Gili Islands: Better than Bali?
When people think about going to Indonesia they automatically think about going to Bali, which conjures up images of beaches, roast pork, Buddhist temples, roast port, coffee, roast pork. To be honest though the minute you go to Bali you will quickly find that the only thing on the menu there is chicken. All of that being said I know of a few people who regularly go to Indonesia for travel, and it's not Bali they are going too, it's the Gili Islands.
Where are the Gili Islands?
Located in the Lombok region of Indonesia, there are three Gili Islands, Trawangan, Meno, and Air. Trawangan is the largest of the three islands. It is the most cosmopolitan and is known for it's nightlife.
The second is Meno which is the smallest of the three islands. It has the most traditional culture and is more laid back than the other two. If you are looking for the tropical desert island paradise, this is your spot. White sand beaches, traditional lodgings with a quiet and laid back atmosphere, Meno is a favorite of older travelers and honeymooners. Meno could also be considered more of an adventure than the other two.
The last one is Air, which is the middle one. Middle in size as well as in culture. You can get a nice blend of a great party life combined with some of the more traditional attracts of found on Meno. So if you wanted to experience both, then Air might be the best bang for you buck.
How to get there?
Photo by Asad Photo Maldives from Pexels
What about hotels?
Pondok Santi is only 94 dollars a night. They offer bungalows in guest houses with their own private beach.
Vila Ombak is listed at 58 dollars a night. They have rooms, huts, and villas with a salt sea pool, three restaurants and a spa.
The Pearl of Trawangan offer guest houses some with their own pool starting at 66 dollars.
Gili Joglo is the most expensive on this list at 101 dollars a night. They offer villas in a Javanese style that have their own kitchens and gardens.
What to do there?
1. Beaches
The islands are surrounded by white sand beaches which are perfect for laying about in the sun. Of course with this comes other water sports as well. Diving, snorkeling, surfing and free diving. Free diving is diving at a great depth but without the air tank. Another option is the swim with the sea turtles.
2. Sightseeing
While the Gili islands don't have any major attractions, there was a mosque but it was destroyed in 2018, the sights would be the views of oceans and natural wonders on the islands. So if you enjoy picturesque photo opps the Gili Islands are for you.
3. Eat!
The food on Gili ranges from high end restaurants to street food, mmm street food. There is a nice mix of local cuisine, seafood as well as more western places. An interesting one to check out would be Tir Na Nog which is an Irish bar with a tiki theme. Bear in mind that the Gili Islands sports a large Muslim population, so if you love pig, might not be the best place for you.
4. Nightlife
For night life your best bet is probably going to be Trawangan. Prices for drinks will be about the same. However it is a good idea to avoid the vodka as the Gili bar owners or someone have a bad habit of mixing it with arak which is a brew from Indonesia. There have been reported cases of brain damage and deaths due to methanol poisoning, so please be careful.
5. Chillax
Really the best thing you can do in the Gili Islands is fine a beach, a lawn chair or beach towel with a nice book and get some rest and relaxation. I recently heard what you are supposed to do on vacation is eat, sleep, read and relax. There is no better place to do this than the Gili Islands. I hope you enjoy your trip.
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Photo by Oliver Sjöström from Pexels
Where are the Gili Islands?
Located in the Lombok region of Indonesia, there are three Gili Islands, Trawangan, Meno, and Air. Trawangan is the largest of the three islands. It is the most cosmopolitan and is known for it's nightlife.
The second is Meno which is the smallest of the three islands. It has the most traditional culture and is more laid back than the other two. If you are looking for the tropical desert island paradise, this is your spot. White sand beaches, traditional lodgings with a quiet and laid back atmosphere, Meno is a favorite of older travelers and honeymooners. Meno could also be considered more of an adventure than the other two.
The last one is Air, which is the middle one. Middle in size as well as in culture. You can get a nice blend of a great party life combined with some of the more traditional attracts of found on Meno. So if you wanted to experience both, then Air might be the best bang for you buck.
How to get there?
Photo by Asad Photo Maldives from Pexels
When heading to Gili you have a few options. If you are coming from another country to Indonesia then just flying to Lombok would probably be your best bet. If you are in Indonesia then you have a few more options, but going to Lombok would probably be the easiest way, of course you could also go through Bali. From either location you will end up taking a ferry to the islands.
What about hotels?
Photo by Palu Malerba from Pexels
At the moment of this posting the prices for hotels are fairly reasonable. Five star hotels are between a hundred and 50 dollars a night. Here are a few options.Pondok Santi is only 94 dollars a night. They offer bungalows in guest houses with their own private beach.
Vila Ombak is listed at 58 dollars a night. They have rooms, huts, and villas with a salt sea pool, three restaurants and a spa.
The Pearl of Trawangan offer guest houses some with their own pool starting at 66 dollars.
Gili Joglo is the most expensive on this list at 101 dollars a night. They offer villas in a Javanese style that have their own kitchens and gardens.
What to do there?
Photo by Oliver Sjöström from Pexels
1. Beaches
The islands are surrounded by white sand beaches which are perfect for laying about in the sun. Of course with this comes other water sports as well. Diving, snorkeling, surfing and free diving. Free diving is diving at a great depth but without the air tank. Another option is the swim with the sea turtles.
2. Sightseeing
While the Gili islands don't have any major attractions, there was a mosque but it was destroyed in 2018, the sights would be the views of oceans and natural wonders on the islands. So if you enjoy picturesque photo opps the Gili Islands are for you.
3. Eat!
The food on Gili ranges from high end restaurants to street food, mmm street food. There is a nice mix of local cuisine, seafood as well as more western places. An interesting one to check out would be Tir Na Nog which is an Irish bar with a tiki theme. Bear in mind that the Gili Islands sports a large Muslim population, so if you love pig, might not be the best place for you.
4. Nightlife
For night life your best bet is probably going to be Trawangan. Prices for drinks will be about the same. However it is a good idea to avoid the vodka as the Gili bar owners or someone have a bad habit of mixing it with arak which is a brew from Indonesia. There have been reported cases of brain damage and deaths due to methanol poisoning, so please be careful.
5. Chillax
Really the best thing you can do in the Gili Islands is fine a beach, a lawn chair or beach towel with a nice book and get some rest and relaxation. I recently heard what you are supposed to do on vacation is eat, sleep, read and relax. There is no better place to do this than the Gili Islands. I hope you enjoy your trip.
Please subscribe for more updates and postings.
Life with the coronavirus 10 Travel Tips for China 8 Travel Tips for China
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