Gili Islands

Understand

Lombok's most popular tourist destination, the Gili Islands (or just the Gilis) came to the attention of the wider world as a backpacker mecca in the 1980s and 1990s. This is still true to some extent, and the islands are still a fixture on the Banana Pancake Trail. But times are changing, and there are now a range of accommodation options on the islands to suit different levels of comfort and budget, especially so on Gili Trawangan. There are increasing numbers of Westerners living on the Gilis, and operating businesses ranging from dive companies to resorts. There is a strong environmental focus as the reefs have been very damaged in the past. While people used to come to dive, snorkel and party, the islands have become more and more popular among more upmarket tourists, honeymooners and families. It is still all about the beach, but there are now many more options to wine and dine with a range of more comfortable and luxurious places to stay (though thankfully, no high-rise to spoil the small island atmosphere). The name "Gili Islands" is redundant as gili means "small island" in Sasak, but the name has stuck and is universally used and understood in Lombok. There are also some other islands near Lombok, prefixed with "Gili", e.g. Gili Nanggu and Gili Gede, but these are located to the southwest near Lembar, quite a distance from the "main" Gilis.

Climate The Gilis are noticeably drier and hotter than Lombok, but evenings can be relatively cooler and more refreshing. The rainy season is roughly from November to April, but it rains much less than on Bali. The peak tourist seasons are July–August and December–January.

Getting there

By plane There are no airports in the Gilis. The nearest airport is on mainland Lombok, with decent connections around Indonesia but only limited international service. Flying to Bali, which has a far larger and better connected airport, and taking a boat to the Gilis is a viable and competitively priced alternative. If you do choose to fly, Bandara Internasional Lombok (LOP IATA) is in south central Lombok and a taxi to Bangsal or Teluk Nare will take around 1 hr 40 min-2 hr. Cost by taxi meter will be around Rp 300,000-400,000 depending upon the route used and occasional congestion that may sometimes arising from a wedding or funeral procession on the main road. It is an easy, scenic trip by road, indeed a lot of the route is the same as that travelled on many sightseeing day-trips. Aim to arrive at Teluk Nare or Bangsal no later than 16:00 for an uncomplicated crossing. Night time crossings are possible but not recommended. Gili island transfer services by private car and speed boat are available from the airport to each of the Gili Islands. These can be pre-booked online, see "From Lombok" below.

By ferry

Used mainly by locals, freight and diehard backpackers, there is an hourly public ferry service from Padang Bai (East Bali) to Lembar Harbour (Southwest Lombok), running 24 hours a day. The crossing takes 5-6 hours (plus sometimes considerable waiting around for loading and unloading). This is extremely cheap but the on-board conditions are very basic, and the journey is very slow. Tickets are available from the harbours and cost Rp 60,000 adult fare. After arriving in Lombok it will then take another 2-hr transfer to get to the Gili Islands via road and local boat from Teluk Nare or Bangsal harbor. For more info, see the main Lombok page.

By fast boat

Crossing advice If you are travelling from southern Bali resorts such as Kuta, Legian, or Nusa Dua, the closest departure area is Serangan. From Serangan to Lombok by fast boat takes about 2 hr 30 mi

Getting around

There is no motorised transport on the islands. Your options are horse-drawn carts, known as cidomos, and bicycles, which are available for rent all over the islands. The price for tourists is Rp 20,000-50,000 per head, depending on the length of the journey. To go all the way around the islands could cost up to Rp 150,000. However, as the islands are only a few km in diameter, it's entirely possible to just walk instead. Travelling between the islands requires either catching the infrequent scheduled Koperasi Island hopping boats, or chartering one to take you across. To Lombok you can take one of the very cheap public boats that go back and forth whenever the boat is full, or again charter a vessel. Tickets can be bought from the ticket offices on each island from where the boats depart. No need to pre-book. Example Koperasi Rates from Gili Air: by public boat to Lombok Rp 18,000, to Gili Meno Rp 40,000, to Gili Trawangan Rp 45,000, by fast boat Rp 85,000 for any (Jun 2024). A charter (with 30 capacity) will set you back roughly Rp 400,000; still quite affordable, especially for groups. Booking through a travel agent usually just costs more, and you still need to change the reservation to an actual ticket at the very same counter. Some speedboat charters are available between Lombok and the islands, these do need booking shortly beforehand and usually can be arranged by your hotel locally. For current ferry routes and schedules between the Gili islands and nearby destinations, you can also check online to Ferryhopper. The distances between the islands may seem swimmable, but do not attempt it — the currents are fierce and several visitors have died trying.

See

There are no major sights on the islands, snorkelling and diving being the main draw. However, a few attractions are worth noting:

Gili Meno Bird Park, Gili Meno, Lombok, Indonesia. A bird sanctuary in the centre of Gili Meno boasting exotic species in a beautifully landscaped environment. Macaws, flamingos, cockatoos, pelicans, eagles, parrots and more. Also home to a crocodile, some deer and a kangaroo. Turtle sanctuary, Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno. Green and loggerhead turtles are now common to the waters around the Gilis. To ensure the on-going survival of these creatures, sanctuaries have been set-up on both Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno. You can visit the sanctuaries, see the baby turtles in their pools and learn more about these fascinating creatures. Sunset on the hill, Gili Trawangan. Great sunset spot with panoramic views of the 3 Gilis and of Lombok and Bali beyond. A good place to take photographs.

Do

Scuba diving There is good diving around the islands, suitable for all levels, the islands being globally known as a proficient teaching center for beginners right up to instructor level. Technical diving courses are also available. An impressive array of marine life is present, such as green and hawksbill turtles, bumphead parrotfish, black-tip and white-tip reef sharks and more. There are also some great muckdiving sites for macro photographers, a Japanese wreck for deep diving and biorock artificial reefs which may interest environmental enthusiasts. Visibility is commonly in the 15-30 m range. Due to the exposed position of the Gilis, currents can be quite strong and drift diving is the norm. Some of the dive sites hav