Welcome to Paradise Island: Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia

Gili Air

The three Gili Islands off the coast of Lombok have something to offer everyone. Gili Trawangan, the designated “party island,” offers a good time to all with beaches during the day and parties at night. Gili Meno, or “Mellow Meno,” is a quiet Robinson-Crusoe-type island that attracts mainly older visitors. Gili Air, many say, is a perfect balance between the shocking noise of Trawangan and the stunning silence of Meno.

Gili Air (“Gili” means small island, “Air” means water) is easily walkable (we made it all the way around in about 90 minutes), as are the other Gilis. And like the other two islands, there are no cars or motorbikes. Colorful horse carts, their decor comparable to what you might find on a carousel, will be waiting at the harbor to take you anywhere on the island. Here the noise of cars is replaced by a gentle tinkling that sounds like Santa’s sleigh, lending to the serenity of the island.

Kim and I were on Gili Air during Ramadan, so the island was slightly quieter than normal. Certain restaurants opened for dinner only after sundown, but food was still very accessible. We stayed in the village near the local Mosque, and at night the loudspeakers filled the air with readings from the Qur'an, a mix between song and chant that is mesmerizing and quite beautiful. A short walk near the Mosque at night gave us a snapshot view of the life, religious devotion, and many adorable children of the village.

Aside from the customary walk around the island, laying on the beach is pretty much the main activity for tourists on Gili Air. Kim and I spent a lot of our time laying on the beach in front of tourist town, interrupted only by nice women selling bracelets and sarongs and an old man who will cut a pineapple into a giant lollipop for you for 15,000 rupiah. There’s also some decent snorkeling (be prepared to see a freaky drop-off not far from the shore!), numerous diving opportunities, and tons of good food. The restaurants on the beach sell good Indonesian, Western, and Italian food, but the warungs are the places to go if you want good, cheap, local food. Kim and I ate breakfast every morning at Warung Kampung, just down the road from Eazy Gili Homestay in the village. The banana pancakes were so good, Kim began to question whether they contained MSG. ;)

It’s also easy to make friends on Gili Air. Kim and I made friends with locals and tourists alike simply by returning to certain restaurants or accepting an invitation to sit and talk on the beach (shout out to our newlywed friends Frank and Hannah!). If you have questions, there’s no one better to ask than your waiter or bartender, and other travelers will have tons of great stories and advice for you! Karang divers also have a very helpful bulletin board to the left of the harbor that gives tourists tips and advice on what to do/see on Gili Air. But for those looking to relax and enjoy the beauty of the island, you only need one question: “Which way is the beach?”

_______________________________________

From Padang Bai on Bali, one can take the slow ferry for 30,000 rp. to Lombok. If you land in Lembar, take a shuttle bus or bemo to Bangsal, and another ferry to Gili Air from Bangsal that takes only about 20 minutes. Another option is a fast boat directly to the Gilis, which will cost around 500,000 rp. Kim and I got a killer deal on a fast boat from our host in Bali, who knew a local ticket dealer well (moral of the story: knowing locals is the best!). If you leave Gili Air for Bangsal, be sure to catch the 8am ferry for 8,000 rp, as the later ferries cost more. Island hopping tickets are around 23,000 rp. Fair warning: high season on Gili Air is July/August, and we heard stories of people having to sleep on the beach because all the rooms were booked. So get that room quick or bring an extra blanket! A good price for a room is at or under 150,000 rp during high season.

Also check out our general travel tips for Indonesia!