3. Rent scooter / motorbike
Riding scooter in Lombok is easy. Price starts from 75.000 – 90.000IDR per 24 hours. It sometimes depend on the year scooter manufactured. More older, sometimes more cheaper. Don’t compare the price in Lombok to price in Bali. It’s a bit more there in Lombok.
Our recommendation is Lombok Motorbike. They have been offering rent motorbike since 2013 and has good reputation. Visit their website to see current daily price at www.lombokmotorbike.com . They deliver the bike in Mataram area, Senggigi area and even deliver to Lombok airport (delivery fee may apply). It seems in future, they will offer service to ( pick up and drop ) rent motorbike in Kuta Mandalika beach area.
What great is, they do deliver and pick up at different location. In example, you can start to rent the motorbike in Senggigi and then later return it at Lombok Airport. Some people starts their journey in Senggigi then going to South Lombok (Kuta), but then has problem to return it to Senggigi, because it’s 80 km away and would cost extra energy to return it to Senggigi. So, their service is extremely helpful. If, just in case, you arrive in Lombok by airplane, but then choose to leave by ferry from Lombok to Bali. You can also starts from Lombok Airport and return it in Mataram.
Mostly, scooter in Lombok is not covered by insurance. So, just be careful while riding.
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2. How to get in to Gili Trawangan from Lombok International Airport, Senggigi, or Mataram city
Gili Trawangan became the main destination when visiting Lombok and many reasons for the walkers to visit the island, including white sand beaches, degradation of the color of the sea that is different from other areas, spot snorkeling, spot diving, hotels / homestays or even its nightlife entertainment.Â
Airport Route to Bangsal Harbor (to Gili Trawangan)
We will provide information about the routes and transportation clearly, detailed and informative, so that it can help the travelers to travel to Gili Trawangan.
#FIRST: Transportation from Lombok International Airport to Gili Trawangan is as follows:
This time we will provide transportation information from Lombok International Airport (BIL) to Gili Trawangan with several options namely cheap option; or comfortable option, but relatively more expensive, worth value.
1. Convenient & Fast Choice
If you do not want complicated, you can make a reservation from the airport transportation to Bangsal Harbor using several options, including:
1. SHUTTLE TRAVEL (Recommended)
For now there is travel (sharing shuttle or private shuttle) which provides point to point transportation service from Lombok International Airport to Gili Trawangan / Bangsal and vice versa (PP) is Lombok Car Transport.Â
In addition to Bangsal / Gili Trawangan, this shuttle travel also serves transportation from Lombok Airport to Mataram City and Senggigi, transportation from Bangsal / Gili to Kuta – Mawun – Selong Belanak, and other destinations.
We suggest you must first make a reservation at least one day before to call travel center that can be directly checked to the website www.lombokcartransport.com (WA / CALL / TEXT).
We recommend for reservation 1 day in advance. For fares with Lombok International Airport Shuttle route to Bangsal Harbor 125.000,-IDR / PERSON . The rate includes 1 bottle of mineral water.
Although the number of guests is only 1 person, the guest is still escorted to Bangsal or Mataram.
In our opinion, for now Lombok Car Transport is providing services with this route and lower budget, while the vehicle unit (car) they provide is still new and comfortable (Air Conditioning).
2. MOTORBIKE
If you are a traveler with light backpack and want to reach Gili island, then rent motorbike will be a good choice. You can rent motorbike from airport then riding to Bangsal Harbour, which takes 1 hour 45 minutes (normal speed). You can park you motorbike at indoor parking at Bangsal near boat ticket office. Indoor park will cost 10.000IDR (less than 1 US Dollar). For safety reason, if you are 2 persons, it is good to ride 1 motorbike with 1 person, as the distance quite far. It is approximately Airport to Bangsal is 75 km away. Visit Lombok Motorbike at www.lombokmotorbike.com to rent motorbike / scooter.
3. OFFICIAL AIRPORT TAXI
Fare around Rp 375,000 s.d. Rp 425,000 per way using argometer. The following rates of fares from the Airport to several areas in Lombok using taxi / airport travel that we get at the time at Lombok International Airport.
We need to inform you, the official Lombok Airport Taxi is not as good as Blue Bird Taxi or Express Taxi, but it is still worth using.
3. Boat Transfer from Bangsal Harbour to Gili
a. Comfortable Fast Boat
We suggest you to use Fast Boat, because there is already a scheduled-fast boat crossing to Gili Trawangan hourly starts from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. In addition, it takes 7 – 8 minutes to reach Gili. For the ferry tariff is Rp 85,000 per passenger.Â
b. Low Budget Wooden-Boat
Wooden Boat is also a good option for transfer from Bangsal Harbor to Gili. It costs 19.500IDR per person. The boat leave the port if the boat is full capacity (45-48 persons per boat). It full loaded normally every 45 minutes up to even 1 hour. Operational hour is from 8 a.m to 5 p.m.
c. Private Fast Boat
If you are in more than 4 persons up to 6 persons, you can use private fast boat to Gili. It is 350.000IDR per one way transfer. Boat directly leave when you arrive.
This one, also, the best option, if you are arrived a little late (at 6 p.m.) and still want to transfer to Gili. You can contact Nara Speedboat for private arrangement. Normally it costs 450.000IDR per one way transfer (starts after 5 pm). They offer service for transfer outside normal operation hour.Â
