Best Islands near Bali that are a Must Visit

If you are planning a travel itinerary to Indonesia’s most famous destination Bali, do not forget to add a few days to your plan to explore the many small but incredibly beautiful islands close to Bali. Visitors flock to these islands seeking adventure or a romantic getaway as they offer a mix of both water activities and amazingly beautiful views.

Most of these islands are very close to Bali and can be accessed by a ferry or in some cases a short flight. Here is a list of the eight best islands near Bali:

1. Nusa Lembongan: Part of the three islands that make up the Nusa islands in Bali, Nusa Lembongan is a beautiful island near Bali popular for its scuba diving and snorkeling activities. The island has several beaches of which Mushroom Bay, Sunset Beach, and Dream beach are the most visited by tourists. While the island is less crowded than Bali’s beaches, Nusa Lembongan has many beach clubs where you can lounge by the beachfront pool. While you are there, don’t forget to take a motorized boat to the famous mangrove forest.

How to reach from Bali: Nusa Lembongan is 55 kilometers or 90 minutes (speed boats can cover the distance in 35 minutes) from Bali and there are many boats that take tourists to the island from Sanur.

2. Nusa Penida: Another island that is part of the Nusa islands, Nusa Penida is the most popular among the three islands in the group. The island witnesses a lot of tourists from across the world during the travel season. While you will not find many fancy clubs or restaurants in Nusa Penida, the island is best known as a bird sanctuary. You can go for early morning bird-watching expeditions to spot some most beautiful birds in the world. There are three big beaches on the island – Angel’s Billabong, Kelingking, and Broken Beach.

How to reach from Bali: The only way to go to Nusa Penida, one of the best islands near Bali, is via a boat and it takes around 2 hours to reach the island. Tourist boats are available from Padang Bai, Sanur, Benoa Harbour, and Kusamba.

3. Nusa Ceningan: The smallest among the three Nusa islands, Nusa Ceningan is located in the middle of Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan. The island is most famous for its blue lagoon where many tourists go surfing and snorkeling. You can also enjoy cliff jumping from Mahana point making this one of the best islands near Bali. You can just take a ride on Nusa Cenningan’s beautiful winding road or visit the seaweed and mangrove forests.

How to reach from Bali: There are many boat rides available from Bali to Nusa Ceningan, and it takes around 30 minutes to reach the island. Tourist boats are available from Sanur.

4. Lombok island: Home to Indonesia’s second-highest volcanic island, Mount Rinjani, Lombok is a popular spot for tourists who want to enjoy everything about Bali but also want to avoid the crowd. You can take a trek up Mount Rinjani and marvel at the velvety sunset from the Segara Anak Crater. If you want to enjoy the beaches in Lombok, go to Aan beach or Tanjung Aan. Lombok also has its very own Kuta beach. Yes, it is truly one of the most beautiful islands near Bali.

How to reach from Bali: If you are in a rush or want to take the faster way, there are flights available between Bali and Lombok. It can take you around 30 minutes to reach Lombok by flight. Of course, you can also take the scenic route by taking a ferry or speed boat to Lombok from Bali. A speed boat will take you to Bali in 1.5-2 hours, however, a public ferry although cheaper will take 4-5 hours.

5. Gili Air: Gili Air is actually located towards the northwest coast of Lombok and is one of the closest islands near Bali. It is one of the three islands that make up the Gili islands. Gili Air is a small island, but less crowded than Bali and well known as a romantic getaway. You can enjoy snorkelling and scuba diving on this island and its vast coral reef coverage and turtles, of which it has many. Since Gili Air is not a big island, you can explore the entire in just under 2 hours!

How to reach from Bali: The easiest way to reach Gili Air from Bali is to take a speed boat. It takes around 1.5 to 2 hours to reach Gili Air.

6. Gili Trawangan: The most popular island among the Gili island trio, Gili Trawangan is the perfect place to enjoy all things fine. It is also the biggest among all the three Gili islands and gets more tourists compared to the other two. It has many cafes and nightclubs, but it is most famous for its water sports activities like scuba diving and snorkelling. It is one of the places where you can snorkel with turtles and sharks!

How to reach from Bali: You can take a speed boat from Bali to Gili Trawangan as it is one of the closest and best islands near Bali. It takes around 1.5 to 2 hours to reach Trawangan from Bali.

7. Gili Meno: Gili Meno is the smallest of the three Gili islands and also the quietest. There are no hotels here to spend the night, but visitors can enjoy the calm scenery and some water activities like scuba diving. This island, well known as one of the best islands near Bali, has three diving spots that are very popular among tourists – Sea Point Turtle, Point Coral Blue, and Meno Wall. There is also a small bird park that you can enjoy while you are in Gili Meno.

How to reach from Bali: Gili Meno is easy to reach from Bali. Most tourists take a speed that takes them to Gili Meno in around 1.5 to 2 hours.

8. Komodo Island: The Komodo island is perhaps most famous for its lizard – the Komodo Dragon. If you have some time to spare while you are in Bali, take a trip to Komodo island to visit the Komodo National Park and enjoy one of the best islands near Bali. But the island is not limited to that. Like in many islands around Bali, here too visitors can snorkel and scuba dive to explore the varied marine life, for example, the famous Manta Rays. Komodo Island is also known for its pink sand beaches and there are many cafés where you can sit and relax while watching the waves roll.

How to reach from Bali: You can take a flight from Lombok near Bali to Komodo Island. It takes around 1.5 hours to reach Komodo from Lombok. Of course, you can take a ferry, but it is not the most popular option as it takes more than 24 hours to reach Komodo from Bali via the sea and may not be the most comfortable journey either.