The Ultimate Travel Guide to Indonesia's Gili Islands

The Ultimate Travel Guide to Indonesia's Gili Islands

Indonesia Jorney - “The turtle capital of the world” and the “Maldives of Southeast Asia” – these area unit some of the unearned names travellers use to explain Indonesia’s Gili Islands. Here is Culture Trip’s final travel guide to the present exceptional slice of paradise.

The Gili Islands — Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air — have many things in common: idyllic beaches, exotic marine species roaming the crystal clear water, and a laid-back beach ambiance that creates you wish to drink a cocktail out of a coconut. Each island has its own unique characteristics that give travellers a well-rounded experience, involving everything from partying on a boat to a mindful afternoon doing aqua yoga. This ultimate travel guide to the Gili Islands will reveal everything you need to know to get the best out of this amazing archipelago.

Enjoy the view

Know your Gili

In local Sasak language, Gili means “small islands”. There are other gilis around mainland Lombok, but the Gili Islands usually refer to these three sister islands: Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air.

Once a preferred destination for partying backpackers, the Gili Islands area unit still a much-beloved a part of the known Banana flapcake path. Throughout the years however, a wide range of new experiences have entered the mixture previously saturated by budget homestays and cheap bars. Stretches of sand area unit currently dotted with romantic luxury villas, whereas in alternative places you’ll notice rugged wooded trails home to thriving life.

Gili Trawangan

The biggest and most developed of the Gili Islands, Gili Trawangan (or Gili T), is both a vibrant party island and laid-back tropical getaway, alluring an exciting mix of crowds to its shores. This island is aware of the way to throw parties that rave on well till early morning, once the baton is passed on to dive instructors, market vendors and café owners.

Gili Meno

Sandwiched between 2 alternative islands, Gili Meno is that the smallest and least developed of the trio. This makes it a favorite destination for honeymooning, conservation and wildlife spotting, where you can trail along the white-sand beaches with hardly another soul in sight. Gili Meno conjointly homes the turtle sanctuary that successively has presented a thriving population of ocean turtles to stay diverse company.

Gili Air

Decades before this tiny island emerged as a hip tourer destination, Gili Air used to be the main attraction of the Gilis, with impressive natural features described like legends in many a backpacker bar. Until now, an oversized population of locals still reside on this island, while Gili Trawangan is mostly bustling with foreign tourists. This is wherever you’ll notice the foremost authentic villages and ancient huts, which also sell locally produced goods and crafts. Gili Air is additionally for the swaggering deep down, offering avant-garde attractions like subwinging, kitesurfing, aqua yoga, SUP yoga and more.

How to get there

Getting to the Gili Islands is straightforward from either island or Lombok. From Bali, travellers can catch a fast boat at Sanur Beach or Serangan Harbour. The trip takes less than one hour from either point and return tickets cost about $105 USD per person. A cheaper route would involve a ferry transfer to Lombok (costs about $5 USD per person) followed by a road trip to one of the harbours at the northwestern tip of the island.

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