The average travel time is one hour twenty minutes, with an hour transit time in good weather, and an hour forty five minutes in rough weather.

Gilicat’s boats run 364 days a year, stopping operations only on Nyepi, the Balinese day of silence when the entire island shuts down. In the three years of our operations, Gilicat boats have travelled every day baring five days when the harbourmaster banned all boats from leaving the harbour due to inclement weather. In high season, we offer two runs a day.

It is normally a forty five minute drive from Sanur to Padangbai, and an hour fifteen minutes to the big roundabout on the Kuta by-pass (Simpang Siur). It takes just under an hour from Ubud. 

Gilicat is family friendly and safe for all ages. We carry life vests specifically for children and our crew is happy to outfit children in life vests prior to departure. We strongly suggest that families with children and the elderly sit in the rear of the boat where the ride is the softest.

Our ground staff have a ready supply of motion sickness pills and we suggest taking them thirty minutes prior to departure. We also suggest sitting in the rear of the boat where the ride is the most stable. Please consult the crew if you suffer from this condition.

Gilicat is totally committed to safety at sea. We have life vests for every passenger as well as specially designed vests for children and infants. All of our vessels have inflatable liferaft capsules with hydrostatic releases in the case of emergency. Our boats are outfitted life rings in the event of a man overboard situation. All vessels have EPIRB, an emergency radio beacon that broadcasts to a dedicated satellite uplink in the unlikely case of a vessel sinking. Our boats are constantly in communication with shore via mobile phones and VHF radios. In short, all our vessels are completely SOLAS and ISM compliant.

Passengers are allowed two pieces of luggage and up to two surfboards as well. Your dive gear travels free.

The easiest and cheapest way to travel is to purchase you ticket on-line. Otherwise there are numerous agents in Kuta, Sanur Ubud and other tourist areas who are authorized to sell tickets. Please insist that your ticket state “Gilicat” and that you are not being shunted onto a “copy-cat”.

Strictly speaking, that is true. However, when extra charges are factored in to the basic Rp 400,000 ticket :

• taxi to the airport Rp 45,000;
• airport tax Rp 30,000;
• taxi from Mataram airport to Teluk Kode Rp 100,000;
• express boat transfer to Gili Trawangan Rp 150,000)

the cost is roughly equivalent (unless you are travelling in a group of four). Don’t be tempted by false economy! The real reason is that hotels make money on the transfers and push their clients to use their services.