In Reply to: Warning re Fast Boats to Gilis posted by cyberbirth on Sunday, 8. August 2010 at 15:28 Bali Time:
But from a company that wants to make its profits as high as possible and its a booking agent.
Its true that you need all the safety you can get when crossing the Lombok straight,I know I just did it twice.
After the crossing both ways there is no way i would even consider Perama tours slower crossing on its purpose made fishing type vessel but they too now have a fast speed boat.
Eka Jaya is a fairly reputable company I would say, and the one I used last week and they have 2 speed boats that go across both ways together in high season.( gives some comfort in knowing you are not alone in case of breakdown)
I paid 900,000 return booking direct from Australia in advance and that was with a 30% discount. all the people I spoke to in the van that picked us up to take us to Pedang Bai for the speed boat paid 300,000 each way as did many others I spoke to on Gili T.
I questioned this at Eka jayas office in Pedang Bai and they told me I cannot get any further discount because I made a booking so far ahead.
When on Gili T I went into Eka jayas office and inquired about the price of a speed boat ticket back to Pedang Bai and was quoted
300,000 which included transport back to kuta.
I was a bit upset at being stung for the extra 600,000 for two of us so I asked at every booking stall I passed in Kuta and was quoted the same price 300,000 each way with up to 4 different companies.
Its true that Gili T is pretty much full and most places can only offer in some instances 1 or 2 nights for walk ins in between their bookings but no way are the hotels charging double. This may be true of the Losmens and back packer accommodation behind who usually have to fight for customers in low season but the hotels have high season price and low season price which we were quoted at some of the places we asked. I was glad I booked the Beach house 3 months ahead though.
Here is a few of the companies I got the cheaper quotes from and "all" fast boat companies could fit me in for the next day. (I have many more but have to dig them out of my stuff)
This was done 2 days ago in preparation for my my next trip to the Gilis in Jan 2011
Eka Jaya fast boats.
Wahana gili ocean
Blues brothers adventures.
All the fast boat companies brochures I picked up along the way advertised the crossing at 1.2 million return or $75US each way but in reality they are all negotiable when in Bali even the bigger companies.
you really have to go on your own personal experiences I think in this situation.
I was happy with Eka jaya and know i can go with them again in Jan for 600,000 return including pick up and drop off in Kuta.
But the crossing is dangerous and a bit hair raising on any speedboat especially the return in the afternoon when the swell is up because they travel so fast.
I met a Danish couple at our hotel who were going to fly back to Bali via Lombok as they did not trust "any" speedboat operators for the trip back after the trip there.
I am also glad I didnt opt for one of the longer Benoa-Gili fast boat trips, the lesser time at sea the better.
I think this year there is a lot more competition with fast boats because of the popularity of the Gilis which is creating a price war and more operators so there is going to be a bit of sour grapes from the companies that started up first.
The Indonesian coast guard does spot checks on the vessels crossing the Lombok straight,this happened to us when we left Gili T and had to stop in Lombok first for a head count safety check and clearance to cross back to Bali