Gili Air is part of the island group the Gilis. They consist of Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno. The Gilis are located about an hour by boat from Bali, close to the neighbouring island Lombok.
What makes the Gilis so special is that there’s no motorised traffic on any of the three islands. This makes them a calm retreat with laid-back island life.
Gili Trawangan is the biggest one of the islands and attracts the most tourists. There’s hardly anything going on on Gili Meno which makes it great for couples who want to spend some quiet days on dreamy beaches. And finally, Gili Air is the perfect middle.
Gili Trawangan (Gili T.) – the party island
Gili Air – the chill island
Gili Meno – the honeymoon island
The only way to get around on the Gilis is to walk, to take a bike or to use a horse carriage. But please, be a responsible tourist and DON’T TAKE THE HORSE CARRIAGES. The islands are small enough for walking or biking to any place and the horses are not treated well.
Gili Air is perfect for those who want to escape the crowded mass tourism hotspots and busy roads of Bali. Life on the Gilis seems slower and invites you to slow down, take in every moment and simply enjoy being there. Locals greet you on the streets and everyone seems to be happy.
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Sunsets, cocktails and life music
The sunsets on Gili Air are breathtaking. Make sure to watch it in one of the bars on the west coast of the island. Most of them offer happy hour on cocktails and you can relax in bean bags on the beach while enjoying the view. My personal favourite bar was Gili Lumbung. Besides good cocktails and food they even have life music which contributes to the great atmosphere.
Diving and snorkelling on Gili Air
The Gili Islands are surrounded by several amazing dive spots and I highly recommend diving there. There are loads of turtles and marine life and on some dive sites you can even spot reef sharks.
If you don’t have a diving certificate you can either do a course to get certified or try scuba diving in one of the numerous dive centres. Gili Air Divers has great guides and the whole team is very professional.
In case that you don’t want to go diving, there are also some great spots where you can go snorkelling on your own. The best places for snorkelling are on the east coast of Gili Air. Walking down the road next to the beach you can find several stands that offer masks, fins and snorkels for rent. There are lots of colourful fish and if you’re lucky you might even see a turtle.
Here are some important considerations to help protect the marine life when snorkelling in Southeast Asia.
Delicious food
Gili Air offers lots of great restaurants which make you struggle which one to choose. Against my expectations, the prices are even lower than on Bali or on the neighbouring island Gili Trawangan.
The restaurants can be divided in traditional Indonesian cuisine and international cuisine. Next to the beach there are mostly international restaurants which offer western cuisine at a comparatively high price. Whereas the local restaurants (called “Warung”) are located in the centre of the island and offer food at a way lower price.
My favourite traditional Indonesian restaurants:
- Warung Parida
- Fantastic Bamboo Hut Hostel – I tried almost the whole menu and every single dish is to die for!
My favourite international restaurants:
- Warung Mexicana for tasty and cheap burritos
- Aura Bowls for smoothie bowls
Participate in a beach clean-up
The Indonesian islands have a huge problem with pollution. Especially the highly touristic places like Bali or the Gilis are concerned because tourist numbers have exploded in the past years. Due to a lack of garbage management system the locals don’t know what to do with the amount of garbage that is produced on a daily basis. While some of it is shipped to the mainland, the remaining amount is simply burned. The smell of burned plastic every evening stings in the nose and reminds to take action and to help reducing the problem.
Lately, the awareness of environmental protection has risen in Indonesia and there are numerous initiatives to reduce pollution. Many hostels and restaurants have free water dispensers to refill bottles, drinks are served with metal straws and weekly beach clean-ups take place. This an easy and fun activity that every tourist can participate in to give something back to the destination. After all, as travellers we’re all partly causing the pollution problem.
You can join a beach clean-up with Gili Shark Conservation for example.
Explore Gili Air
Finally, take some time to explore the island. There are loads of picturesque places and inviting cafés that make you want to stop and look. Take a walk and discover the little paths. Forget about time and just enjoy the moment.
Gili Air was my absolute favourite place during 30 days in Indonesia. I felt at home after only a couple of days and I ended up extending my stay again and again. This island is my indication for a perfect place filled with happiness and the absence of stress.
Have you ever been to Gili Air? How did you like it?
Or are you planning to go there? Let me know in the comments!
Read Also:
- Climbing Mount Rinjani – Indonesia’s Second Highest Volcano
- Complete Guide to Labuan Bajo, Indonesia
- Best Beaches to Surf in Bali for Beginners by Wanderus Living
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