7 Best Islands Around Bali
Tropical Island Getaways Near Bali
These tropical islands around Bali should be among your top picks if you’re planning an island-hop or 2. Those looking forward to experiencing the underwater wonders that lie beneath the waves around Bali may already have the remote Menjangan Island or the 3 Gili Islands on their radar. These destinations offer you great tropical island getaways, each with their own sets of appeals.
Bali’s northern coasts are known for their calm seas, with thriving coral gardens and great visibility almost all year round, while off the south-eastern shore lies the Nusa islands. Check out these islands around Bali for a different kind of island vacation.
1. Gili Trawangan
The most popular Gili Island, just 65 miles from Bali Airport
Good for: Adventure, Food, Nightlife
Gili Trawangan is often the first of the Gili Islands you’ll approach from Bali. It’s also the most popular out of the 3, offering well-established facilities and infrastructure, together with a large collection of hotels, dining, and nightlife spots. You’ll also find most of the water sports here. There are plenty of dive shops, with boats that take you out around the waters on courses or tours.
Gili Trawangan’s finer collection of resorts sit around the quieter “sunset beach” on the south-eastern end. Boats to the island depart from Sanur, Serangan Island, Tanjung Benoa, and Padangbai. Gili Trawangan offers a great combination of dining and nightlife, lots of activities, and the largest collection of hotels of the 3 Gilis. Read more
Gili Trawangan
2. Nusa Lembongan
Great surfing and snorkeling, only 19 miles from Bali Airport
Good for: Adventure, Luxury, Photo
Nusa Lembongan is the most popular of the 3 Nusa islands, reachable within a 45-minute boat-ride southeast from Sanur or Benoa Harbor on mainland Bali. The island is loved by travelers seeking a quick castaway experience, with no less than 3 of the island’s main cruise operators providing day trips with fun marine pontoons around its waters.
Nusa Lembongan also offers good diving, snorkeling, and even surfing, with 3 of its surf breaks just a paddle out from its sandy western shore. Boats to the island depart from Sanur and Tanjung Benoa. Nusa Lembongan provides a good variety of beachfront and surf hotels, along with a great combination of offshore and on-land attractions.
Nusa Lembongan
3. Gili Air
A tiny, unspoiled paradise, just 68 miles from Bali Airport
Good for: Adventure, Budget, Luxury
Gili Air can be considered the younger sister of Gili Trawangan, with a good selection of hotels, as well as restaurants, bars, and dive shops, particularly along its main south-eastern coast near the boat docks. Its quieter northern beaches are great for true escapists, with sparsely located resorts, some offering luxury stays.
Gili Air serves as an excellent alternate to Trawangan, and it is often the last and concluding one on island-hopping adventures to all 3 Gili Islands. Boats depart from Sanur, Serangan Island, Tanjung Benoa, and Padangbai, with island-hop transfers between Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno. Gili Air is great if you’re after a good choice of dive shops and a variety of accommodation, from budget to luxury stays. Read more
Gili Air
4. Gili Meno
A serene and tranquil escape, only 66 miles from Bali Airport
Good for: Adventure, Couples, Luxury
This island is the quietest and most laidback of all the 3 Gilis. Basically, it’s the total opposite of its 2 sister islands. Meno best suits honeymooners and couples looking for total privacy and absolute relaxation. The common partying crowds avoid Meno altogether, as its local village administration bans late-night partying. If you want a slow-paced island life right out of your bungalow-style room, Gili Meno is the place for you.
Boats depart from Sanur, Serangan Island, Tanjung Benoa, and Padangbai, with transfers between the 2 other Gilis. As the quietest Gili Island, it’s great for a true island escape where you can enjoy uncrowded and pristine white-sand beaches with clear waters. Read more
Gili Meno
5. Menjangan Island
Coral gardens and rare wildlife, just 62 miles from Bali Airport
Good for: Photo, Adventure
Menjangan Island is part of the West Bali National Park, which you can cross over to by motorized boat from the park’s main port of Labuhan Lalang. Overland attractions include a savannah that’s home to the rare Javan deer, locally known as “menjangan”.
The island is surrounded by calm waters, where divers and snorkelers can find coral gardens. Water visibility is excellent year-round. A boat ride around its north-eastern shore will treat you to the impressive sight of the Segara Giri Dharma Kencana Temple. Menjangan Island is a perfect remote and secluded destination, with world-class diving, snorkeling, and wildlife. Read more
Menjangan Island
6. Nusa Ceningan
Incredible views, only 20 miles from Bali Airport
Good for: Adventure, Photo
Nusa Ceningan is easiest to get to from Lembongan. You can travel on foot by crossing a scenic yellow causeway bridge which spans over a very narrow strait running through the 2 islands. Ceningan has plenty of attractions, including an underwater garden with sunken temples and statues, which you can visit by scuba diving or underwater scooter rides.
Overland, Nusa Ceningan offers sweeping seascapes dotted with traditional fishing boats and seaweed farms, as well as mangrove forests and turtle-nesting beaches around its perimeter. Boats depart from Sanur, Serangan Island and Tanjung Benoa to Nusa Lembongan. From there, you can get to Nusa Ceningan via the connecting bridge. Head to Nusa Ceningan for stunning views, underwater gardens, and marine activities. Read more
Nusa Ceningan
7. Nusa Penida
A diving haven, just 23 miles from Bali Airport
Good for: Adventure, History, Photo
Nusa Penida is the largest of 3 Nusa islands that lie within a 30-minute transfer by motorboat southeast of the Bali mainland. Overland, it’s quite arid, with only a few accommodation options available. The island has a successful breeding program of the endemic Bali Starling.
There are several mysterious temples scattered over Nusa Penida, including Goa Giri Putri and Pura Paluang Temple. Most know Nusa Penida as a diving haven, where you can witness some of the world’s rarest marine species, including manta rays and ocean sunfish, as well as occasional whale sharks. Boats mostly depart from the Padangbai seaport in East Bali. Read more
Nusa Penida
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