Bali to Gili: The Ultimate Island Odyssey (Self-Launched)
15 days · Bali, Lombok & Gili Islands, Indonesia
G Adventures charges £1,039
No-markup version: ~£820 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 15-day self-launched island-hopping route that mirrors G Adventures' "Bali to Gili: The Ultimate Island Odyssey" — starting in Canggu, moving inland to Ubud and a village homestay near Kintamani/Tempasan, overland across Lombok, and finishing on the Gili Islands. You'll book your own hostels and homestays, sort your own transport (scooters, local bemos, the Perama/Shared Bali-Lombok shuttle, and public fast boats), and self-book the same experiences (Batur sunrise hike, weaving visits, the three-island snorkel trip) directly or via GetYourGuide/Klook. Independent travellers routinely do this route for roughly half the operator price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Canggu — surf, cafés & sunset
Canggu, Bali
Fly into Denpasar (DPS) and take a Grab/Bluebird taxi or the official airport bus (~£8-10, 45-60 min) to Canggu's Batu Bolong or Berawa area. Check into a hostel dorm. Spend the afternoon renting a surfboard (approx £5-8/day) or a surf lesson (£18-25), then watch the sunset from Batu Bolong beach with a cheap warung nasi campur dinner.
🚌Airport taxi/Grab to Canggu ~£8-10
🛏Hostel dorm (multi-share) — e.g. Canggu or Batu Bolong beach hostel, ~£9-13/night
- →Batu Bolong sunset
- →Warung dinner in Canggu
- →Optional surf lesson
Canggu free day — surf & canal walk
Canggu, Bali
Full free day. Morning surf or yoga (drop-in classes £6-10), breakfast at a Canggu café (smoothie bowls £3-5). Ride a scooter (£5-7/day) out along the rice paddies toward Pererenan and Echo Beach. In the evening explore the Old Man's / Finns area for cheap eats and live music. Confirm onward transport and homestay bookings today.
🚌Scooter hire £5-7/day (bring an IDP)
🛏Hostel dorm, ~£9-13/night
- →Surf at Echo Beach
- →Yoga class
- →Pererenan rice field ride
Canggu to Ubud — Monkey Forest & markets
Ubud, Bali
Travel to Ubud by Grab/private car (£10-14, ~1.5 hrs) or a Kura-Kura/perama shuttle. Check in, then wander the Ubud Art Market and Saraswati Temple. Visit the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (entry ~£4-5). Evening: catch a Legong dance performance (£6-8) or eat at a warung near Jl Hanoman.
🚌Canggu-Ubud car/shuttle £10-14
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Ubud, ~£10-16/night
- →Monkey Forest Sanctuary
- →Ubud Art Market
- →Legong dance performance
Ubud — Campuhan Ridge & Tegalalang
Ubud, Bali
Early morning Campuhan Ridge Walk (free). Afterwards rent a scooter or join a shared tour to the Tegalalang Rice Terraces (~£4 entry). If you're heading to the Kintamani homestay stretch next, use today to arrange it; otherwise add a Balinese cooking class in Ubud (£18-25) or a spa massage (£8-12).
🚌Scooter hire £5-7/day or shared tour £15-20
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Ubud, ~£10-16/night
- →Campuhan Ridge Walk
- →Tegalalang Rice Terraces
- →Optional cooking class
Ubud to Kintamani homestay (village life)
Kintamani / Tempasan area, Bali
Move north to the Kintamani/Tempasan area by shared car (£12-18, ~2 hrs). Check into a village homestay. This mirrors the operator's homestay nights — expect simple rooms, home-cooked meals, and Balinese family life. In the afternoon walk the rice fields, and if you like, arrange a local cooking class or an early-morning sunrise fishing trip with your host (pay locally, ~£8-15).
🚌Shared car Ubud-Kintamani ~£12-18
🛏Village homestay (family-run), ~£10-15/night incl. some meals
- →Rice field walk
- →Optional host-run cooking class
- →Optional sunrise fishing trip
Mount Batur sunrise hike
Mount Batur / Kintamani, Bali
Book a Mount Batur sunrise trek via GetYourGuide or Klook (pickup ~02:30, ~£25-35 incl. guide, breakfast and transfer). Summit for sunrise over Lake Batur, then descend and rest. In the afternoon visit a women's community enterprise for a locally cooked lunch (many Kintamani villages run these — ask your host, ~£5-8).
🚌Included Batur trek pickup/drop-off
🛏Village homestay, ~£10-15/night
- →Mount Batur sunrise hike
- →Lake Batur viewpoints
- →Community lunch
Village afternoon — market, temples & springs
Kintamani / Tempasan area, Bali
A slower day. Arrange a walking tour of a nearby village (approx £8-12) taking in the traditional market, temples, rice paddies and a natural spring — similar to the operator's 'Happy Local Family Adventure'. Bring small change for offerings and snacks. Evening back at the homestay for a home-cooked dinner.
🚌Walking / short local rides £2-4
🛏Village homestay, ~£10-15/night
- →Village walking tour
- →Traditional market visit
- →Temple visit
Ubud area — offering-making & community project
Ubud / Gianyar, Bali
Head back toward Ubud and join a Balinese offering-making workshop (many foundations offer these, ~£8-12) learning to make canang sari prayer offerings. Optionally volunteer-visit or donate to a women's community enterprise (e.g. a craft/batik project). Cooking class with a local community group (£18-25) is a great optional add-on.
🚌Shared car back to Ubud ~£12-16
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Ubud, ~£10-16/night
- →Offering-making workshop
- →Optional community cooking class
- →Batik/craft demonstration
Rice terrace walk & weaving demonstration
Tempasan / Sidemen area, Bali
Head east towards Sidemen/Tempasan for a guided rice-field village walk alongside local farmers, followed by a traditional Ikat weaving demonstration (a village guide costs ~£8-12 for a small group, or free if you buy from the weavers). Stay overnight in a Sidemen guesthouse with volcano views.
🚌Shared car Ubud-Sidemen ~£15-20
🛏Sidemen guesthouse/homestay, ~£10-16/night
- →Rice terrace village walk
- →Traditional weaving demonstration
- →Sidemen valley viewpoints
Sidemen free day — Mt Agung views
Sidemen, Bali
Free day in Sidemen. Options include a waterfall hike (Tukad Cepung or Tibumana, ~£3-5 entry), cycling through rice terraces (~£6-8 bike hire), or a Sidemen Valley trek toward Mt Agung foothills. Cheap local warungs for lunch. Reconfirm your Bali-to-Lombok transfer for tomorrow.
🚌Scooter/bicycle hire £5-8/day
🛏Sidemen guesthouse/homestay, ~£10-16/night
- →Waterfall visit
- →Rice terrace cycling
- →Valley trek
Bali to Lombok — overland & boat crossing
Kuta Lombok / Mataram area
Travel to Lombok. Cheapest is public bus/shuttle to Padang Bai or Serangan then the public fast boat to Bangsal or Lembar (~£20-30 total), or a direct door-to-door Perama/shared shuttle-boat service (~£25-35) that carries you from Bali to Lombok in one go. Continue to Kuta Lombok or Mataram. Check into a hostel.
🚌Shared shuttle + fast boat Bali-Lombok £25-35
🛏Kuta Lombok hostel/homestay, ~£10-15/night
- →Scenic crossing of the Lombok Strait
- →Settle in Kuta Lombok
Kuta Lombok beaches & surf
Kuta Lombok, Lombok
Rent a scooter (£5-7/day) and explore the south Lombok beaches — Tanjung Aan, Mawun and Selong Belanak — all within 30-45 minutes. Surf lessons at Selong Belanak are cheap (~£15-20). Sunset at Bukit Merese viewpoint (free; small parking fee). Dinner at a local warung.
🚌Scooter hire £5-7/day
🛏Kuta Lombok hostel/homestay, ~£10-15/night
- →Tanjung Aan beach
- →Mawun & Selong Belanak beaches
- →Bukit Merese sunset
- →Optional surf lesson
Gili Trawangan — iconic three-island snorkel trip
Gili Trawangan, Gili Islands
Take a shared/public boat from Bangsal harbour to Gili Trawangan (~£6-10, 20-30 mins). Check into a hostel or beach bungalow. Join the classic three-island snorkel trip (Gili T → Gili Meno → Gili Air, ~£15-25, stops at Turtle Point and the Gili Meno statue gardens). Book via Klook, GetYourGuide, or any dive shop on the island. Evening: sunset at the west-side swings.
🚌Shared boat Bangsal-Gili T £6-10
🛏Gili Trawangan hostel/bungalow, ~£12-18/night
- →Three-island snorkel trip
- →Turtle Point snorkelling
- →Gili Meno & Gili Air stops
- →Sunset swings
Gili T free day — diving & island vibes
Gili Trawangan, Gili Islands
Free day. Options: an open-water Discover Scuba dive (£30-45), a second snorkel trip, cycling the island on a rented bike (£4-6), or a hammock-and-beach day. Note that the Gili Islands have no motorised vehicles — the only transport is foot, bicycle and cidomo horse cart. Dine at the food market or a beach bar.
🚌Bicycle hire £4-6/day; cidomo cart short trips £3-5
🛏Gili Trawangan hostel/bungalow, ~£12-18/night
- →Optional scuba dive
- →Island cycle loop
- →Food market dinner
- →Beach relaxation
Gili T departure — optional Bali express
Gili Trawangan to Kuta, Bali
Check out and depart. To return to Bali, take a fast boat (Gili T to Serangan/Padang Bai or Sanur, ~£15-25) plus onward shuttle or Grab to Kuta (~£3-5). Door-to-door 'Gili to Kuta' speedboat-and-shuttle combos are about £25-35. Alternatively fly from Lombok's airport (LOP) to Denpasar. Grab/Bluebird to the airport for your flight home.
🚌Fast boat Gili T-Bali £15-25 + shuttle £3-5, or flight Lombok-DPS
🛏None (departure day) / optional final Kuta hostel ~£9-13
- →Fast boat back to Bali
- →Optional Kuta stopover
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£820 | £1,039 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £219 per person (21%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£820
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Bali to Gili: The Ultimate Island Odyssey (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £820 per person for 15 days in Bali, Lombok & Gili Islands, Indonesia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,039 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £820 — a saving of roughly £219 (21%) per person.
How long is the Bali, Lombok & Gili Islands, Indonesia trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 day-by-day stops through Bali, Lombok & Gili Islands, Indonesia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, beaches, hiking trip through Bali, Lombok & Gili Islands, Indonesia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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