Mainland Bali is a tropical paradise but it’s also a very popular place and there are many tiny islands offshore that mean you can island-hop and experience multiple islands and what they have to offer with fewer tourists.
Our guide to the best island destinations around Bali can help you decide where to visit on your next island-hopping Bali adventure.
The Best Neighboring Islands From The Bali Mainland
The Gili Islands
The Gili Islands are some of the top island-hopping destinations around Bali and are found between Bali and Lombok.
They are a bit of a haven away from the mainland of either island and they’re famous for the beaches.
You will find the journey out to any of these islands can be very pleasant in good weather, but there’s no doubt that the Bali-Lombok route can be a nightmare when the seas are stormy.
If you want to explore somewhere far from the temples and excitement of the Bali beach towns, visiting the Gilis is a great way to discover a new side of island life.
Gili Meno
The smallest of the Gilis is Gili Meno, and it’s, perhaps, the most charming of the three places.
If you want to chill on a beach with a book outside of local hotels where sunbathing and snorkeling are pretty much the only activities around, then Gili Meno is the place to do it.
It’s often used by tourists and locals as a romantic getaway spot and the island’s resorts are full of couples of honeymoon.
Gili Air
Gili Air is the next island along, and it’s got great beaches, too, but we’ve been hearing some reports that visiting this island is not as much fun as it once was.
We had a great time on our last visit, mind you, but apparently, the party scene from the neighbouring island has leaked onto Gili Air, and it can be very loud and obnoxious at times.
Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan or Gili T as it’s often called throughout Lombok, Bali and Indonesia is a party island.
The beaches are lined with backpacker resorts and what could be a beach paradise is really only cut out to appeal to those who like to party until dawn, now.
The Nusa Islands
The Nusa islands are very close to Bali and are part of the same province, unlike the Gilis, which are part of neighbouring Lombok.
We think that if you want to enjoy your first real journey or island hopping then they’re the best place to go.
Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida is the largest of the three islands, and it is very popular for a day trip from the mainland.
This can make the island seem very busy during the day but at night, the hotels are relatively calm and you get amazing views out over the water at sunset.
Nusa Ceningan
Nusa Ceningan is the smallest of these three islands and while it’s very much worth seeing, most people who go do it as a day trip from Nusa Lembongan as there’s a bridge connecting the two islands.
It’s a great adventure to visit a paradise island that hardly anyone can visit and Nusa Ceningan quite fits that bill.
Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan is our top pick of places to stay in the Nusa Islands. That’s because it has awesome beaches, waterfalls, temples, etc. and it’s far enough away from the beaten path that you can have it all to yourselves.
It’s also popular with people who like to go snorkelling and with divers as it has some of the best marine life in the world to enjoy.
The Secret Gili Islands
The Secret Gili Islands are a series of lesser-known islands near Lombok that are an amazing adventure to visit.
You will need to work a bit harder to get to them, but they are a real haven from the outside world.
Gili Gede
Gili Gede is another Gili island (“Gili” means “island” as does “Nusa”) off the coast of Lombok in Indonesia.
It’s completely unspoiled and has a wonderful white sand beach that is ideal for some snorkelling, swimming and more.
Menjangan Island – West Bali National Park
Menjangan Island is a diver’s dream and it’s great for snorkelling too. It’s a small, uninhabited island offshore from Bali’s West Bali National Park.
And it’s also one of the best places in Bali to see wild deer! If you’re not sure that a full island-hopping experience is your cup of tea, this is a great place to visit and see if you enjoy a bit of adventure.
FAQs
Can You Go Island Hopping In Bali?
Yes! In fact, it’s easy to go island hopping in this part of the world, the Gili Islands of Gili Meno, Gili Air and Gili Trawangan, as well as the Nusa Islands of Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida and Nusa Ceningan as well as the major islands of Java and Lombok are all just a short trip from Bali.
How To Get Between Islands In Bali?
If you want to visit another large island in Indonesia, it’s often as easy to fly as it is to go by boat. For example, Bali – Lombok is an easy and short flight.
However, if you want to visit smaller islands like the Gili Islands or the Nusa Islands then you will need to catch a boat as there are no airports on these natural wonders.
What Is The Best Island Near Bali?
Defining “best” in this context is entirely subjective. But we think if you’re looking for an island that you can reach by boat from Bali in a single day, then Nusa Lembongan is currently the best place to spend a few days.
Nusa Ceningan is too small, Nusa Penida is too busy in the day when the day trips arrive, Gili Trawangan is too loud and noisy, and Gili Air and Gili Meno are just a bit hard work.
The Nusa islands maintain the joy of Balinese culture but also offer plenty of unique experiences like Crystal Bay, Kelingking Beach, tropical rainforest, waterfalls, manta rays, etc.
You need to take either a fast boat or a ferry from Bali to the Gili Islands. This trip can be a little rough if the seas are stormy and we’d recommend that if you want to visit Gili Meno, Gili Air or Gili Trawangan then you try to make the crossing in the dry season.
What Island Is An Hour From Bali?
There are a lot of islands around Bali, but Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningang, and Nusa Lembongan are very close to being an hour away, and so is the main island of Lombok.
How Many Islands Are Near Bali?
Nobody knows for sure how many islands are near Bali or how many islands there are in the Indonesian archipelago.
It’s easy to find the inhabited islands and list them, but there are all sorts of tiny islands that simply don’t make it to any official lists of islands in Bali.
Officially, Bali province consists of mainland Bali, Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan but, for example, uninhabited Menjangan Island is part of Balinese territory, it just isn’t counted because there are no people on it.
What Are The Lesser Known Islands Around Bali?
While both the Nusa and Gili islands are less known to most tourists who come to Bali, if you want places that see very few foreign visitors then Gil Gede and the Secret Gilis are going to be where you want to go.
What island is between Indonesia and Bali?
Bali is part of Indonesia and as such there’s no island between Indonesia and Bali.
What Are The Three Islands Near Bali?
The three best-known islands near Bali are Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida and Nusa Ceningan.
What Is The Secret Island Near Bali?
There are plenty of tiny islands off the coast that you can see while island hopping that don’t even have a name.
However, the closest “secret islands” to Bali are the “secret Gilis”, which are large enough to attract nature lovers who want to go scuba diving and snorkelling among the local marine life in its natural habitat of calm waters but which aren’t on most tourist’s radars at all.
Final Thoughts On The Nearby Islands Around Bali
Island-hopping is a great way to get more out of your holiday in Bali.
It lets you see places that you would otherwise never experience when you island hop and with over 18,000 islands, the Indonesian archipelago is the best place on Earth for island hopping.
If you want to stand on beaches surrounded by crystal clear waters that have never been crowded at all, then island hopping is the best way to experience the sand and surf that tourism never touches.Â
