Are you worried about feeling seasick on the fast boats to the Gili Islands? The journey is notoriously bumpy and uncomfortable, with little to no airconditioning and cramped seating.
Most people struggle with the ride, even if they usually don’t feel seasick on boats, so it’s good to come prepared. If you’re wondering which fast boat company to the Gili Islands is best for seasickness, which harbour you should choose and where the best place to sit on the boat is, this article is for you.
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Why you can trust this article about getting seasick on boats to Gili Trawangan
Hi, I’m Victoria, and I’m your go-to source for Bali and Indonesia travel information.
I’ve lived on this beautiful island for several years now and visited plenty of times before that, both as a tourist and backpacker. I know how to save money and when to splurge on things, so I’ll introduce you to the best luxury getaways for a special occasion but also the cheapest airport pickups and fun group tours you can join if you want to make friends.
The Gili Islands are one of my favourite places in the world, and I come here at least four or five times per year. I used to get severely seasick, especially on the boat rides to the Gili Islands, but over the years, I’ve collected so many different strategies to avoid feeling unwell on boats that it rarely happens anymore now.
My first ever boat ride to the Gili Islands, which was close to ten years ago now, was one of the worst of my life, and today I don’t even think about it twice.
I’m not someone who naturally doesn’t get seasick, so if you’re prone to it too, I can help. Even people who’ve never felt seasick before often start to feel queasy on the fast boats to Gili Trawangan, so don’t underestimate it.
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Why almost everyone gets seasick on the fast boat to Gili Trawangan
Sea sickness or motion sickness is something many people struggle with, be it in a car on a winding mountain road or on a plane during turbulence.
The fast boats to Gili are usually far from a smooth ride, but if you have a slight tendency to get motion-sick, you should be aware of what to expect.
The first feeling of getting seasick often starts during boarding, when the boat is still tied to the dock, and you find yourself squeezed between other travellers and their backpacks without being able to look out the window.
Even sitting at the window doesn’t help much, since they’re located very high up and are very hard to see out of.
Out on the open ocean, the waves can get very high, rocking the boat in all directions and water splashes in, so the windows have to be closed. The air inside the cabin gets extremely stuffy and hot, which makes nausea even worse.
Even though many fast boats to Gili Trawangan advertise the fact that they have air conditioning, this is rarely the case, and even if they do, it’s not strong enough to cool down the cabin with so many people inside.
While some rides to the Gili Islands are smooth sailing, many are extremely bumpy, making even the most seasoned traveller seasick.

Common sea-sickness remedies
There are different kinds of seasickness remedies that are helpful, but you should try them out before you go on your trip to make sure that they work for you and to find out if they cause any side effects.
Over-the-counter seasickness medication and pills in Gili T
Over-the-counter medications against motion sickness are usually very effective, in my case, they are at the top of my packing list for boat or car trips.
You usually take a pill 30 to 60 minutes before the trip. You can either buy them from home before going to Bali or shop for some here in a local pharmacy, which usually has a decent selection.
The staff is used to tourists shopping for seasickness remedies, so they will be able to help you out.
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Keep in mind that many seasickness pills can cause drowsiness, sleepiness and decreased alertness. This especially applies to Dramamine (dimenhydrinate).
It affects each person differently, but you should dose it carefully to make sure you’re not too drowsy or confused when you arrive, especially if you’re travelling alone.
Motion sickness goggles
Motion sickness goggles are not for everyone, and you definitely have to try them on before you go on your trip to see if they work for you. There are various types that use different technologies.
They might be more effective for car travel, and I haven’t seen anyone wear them on a boat to Gili T, but they can be great when combined with another remedy on the list.
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Acupressure bands
Acupressure is another way of dealing with nausea. However, you have to familiarise yourself with the topic beforehand and know the different acupoints that you have to massage or press on to relieve the discomfort. I would recommend seeing a professional therapist if you really want to dive into the world of acupressure.
A good home remedy is acupressure bands, which you can buy before going to Bali. They give some relief for mild seasickness, but in my experience work best when combined with anti-nausea medication.

Scopolamine patches
Scopolamine patches require a prescription from your doctor. Many people find them an easy and effective way to combat nausea, but they can also have side effects like memory loss, headaches and difficulty speaking.
Definitely try them out before using them on a boat for the first time, and look into scopolamine in chewing gum or pill versions.
Ginger
If you want to avoid taking medication, you should try out ginger as a natural alternative. It is said to prevent nausea, and you can take it in many different ways.
I am not a fan of the taste of ginger, but a friend once introduced me to ginger candy from China, and now I would never go on a boat trip without them. My favourite is the Tin Tin brand, which is extremely affordable.
This type of candy exists all over Asia, and I usually buy them at Fantasy Market in Canggu, but I’ve also seen them in the airport in Denpasar.
Check local convenience stores around Bali, although it might take a few tries to find them.

Lying down
A lot of people find that it helps to look at the horizon if they feel nauseous on a boat, and it definitely does.
However, the windows are hard to see out of on the fast boats to Gili Trawangan, and if you’re feeling seasick, you might not have a lot of options to look at something steady since there is no land in sight for parts of the trip.
For me, lying down or even just closing my eyes actually helps a lot more, especially if I lie on my back. Of course, this is a luxury you probably won’t have on a crowded boat to the Gili Islands, but if you somehow get the chance, definitely try it.
Alcohol
It may seem counter-intuitive, but small amounts of alcohol can help with seasickness for some people. This loosens up the body and distracts your mind, which is a big part of nausea. This mostly applies to drinking a drink or two just before the boat ride and perhaps another one during, but never excessively which can make seasickness a lot worse.
Beer is sold on most fast boats to the Gili Islands, and the boat crew often have arak, a local spirit, although I wouldn’t recommend hard liquor if you feel seasick.
Also, remember that you should never drink and take medication, so do not combine alcohol with any anti-nausea pills

Why sitting at the back of the boat is best for seasickness
The boat trip to Gili Trawangan can take between 1.5 and 3 hours, and the boats are often fully booked. While it may be good to wait until the very end to get on, so you can avoid having to wait in the swaying boat before it takes off, this also means you won’t get to pick where you sit.
Getting on last will usually mean you’ll be squeezed in the middle of a stuffy boat on a bumpy ride. So what do you do?
On these types of fast boats, the calmest place is in the aft, meaning the back. The front of the boat slaps the waves, making it very bumpy and uncomfortable. The further back you sit, the calmer it gets.
I always try to get an aisle seat in the last row if possible.
This means you’ll be close to the exit, and as soon as it gets bumpy, you can get up and try to stand at the back door, which is usually open.
Often, the staff even lets you sit outside at the back end where you can get more air and try to focus on something steady, like the horizon, a mountain or the coastline. However, the seats outside tend to get wet from the sea spray, so better to stay close to the exit.
This is also where the toilet is usually located, so you won’t be far away if worst comes to worst.
However, be aware that the diesel fumes from the engines can be strong in the back, which can make nausea even worse.
Other seating recommendations for fast boats to Gili Trawangan
Another option would be to get a spot as far in the back of the boat as possible and go for the window seat. There you can lean against the wall and just try to relax, close your eyes and sleep.
This usually also helps with nausea and you might get lucky and get a whole row to yourself to lie down if the boat isn’t full.
Many travellers also try to get a seat on the upper deck, which can be a good choice because of the view and a fresh breeze, just make sure the upper deck is covered and there are actual seats, not just a big open deck
But if it is only partly covered, the spray will hit you and get you completely wet, which isn’t ideal for a two-hour ride. Besides, if it gets wavy, you might feel more motion than on the lower deck.
If you don’t have many seating choices because the boat is full when you board, try to go as far back on the boat as possible and put your backpack on a seat, but stay standing near the exit door at the back. That way, you’ll get some air and can later regroup and check the rows to see if a better seat opened up.
You will notice that people are changing around and giving up their seats to go up to the upper deck, so you might find something.

Worst-case seasickness scenarios on the Gili fast boats and how to handle them
Most of the time, your fast boat trip to Gili T will be completely smooth and uneventful, and with some seasickness pills, you will handle your nausea well.
There are plenty of horror stories around about the fast boats to the Gili Islands, but you should know that the majority of trips are absolutely fine. They’re hot and stuffy but usually not extremely bumpy.
If you get unlucky, and the sea is rough on the day of your boat trip to the Gili Islands, it’s good to know what you should expect.
If there is stormy weather and high waves, the ride might get rough and since the spray from the waves gets into the cabin, the doors and windows will have to be closed.
This makes the boats extremely hot and stuffy, and soon, the first travellers will start to throw up, which makes it so much worse. People sometimes start to feel unsafe and panic, although the boat crew do the trip from Bali to the Gili Islands multiple times every single day.
Stay calm and try to relax knowing that the boats to the Gili Islands are perfectly safe and that incidents are extremely rare.
Listening to music or a podcast to help distract you, and don’t overthink if you’re feeling nauseous; it makes it so much worse.
If you cannot tolerate any audio distraction, sometimes focusing your mind on something completely different can also help and the spicy taste of ginger candy will block out smells that might be triggering your nausea.
If nothing helps and you are overwhelmed by the situation, look around, and you will most likely find someone who feels even more than you. Helping out fellow passengers who are less prepared with tissues, ginger candy, or a plastic bag will make you feel much more in control and might even distract you from your seasickness.
Time is your friend, with every minute passing by, you get closer to your destination, and the sea gets calmer as soon as you leave the open water.
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Best fast boat companies for sea sickness
There are a ton of fast boat companies that go to Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno, with different options depending on the departure port.
If you are worried about getting seasick, definitely take the route from Padang Bai directly to Gili Trawangan, where your best option would probably be the Eka Jaya boats.
They might not be the fastest option and are way more expensive than the others, but they have the biggest boats, which handle rough seas better.
Eka Jaya is also the only boat company whose air conditioning is at least somewhat reliable, so definitely consider investing in a ticket with them if you think you might get seasick on the fast boat to Gili Trawangan.
In my experience, most other fast boat companies are pretty similar and all equally bad. Semaya One is a very popular one, and it has notoriously bad reviews, but I personally find that it’s not really worse than any of the others.
I’ve only had one really bad experience on a fast boat to Gili Trawangan, and that was with Scoot Fast Cruise from Sanur to Gili Trawangan. However, the trip was quite a few years ago, but it was so bad that I would definitely not use them again.
The boat was very small, and the journey was extremely long, so I would not recommend it to anyone who struggles with seasickness.
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Where to buy fast boat tickets to the Gili Islands
You can find boat tickets to Gili all over Bali, in little tourist shops. You’ll usually have to haggle a little but to get a decent price, but it’s easy to overpay.
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What is the shortest boat trip to Gili Trawangan?
If you want to minimise the time you’ll have to spend on a boat, these are your options to get from Bali to the Gili Islands.
Padang Bai to the Gili Islands
The fastest option from Bali to Gili Trawangan is to take a fast boat from Padang Bai, which is a 1.5-hour car ride from the Canggu/Seminyak area.
The boat trip will take another 1.5 to 2 hours to Gili Trawangan, but it is a direct service with the shortest travel time if you want to take a boat from Bali to Gili. On your way back, the boat will make a stop in Gili Air and Lombok though, since it’s a circular service.
This means that the ride back from Gili to Bali takes at least an hour longer than the way there, especially if you’re staying in Gili T.
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You need to read our grab and gojek guide to Padang Bai if you’ll be arriving or departing at this harbour. The local transport situation is definitely very messy.
Bali to Lombok flight and boat from Bangsal to Gili
The route with the least amount of time spent on a boat is to fly from Bali to Lombok, take a car to Bangsal, and then hop on a boat to Gili from there. The flight is around 30 to 45 minutes, and the drive from the airport is another 1.5 at least, most likely closer to 2 hours.
Bangsal is the closest harbour to the Gili Trawangan, and the local boat transfer takes only around 30 minutes. The waters are usually calm on this route, and the boats are open-air, so you’ll get a nice breeze, which can help with sea sickness.
There are also fast boats on this route, which are faster but can be crowded and stuffy.
Another option is to take the slow ferry from Padang Bai to Lembar in Lombok and then take a car to Bangsal. While the slow ferry is generally very calm and smooth, it also takes between four and six hours, so it’s a much longer journey with no guarantee that you won’t still feel seasick.
Just make sure to consider that the overall travel time will take almost a day, and the drive from Lombok airport to the harbour can also be exhausting and stressful. The roads are winding, and finding affordable transport is tricky.
If you want to explore Lombok anyway this might be a good option, but otherwise, I would probably just opt to take the fast boat from Padang Bai instead.
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Nusa Lembongan & Nusa Penida to the Gili Islands
Many travellers spend a few days on Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Penida before continuing to Gili Trawangan. The shortest fast boat trip to these islands leaves from Sanur, and it takes between 25 and 45 minutes, depending on the tides.
The fast boat ride to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida is usually much smoother than the Gili Islands, making it more suitable for those prone to seasickness.
There are direct boats from both Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida to the Gili Islands, but you have to explicitly ask for them since some routes stop over in Padang Bai. Eka Jaya also operates on these routes and you can always ask for details about the trip and company when you buy your tickets.
The trip from Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan to the Gili Islands is slightly longer than from Padang Bai, but I personally find that the difference isn’t too big.
On one occasion we were in Nusa Lembongan and had to go to Nusa Penida first to change boats before heading to Gili, which was a bit inconvenient, so make sure to ask if the boat is direct or not.

Sanur to the Gili Islands
Whatever you do, do not take a boat from Sanur to the Gili Islands. The journey is much longer, and the boats are usually smaller, so it’s bumpier. I would highly recommend driving to Padang Bai instead and departing from there.
Sanur also has quite some issues with grab and gojek, so know what to expect if you happen to be arriving at this harbour.
How long is the journey from Bali to the Gili Islands?
Here is an overview of the estimated travel times to the Gili Islands, depending on the weather and sea conditions.
Gili Trawangan | |
Padang Bai | 1.5 to 2.5 hours |
Sanur | 3 to 3.5 hours |
Nusa Penida/Nusa Lembongan | 2 to 3 hours |
Lombok | 20 to 30 minutes |
Gili Trawangan to Padang Bai | 2.5 to 4 hours |
For trips to Gili Air, add another 25 to 40 minutes, as passengers need to get off and on at Gili T, which takes time.
Are there toilets on board the fast boats to the Gili Islands?
The fast boats to Gili Trawangan usually have a toilet in the back of the boat. It is pretty basic, so you should bring some toilet paper or tissues with you.
The condition of the toilet usually deteriorates during the trip, so if you are already feeling nauseous, you might only want to use it if you are out of other options.
Are the fast boats to the Gili Islands safe?
Generally, the fast boats to the Gili Islands are safe, and you do not need to be hesitant to use them. That being said, you cannot compare them to Western standards, and if you don’t know what to expect, you might be unpleasantly surprised.
Serious incidents are extremely rare, but you should definitely prepare for a little adventure. The boats are very frequently overcrowded, and the ride can be bumpy, but you will make it to Gili safely, just maybe a bit seasick.
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Are there direct boats from Bali to Gili Trawangan?
There are direct boats to Gili Trawangan from Padang Bai, Nusa Penida and, of course, Lombok. Padang Bai is always the best option, and almost all the fast boats departing from here are direct to Gili Trawangan, making them a good choice if you get seasick easily.
On your way back from Gili Trawangan to Padang Bai, the boat will stop in Gili Air and Lombok, though, and this is very difficult to avoid.

Things to avoid and things to do before you go on a fast boat to Gili
- Do not go on the boat trip to the Gili Islands hungover, even if you don’t usually get seasick.
- Don’t eat a big meal right before you depart, only have a light breakfast.
- Consider staying up late the night before (without drinking of course) to help you sleep on the boat.
- Plan enough time to get to the harbour and for the check-in. If you are late, you will not have as many seating options.
- Wear comfortable clothes, so you can relax as much as possible.
- Take your anti-nausea medication around an hour before departure. They take quite some time to work, so don’t wait until you feel nauseous to take a pill.
- Do not read or look at your phone on the boat, even if it’s just for a few seconds. Once you start feeling nauseous, there is often no way back.
- Only take a small bag into the cabin and give most of your luggage to the crew to store away, so you don’t have to worry about carrying around a big backpack around the boat if you change seats.
- Waterproof your things just in case, as Gili boats are notoriously wet and leaky. If you’re feeling seasick on a fast boat to Gili Trawangan, the last thing you want to worry about is your valuables getting wet.
Things to pack on your fast boat trip to the Gili Islands
If possible, take a dry bag or something that is at least water-repellent. Your bag will be on the floor of the boat, which is often wet.
- A big bottle of water
- A travel pillow so you can sleep
- Tissues and wet wipes
- Ginger candy
- A small USB ventilator (can also be used as a power bank)
- Headphones and make sure you have plenty of music, podcasts or audiobooks downloaded since there is no reception for most of the trip
- Earplugs and a sleeping mask
- A spare shirt, as you’ll most likely arrive very sweaty
- Flip flops, slides or sandals instead of sneakers
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat if you end up sitting outside
Other useful tips for your fast boat trip to the Gili Islands
Try to relax and enjoy the trip as much as possible. These boat rides are actually a good opportunity to meet other travellers and make some friends.
Do not check yourself constantly if you are feeling the first signs of seasickness, or make this your main focus. As difficult as this is, it only makes it worse.
If you are not feeling social, try to enjoy the ride with some music and think about how you’ll be swimming with turtles at the beach of Gili T soon.

How to avoid getting seasick on fast boats to the Gili Islands FAQ
Eka Jaya is the best choice if you get seasick since it’s the largest boat, but other companies are faster and more affordable. Generally, all fast boat operators are equally bad, so there is no right or wrong choice.
Pharmacies on the Gili Islands, especially Gili T, will have a basic selection of anti-nausea medication, mainly Dramamine. However, more advanced remedies like acupressure bands or patches are difficult, if not impossible, to find here.
The back of a boat is the best place to sit for seasickness as there is the least amount of movement. The front of the boat is the worst place to sit.
Generally, the different fast boat companies to the Gili Islands are all equally safe. Eka Jaya has the highest standards and best quality of boats, though.
It takes between 1.5 and 2.5 hours from Padang Bai to the Gili Islands.
The ride from Padang Bai to the Gili Islands is much faster than the trip from Sanur.
There are some direct options from Gili Trawangan to Bali, but they can be expensive and difficult to find. Most boats first go to Gili Air and to Lombok.
There are plenty of direct boats from Padang Bai in Bali to Gili Trawangan.
Many travellers struggle with seasickness on the way from Bali to the Gili Islands, so make sure to come prepared.
Sit in the back of the boat, take anti-nausea medication, try to sleep and avoid looking at your phone to prevent seasickness.
Speedboat rides can be bumpy, so it’s definitely possible to get seasick, unfortunately.
Before you go…
You’re ready to brave the journey from Bali to the Gili Islands without feeling seasick. While you’re here, we thought you might enjoy our articles about how to choose between Gili Air and Gili Trawangan and the best villas with a private pool on Gili Trawangan.
If you still need some inspiration for your trip to Nusa Penida, check out our posts about Kelingking Beach, Diamond Beach, Rumah Pohon Treehouse and the Tembeling Natural Pools.
Did I miss anything?
If you have any questions or feel like something is missing from this post, please leave a comment below or contact me.
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