Two days ago, I began my latest journey to Gili Air, and as I sit here at the very beginning of my 21-day island adventure, it already feels like I’ve collected enough stories for an entire trip.
One of the things I love about travelling to Gili Air is that the adventure starts long before you see the first stretch of white sand or glimpse the turquoise water. Getting there is part of the experience, and my June 2026 trip was no exception.
My driver who stood out
My flight from Australia landed in Bali at 10:15pm. While it might be technically possible to continue straight to the islands, I had no desire to turn my arrival into an endurance event. Instead, I booked a night in Sanur and planned to catch a fast ferry the following morning.
A few days before leaving Australia, I arranged an airport transfer with a driver named Angga through Facebook Messenger. Like many travellers, there was a tiny part of me wondering if I’d actually find him amongst the sea of waiting drivers at Bali Airport.
Fortunately, Angga sent me a WhatsApp message before I landed, including a photo of the sign he’d be holding.
This turned out to be invaluable.
Anyone who has emerged from Bali Airport arrivals knows the scene. There are what feels like hundreds of people holding signs. Every conceivable font appears to be represented. Thankfully, Angga’s sign was handwritten. Knowing I wasn’t looking for something printed in Times New Roman dramatically improved my chances of finding him amongst the crowd.
Mission accomplished.
Once we found each other, we headed off to Sanur. The drive took about 40 minutes, and one thing immediately struck me: Bali’s roads apparently never sleep. At 11:30pm there were still scooters everywhere. Thousands of them. Well, perhaps not thousands, but enough to make me wonder if anyone in Bali ever actually goes to bed.
I paid Angga in cash, the equivalent of around $20 AUD, and quickly realised I hadn’t just hired a driver. I had hired a personal welcome committee. He carried my bags, escorted me into the hotel reception, and even gave me a quick language lesson en route.
One phrase he taught me, complete with gestures, was how to politely say “No thank you” to street vendors.
A friendly but firm “No thank you” will save me countless conversations about sunglasses, bracelets, boat trips, massages and various other items I didn’t know I desperately need. Angga’s lesson will pay for itself many times over in terms of peace and serenity!
![urzd0958[1]](https://i0.wp.com/gilisolo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/URZD09581.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1 "The adventure begins")
There are what feels like hundreds of people holding signs. Every conceivable font appears to be represented. Thankfully, Angga's sign was handwritten. Knowing I wasn't looking for something printed in Times New Roman dramatically improved my chances of finding him amongst the crowd.
A Comfortable Night in Sanur
For my overnight stay, I chose M3 Sanur, which cost around $40 AUD for the night.
The location couldn’t have been much better. The hotel is only about 200 metres from the ferry port, making it ideal for anyone catching an early morning boat. After a long travel day, there was something comforting about knowing that the next stage of the journey was only a short walk away.
The following morning I woke early and wandered down to watch the sunrise. One of the joys of Sanur is that breakfast is never far away. There seemed to be cafes and restaurants every few metres.
Naturally, I ended up having breakfast while sitting on a swing.
As one does.
There is something wonderfully relaxing about gently swinging while eating breakfast and watching the world wake up around you. It felt like the perfect way to begin a three-week island escape.
With plenty of time before departure, I returned to the hotel, enjoyed a shower, packed my bags and headed towards the ferry terminal feeling surprisingly organised.
Follow the Camels
I had pre-booked my return ferry ticket with D Camel for $92 AUD.
Their office was easy to find, and the check-in process was refreshingly straightforward. I received one sticker for my large bag and another sticker for myself. There was also a departure tax of IDR 20,000 to pay before entering the terminal area.
Passengers aren’t allowed into the terminal immediately. Instead, the various ferry companies begin calling passengers around 30 minutes before departure.
I couldn’t understand most of the boat names being announced over the speakers, but eventually I heard people shouting “Camel!”
That seemed clear enough.
My travel strategy immediately became:
Follow the camels.
It worked beautifully.
The Curious Case of the Empty Ferry
The ferry itself was quite large and only about half full when we departed Sanur at approximately 9:15am.
The journey to Gili Air included several stops along the way, eventually calling at four different ports.
One of the more memorable moments occurred when we stopped at Nusa Lembongan.
Suddenly almost every passenger got off.
Within minutes, there was only myself and one other lady sitting on the ferry.
It was surprisingly unsettling.
One moment you’re surrounded by fellow travellers. The next moment you’re sitting on what feels like a ghost ship wondering whether you’ve somehow missed an important announcement.
Had everyone reached their destination?
Had I accidentally boarded the wrong ferry?
Was I now the proud owner of an entire boat?
Fortunately, after about ten minutes, another vessel arrived and transferred more passengers onto our ferry.
Crisis averted.
While I waited, I distracted myself by admiring what may have been the bluest water I have ever seen. The colour hardly looked real. It was one of those travel moments where no photograph seems capable of capturing what your eyes are seeing.
Arrival on Gili Air
After several stops and a very enjoyable crossing, we finally arrived at Gili Air at around 12:45pm.
The arrival process involved transferring from the ferry onto a transport barge before reaching shore. I quickly discovered that the step down from the ferry to the barge was considerably larger than I had anticipated.
Thankfully, the porters clearly recognised that not everyone was auditioning for an Olympic gymnastics team and happily held my hand as I made the crossing.
My large bag was transferred from the ferry and delivered onto the Gili Air wharf, and before I knew it, I was standing on the island I’d been looking forward to visiting for months.
No taxis.
No cars.
No traffic lights.
Just warm air, sandy pathways and that unmistakable feeling that island time operates at its own pace.
As I collected my bag and began meandering towards my first accommodation, I couldn’t help but smile.
The planning was over.
The flights were done.
The ferry journey was complete.
And my 21-day Gili Air adventure had officially begun.