Three islands work as a day trip from Bali, and the boat decides which. Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan are 30-45 minutes from Sanur, so the day is mostly island. The Gili Islands are about 90 minutes from Padang Bai, realistically nearer two hours, which leaves four to five hours ashore, and only if you leave from the east. Menjangan is an island too, but the four-hour drive to its jetty is the real trip. Lombok and Sumbawa are not day trips at all. Below is every island with its port, the crossing, the time you actually get there and what the day costs with us.
By Alex Moskvin, Founder of SB Excursions · Published 25 September 2026 · Updated 16 October 2026
Tour on this route: Nusa Penida West Tour — From $49 per car, full day.
What islands can you visit on a day trip from Bali?
Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan with Nusa Ceningan, and the Gili Islands. Penida and Lembongan are 30-45 minutes by fast boat from Sanur; the Gilis are about 90 minutes to two hours from Padang Bai, which leaves four to five hours ashore. Menjangan works only with a 05:00 start, and Lombok and Sumbawa need at least a night.
This guide also answers:
- Which island is the best day trip from Bali?
- Can you do a day trip to the Gili Islands from Bali?
- Can you visit two islands in one day from Bali?
Top picks from this guide
#1
Nusa Penida
Kelingking, Broken Beach, Diamond Beach and the manta snorkeling are all here, and the crossing from Sanur is 30-45 minutes. The west tour is from $49 per car for up to six with an island driver, the boat from $15; the manta day is from $29 per person. The last boats back leave around 16:30, so it is a dawn-to-dinner day.
#2
Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan
The closest island and the calmest water: Mushroom Bay and Jungut Batu for swimming, Devil's Tear on the cliffs, and the Yellow Bridge across to Ceningan. It is a slower day than Penida and an even better night. We do not run a guided Lembongan day; the fast boat transfer from $15 covers the crossing, and Penida or Lembongan compares the two.
#3
The Gili Islands
A Gili day works from Padang Bai: the 08:30 boat lands on Gili Trawangan by 10:00, the last boats back leave around 15:00, and that is four to five hours ashore. From Sanur the same day leaves about ninety minutes on the island. The private snorkeling day is from $115, and the Gili day trip guide has the whole timetable.
#4
Menjangan
The calmest, clearest wall snorkeling in Bali. The catch is distance: about four hours of driving each way from Seminyak or Canggu, then about 30 minutes by boat from Labuhan Lalang. Leave by 05:00 or sleep in Pemuteran. A private car with driver is from $59; the park permit and the boat are paid at the jetty. More in the Menjangan guide.
#5
Lombok
Door to door is three to four hours each way, by boat or by plane, so a day on Lombok would be mostly transport. Give it two nights or more. Bali to Lombok compares the boat and the flight, port by port.
#6
Sumbawa, for the whale sharks
The whale sharks of Saleh Bay are there all year, but the bay is two islands east of Bali and the boat goes out before dawn, so you sleep near it. Plan two to three days; the whale shark trip is from $150, with the flights or ferries on top.
Which islands can you visit in one day from Bali?
Three: Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan with its neighbour Nusa Ceningan, and the Gili Islands. Penida and Lembongan sit across the Badung Strait from Sanur, 30-45 minutes by fast boat, so even from the far south of Bali the day is mostly island. The Gilis are off the north-west of Lombok, across a much wider strait, and a day trip there only works from Padang Bai in the east.
Everything else that looks close on a map is either a long drive first, like Menjangan in the far north-west, or more than a day, like Lombok and Sumbawa. The table puts them side by side.
| Island | Port in Bali | Crossing | Time ashore on a day trip | As a day trip | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nusa Penida | Sanur | 30-45 min | Most of the day; last boats back about 16:30 | Yes, the best one | $49 per car + boat from $15; manta day $29 per person |
| Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan | Sanur | About 30 min | Most of the day | Yes, the calm one | Boat from $15 |
| Gili Islands | Padang Bai | About 90 min, up to 2 h | 4-5 h (about 1.5 h if you leave from Sanur) | Yes, from the east | $115 private snorkeling day |
| Menjangan | Labuhan Lalang, north-west | About 30 min, after about 4 h by road | A morning on the reef | Only with a 05:00 start | Car with driver from $59 |
| Lombok | Padang Bai, Sanur, Serangan or the airport | 1h15-2h30 from Padang Bai; 40-50 min flight | Not worth it | No: 3-4 h door to door each way | Boat from $15 |
| Sumbawa | Flight or ferries via Lombok | Most of a day | Not possible | No: 2-3 days | $150 whale shark trip |
Crossing times and timetables from our island guides, checked August and September 2026; prices from our tour pages, 25 September 2026. The first boat of the day is usually the calmest.
Where you stay decides which island works
Every Penida and Lembongan boat leaves from Sanur, so the south of Bali is close to both: the harbour is 30-50 minutes from Seminyak and 60-90 minutes from Canggu or Uluwatu, and Ubud adds 45-70 minutes each way. The pickup is early from everywhere, but the day still works from every base. Our pages by area give the exact pickup times: tours from Canggu, from Uluwatu, from Ubud.
The Gilis are the opposite. Padang Bai is in the east, about two hours from the Kuta, Seminyak and Sanur belt, so a Gili day from the south means a pickup at 05:00-06:00 and a return at 18:30-20:00. From Ubud, Sidemen, Candidasa or Amed, Padang Bai is close and the day holds together. From Canggu, Seminyak or Uluwatu we would rather you spend a night on the Gilis, or take Nusa Penida instead, where the crossing is a fraction of the length and the boats come back later.
Penida, Lembongan or the Gilis: choosing in one line
Cliffs, viewpoints and manta rays: Nusa Penida. Calm water and a slow beach day: Nusa Lembongan. Turtles, no cars and a village feel: the Gilis, from the east or with a night. For a longer side-by-side, see Gili Islands or Nusa Penida.
Do not try to do two in one day. Penida and Lembongan are only 10-15 minutes apart by local boat, but Penida alone fills a day of driving between viewpoints. Penida and the Gilis are separate crossings in different directions, four boat legs with almost no time on either island. One island per day, or a night on the second one.
What goes wrong on island days
Weather. When the swell builds, the boats are cancelled, usually the whole fleet at once. Cancellations cluster in the rainy months, November to March on the Penida strait and December to February on the wider Lombok strait. Never put a crossing and an international flight on the same day, and keep a mainland plan for a cancelled morning.
The return boat. On Penida the last sailing for most operators is 16:30, check-in closes 30 minutes before departure and a missed boat is a lost ticket. On the Gilis the last boats back to Padang Bai leave around 15:00. The fast-boat fleet also has a mixed safety record; our Bali to Gili boat guide lists it plainly. Cross in the morning and check the life jackets before you sit down.
Booking is the easy part. Tell us the date, the island and where you are staying on WhatsApp; the exact pickup time comes back the day before, and nothing is paid upfront. Plenty of our guests are already in Bali and book for the next morning.
Where these numbers come from
Crossing times, timetables and fares are from our own island guides: how to get to Nusa Penida, Nusa Penida from Uluwatu, the Gili day trip, Bali to Gili: 8 routes, Bali to Lombok, Menjangan and whale shark season in Sumbawa, checked in August and September 2026. Prices are from our tour pages as of 25 September 2026.
FAQ
What islands can you visit on a day trip from Bali?
Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan with Nusa Ceningan, and the Gili Islands. Penida and Lembongan are 30-45 minutes by fast boat from Sanur; the Gilis are about 90 minutes to two hours from Padang Bai, which leaves four to five hours ashore. Menjangan works only with a 05:00 start, and Lombok and Sumbawa need at least a night.
Which island is the best day trip from Bali?
Nusa Penida for most people: the crossing from Sanur is 30-45 minutes and the island has Kelingking, Broken Beach, Diamond Beach and the manta snorkeling. Our west tour is from $49 per car for up to six plus the boat from $15, and the manta day is from $29 per person. Choose Lembongan for calm swimming, the Gilis for turtles.
Can you do a day trip to the Gili Islands from Bali?
Yes, from Padang Bai: the 08:30 boat reaches Gili Trawangan by 10:00 and the last boats back leave around 15:00, so you get four to five hours ashore. From Sanur you get about ninety minutes. From Canggu, Seminyak or Uluwatu add about two hours of driving each way, and a night on the Gilis is the better plan.
Can you visit two islands in one day from Bali?
Not in a way you would enjoy. Penida and Lembongan are 10-15 minutes apart by local boat, but Penida alone fills a day; Penida and the Gilis are separate crossings in different directions. Do one island per day, or sleep on the second one.
Can you do Lombok as a day trip from Bali?
Not realistically. By fast boat or by plane it is three to four hours door to door each way, so the day would be mostly transport. Plan at least two nights; our Bali to Lombok guide compares the boats and the flight.
How much is a day trip to Nusa Penida from Bali?
With us, the west tour is from $49 per car for up to six people, plus the fast boat from $15 per person; the manta snorkeling day is from $29 per person, and the east and flexible full-day routes are from $75. Hotel pickup is arranged on WhatsApp, and nothing is paid upfront.
Recommended Bali tours for this guide
Nusa Penida West Tour
If your priority is bold scenery over snorkeling, the west route is the cleanest and most iconic Penida choice: one car, one driver and the island's four most photographed stops in a single day. It is especially strong for couples and first-time visitors who want the headline views with transport handled professionally.
- Duration
- Full day
- Area
- West Nusa Penida
- Format
- Island day tour
- Best for
- Cliff viewpoints and first-time Penida sightseeing
From $49 per car No prepayment
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Snorkel with Manta Rays, Nusa Penida
This is one of Bali's strongest sea-day products because the experience starts delivering early and stays visually powerful all day. It works for couples, small groups, and first-time snorkelers who want clear planning and strong photo value.
- Duration
- Full day
- Area
- Manta Point and Nusa Penida waters
- Format
- Snorkeling tour
- Best for
- Snorkeling lovers and sea-day travelers
From $29 No prepayment
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Gili Islands Private Snorkeling Day Trip
This route is built for travelers who want turtles, clear water, and a real Gili Islands experience without organizing fast boats, harbor flow, snorkeling logistics, and local coordination on their own. The private snorkeling setup makes the day feel cleaner and more premium than a basic shared island transfer.
- Duration
- 7-9 hours
- Area
- Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno
- Format
- Private snorkeling day trip
- Best for
- Sea lovers, couples, and travelers who want one big Gili day from Bali
From $115 No prepayment
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