Some hotels have a year-round price, while others have different prices in accordance with up to four different season definitions, namely low season, mid season, high season and peak season.  Some hotels will include service and government tax in the price, while others will charge up to 21% government tax and service on top of the tariff. Most hotels and rooms include breakfast.

Much of the development on Gili Air is on the east coast, facing Lombok and the towering Mt Rinjani, which provides spectacular sunrises, while sunsets behind Mt Agung on Bali are visible from the south and western coasts. On the western side of the island when the moon is high and the tide is low, it is not possible to swim off the beach. Instead, you need to walk to the south or east side, where the best beaches are found, with clear turquoise waters and soft white sand.

Diving facilities abound and there is good snorkelling directly from the shore, particularly from the east and northeast beaches. Gili Air Wall, off the west coast, is a popular dive site, with soft corals that gleam yellow and orange in the sunlight, and harbour scorpion fish and thousands of glassfish, turtles and, if you look very carefully, tiny pigmy seahorses hiding in the sea fans. In the deeper waters are white tip reef sharks and schools of larger fish species. Hahn’s Reef is full of strange critters; it is a popular diving site, and also a superb training site for beginners.

Gili Air also attracts surfers: with the right conditions, there is a good surf break off the south of the island.

There is a good range of accommodation on Gili Air, from simple homestays to more expensive hotels with all the attendant creature comforts, but advance booking is recommended. Dining opportunities range from good quality restaurants to simple warungs on the beach and, while the bars aren’t as loud as on Gili Trawangan, there are still plenty of opportunities to have fun.

The landscape is flat, with coconut groves inland, and a small and shallow saltwater lake in the west from which the local people harvest meagre supplies of salt during the dry season. The remainder of the local income is derived from tourism, fishing and from the coconut plantations. The main activities for visitors are snorkelling and scuba diving. Gili Meno Wall, off the west coast, is a popular dive site, with giant gorgonian fans and many varieties of marine life found at depths of 18 metres. Hawksbill and green turtles call the waters around Gili Meno home, particularly on the northwest corner, and the reefs just offshore feature outcrops of brilliant blue coral. The best place for snorkelling, meanwhile, is at Blue Coral Point off the northeast coast, where the reef showcases numerous species of coral and colourful fish. At night, divers can witness huge Moray eels and the entertaining Spanish dancers, baby cuttlefish and a whole array of crustacians.

Gili Meno has a small local infrastructure that includes a medical clinic and a primary school. Services include simple shops, internet cafes, money changers and the Gili Meno Tourist Information Centre. The dining scene is predominantly local cafes, serving grilled fish on the beach, as well as tasty Indonesian, Western (especially pizzas) and even the local Sasak cuisine, all with reasonable prices and some with stunning views of the mountains and sunsets.

Snorkelling equipment can be hired from any of the local operators. There are secluded beaches all around the island; the sea is safe for swimming close to the shore although the currents can be very strong further out. There are also environmental attractions, which can be enjoyed by children and adults alike; this includes the 2,500-sqm, walk through, covered bird park with a colourful and exotic collection of species from Asia and Australia, including peafowls, pheasants, hornbills, macaws and parrots. The Bird Park is located inland at Gili Indah Village. Gili Meno is famous for its sea turtles but, without help, the survival of these beautiful creatures is endangered. At the turtle nursery on Meno, the hatchlings are kept in holding tanks until they are large and healthy enough to be released into the sea. Visitors can take part in this release programme. Small donations are welcome for this worthy cause.

As with all of the Gili Islands, there is no motorised transport on Gili Trawangan, just cidomo (horse and cart) transport and plenty of bicycles available for rent. The walk around Gili Trawangan takes anything from 90 minutes to all day, depending on your pace. Electricity is generator supplied and fresh water is brought in by boat.

Backpackers are been coming to Gili Trawangan since the late 1980s when the first dive shops were set up. These days, they still flock here to enjoy the gorgeous white sand beaches, cheap accommodation, and the parties, which are held at different locations every night, allowing the merrymakers to groove into the early hours. Over the last few years, however, the scene has changed rapidly on Gili Trawangan. It hasn’t lost its magic but it has begun to move in a more upmarket direction. The backpacker accommodation and reggae hangouts will always be there, but Gili Trawangan also flaunts a glamorous plumage, with some very stylish hotels, villa accommodation and upmarket restaurants that attract the more discerning travellers who opt to spend their days relaxing in the sun or diving. There are also plenty of resorts that cater for families.

Gili Trawangan is the island where you will find the widest range of activities, including some superb spa facilities, a horse riding stables, sea kayaks for rent, and what claims to be the smallest public cinema in the world, where you can laze on floor cushions and watch newly-released movies.

The choice of cuisine at Gili Trawangan’s many cafes and restaurants ranges from the ubiquitous seafood barbeque through English fish ’n chips, Japanese, Italian, Mexican and Indian food, to romantic candlelit fine-dining.

There is good snorkelling just off the shore with waters that teem with a still abundant variety of tropical fish species. Strong currents are sometimes a bother, especially in the strait with neighbouring Gili Meno. Further out are vast gardens of coral, regarded as one of the best dive spots in Lombok, particularly Shark Point to the east of the island, which is home to white tip reef sharks, green and hawksbill turtles, eels, hard and soft corals, and a fascinating array of marine life.

The hill in the south of the island is a great lookout from which to enjoy the spectacular sunsets across the ocean to Bali; or in the mornings, the brilliant sunrise over Mt Rinjani on Lombok. On the far south end of the hill are remnants of old WWII Japanese gun emplacements and crumbling bunkers, but the hand-dug tunnels have been blocked up.

The main development on Gili Trawangan is on the east coast where the Bluewater Express docks, and the southeast area known as “Sentral.” There are also some hotels on the north coast, which offer peaceful alternatives. Gili Trawangan has the best tourism infrastructure, including tour agencies, ATMs, moneychangers and internet cafés. There are also a number of shops on Gili Trawangan, ranging from the simple ones where you can buy all of the holiday essentials such as sun lotion, toiletries, soft drinks, snacks and postcards to some chic new boutiques. The art market opposite the jetty sells a range of knickknacks and cheap clothing such as T shirts and sarongs to wooden handicrafts, masks and paintings. Beach sellers will offer you pearl and shell necklaces, bracelets, rings and ear-rings and other jewellery. There are also some second-hand bookshops on Gili Trawangan where you can trade books.

The Gili Eco Trust

The Gili Eco Trust was established in 2002 to protect the coral reefs around the Gili Islands from destructive fishing practices, as well as beach cleaning and rubbish management. All dive centres charge their guests a one-time ‘reef tax’ and the funds are used to pay fisherman to stop using fishing methods, such as bottom trawling, cyanide fishing and dynamite fishing, which will cause damage to the reefs. Line fishing, spear fishing and surface nets, however, are permitted as these methods are not harmful to the eco-system.

The Gili Trawangan Turtle Hatchery

The nutrient-rich seawater around Lombok and, in particular, the Gili Islands has spawned a magnificent ecosystem flourishing with thousands of species of life, including two species of turtle – the Green Turtle and the Hawksbill. Sadly, all of these turtles are in danger of extinction due to harvesting for eggs, leather and shells. Additionally, their existence is threatened by the loss of nesting grounds, natural predators, destruction of coral reefs, water pollution, and entrapment in fishing equipment and marine debris, especially plastic bags, which turtles fatally mistake for jellyfish, one of their favourite foods.

The Gili Trawangan Turtle Hatchery project was set up in 1995 to protect and rehabilitate the turtle species around the Gili Islands, by purchasing the turtle eggs that are gathered by the local people before being sold in the markets for consumption. Unfortunately, these eggs have been a traditional food source in Lombok for many generations. While it might be argued that this is increasing the demand and trade in turtle eggs, it is generally acknowledged that the eggs stand little chance of hatching on the tourist beaches where they are laid. Additionally, the premium rate paid by the rescuers for these eggs boosts the meagre income of the local people.

The eggs hatch after two months, and the baby green and hawksbill turtles are tended in special tanks and left to grow until they are big enough to fend for themselves. By the time they are released into the sea, their chances of survival should have increased.

The project still relies purely on donations by locals and tourists and has grown bigger and bigger over the years.

The Gili Trawangan Biorock Project

Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet, as well as being an important asset to local communities by serving as a source of seafood, and generating income from tourism. Tragically, only six percent of the coral reefs in Indonesia are healthy. Destruction comes mainly from human activity such as dynamite and cyanide fishing, pollution and global warming; the damaged reefs take years to recover naturally.

Much of the coral around Gili Trawangan has been destroyed over recent years, not only by dynamite fishing but also by the effects of el Niño in 2000.  In 2004, a project was launched to encourage the re-growth of the coral using a method called Biorock, which applies safe, low voltage electrical currents through seawater, causing dissolved minerals to crystallise on structures, growing into a limestone similar to that of natural coral reefs, forming a base on which corals grow at very rapid rates.

In 2006, after the success of the original project, all of the dive operators on Gili Trawangan came together to construct more Biorock structures, which can be found in the shallower waters (5-8 metres) at different points just in front of each dive shop. Reef fish, schooling fish and many other forms of marine life will gravitate to the reefs, so that each will become a fish nursery as well as a coral nursery, therefore providing excellent snorkelling and diving for visitors.

To get between the islands, you can either charter a local boat for around Rp.155,000, or take the twice daily ‘Hopping’ boat which costs just Rp. 20,000 per person. Ask at your hotel or at the harbour for the latest schedules.

Despite the fact that the islands are only a few hundred meters apart, DO NOT attempt to swim between them – currents are deceptively strong. This is no problem when snorkeling near to the shore, but further out you can get swept away.

The Gili Islands were “discovered” by back-packers in the 1980s, when they became popular with the adventurous types who were seeking to escape. The waters are crystal clear and teeming with marine life, the beaches are of pure white sand. Here, you can snorkel straight off the beach and enjoy a timeless paradise lifestyle.

Although the first island to develop homestays was Gili Air (the island nearest to the Lombok mainland), it was Gili Trawangan that subsequently became known as the ‘party island’. Gili Meno is very mellow and the atmosphere on Gili Air is somewhere between the two. Simple bungalows with generator supplied electricity soon sprang up like mushrooms to cater to a crowd eager to get off the beaten track. In recent years, the scene has changed rapidly on Gili Trawangan, whereas Gili Meno and Gili Air are developing at a far slower pace, but each Gili Island is blessed with its own character and charm.

Trawangan still maintains its timeless tropical paradise allure, but now has a wider range of facilities to suit a broader spectrum of travellers. There are still plenty of back-packer rooms priced at around US$10 per night, but there are also some very chic boutique bungalows, villas and hotels complete with private swimming pools and all mod cons. All have been constructed in harmony with the islands’ local charms – natural materials and simple elegance being the dominant theme of most developments. No high rise hotels, and definitely no tour buses or McDonalds, but plenty of dive centres to help you explore the islands’ fabulous coral reefs.

Getting Around

Motorised transport is banned from all three islands – you get around on foot, by bicycle or by horse-cart. Bicycles can be hired by the hour or by the day, while the cidomo horse-carts charge according to the distance. Agree the price before you leave with a bit of friendly bargaining.

To get between the islands, you can either charter a local boat or take the twice-daily ‘Hopping’ boat which costs just Rp 20,000 per person. Ask at your hotel or at the harbour for the latest schedules. Despite the fact that the islands are only a few hundred metres apart, and appear to be swimmable, DO NOT attempt to swim between them, the currents are deceptively strong, and a number of people have died trying. This is no problem when snorkelling close to the shore, but further out you can get swept away.

Things to Do

There are plenty of things to do on the Gili Islands. You can rent snorkelling equipment, learn to dive or dive for pleasure, rent a kayak, or go out in a glass bottom boat to view the kaleidoscopic coral reefs and tropical fish. Fishing is one of the highlights, especially deep sea fishing northwest of Gili Trawangan.

Money Matters

There are no banks on the Gili Islands, but there are several ATMs on Gili Trawangan. Most mid-range and upmarket hotels and dive centres take credit cards. There are also various places where you can get a cash advance on your credit card, but there is a standard 10% additional fee for this service. Money changers will change currency and travellers’ cheques, but you’ll get a lower rate than on Bali or Lombok.

Security & Health Centres

The local security force is the SATGAS, whose office is near the harbour on Gili Trawangan. You wouldn’t know they are there unless you need them. There are two health clinics on Gili Trawangan – one at Villa Ombak, and another in the village. For more serious problems you’ll need to get to Mataram on Lombok or Denpasar on Bali.

Communications

The more upmarket hotels have IDD telephones in their rooms, but this is a luxury on the Gili Islands. There are plenty of internet cafes dotted around; connections are slow but perfectly usable. Printing is possible in a few of the internet cafés and you can even hook up your laptop in some.  As in most small communities in Indonesia, there is a WARTEL (Warung Telecommunikasi), which provides full telephone and fax services. This is located near the art market on Gili Trawangan.  Additionally, mobile phone towers ensure that you’re never out of touch.

Electricity

The Gili Islands have a very erratic electricity supply; it’s not uncommon for the power to be off for hours at a time. Most upmarket hotels, restaurants and dive shops have generators for the backup.

Parties & Nightlife

Gili Trawangan is still the most popular island, and its legendary parties continue to rock into the early hours. The various bars take it in turns to hold the late night bash, so you can be sure you’re not missing out on a better party somewhere else. Most places close up around midnight, but there’s almost always a venue that keeps pumping until 4 am, with guest DJs making regular appearances. Gili Meno and Gili Air are far more sedate – plenty of beach bars and cafes, and the occasional full moon party, but Gili Trawangan is where you should be if you want to boogie into the early hours.