The Gili Islands are made up of 3 islands; Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. They are an incredible paradise, with white sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, great marine fauna and plenty of hotel infrastructure to enjoy some great days of relaxation in Indonesia. If you are thinking of traveling to Indonesia, a great idea is to finish your tour by spending a few days on some of these 3 islands.
In this post I talk to you about what to see in the Gili Islands, how to get there, where to stay... everything you need to know to prepare your trip.
HOW TO GET TO THE GILI ISLANDS
The fastest and most comfortable option to go to the Gili Islands is by fast boat from Bali or Lombok.
I recommend that you reserve it in advance. Especially if you are going to travel in high season;
From here you can book the outbound trip, the return trip, and the return trip on the same day in case you just want to go for the day.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN THE GILI ISLANDS, INDONESIA
The first thing I suggest is that you do not dedicate a day trip to it, but rather enjoy the three islands and for this the best option is to stay in one of them for at least 3 days.
Personally, when I arrived at the Gili Islands, I had been touring Indonesia for more than 25 days and I wanted calm. I have lived in Bali and although Bali is amazing in many ways, there are few beaches and none as deserted and with waters as calm as the beaches you find on the Gili islands, which is why we chose Gili Air to stay. We were staying at the Gili Air Escape 3* hotel, they are beautiful, completely new bungalows, the accommodation has a pool and we were great.
Visit Gili Trawangan
This is the largest island of the three and with the most infrastructure. There are quite a few hotels, luxury villas with private pools, hostels, restaurants, cafes... in addition, from this island you can do activities and boat trips to the other Gili islands. I recommend that you choose this option to be your base and stay here.
In Gili Trawangan there is an underwater museum that you can see by snorkeling or diving. There is a great variety of marine fauna on the three islands, so if you love snorkeling or diving you will really enjoy yourself here.
Visit Gili Meno
Gili Meno is the smallest of the three islands. It has very few accommodations and is much quieter. The beaches are beautiful, with white sand, calm water and an intense turquoise color and with great marine fauna. We were very lucky to be able to swim alone with many sea turtles, incredible! In fact, there is a turtle sanctuary on the island that you can visit.
You can explore this island by bicycle, there is a place where you can rent bicycles for a few euros. If what you are looking for is to stay in a place where peace reigns, Gili Meno is your option.
Visit Gili Air
Gili Air is the middle island of the three. Like the other Gili the beaches are beautiful. This island stands out for having quite a nightlife, it has bars and restaurants open until late, parties are held on the beach... There are plenty of accommodation options for all budgets.
Most large accommodations offer bike rentals, massages and various types of activities. In addition to enjoying the beaches, sunsets, snorkeling and eating at all hours, Gili Islands are the perfect opportunity to disconnect.
If you are thinking about traveling to Indonesia and you are still not sure which islands to visit, how much time is needed for each of them, how to move between islands... on the blog you have many posts about Indonesia that will help you organize your trip.
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Indonesia a lot and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!
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