If you are looking to take the ferry from Bali to Lombok, I’m here to help you with ALL the info you need. We took this public ferry upwards of 5+ times during a stint in Bali where we, for some reason, decided to do our visa extentions in Lombok. It saved us heaps of money on Bali agents, but definitely did not save us trips on this extremely mediocre ferry ride. I am honestly very glad I had the experience of taking this ferry – it has beautiful views and is definitely a more local experience. We have taken the Bali to Lombok ferry with a scooter and without a scooter and will elaborate on all of our experiences. All of the different ways to get to Lombok have their benefits, and this one is especially great to bring a scooter over or to save money in most situations. Pin these tips! Getting to Lombok from Bali Ferry from Bali to Lombok The Bali to Lombok ferry is definitely the cheapest way to get to Lombok. It will set you back only about 52k rp $ for a one-way trip, and about 144k rp $ for two people WITH a scooter or one person – essentially for a scooter and whatever fits on it. For tariffs of cars and trucks, check here. The trip is about 5-6 hours, and ferries leave nearly every hour. This is the best way if you want to be able to get around Lombok on your scooter without renting another one or getting taxis, both of which are more expensive there. Cloudy skies on the way to Lombok from BaliFlying from Bali to Lombok flying to Lombok from Bali is extremely cheap as far as flights go. The cheapest flights with LionAir or similar will cost you only 250k rp $ for a 30-40 minute ride. But then, of course, you will need to organize taxis and transport from the airport which could cost more than the flight itself. Speedboat to Gili Islands from Bali Taking a speedboat to the Gili Islands is quite expensive for a boat, which generally includes pickup or dropoff top the Bali tourist areas but will cost you about 450k rp $ Other Boats from Bali to Lombok There are a few other speedboat connections to Lombok from Bali. Check Directferries for all the times and departure points – these are MUCH more expensive than the slow/public ferry but get you there quicker. So, clearly, the ferry from Bali to Lombok is the best price. Before you leave Bali, Check Out Some More Resources I Compiled Scuba Diving in Bali A Guide to Dive Sites + Shops Bali Bamboo House Rentals You Need to Know About West Bali Road Trip + Things to Do Unique Places to Stay in Bali Our FAVES! 12 Bali Net Bed Hotels The Ones you see on IG and more! What to Consider before taking the Ferry from Bali to Lombok The slow ferry leaves from Padang Bai Port on Bali and arrives in Lembar, Southwest Lombok. Both of these ports are industrial and have a big quantity of shipments moving around the Indonesian Islands and not many tourists. View of Padang Bai Beach from the Ferry Padang Bai is Bali’s main port town for Nusa Penida and Lombok. It’s on the southeast corner of Bali, and has a few hotels and beaches but not too much around it. It’s a great place for Bali scuba diving but you can access the dive sites from other places like Sanur. To be honest, we don’t recommend staying here if you can help it. Lembar is Lombok’s port town – and it’s really not much more than that. I honestly would spend as little time as possible in both towns – they might be my least favorite places in all of Bali and Lombok combined, haha. They are full of grime, people trying to hassle you to buy things or scam you for taxis which is rare espesically in Bali. Getting to Padang Bai for the Ferry Ferry viewsTo get to Padang Bai you must either rent a scooter or get a Gojek/taxi. If you bring a scooter to Lombok from Bali, make sure that it has current registration papers as you will often need to stop and show these to police while getting off or on the ferry. Most scooter rentals include papers, but we had a sketchy experience without them once that we wouldn’t recommend. If you won’t be taking a scooter, you will have to get a ride to Padang Bai. I recommend ordering a Gojek as these are the cheapest ways to get around in Bali. Different Bali/Lombok Ferry Boats One kind of ferry from Bali to Lombok…And another kind of Bali to Lombok ferry! They’re all different. This one has an inside TV with a plug underneath.There are actually quite a few different kinds of ferry boats that move between Lombok and Bali. Some have TV’s that play movies, some have more plugs than others, and some have more outdoor space than others or even rooftops. Some have tables, while others have rows of seats, and some are cleaner than others but most haven’t been cleaned in… years. There’s no way to tell what kind of boat you will get, but be prepared for the worst. What to Bring/Pack for the Ferry Bali to Lombok One of our most luxurious Bali to Lombok ferry moments, with cup o noodles and a downloaded movie. The ferry trip is 5-6 hours long, so make sure you have something to keep yourself occupied. If you want food, it’s smarter to bring it with you, as food is more expensive to buy on the ferry… but they do have food available keep reading. Make sure to bring some sanitizer/wipes and maybe a sarong to sit on for dirtier ferries. Charge Everything There aren’t many power outlets see below, so make sure to come with a charged-up phone, computer, headphones, and anything else. Maybe download a movie or two or get some work tabs open on your computer, because there’s definitely no wifi on these old ships. Once You Arrive in Padang Bai for the Ferry to Lombok The gates to drive your scooter onto the ferry in Padang Bai If you have no scooter, you will walk inside and buy your tickets from this building in Padang Bai. Scooters will park in the middle here… And it will look like this when full!! When you get to Padang Bai, you will want to walk inside and buy your ticket from counter OR drive through the appropriate lane with your scooter if you have it. Again, you may have to show scooter papers, drivers license, or printed covid test results to get your ticket. Once you buy your ticket, you can either board the ferry or wait for the next one to dock. Scooters will park in the middle lane amongst cargo trucks, and humans will have to walk into the bottom cargo portion and go up the stairs. How the Bali to Lombok Ferry Works This was my favorite ferry from Lombok to Bali with a rooftop… I even did a workout up here! Each ferry fills completely with cars, trucks, and scooters, closes up, and then leaves. Usually there is enough transit between Bali and Lombok to fill ferries all day every day, but if another ferry arrives, the one before it will leave even if not full. This means that there are no specific ferry times, or need to book a specific ferry time. You honestly just show up and it’s the luck of the draw whether you sail straight away or wait an hour or two… not ideal, but hey, this is Indonesia. There is also no specific seating or seating areas – it’s a free-for-all and the earlier you board, the more you have to choose from. Leaving Bali at sunset.. amazing views but don’t do what we did… LEAVE EARLY! Cleanliness The Bali to Lombok ferries are mostly very DIRTY! Some are better than others, but prepare for spaces that are not very enticing and full of crumbs and stains. Bring sarong/sanitizer spray for this. Power Outlets Most boats have MAYBE one or two accessible power outlets that you will have to SEARCH for. Some have more outlets but most are out of service. If you want to find a working plug, I suggest looking near any TV’s as there are usually some spare around TV plugs. Sleeping Space Most ferries have places that you can sleep – or at least larger couches you can curl up on. Again, bring a blanket or sarong to lay on. TV Area Usually there’s an area with a TV – sometimes they play movies, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes you can score an English movie, other times not. Ferry Time The ride usually takes hours – maybe 6 on a bad day. I would recommend taking an earlier ferry so you have enough time to get to your destination before it’s too late at night. Food on the Bali to Lombok Ferry The vendors got me… here I am with a water bottle, fresh papaya, and a hot coffee that I bought in my first 5 minutes onboard. Oops. Food on the boat is available for purchase if you need. They have a stand with some snacks like chips, cups of noodles, tea, cookies, soft drinks, chocolates, and other basic things. If you want to save money, it’s best to buy food cheaper at the stands across from the ferry terminal in Padang Bai. There are also TONS of vendors who come on the ferries before they leave and try to sell you snacks and hot water, which will also be a bit cheaper. If you bring your own noodles you can also buy hot water for about 10k. When You Arrive in Lembar, Lombok One of the ferry’s captain bridge arriving to in Lembar, stay as little time as possible!! It’s not a very happening’ town – I would go as far as to say it’s even a bit sketchy, especially at night. It’s very industrial and hardly even has places to eat. There are a few roadside stands and an Indomaret – that’s about it. We made the mistake of staying a night in Lembar once I think there’s only one hotel and it might have been our worst stay in all of Indonesia. Again, arrive with enough time to get to your destination! Traveling from Lembar This is the 30k public boat from Bangsal to the Gili Islands. You’ll take this if you taxi /drive to you didn’t bring your scooter, arrange a taxi beforehand if at all possible. There are taxis at the port waiting to take you where you need to go, but make sure they don’t overcharge you. Getting to the Gili Islands from Lembar You should pay 300-400k for a taxi up to Bangsal if you are going to the Gili Islands, where you can get a public boat for only about 30kpp. I have a couple contacts from my friends in Gili – follow + send me a message on Instagram if you’d like me to share them. This taxi is the expensive part of the journey, and if you are taking the Bali to Lombok ferry to save money, you’ll have to weigh the differences between getting a fast boat to Gili for about 450k all-up and doing the ferry from Bali to Lombok, getting a taxi, and then a public boat. It would be cheaper with more people but not AS much cheaper with less people especially with 1. It’s up to you if you’d like to save time or money. If you have a scooter, you won’t be about to bring this with you to Gili. There are some places in Bangsal that will allow you to leave your scooter for cheap – maybe the equivalent of a few dollars per day. This would be a good idea if you want to spend a few days in Gili and then explore Lombok, but not as much if you’ll be in Gili for a few weeks. If this all seems too much, check out the other fast ferries from Bali to Lombok that are about the same price as the fast boat or pricier. Getting to Kuta Lombok or Sengiggi The other main places in Lombok that you’d be going from Lembar are Kuta Lombok and Sengiggi, which are both about an hour away. I have not gotten a taxi for this journey but I would assume you wouldn’t pay too much more than 150-200k if it’s 300-400k to get to Bangsal. There you have it – my best tips for taking the ferry from Bali to Lombok. I hope I’ve answered any questions you might have, but if not, leave me a comment below and I will get back to you!!