Gili Islands

Scattered just off the northwest coast of the mainland, the Gili Islands are Lombok's most popular tourist destination. These three islands became popular on the backpacker trail in the 1980s and it’s not hard to see why, with their coconut palms, lack of motorized vehicles, and white­sand beaches surrounded by impossibly turquoise waters.
Times have changed since the 1980s of course, with upmarket hotels and a plethora of tourist activities now dominating these smalls islands, particularly on cosmopolitan Gili Trawangan. Visitors can only navigate the islands on foot, by bicycle, or via the (somewhat controversial) ‘pony taxis’, but speed boats whizz across from the mainland in their droves.
Each of the Gilis has its own unique personality. Trawangan is the most developed with an established party scene along with a range of accommodation options and amenities to choose from. Gili Air is more laid back and has a distinct local feel to it, although still has enough buzz to draw plenty of visitors to its shores. Gili Meno sits between the two and is the smallest and most sedate of all. There’s a turtle sanctuary on the island and it has idyllic, secluded swimming beaches all around its circumference.
Diving and snorkeling are popular activities from each of the Gili Islands due to the colorful coral formations and abundance of marine life surrounding the isles.

Practical Info

Both public ferries and private boats serve the Gili Islands from Bali and Lombok.