Classic Lombok & the Gilis — Self-Launched
8 days · Lombok & the Gili Islands, Indonesia
G Adventures charges £1,099
No-markup version: ~£415 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 8-day self-launched version of the Candi Dasa → Lombok → Gili Trawangan → Sanur route, swapping the G Adventures small group, private van and CEO for public ferries, bemos, scooter hire and boats booked directly. You'll cross from east Bali to Lombok, stay in Kuta Lombok's surf hostels, trek through Tetebatu's rice terraces with a village guide, swim at Benang Kelambu waterfall, snorkel the Gili reefs on a shared boat trip and finish with a night in Sanur. All costs are backpacker/budget estimates in GBP per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Candi Dasa, east Bali
Candi Dasa, Bali
Fly into Denpasar (DPS) and pay the Bali Tourist Levy (150,000 IDR / ~£7) online via the Love Bali system before you land. From the airport, take a Grab/Gojek or a metered Blue Bird taxi to the Batu Bus terminal area and pick up a Perama or Kura-Kura shuttle, or share a car straight to Candi Dasa (~2 hrs, £10-14 split between travellers; a private car is ~£22). Settle into a guesthouse near the lagoon, walk the seafront, and eat grilled fish at a warung. Sort your onward ticket to Lombok this evening.
🚌Airport taxi + shuttle car to Candi Dasa, ~£12-14
🛏Beachfront guesthouse or budget hotel in Candi Dasa (£12-18)
- →Settle in and explore Candi Dasa lagoon and seafront
- →Book onward ferry/shuttle to Lombok
- →Evening warung dinner on the coast
Candi Dasa to Kuta Lombok via Sasak village
Kuta, Lombok
Take the morning fast boat from Padang Bai to Lembar, Lombok (~5 hrs including transfers, ~£25-30 including the shuttle from Candi Dasa), or the public ferry if you want the cheapest option (~£5 for the ferry plus ~£6 for the shuttle/angkot). From Lembar, a shared bemo or Grab to Kuta Lombok takes ~1.5 hrs. En route, ask any local driver to stop at Sade or Ende, a traditional Sasak village with thatched lumbung granaries — entry is a small donation (~£2). Check into a Kuta surf hostel, rent a scooter for the next two days (~£4-5/day) and hit Kuta beach for sunset.
🚌Shuttle + fast boat Padang Bai–Lembar ~£28; shared transport to Kuta ~£4
🛏Surf hostel or guesthouse in Kuta Lombok (£9-15)
- →Fast boat crossing Bali–Lombok
- →Sasak traditional village visit (Sade/Ende)
- →Scooter hire for Kuta exploring
Full day around Kuta Lombok
Kuta, Lombok
Free day with your scooter. Ride the coast to Tanjung Aan, Mawun and Selong Belanak — three of Lombok's best white-sand bays, each with parking of a few thousand rupiah. Book a surf lesson directly with one of the beach schools at Selong Belanak or Kuta (~£18-25 for 2 hrs, cheaper than the £38 the operator charges). Alternatively hike the hills above Kuta for views over the bays. Dinner at one of Kuta's buzzing warungs or cafés.
🚌Scooter hire + petrol, ~£6
🛏Surf hostel or guesthouse in Kuta Lombok (£9-15)
- →Tanjung Aan and Mawun beaches
- →Optional surf lesson at Selong Belanak (~£20 direct)
- →Sunset viewpoint hike above Kuta
Across Lombok: Tetebatu trek, Benang Kelambu waterfall, on to Senggigi
Tetebatu & Senggigi, Lombok
Hire a driver for the day for the cross-island run through central Lombok (~£30-40 per car, split between 2-4 people). Stop in Tetebatu and pick up a local village guide at the tourist information hut or through your guesthouse (~£8-10 for 2 hrs) for an easy trek past rice paddies, tobacco plots and Sasak homes, with Mt Rinjani views on clear days. Have a home-cooked buffet lunch with a Tetebatu family (~£4). Continue to the Benang Kelambu and Benang Stokel waterfalls near Aik Berik — small entry fee (~£2), then swim in the cold fresh water. Carry on to Senggigi for the night, ideally timing arrival for sunset over the Bali strait.
🚌Shared private car across Lombok, ~£10-15 per person
🛏Budget hotel or losmen in Senggigi (£12-18)
- →Tetebatu countryside trek with local guide
- →Rice terrace and plantation walk
- →Benang Kelambu waterfall swim
- →Senggigi sunset
Senggigi to Gili Trawangan + snorkelling
Gili Trawangan
Take a morning shuttle from Senggigi to Bangsal harbour (~£4, 45 mins) and catch the public fast boat or slow boat across to Gili Trawangan (~£3-8, 20-40 mins) — buy at the harbour ticket office, ignore touts selling 'tours'. Check into a bungalow or hostel a short walk from the boat landing. In the afternoon join a shared glass-bottom snorkelling trip to the three Gilis (~£10-14 booked direct at the harbour or via your guesthouse, versus the operator's included group trip) — you'll see turtles, clownfish and the underwater statues off Gili Meno. Dinner at the night market on the east side (~£5).
🚌Shuttle to Bangsal + public boat to Gili Trawangan, ~£9
🛏Beach bungalow or hostel on Gili Trawangan (£12-20)
- →Public boat to Gili Trawangan
- →Three-island shared snorkelling trip
- →Gili T night market dinner
Free day on Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan
No motorised vehicles on the Gilis, so hire a bicycle (~£3/day) or walk the 7km loop around the island — the sunset swing on the west coast is the classic stop. Rent a snorkel and hit the house reef off the north-east, or book a drop-in yoga class at one of the island's studios (~£8-12). There's a small turtle hatchery near the east side worth a visit. Optional: a beginner dive at one of the many PADI shops (~£45-55) if you want to go beyond snorkelling.
🚌Bicycle hire ~£3
🛏Beach bungalow or hostel on Gili Trawangan (£12-20)
- →Cycle around the island
- →House reef snorkelling
- →Optional drop-in yoga (~£10)
- →West coast sunset swing
Gili Trawangan back to Sanur, Bali
Sanur, Bali
Take the morning public fast boat or a shared fast-boat service direct to Padang Bai or Sanur (~£20-28, 1.5-2.5 hrs depending on route), then a Grab/taxi or Kura-Kura shuttle to Sanur (~£5-8). Check into a guesthouse in Sanur, walk the beachfront promenade at sunset and have a final dinner at a beachside warung or restaurant on Jalan Danau Tamblingan (~£8-10). Sanur is a calmer, cheaper place to end than Kuta and close to the airport.
🚌Fast boat to Bali + transfer to Sanur, ~£28
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Sanur (£15-22)
- →Fast boat crossing back to Bali
- →Sanur beachfront sunset walk
- →Farewell dinner on the promenade
Depart Sanur
Sanur, Bali
Depending on your flight time, take a last swim or breakfast by the beach. A Grab or Blue Bird taxi to Denpasar airport costs ~£6-8 and takes 20-30 mins. If you have a late flight, Sanur's beach is an easy place to kill a few hours with bags stored at your guesthouse.
🚌Taxi to Denpasar airport, ~£7
🛏—
- →Morning beach swim
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£415 | £1,099 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £684 per person (62%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£415
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 Classic Lombok & the Gilis — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £415 per person for 8 days in Lombok & the 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 £1,099 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £415 — a saving of roughly £684 (62%) per person.
How long is the Lombok & the Gili Islands, Indonesia trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Lombok & the 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, backpacker, beaches trip through Lombok & the 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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