On Gili Air, days transfer to the rhythm of nature relatively than minutes on the clock. Dawn beckons you off the bed, turtles floor in calm turquoise water, and evenings finish with the sky glowing in streaks of orange and pink.
Gili Air, that means “island of water”, is likely one of the three Gili Islands simply off the north west coast of Lombok, Indonesia.
Every of the three Gili Islands has its personal character. Gili Trawangan is the biggest and is understood for its nightlife. Gili Meno is the smallest, quietest, and most distant. Gili Air is a beautiful steadiness of the 2.
It’s an unpretending and genuine little island (little: actually, solely 5km across the perimeter) that produces smiles, drops shoulders and slows down time. But, in opposition to all instincts, you’ll discover great eating places, cafes, actions and comforts all of which surpass expectations.
All of that is to say… many who come keep for longer than supposed.
This Gilli Air journey information will cowl completely all the things you could know in your go to to Gili Air.
The perfect time to go to Gili Air
Let’s begin the Gili Air Journey Information with the very best time to go to. Gili Air has a tropical local weather with two foremost seasons, dry and moist. You possibly can go to year-round and nonetheless have an important expertise, however the seasons will form your time on the island.
Dry season runs from Might to October, bringing sunny days, decrease humidity and customarily calmer seas. If you’re planning seaside time, snorkelling and clear sunsets, that is essentially the most dependable window.
The moist season runs from November to April. It’s hotter and extra humid, with tropical downpours, stronger winds and white-capped seas. And naturally, much less folks.
I visited in the course of the peak moist season and nonetheless loved most of what the island provides. That mentioned, choppier water meant snorkelling wasn’t at its greatest; price contemplating if visibility is a precedence. In the event you don’t thoughts the odd storm, choose a quieter, extra relaxed environment, and are joyful getting caught a bit soggy, then don’t rule out the moist season.
Journey tip for wet season:
Maintain plans versatile within the wet season. Tough seas can result in occasional ferry delays or cancellations from Bali and Lombok.
Tips on how to get to Gili Air
The one option to attain Gili Air is by boat.
From Bali
If you’re travelling from Bali, the most typical possibility is a ‘quick ferry’. Boats depart every day from Padang Bai on the east coast and Serangan Harbour in south Bali. Padang Bai is the closest port for reaching the Gili Islands with the crossing often taking 1.5-2 hours. Due to the (incessantly) tough seas, it’s additionally the most well-liked departure possibility.
On the best way, boats both go direct, or cease at Gili Trawangan and/or Gili Meno earlier than Gili Air, so whole journey time can differ. Crossings are very weather-dependent, particularly in the course of the wet season, and delays do occur. Keep in mind, early morning crossings are calmer.
After researching security and opinions of assorted operators, I selected Eka Jaya Quick Ferry and had a easy and protected expertise. The boat had AC, snug seats, was properly organised, and baggage was securely coated. I in contrast operators, costs, and schedules on GiliBookings, then booked directly. Anticipate to pay round 550k IDR for a one-way ticket.
From Lombok
If you’re already on Lombok, attending to Gili Air may be very simple.
Public boats from Bangsal harbour (~2 hours drive from the Airport) run all through the day, take round 15 to twenty minutes, and value roughly 20k IDR. There isn’t any must e-book upfront, merely purchase a ticket on the harbour and depart as soon as the boat is full.
Personal boats are additionally obtainable. They’re 20x dearer, however are nonetheless comparatively reasonably priced for travellers. Anticipate to pay round 400k IDR per boat. This can be a good possibility if you need flexibility or are travelling in a gaggle, and might be organized on the port or by your lodging.
Getting round Gili Air
First issues first, there are not any motorised autos on Gili Air. If you’re coming from Bali, you’re going to note this right away; the stillness is serene.
Visitors on Gili Air is proscribed to bicycles, cidomos and a small variety of electrical scooters. Biking is by far the most typical and sensible possibility. You possibly can cross the island in below 20 minutes, so nowhere is much. [It’s so fantastic to never worry about travel times.] Bicycles are straightforward to rearrange by your lodging or from rental stands close to the port, and sometimes price round 50k IDR per day.
Cidomos, as talked about, are conventional horse-drawn carts (ci that means cart, do that means horse, mo that means motor) are primarily used for baggage transfers to and from the harbour. They line up close to the port like taxis, and costs are negotiated based mostly on distance and cargo.
And naturally, you’ll be able to stroll in all places. Dawn and sundown walks alongside the seaside grew to become my favorite option to begin and finish the day. ‘East coast’ within the morning, ‘west coast’ within the night, sandy toes for each.
The place to remain on Gili Air
There isn’t any scarcity of lodging on Gili Air. From hostels and seaside bungalows to personal villas and boutique stays, there’s something for each finances and journey model.
The island is small, so location isn’t a deal breaker. That mentioned, staying within the south locations you nearer to the port and the livelier stretch of eating places, cafés and retailers and the north feels quieter, with fewer companies and an ever-so-slightly extra distant environment.
Listed below are a couple of standout choices:
- Tipsea Turtle Hostel: A social, budget-friendly possibility simply steps from the seaside, with a pool, café and yoga studio. Best for solo travellers or anybody wanting a extra communal keep.
- Abdi Fantastik Bungalows: Personal studio bungalows which are good if you wish to get up on the beachfront, roll off the bed and straight into the ocean (and tremendous reasonably priced!)
- Gilipad Villa: A gorgeous two-bedroom villa with a personal pool, good for households, {couples} travelling collectively, or anybody wanting their very own house. That is the place we stayed and it immediately felt like dwelling, because of the considerate design and great hosts.
- Gradual Gili: For a extra bourgie keep, Gradual Gili provides minimalist, design led non-public villas with a boutique really feel. It additionally has an on website spa, making it an important possibility if rest is a precedence.
Issues to know earlier than visiting Gili Air
- Card and money are extensively accepted. Card funds are largely restricted to eating places and cafés, and you will want money for seaside distributors, markets and cidomos. There are a number of ATMs on the island, largely across the south close to the port.
- WiFi is accessible in lodging and most cafes, however this can be a small tropical island and storms can disrupt electrical energy and web. Throughout my January go to, heavy climate brought on short-term outages. If staying related is vital, contemplate shopping for an area SIM with knowledge earlier than arriving, or hunt down a restaurant with Starlink.
- Gili Air is a cat lover’s dream. Canines usually are not allowed on the island, so you’ll solely see cats lounging within the streets and alongside the seaside. They’re technically stray, however are very properly taken care of by the local people.
- Whereas Gili Air feels relaxed and beach-focused, it’s a part of Lombok, which has a predominantly Muslim tradition. Swimwear is ok on the seaside and round resorts, however it’s respectful to cowl up when strolling by the village.
- Lastly, keep in mind that Gili Air is a small and fragile island with restricted sources. Recent water and waste administration are ongoing challenges. Refilling a reusable bottle, avoiding single-use plastics and carrying reef-safe sunscreen are small actions that genuinely assist defend the island.
Go Snorkelling
In the event you come to Gili Air, snorkelling is a ceremony of passage. With heat, clear waters and coral reefs accessible straight from the seaside, you don’t must be an skilled swimmer or e-book a full-day tour to take pleasure in it. The jap aspect, round Turtle Level, tends to be calmer, and superb for snorkelling. Right here you’ll discover coral gardens, tropical fish and, should you’re fortunate, sea turtles cruising by the shallows. Early mornings often provide the very best visibility earlier than winds decide up later within the day.
As you stroll alongside the seaside entrance, you’ll discover many rental retailers providing masks, snorkels, and fins. I used MZ Gili Air and paid about 50k IDR (between £2-3!)
Discover the island by bike
Biking will seemingly be your foremost method of getting round Gili Air. Past merely travelling from A to B, it’s among the best methods to discover. Skip Google Maps, journey with no agenda, comply with the handmade indicators, get misplaced, and settle into island time. There are not any police on the island, however Gili Air may be very protected, so you’ll be able to simply cease wherever catches your eye and go away your bike exterior with out fear.
Benefit from the yoga & wellness scene
The island has a robust yoga and wellness scene to completely mirror the gradual, conscious undercurrent. You’ll discover lessons, workshops, occasions and therapeutic areas dotted across the island; all of that are open to drop ins.
I actually cherished the yoga periods at Flower and Hearth. They’ve two studios, one at their yoga backyard the place there’s additionally lodging and a tremendous cafe and the opposite is ocean aspect, good for the dawn periods.
E-book onto a diving expertise
Diving is likely one of the standout experiences within the Gili Islands and a significant cause to go to. Heat water, good visibility and lots of accessible dive websites are only a brief boat journey away. Whether or not you are attempting diving for the primary time or including Indo to your logbook, exploring the underwater world round Gili Air is well one of many island’s highlights.
One enjoyable dive prices round 650k IDR and consists of all of the tools you will want. The value decreases with each a number of dives bought.
Most dive centres provide PADI Open Water programs that take three to 4 days to finish. So in case you have been excited about getting certified, this might be a tremendous (and reasonably priced) place to do it!
Benefit from the sundown and dawn
One among my many favorite issues about this island is the very fact you’ll be able to see the dawn and sundown! I actually loved beginning the day with a espresso from Sejiwa Espresso on the seaside after watching the solar rise over the hills of mainland Lombok. For sundown, the view from the seaside out the entrance of Gili Lumbung bar is magical. This a part of the island has so many seaside bars lining the ocean entrance to select from, if a contented hour tipple takes your fancy.
E-book a massages or spa remedy
For peak island mode, add a therapeutic massage to your itinerary. Zen Spa on the island’s east coast provides easy, reasonably priced therapies with one main bonus….uninterrupted ocean views. A one-hour foot therapeutic massage right here can price below £5, and whereas it is probably not a luxurious spa expertise, the setting greater than makes up for it.
It’s relaxed, unpretentious and undeniably memorable. If you’re in search of one thing extra elevated, Gradual Spa provides a calmer, extra refined environment. Set inside stunning bamboo structure, it appears like a real tranquil sanctuary.
Study to prepare dinner native in a cooking class
One of the scrumptious methods to expertise Gili Air is thru a cooking class at Warung Sunny (Warung means native restaurant in Indonesian). In an open air kitchen, you’ll find out how conventional Indonesian dishes come collectively utilizing contemporary uncooked spices and regionally sourced elements.
While at Warung Sunny, don’t miss the Jamu drink (a standard Indonesian natural tonic made with contemporary roots and spices), and it’s the very best recipe I had throughout all of Indonesia.
Run a loop of Gili Air
It won’t be the very first thing that involves thoughts when planning an island escape, however hear me out. Gili Air has a sandy observe that runs round its complete 5km (based mostly on my Strava) perimeter, making it the right loop.
It’s flat, scenic and surprisingly fulfilling. Operating the island is a good way to get your bearings, move seaside bars and eating places you won’t in any other case discover, and see each stretch of shoreline in a single go. And the very best half is you’ll be able to cool off with a swim the second you end.
Play Padel
Sure, actually, there’s a padel courtroom on Gili Air. On an island this small it’s wildly sudden. In the event you fancy breaking apart the seaside time with one thing energetic, e-book an hour and play within the tropical warmth. It’s a enjoyable option to meet different travellers and expend some vitality.
Greatest locations to eat & drink on Gili Air
There are SO many nice locations to eat on the island, and even should you had a whole month on the island, you’ll wrestle to get round them. My private favourites, that I extremely advocate trying out, are:
Pituq: plant-based eating places, recognized for his or her inventive, superbly introduced dishes and concentrate on contemporary, regionally sourced elements. Set in a beautiful courtyard with a beautiful on-site store promoting native manufacturers
Pachamama: A jungle vibe, health-focused plant-forward cafe, serving vibrant smoothie bowls, contemporary salads and nourishing plates. The vegan burger was actually scrumptious!
Hearth and Flower cafe: The proper publish yoga cafe for a smoothie bowl you’ll be able to totally customise, together with your alternative of toppings and flavours. The parts are beneficiant, filling and nourishing. Additionally, the employees listed below are so welcoming and pleasant!
Warung Sunny: A must-visit for genuine Indonesian meals made with contemporary, regionally sourced elements. Similar to of their cooking lessons, the main focus is on daring, conventional flavours. I loved making an attempt a number of totally different native dishes. The group are extremely accommodating with dietary necessities, and most dishes might be made gluten-free (and appropriate for coeliacs).
Poke Gili Air: Recent, customisable poke bowls filled with contemporary, vibrant elements. It’s a easy, dependable possibility for a fast, wholesome meal and proper on the seaside. You cannot beat the placement.
Gili Espresso roasters: That is the place for the very best espresso on the island. Positioned within the centre of Gili Air, it’s straightforward to cease by throughout your morning cycle. The group roast contemporary beans every day, so you’re assured an ideal cup, typically with a alternative of various beans and tasting notes. Don’t go away with out checking the counter for his or her freshly baked cheesecakes; they’re very laborious to withstand.
Gili Air, for me, was the right brief keep sandwiched between a visit to Bali and Lombok. A improbable reset. It’s superb how shortly you get used to no site visitors, no scooter noises or horns, and I actually didn’t need to go away. Slower mornings, a extra pure rhythm and nowhere I wanted to be.
If you’re already planning time in Bali or Lombok, I actually do assume it’s price carving out a couple of nights right here. Three to 5 nights is the correct quantity of time, sufficient to settle into the island’s rhythm relatively than simply move by it. That mentioned, if you’re tight on time and island hopping, you’ll be able to nonetheless see the entire island in a day.
It fits travellers who need steadiness. Not the occasion scene of Gili T, not whole seclusion in Gili Meno, however someplace in between. Deal with your self to Gili Air, and also you’ll not be disenchanted.
You possibly can comply with Sami’s adventures on Instagram right here.