kuta beach beauty: GILI Islands : Paradise on Earth

The Gili Islands (Indonesian: Tiga Gili [Three Gilis], Kepulauan Gili [Gili Islands]) are an archipelago of three small islands — Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air — just off the northwest coast of Lombok, Indonesia.

The islands are a popular destination for Western tourists looking for a remote island experience. Each island has several very small resorts, usually consisting of a small collection of huts for tourists, and a restaurant. Most local inhabitants live on Trawangan in a township stretching along its east side just inland (which is also where most recent development is taking place). Automobiles and motorized traffic are prohibited on the islands by local ordinance, so the preferred method of transportation is bicycle or the horse-drawn carriage called a cidomo. Diving in and around the Gilis is also popular due to the abundance of fish life and attractive coral formations.

The name "Gili Islands" is a misnomer, because Gili simply means "small island" in Sasak. As a result most of the islands around the coast of Lombok have Gili in their names, although confusion is averted by referring (in English) to the other Gilis around the Lombok coast by their proper names only.

The largest of the three islands, Gili Trawangan attracts the majority of visitors, it is around thirty minutes boat ride from the northwest mainland of Lombok and regular daily fast boats depart Bali directly to Trawangan island and all boats stop off at Teluk Nare on mainland Lombok as part of the return journey.

The beaches of the Gilis are still powdery white, the water a beautiful clear blue and they are positioned perfectly for sunsets over Bali’s Mt Agung and sunrise over Lombok’s Mt Rinjani. Thirty years ago the Gili islands were uninhabited and only discovered by the seafaring Bugis people from Sulawesi. It was only a matter of time before the more adventurous backpacker types discovered the islands and developed Trawangan into a hippy party paradise destination.

Gili Trawangan now identifies itself as a great holiday destination suitable for families of all ages. Various new hotels, luxury villas, and boutique bungalows now cater to children and offer good value. Some have baby-sitting services, and with lots of activities on the islands families are sure to enjoy their beach holidays to the full.

Only a kilometre from Gili Trawangan and set in the middle of the three islets lies the real Robinson Crusoe experience of the Gilis with some of the best beaches to be found.

Only two kilometres long and one wide, Gili Meno is the smallest of the three islands and by far the most peacefull and under developed. It’s possible to walk around the island along the beach or paths of Gili Meno in under two hours.

Most visitors are attracted to Gili Meno for the lure of total escapism and it is therefore very popular with honeymooning couples and adventurous castaway types.

The dining scene is predominantly local cafes with grilled fish on the beach as dusk approaches.

Lazing around in a hammock, reading books and playing chess with the friendly locals (who are always willing to strike up a conversation) also ranks very highly on the daily Meno agenda.

For divers and snorkellers, the island boasts the infamous 'Gili Meno Wall' where during the day turtles freely swim by and giant gorgonian fans hang amongst the colourful corals. At night divers can witness huge Moray Eels and the entertaining Spanish Dancers.

Gili Air is closest of the Gilis to the Lombok mainland, making it popular with honeymoon couples and travelers seeking a quiet retreat. It has a population of about 1,000 and administratively lies in the West Nusa Tenggara province. The island offers excellent snorkeling and scuba diving off its east coast, and turtles can be seen along the coral reef.

The circumference of the island is traversable by foot in around two and a half hours but be sure to pack some supplies as you’re heading well off the beaten track. As with Gili Meno the pace of life is slow and endearing to those who really want to escape the hustle and bustle of the outside world.