We rank these on four things: the quality of the experience, how easily it works from a Gili Air base, value for money, and what real travellers say afterwards. Ratings and review counts come straight from GetYourGuide and are checked regularly.
We earn a commission if you book through the links below, at no cost to you — which is exactly why the ranking reflects the trips rather than the commission. Several of our top picks are also among the cheapest.
- Best overall
From Gili Air: Snorkeling with Turtles & Underwater Statue
More than 1,100 reviews at 4.8, it leaves from Gili Air itself and it does exactly what you came for: turtles, reef and the Meno statues in three unhurried hours. Choose the private option for an early start.
Anyone who does just one boat trip from Gili Air
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- Best on a budget
Gili Islands: Private or Shared Snorkeling Boat Trip
Over 5,700 reviews make this the most-booked Gili snorkelling trip by a distance. The shared boat costs about as much as lunch; the private boat is excellent value split between four.
Budget travellers, and families who want a private boat
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- Best fast boat from Bali
Bali to Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, Lombok Fast Boat Transfer
Strong reviews, a direct Gili Air stop and optional hotel pickup across south Bali. Book the morning boat — the Lombok Strait is usually calmer before noon.
Travellers coming straight from Bali
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- Best non-water experience
Gili Air: Kaktus Traditional Cooking Class
A perfect 5.0 from well over a hundred reviews. Two hours, a handful of dishes and a recipe booklet — the ideal thing to do in the heat of the afternoon.
Food lovers, and a break from the sun
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- Best small-group snorkel
From Gili Air: Private or Small Group Snorkeling Boat Tour
The same reefs as the big boats but with small groups and a guide in the water. Ideal for children, nervous swimmers and anyone who wants time with the turtles.
Couples and nervous swimmers who want more attention
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- Best adventure
Mount Rinjani Summit 2-Day Trekking Tour
Sunrise from the summit of a 3,726-metre volcano, with the Gilis far below. Hard work, but reviewers consistently call it the highlight of their Indonesia trip.
Fit hikers with two spare days
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- Best Lombok day trip
Lombok Waterfalls Adventure: Tiu Kelep & Selong Hill Trek
Senaru’s two waterfalls, a forest walk and a viewpoint in one well-organised day — the easiest way to see Lombok’s green interior from Gili Air.
A day off the beach, for any reasonable fitness level
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- Best splurge
Gili Islands: 4-in-1 Catamaran Snorkeling Experience
A catamaran rather than an outrigger, food on board and a 4.9 rating. Worth it for a birthday, honeymoon or simply a more comfortable day at sea.
Celebrations, couples and anyone who prefers comfort
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- Best sunset
Gili Trawangan: Gili Islands Sunset Boat Tour and Snorkeling
Snorkelling in the late afternoon, then the sun sinking behind Bali’s Mount Agung — all from a boat. It leaves from Gili T, a short hop away.
A late-afternoon plan that ends with the sunset
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- Best for photos
Best Snorkeling in Gili Air with Turtles & GoPro Footage
Your guide films you with the turtles on a GoPro, so you can leave your phone safely on the boat.
Anyone who wants the photos without the camera
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- Best first dive
Gili Air: Try Scuba Diving with Pool Training and Ocean Dive
Pool training first, then a real ocean dive. Gili Air’s warm, gentle water makes it one of the best places in Asia to try scuba. A newer listing with few reviews so far.
First-time divers
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- Best if you are staying on Lombok
From Lombok: Gili Islands Snorkeling Day Trip
Hotel pickup in Senggigi and a full day around the Gilis with a 4.9 rating — the easy option when the islands are a day trip rather than a base.
Travellers based in Senggigi or Mataram
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- Best gentler Rinjani trek
Mount Rinjani 2-Day Trek to Senaru Crater Rim
The crater-rim view without the brutal summit push. A steady climb from Senaru through the forest and a night looking over the lake.
Hikers who want the view without the summit
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- Best culture-and-nature day
Benang Stokel & Kelambu Waterfalls: Culture, Beach & Sunset
Central Lombok’s waterfalls, weaving villages and a sunset beach, with over 300 reviews at 4.9.
A sampler of Lombok in one day
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- Best south-coast day
Sade Village, Kuta Lombok, and South Coasts: Private Tour
Private car and guide to Sade village and the great bays around Kuta Lombok. Priced per car, so it is good value for couples.
Couples moving on from the Gilis to Lombok
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- Best off the beaten track
Lombok: Gili Nanggu, Sudak & Kedis Snorkeling Tour
The quiet southwest Gilis of Sekotong — Nanggu, Sudak and Kedis — with almost no other boats. A newer tour, so check the latest reviews.
Travellers continuing to southwest Lombok
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- Best back-up fast boat
Bali: Fast Boat Ticket to Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, Lombok
Hundreds of reviews and several daily departures from Padang Bai — handy when your preferred boat is full.
Comparing departure times from Bali
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- Most-reviewed crossing
From Bali: 1-Way Speedboat Transfer to Gili Trawangan
The GetYourGuide bestseller between Bali and the Gilis. Sold as a Gili Trawangan transfer; check the Gili Air drop-off option or hop across on the island shuttle.
A reliable, well-reviewed crossing
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- Best way back to Bali
Gili Trawangan, Air, or Lombok: 1-Way Boat Transfer to Bali
A straightforward one-way ticket from Gili Air to Padang Bai with onward shuttles. Leave a buffer before any flight.
Getting back to Bali
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How to combine them
On a four-night stay, a good rhythm is: day one, arrive and watch the sunset from the west coast; day two, a morning snorkelling trip and an afternoon cooking class; day three, a Senaru waterfalls day on Lombok or a try-dive; day four, cycle the island and hop over to Gili Meno for the afternoon.
