Gunung Rinjani
Lording over the northern half of Lombok, Gunung Rinjani (3726m) is Indonesia's second-tallest volcano. It's an astonishing peak, sacred to Hindus and Sasaks who make pilgrimages to the summit and lake to leave offerings for the gods and spirits. To the Balinese, Rinjani is one of three sacred mountains, along with Bali's Agung and Java's Bromo. Sasaks ascend throughout the year around the full moon.
The mountain also has climatic significance. Its peak attracts a steady stream of swirling rain clouds, while its ash emissions bring fertility to the island's rice fields and tobacco crops, feeding a tapestry of paddies, fields, and cashew and mango orchards.
Inside the immense caldera, sitting 600m below the rim, is a stunning, 6km-wide, turquoise crescent lake, Danau Segara Anak (Child of the Sea). The Balinese toss gold and jewellery into the lake in a ceremony called pekelan, before they slog their way towards the sacred summit.
The mountain's newest cone, the minor peak of Gunung Baru (2351m), emerged just a couple of hundred years ago; its scarred, smouldering profile rising above the lake is an ominous reminder of the apocalyptic power of nature. This peak has been erupting fitfully for the last decade, periodically belching plumes of smoke and ash over the entire Rinjani caldera. Also in the crater are natural hot springs known as Aiq Kalak. Locals suffering from skin diseases trek here with a satchel of medicinal herbs in order to bathe and scrub in the bubbling mineral water.
2Activities
Organised Hikes
Treks to the rim, lake and peak should not be taken lightly, and guides are mandatory. Climbing Rinjani during the wet season (November to March) is usually completely forbidden due to the risk of landslide. June to August is the only time you are (almost) guaranteed minimal rain or clouds. Be prepared with layers and a fleece because it can get cold at the rim (and near-freezing at the summit) at any time of year.
Roughly the same trek packages and prices are offered by all operators (base guide and porter prices are set by RTC and RIC), though some outfitters have a 'luxury' option. Treks from Senaru to Sembalun Lawang via the lake summit are very popular, and the return hike from Sembalun Lawang to the summit is another well-trodden trail.
Prices get cheaper the larger the party. A three-day hike (including food, equipment, guide, porters, park fee and transport back to Senaru) to the summit and lake costs from US$300 per person based on a group of two to four. An overnight trek to the crater rim costs about US$150 to US$200. Note that almost all the costs are negotiable.
Operators
In addition to local companies, operators in Mataram, Senggigi and the Gili Islands can organise Rinjani treks too, with return transport from the point of origin. Recommendations include Rinjani Information Centre; Rinjani Trek Centre and Rinjani Trekking Club.
John’s AdventuresHIKING
(%0817 578 8018; www.rinjanimaster.com; Senaru)
John's Adventures is a very experienced outfitter that has toilet tents, thick sleeping mats, and itineraries that start from either Senaru or Sembalun. The Senaru office is 2km below the park office.
Rudy TrekkerHIKING
(%0818 0365 2874; www.rudytrekker.com; Senaru)
Rudy Trekker is a conscientious organisation based in Senaru. It has a variety of itineraries; most hikers prefer the three-day, two-night package starting from Sembalun Lawang. The office is near the entrance to Air Terjun Sindang Gila. It has a great list of what to pack displayed on the wall.
Sinaru TrekkingHIKING
(%0818 540 673)S
The monosyllabically named Gul is an excellent Rinjani guide. He offers 5% off his fees if you'll help him carry trash down from the mountain.
Guides & Porters
Hiking independently is simply not allowed, and deeply unwise. People have died on Rinjani, with or without guides, and only the most skilled climbers should consider themselves qualified to undertake such a journey.
Guides and porters operate on loosely fixed fees, which are included in whatever trekking package you purchase. Tips of 30,000Rp to 50,000Rp per day are sufficient and can be paid at the end of the trip.
Entrance Fee & Equipment
Entrance to Gunung Rinjani National Park is 150,000Rp per day – you register and pay with your trek organiser or at the park office. Note that there are proposals to raise these fees even higher.
Sleeping bags and tents are essential and can usually be hired from your trek organiser. Decent footwear, warm clothing, wet-weather gear, gloves, cooking equipment and a torch are important (all can be hired if necessary). Expect to pay upwards of 100,000Rp a head per day for all your hired gear. Muscle balm (to ease aching legs) and a swimming costume (for the lake and hot springs) could also be packed. Discuss what to bring with your trekking organisation or guide.
Bring home your rubbish, including toilet tissue. Sadly several Rinjani camps are litter-strewn.
Food & Supplies
Trek organisers will arrange trekking food. Mataram is cheapest for supplies, but many provisions are available in Senaru and Sembalun Lawang, too. Take more water than seems reasonable (dehydration can spur altitude sickness), extra batteries (as altitude can wreak havoc on those, as well) and a back-up lighter.
CLIMBING GUNUNG RINJANI
The most popular way to climb Gunung Rinjani is the five-day trek that starts at Senaru and finishes at Sembalun Lawang. Other possibilities include a summit attempt from Sembalun, which sits higher on the slope and can be done as a gruelling two-day return hike.
DAY ONE: SENARU POS I TO POS III (FIVE TO SIX HOURS)
At the southern end of Senaru is the Rinjani Trek Centre (Pos I, 601m), where you register, organise your guide and porters, and pay the park fee. Just beyond the post, you'll head right when the trail forks. The trail climbs steadily through scrubby farmland for about half an hour to the entrance of Gunung Rinjani National Park (Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani). The wide trail climbs for another 2½ hours until you reach Pos II (1500m), where there's a shelter. Another 1½ hours' steady walk uphill brings you to Pos III (2000m), where there are two shelters in disrepair. Pos III is usually the place to camp at the end of the first day.
DAY TWO: POS III TO DANAU SEGARA ANAK & AIQ KALAK (FOUR HOURS)
From Pos III, it takes about 1½ hours to reach the rim, Pelawangan I (2641m). Setting off very early promises a stunning sunrise. It's possible to camp at Pelawangan I, but level sites are limited, there's no water and it can be very blustery.
It takes about two hours to descend to Danau Segara Anak and over to the hot springs, Aiq Kalak. The first hour is a very steep descent and involves a bit of bouldering. From the bottom of the crater wall it's an easy 30-minute walk across undulating terrain around the lake's edge. There are several places to camp, but most locals prefer to be near the hot springs to soak their weary bodies.
DAY THREE: AIQ KALAK TO PELAWANGAN II (THREE TO FOUR HOURS)
The trail starts beside the last shelter at the hot springs and heads away from the lake for about 100m before veering right. It then traverses the northern slope of the crater, and it's an easy one-hour walk along the grassy slopes before you hit a steep, unforgiving rise; from the lake it takes about three hours to reach the crater rim (2639m). At the rim, a sign points the way back to Danau Segara Anak. The trail forks here – straight on to Sembalun or along the rim to the campsite of Pelawangan II (2700m).
DAY FOUR: PELAWANGAN II TO RINJANI SUMMIT (FIVE TO SIX HOURS RETURN)
Gunung Rinjani's summit arcs above the campsite at Pelawangan II and looks deceptively close. You'll start the climb around 3am to reach it by sunrise. Depending on wind conditions, it may not be possible to attempt the summit at all, as the trail is along an exposed ridge.
It takes about 45 minutes to clamber up a steep, slippery and indistinct trail to the ridge that leads to Rinjani. Once on the ridge it's a relatively steady walk uphill. After about an hour heading towards a false peak, the real summit of Rinjani (3726m) looms. The trail then gets increasingly steeper. About 350m before the summit, the scree is composed of loose, fist-sized rocks. This section can take about an hour. The views from the top are truly magnificent. In total it takes around three hours to reach the summit, and two to return.
DAY FOUR/FIVE: PELAWANGAN II TO SEMBALUN LAWANG (SIX TO SEVEN HOURS)
From the Pelawangan II campsite, it's a steep descent to Sembalun; you'll feel it in your knees. From the campsite, you head back along the crater rim. Shortly after the turn-off to Danau Segara Anak, there's a signposted right turn down to Pada Balong (also called Pos 3, 1800m). The trail is easy to follow; it takes around two hours to reach Pada Balong shelter.
The trail then undulates toward the Sembalun Lawang savannah, via Tengengean (Pos 2, 1500m) shelter, beautifully situated in a river valley. It's another 30 minutes through long grass to lonely Pemantuan (Pos 1, 1300m), and two more hours along a dirt track to Sembalun Lawang.
8Information
Rinjani National ParkTOURIST INFORMATION
(Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani; %0370-660 8874; www.rinjaninationalpark.com)
The official website for the park has good maps, info and a useful section on reported scams by dodgy hiking operators.
Rinjani Trekking ClubTOURIST INFORMATION
(%0370-693202; www.info2lombok.com; Jl Raya Senggigi, Senggigi)
This group sells treks on the mountain but it also has a very worthwhile website and organises sustainable programs.
Tetebatu
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Laced with Rinjani spring-fed streams and blessed with rich volcanic soil, Tetebatu is a Sasak breadbasket. The surrounding countryside is quilted with tobacco and rice fields, fruit orchards and cow pastures that fade into remnant monkey forest gushing with waterfalls. Tetebatu's sweet climate is ideal for long country walks (at 400m it's high enough to mute that hot, sticky coastal mercury). Dark nights come saturated with sound courtesy of a frog orchestra accompanied by countless gurgling brooks. Even insomniacs snore here.
The town is spread out, with facilities on roads north and east (nicknamed 'waterfall road') of the central ojek stop, which happens to be the town's main intersection and a basis for all directions.
1Sights & Activities
A shady 4km track leading from the main road, just north of the mosque, heads into the Taman Wisata Tetebatu (Monkey Forest) with black monkeys and waterfalls – you'll need a guide.
On the southern slopes of Rinjani, there are two waterfalls. Both are accessible by private transport or a spectacular two-hour walk (one way) through rice fields from Tetebatu. If walking, hire a guide (150,000Rp) through your guesthouse.
A steep 2km hike from the car park at the end of the access road to Gunung Rinjani National Park leads to beautiful Air Terjun Jukut, an impressive 20m drop to a deep pool surrounded by lush forest.
4Sleeping & Eating
Cendrawasih CottagesCOTTAGE$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6418 7063; r from 250,000Rp)
Sweet little lumbung (rice barn)–style brick cottages with bamboo beds and private porches, nestled in the rice fields. Sit on floor cushions in the stunning stilted restaurant (mains 20,000Rp to 45,000Rp; open 8am to 9pm), which has Sasak, Indonesian and Western fare, and take in 360-degree rice-field views. It’s about 500m east of the intersection.
Pondok TetebatuLODGE$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0818 0576 7153; r 150,000-250,000Rp; W)
These 12 detached, ranch-style rooms set around a flower garden 500m north of the intersection are basic. The lodge offers guided walks through farming villages to the falls.
oTetebatu Mountain ResortLODGE$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 1771 6440, 0812 372 4040; r 450,000-650,000Rp; W)
These two-storey Sasak bungalows with 23 rooms in total are the best digs in town. There are separate bedrooms on both floors – perfect for travelling buddies – and a top-floor balcony with magical rice-field views.
8Getting There & Around
All cross-island buses pass Pomotong (15,000Rp from Mandalika terminal) on the main east−west highway. Get off here and you can hop on an ojek (from 20,000Rp) to Tetebatu.
Praya
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Sprawling Praya is the main town in the south, with tree-lined streets and the odd crumbling Dutch colonial relic. The bemo terminal is on the northwest side of town.
Lombok International Airport
Surrounded by rice fields and 5km south of Praya proper, the modern Lombok International Airport (www.lombok-airport.co.id) has become an attraction in its own right: on weekends you'll see vast crowds of locals sitting around watching and snacking. They're not waiting on anyone, rather they are hanging out for the day enjoying the spectacle of people flying in and out.
The airport is not huge, but is very modern and has a full range of services such as ATMs (and convenience stores with ludicrous prices). There is a useful NTT Tourist Office in the arrivals area with maps and brochures.
Flights from Lombok
| Destination | Airline | Duration | Frequency |
| Bali | Garuda, Lion Air/Wings Air | 20min | several daily |
| Bima (Sumbawa) | Garuda | 45min | daily |
| Jakarta | Garuda, Lion Air | 2hr | several daily |
| Kuala Lumpur | Air Asia | 3hr | daily |
| Makassar | Garuda | 1¾hr | daily |
| Singapore | Silk Air | 3hr | daily |
| Sumbawa Besar | Garuda | 30min | daily |
| Surabaya | Citilink, Lion Air | 1½hr | several daily |
8Getting There & Away
Thanks to wide new roads, the airport is only 30 minutes' drive from both Mataram and Kuta, and is well linked to the rest of the island. Note that some airport road signs simply say 'BIL', an acronym for the Bahasa Indonesia name Bandera Internasional Lombok'.
ABus Damri operates tourist buses; buy tickets in the arrivals area. Destinations: Mataram's Mandalika terminal (25,000Rp) and Senggigi (35,000Rp).
ATaxi The airport taxi cartel offers fixed-price rides to destinations that include: Kuta (100,000Rp, 30 minutes), Mataram (165,000Rp, 30 minutes), Senggigi (200,000Rp, one hour) and Bangsal (260,000Rp, 90 minutes), from where you can access the Gili Islands.
Around Praya
Penujak
Penujak is well known for its traditional gerabah pottery. Made from chocolatey terracotta-tinted local clay, it's hand-burnished and topped with braided bamboo. Huge floor vases cost US$6 or so, and there are also plates and cups on offer from the potters' humble home studios, most of which huddle around the eerie village cemetery. Any bemo from Praya to Kuta will drop you off here.
Rembitan & Sade
The area from Sengkol down to Kuta is a centre for Sasak culture – traditional villages full of towering lumbung (rice barns) and bale tani (family houses, made from bamboo, mud, and cow and buffalo dung). Regular bemos cover this route.
Sade's Sasak Village has been extensively renovated and has some fascinating bale tani. Further south, Rembitan has more of an authentic feel to it. It boasts a cluster of houses and lumbung, and the 100-year-old Masjid Kuno, an ancient thatched-roof mosque that is a pilgrimage destination for Lombok's Muslims.
Both villages are worth a look but it's not possible without a guide (around 40,000Rp).
Kuta
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What could be a better gateway to the wonderful beaches of south Lombok? Imagine a crescent bay, turquoise in the shallows and deep blue further out. It licks a huge, white-sand beach, as wide as a football pitch and framed by headlands. Now imagine a coastline of nearly a dozen such bays, all backed by a rugged range of coastal hills spotted with lush patches of banana trees and tobacco fields, and you'll have a notion of Kuta's immediate appeal.
Kuta's original attraction was the limitless world-class breaks, and now even as developers lick their chops, the sets still keep rolling in.
rBeaches
Kuta's main beach can easily snare you and keep you from looking elsewhere. It's got ideal white sand and all those views. Plus the surf is just right for swimming. But even here change looms: most of the beach cafes that used to line the sand have been demolished and the local government has planted some trees. (Although a few bamboo joints have snuck back in to vend beer at night.) It's slightly bleak, but then again, there's that water…
2Activities
There's a whole row of activity sales agents across the road from Lamancha Homestay. They can set you up on anything from surf tours to snorkelling in obscure locations. Bargain hard.
For surfing, stellar lefts and rights break on the reefs off Kuta Bay (Telek Kuta) and east of Tanjung An. Boatmen will take you out for around 150,000Rp. Seven kilometres east of Kuta is the fishing village of Gerupuk (Click here), where there’s a series of reef breaks, both close to the shore and further out, but they require a boat, at a negotiable 300,000Rp per day. However savvy surfers buzz past Gerupuk and take the road to to Ekas (Click here), where crowds are thin and surf is plentiful. West of Kuta you’ll find Mawan (Click here), a stunning swimming beach (the first left after Astari), and Mawi, a popular surf paradise (Click here) with world-class swells and a strong rip tide.
Kimen SurfSURFING
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-655064; www.kuta-lombok.net; Jl ke Mawan; board rental per day 100,000Rp, lessons per person from 500,000Rp; h9am-8pm)
Swell forecasts, tips, kitesurfing, board rental, repairs and lessons. It runs guided excursions to breaks such as Gerupuk (400,000Rp).
Diving
Scuba FroggyDIVING
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0877 6510 6945; www.scubafroggy.com; Jl ke Mawan; open-water course US$360; h9am-8pm)
Runs local trips to a dozen sites, most no deeper than 18m. From June to November it also runs trips to the spectacular and challenging ocean pinnacles in Blongas Bay, famous for schooling hammerheads and mobula rays. Snorkelling trips are 150,000Rp.
Discovery Divers LombokDIVING
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 3629 4178; www.discoverydiverslombok.com; Jl ke Mawan; 2 local dives from 1,200,000Rp; h8am-9pm)
A big, glossy operation, this dive shop has a full slate of courses, and runs tours through the region. It also has a very nice and welcoming cafe.
NYALE FESTIVAL
On the 19th day of the 10th month in the Sasak calendar (generally February or March), hundreds of Sasaks gather on the beach at Kuta, Lombok. When night falls, fires are built and teens sit around competing in a Sasak poetry slam, where they spit rhyming couplets called pantun back and forth. At dawn the next day, the first of millions of nyale (wormlike fish that appear here annually) are caught, then teenage girls and boys take to the sea separately in decorated boats, and chase one another with lots of noise and laughter. The nyale are eaten raw or grilled, and are considered to be an aphrodisiac. A good catch is a sign that a bumper crop of rice is coming.
4Sleeping
Prices increase markedly in the July–August high season. Beware of ageing, run-down hotels along Jl Raya Pantai Kuta.
oBombara BungalowsGUESTHOUSE$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-615 8056; bomborabungalows@yahoo.com; Jl Raya Kuta; r 350,000-450,000Rp; aWs)
One of the best places for a low-cost stay in Kuta, these eight (some fan-cooled) bungalows are built around a lovely pool area. Coconut palms shade loungers and the entire place feels like an escape from the hubbub of town. The staff understand the needs of surfers, and everyone else for that matter.
Bule HomestayGUESTHOUSE$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 1799 6256; bulehomestay.com; Jl Raya Bypass; r 250,000-300,000Rp; aW)
Although it's about 2km back from the beach near the junction of Jl Raya Kuta and Jl Raya Bypass, this eight-bungalow complex is worth consideration simply for the snappy way it's run. Dirt doesn't dare enter the small compound, where rooms gleam with a hospital white. It is surrounded by a wall that could have been in The Flintstones.
Sekar KuningINN$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-615 4856; Jl Raya Pantai Kuta; r from 200,000Rp; aW)
A charming beach-road inn. Tiled rooms have high ceilings, pastel paint jobs, ceiling fans, and bamboo furniture on the patio. Top-floor rooms have ocean views and are more expensive.
Mimpi ManisB&B$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0818 369 950; www.mimpimanis.com; off Jl Raya Kuta; r 150,000-350,000Rp; aW)
An inviting English–Balinese-owned B&B in a two-storey house with three spotless rooms (one with air-con), with en-suite showers, TVs and DVD players. There are plenty of good books to browse and DVDs to borrow. It’s 1km inland from the beach; the owners offer a free drop-off service to the beach and town, and arrange bike and motorbike rental.
oYuli's HomestayHOMESTAY$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 1710 0983; www.yulishomestay.com; off Jl Raya Kuta; r 400,000-500,000Rp; aWs)
A popular choice, the 13 rooms here are immaculately clean, spacious and nicely furnished with huge beds and wardrobes. They also have big front terraces, and cold-water bathrooms. There's a guest kitchen, and a garden and pool to enjoy.
Novotel Lombok Resort & VillasRESORT$$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-615 3333; www.novotel.com; r/villas from US$120/250; aWs)
One of the nicest beach resorts in NTT, this appealing, Sasak-themed four-star resort spills onto a superb beach less than 3km east of the junction. The 102 rooms have high sloping roofs and modern interiors. There are two pools, a spa, resort-style restaurants, a swanky bar and a plethora of activities on offer. Note: wi-fi doesn't work in the rooms.
5Eating & Drinking
Kuta's dining scene has improved with growth, but at most local joints the Indo nosh or fresh seafood are the smart choices. The market ( GOOGLE MAP ; off Jl Raya Kuta; hSun & Wed) sells an ever-changing variety of foodstuffs and basic necessities.
Full Moon CafeCAFE$
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Raya Pantai Kuta; mains from 30,000Rp; h8am-late; W)
Right across from the beach, the second-floor cafe here is like a tree house with killer ocean views. The menu has all the standards, from banana pancakes to various Indo rice creations. Come for the view and sunset, then hang out.
oWarung BuleSEAFOOD$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 1799 6256; Jl Raya Pantai Kuta; mains 40,000-250,000Rp; h8am-10pm; W)
Arguably the best restaurant in Kuta, founded by the long-time executive chef at the Novotel, who delivers tropical seafood tastes at an affordable price. We like the tempura starter. His trio of lobster, prawns and mahi mahi might have you cooing. It gets very busy in high season, so be prepared for a wait.
El BazarMEDITERRANEAN$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 9911 3026; Jl Raya Kuta; mains 30,000-150,000Rp; h8am-11pm)
A small cafe that's big on flavour. Pass by the flowers at the entrance and you'll be entranced by authentic tastes from around the Mediterranean. Hearty soups, salads, luscious aubergine, Moroccan tagines and more.
oWarung RastaBAR
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0882 1907 1744; Jl Raya Pantai Kuta; h8am-late)
The local owners of this barely there shack of a bar have created a laid-back party vibe that draws in crowds each night. Guitars get strummed and surfers compete in 'strawpedo' contests that involve beer-chugging with the strategic aid of straws. Hungry? Enjoy cheap Indo standards.
Surfer's BarBAR
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6456 8195; www.facebook.com/surfersbarkutalombok; Jl Raya Pantai Kuta; h9am-late)
Tables are scattered across the sand at this thumping dive bar, which has frequent live music.
8Information
ATMs are common, as is wi-fi.
Dangers & Annoyances
If you decide to rent a bicycle or motorbike, take care when selecting a supplier – arrangements are informal and no rental contracts are exchanged. We have received occasional reports of some visitors having motorbikes stolen, and then having to pay substantial sums of money as compensation to the owner (who may or may not have arranged the 'theft' themselves). Renting a motorbike from your guesthouse is safest.
As you drive up the coastal road west and east of Kuta, watch your back – especially after dark. There have been reports of muggings in the area.
Throngs of vendors – many children – are relentless.
8Getting There & Away
You'll need at least three bemos to get here just from Mataram. Take one from Mataram’s Mandalika terminal to Praya (15,000Rp), another to Sengkol (5000Rp) and a third to Kuta (5000Rp).
Simpler are the daily tourist buses serving Mataram (125,000Rp) plus Senggigi and Lembar (both 150,000Rp).
A taxi to the airport costs 60,000Rp.
Ride-share cars are widely advertised around town. Destinations include: Bangsal for Gili Islands public boats (160,000Rp), Seminyak (Bali) via the public ferry (200,000Rp), and Senaru (400,000Rp).
8Getting Around
Guesthouses rent motorbikes for about 60,000Rp to 70,000Rp per day.
Ojek congregate around the junction.
East of Kuta
A good paved road runs along the coast to the east and Ekas, passing a seemingly endless series of beautiful bays punctuated by headlands. It's a terrific motorbike ride.
Pantai Segar & Tanjung An
Pantai Segar, a lovely beach about 2km east of Kuta around the first headland, has unbelievably turquoise water, decent swimming (though no shade) and a break 200m offshore.
Continuing 3km east on an increasingly rough road, Tanjung An (or variously Aan or Ann) is a spectacular sight: a giant horseshoe bay with two sweeping arcs of fine sand with the ends punctuated by waves crashing on the rocks. Swimming is good here and there's a little shade under trees and shelters, plus safe parking (for a small charge). Bamboo warungs offer meals, beers, beach chairs and more.
Construction of the long-rumoured huge international resort here has finally begun. Vast boulevards are in the works for the former marshlands behind the beach and other developments will follow. Expect the area to change greatly in the next few years.
Gerupuk
Just 1.6km past Tanjung An, Gerupuk is a fascinating little ramshackle coastal village where the thousand or so local souls earn their keep from fishing, seaweed harvesting and lobster exports. Oh, and guiding and ferrying surfers to the five exceptional surf breaks in its huge bay.
To surf here you'll need to hire a boat to ferry you from the fishing harbour, skirting the netted lobster farms, to the break (200,000Rp). The boatman will help you find the right wave and wait patiently. There are four waves inside and a left break outside on the point. All can get head high or bigger when the swell hits.
4Sleeping & Eating
There is a growing number of hotels and warungs popular with surfers in Gerupuk.
Surf Camp LombokSURF CAMP$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 1608 6876; www.surfcampindonesia.com; Gerupuk; 1 week from €650)S
Lodging at this fun surf resort at the eastern end of Gerupuk village is in a bamboo Borneo-style longhouse, albeit with lots of high-tech diversions. The beach setting feels lush and remote. All meals are included plus surf lessons, yoga and more. Rooms sleep four, except for one double. Recycling and other eco-friendly practices are embraced.
Edo HomestayINN$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0818 0371 0521; Gerupuk; r 150,000-600,000Rp; aWs)
Right in the village, this place offers 18 clean rooms (some fan-cooled). Most have colourful drapes and double beds; top-end rooms are in a villa. It has a decent restaurant and a surf shop too (boards per day 100,000Rp).
Ekas
Ekas is an uncrowded find, where the breaks and soaring cliffs recall Bali's Ulu Watu - but an almost deserted Ulu Watu. It's easy to drive here from both the west and the north. From Kuta, it's under 90 minutes on a scooter.
Ekas itself is a sleepy little village, but head south into the peninsula and you'll soon make the sorts of jaw-dropping discoveries that will have you tweeting like mad. Start by driving all the way south (6.5km from Ekas) over the rough but passable road to Pantai Dagong. Here, you'll find an utterly empty and seemingly endless white beach backed by azure breakers.
Ask directions to Heaven Beach for another bit of sandy wonder. It's a stunning little pocket of white sand and surf about 4km from Ekas. Despite the omnipresent resort, you're free to access the shore: all Indonesian beaches are public.
4Sleeping & Eating
There are posh boutique resorts hidden on the beautiful coves south of Ekas. Also look out for new and simple guesthouses along the rural roads.
Heaven on the PlanetBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 375 1103; www.sanctuaryinlombok.com; per person all-inclusive US$160-225; aWs)
The aptly named Heaven on the Planet has five units scattered along a cliff's edge, from where you'll have spectacular bird's-eye views of the sea and swell lines. Heaven is primarily a surf resort (you can even surf at night here thanks to ocean spotlights) but kitesurfing, scuba diving and snorkelling are also possible.
West of Kuta
West of Kuta is a series of awesome beaches and ideal surf breaks. Developers are nosing around here, and land has changed hands, but for now it remains almost pristine and the region has a raw beauty. In anticipation of future developments, the road has been much improved and electrical wires strung. It meanders inland, skirting tobacco, sweet potato and rice fields in between turn-offs to the sand and glimpses of the gorgeous coast.
Mawan
How's this for a vision of sandy paradise? Just 600m off the main road (9km from Kuta), this half-moon cove is framed by soaring headlands with azure water and a swathe of empty sand (save a fishing village of a dozen thatched homes). It's a terrific swimming beach. There's paved parking (car/motorbike 10,000/5000Rp) and some modest cafes.
Mawi
Some 16km west of Kuta, look for a small road down to Mawi. This is a surf paradise: a stunning scene, with legendary barrels and several beaches scattered around the great bay. Watch out for the strong rip tide. There's parking (car/motorbike 10,000/5000Rp) and vendors.
Selong Blanak
West of Mawi, and just when you think you've seen the most beautiful beaches Kuta has to offer, you reach Selong Blanak. Behold the wide, sugar-white beach with water streaked a thousand shades of blue, ideal for swimming. You can rent surfboards (per day 100,000Rp) and arrange for a boat out to area breaks (three hours from 500,000Rp). The parking lot (car/motorbike 10,000/5000Rp) is just 400m off the main drag on a good road.
4Sleeping & Eating
Sempiak VillasRESORT$$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0821 4430 3337; www.sempiakvillas.com; Solong Blanak; villas from 1,200,000Rp; as)
Tucked away on the cliffs, this fabulous boutique resort is one of the Kuta area's most upscale properties. The six villas are built into the hillside above the beach and feature antique wood; some have covered decks with stupendous views.
oLaut Biru Bar & RestaurantSEAFOOD$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0821 4430 3339; Selong Blanak; mains 40,000-80,000Rp; h8am-10pm; W)
On the beach, this light and airy haven is part of the cliffside Sempiak Villas but is open to all-comers. Breakfasts feature muesli and yogurt, banana pancakes and eggs on toast. Lunch and dinner have global influences, and include local and Thai dishes plus seafood. It's a beautiful place, and you can dine on the sand.
Blongas & Around
From Pengantap, the road climbs across a headland then descends to a superb bay; follow this around for 1km then look out for the turn-off west to Blongas – a steep and winding road with breathtaking scenery. Blongas is set on a secluded namesake bay that is positively beautiful.
Dive Zone ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 3924 1560, 0819 0785 2073; www.divezone-lombok.com; Blongas Bay; 2 dives from US$100) focuses on the famed nearby dive sites Magnet and Cathedrals. Spotting conditions peak in mid-September when you may see schooling mobula rays in addition to hammerheads, which school around the pinnacle (a towering rock that breaks the surface of the ocean and is the heart of the dive sites) from June to November. It's not an easy dive, so you must be experienced and prepared for heavy current.
Labuhan Lombok
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Labuhan Lombok (also known as Labuhan Kayangan or Tanjung Kayangan) is the port for ferries and boats to Sumbawa. The town centre of Labuhan Lombok, 3km west of the ferry terminal, is a scruffy place but it does have great views of Gunung Rinjani.
8Getting There & Away
Bus & Bemo
Regular buses and bemos buzz between Mandalika terminal in Mataram and Labuhan Lombok; the journey takes 2½ hours (35,000Rp). Some buses will only drop you off at the port entrance road from where you can catch another bemo to the ferry terminal. Don't walk – it's too far.
LOMBOK & SUMBAWA DURING RAMADAN
Ramadan, the month of fasting, is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. During daylight hours, many restaurants are closed in Mataram and in conservative east and south Lombok (excepting Kuta and the coast). The same goes for all of the next island east, Sumbawa. At this time, foreigners eating, drinking (especially alcohol) and smoking in public may attract a negative reaction in these areas.
South of Labuhan Lombok
Selong, the capital of the east Lombok administrative district, has some dusty Dutch colonial buildings. The transport junction for the region is just to the west of Selong at Pancor, where you can catch bemos to most points south.
Tanjung Luar is one of Lombok's main fishing ports (and home to one of Indonesia's most egregious shark-finning operations) and has lots of Bugis-style houses on stilts. From here, the road swings west to Keruak, where wooden boats are built, and continues past the turn to Sukaraja, a traditional Sasak village where you can buy woodcarvings. Just west of Keruak a road leads south to Jerowaru and the spectacular southeastern peninsula. You'll need your own transport; be warned that it's easy to lose your way around here, but the main roads are good.
Gili Islands
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Picture three miniscule desert islands, fringed by white-sand beaches and coconut palms, sitting in a turquoise sea: the Gilis are a vision of paradise. These islets have exploded in popularity, and are booming like nowhere else in Indonesia – speedboats now zip visitors direct from Bali and a hip new hotel opens practically every month.
It's not hard to understand the Gilis' unique appeal, for a serenity endures (no motorbikes or dogs!) and a green consciousness is growing. Development has been more tasteful than rapacious and there are few concrete eyesores.
Each island has its own special character. Trawangan (universally known as Gili T) is by far the most cosmopolitan, its bar and party scene vibrant, its accommodation and restaurants close to definitive tropical chic. Gili Air has the strongest local character, but also a perfect mix of buzz and languor. Gili Meno is simply a desert-island getaway, albeit one with some buzz.
8Getting There & Away
Fast boats advertise swift connections (about two hours) between Bali and Gili Trawangan. They leave from several departure points in Bali, including Benoa Harbour, Sanur, Padangbai and Amed. Some go via Nusa Lembongan. Many dock at Teluk Nare/Teluk Kade on Lombok north of Senggigi before continuing on to Air and Trawangan (you’ll have to transfer for Meno).
The website Gili Bookings (www.gilibookings.com) presents a range of boat operators and prices in response to your booking request. It's useful for getting an idea of the services offered, but it is not comprehensive and you may get a better price by buying direct from the operator.
Other considerations:
Fares are not fixed; especially in quiet times, you should be able to get discounts on published fares.
If you don't need transport to/from the boat, ask for a discount.
The advertised times are illusionary. Boats are cancelled, unplanned stops are made or they simply run very late.
Book ahead in July and August.
The sea between Bali and Lombok can get very rough (particularly during rainy season).
The fast boats are unregulated, and operating and safety standards vary widely. There have been some major accidents and boats have sunk.
Amed Sea ExpressBOAT
(%0878 6306 4799; www.gili-sea-express.com; per person from 600,000Rp)
Makes 75-minute crossings to Amed on a large speedboat; this makes many interesting itineraries possible. Also serves Sanur.
Blue Water ExpressBOAT
(%0361-895 1111; www.bluewater-express.com; one-way from 750,000Rp)
From Serangan and Padangbai (Bali), to Teluk Kade, Gili T and Gili Air.
Gili CatBOAT
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0361-271680; www.gilicat.com; adult/child 700,000/550,000Rp; hGili T office 9am-9pm)
Well-established company linking Padangbai, Gili T and Teluk Kade.
Gili GetawayBOAT
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0813 3707 4147; www.giligetaway.com; one-way from 675,000Rp; hGili T office 9am-8pm)
Very professional; links Serangan on Bali with Gili T and Gili Air.
PeramaBOAT
(%0361-750808; www.peramatour.com; per person 225,000Rp; hGili T office 9am-8pm)
Links Padangbai, the Gilis and Senggigi by a not-so-fast boat.
ScootBOAT
( GOOGLE MAP ; www.scootcruise.com; one-way from 700,000Rp; hGili T office 9am-9pm)
Boats link Sanur, Padangbai, Nusa Lembongan and the Gilis.
Semaya OneBOAT
(%0361-877 8166; www.semayacruise.com; adult/child 650,000/550,000Rp)
Network of services linking Sanur, Nusa Penida, Padangbai, Teluk Kade, Gili Air and Gili T.
DON'T MISS
BEST OF THE GILI ISLANDS
ASnorkelling with hawksbill and green turtles off Gili Meno (Click here).
ADancing all night at one of Trawangan's (in)famous parties (Click here).
AFinding serenity on Gili Meno's west coast (Click here).
ALearning to freedive on Gili T.
ASpending a day walking around Gili Air, pausing endlessly for swims and refreshments (Click here).
ADiving with reef sharks at Shark Point (Click here).
Coming from Lombok, you can travel on one of the fast boats from Teluk Nare/Teluk Kade north of Senggigi. However most people use the public boats that leave from Bangsal Harbour.
Boat tickets at Bangsal Harbour are sold at the port’s large ticket office which has posted prices, and which is where you can also charter a boat. Buy a ticket elsewhere and you’re getting played.
Public boats run to all three islands before 11am, after that you may only find one to Gili T or Gili Air. Public boats in both directions leave when the boat is full – about 30 people. When no public boat is running to your Gili, you may have to charter a boat (400,000Rp to 500,000Rp, carries up to 25 people).
One-way fares are 10,000Rp to Gili Air, 12,000Rp to Gili Meno and 15,000Rp to Gili Trawangan. Boats often pull up on the beaches; be prepared to wade ashore. Public fast boats also link Gili T, Gili Air and Bangsal; they run several times a day and cost 100,000Rp.
Although it had a bad reputation for years, Bangsal Harbour hassles are much reduced. Still, avoid touts and note that anyone who helps you with bags deserves a tip (10,000Rp per bag is appropriate). There are ATMs.
Coming by public transport via Mataram and Senggigi, catch a bus or bemo to Pemenang, from where it’s a 1.2km walk (5000Rp by ojek) to Bangsal Harbour. A metered taxi to the port will take you to the harbour. From Senggigi, Perama offers a bus and boat connection to the Gilis for a reasonable 150,000Rp (two hours).
Arriving in Bangsal, you'll be offered rides in shared vehicles at the port. To Senggigi, 100,000Rp is a fair price. Otherwise, walk 500m down the access road past the huge new tsunami shelter to the Blue Bird Lombok Taksi stand (always the best taxi choice) for metered rides to Senggigi (90,000Rp), the airport (200,000Rp) and Kuta (300,000Rp).
HOTEL TRANSPORT
Most hotels and many guesthouses will be happy to help you sort out your transportation options to and from the Gilis as part of your reservation. If you use an online booking website, contact the hotel directly afterwards. Some high-end resorts have their own boats for transporting guests.
8Getting Around
There's no motorised transport on the Gilis. In fact, the only motorbike in Gili T is on the Biorock reef, 5m deep in front of Cafe Gili. Happily, it's all very walkable.
Cidomo
Cidomo (horse carts) operate as taxis; prices have soared in recent years. Even a short ride can cost 50,000Rp. For an hour-long clip-clop around an island expect to pay at least 100,000Rp. We cannot recommend using cidomo due to the significant questions about the treatment of the horses.
Island-Hopping
There's a twice-daily island-hopping boat service that loops between all three islands (35,000Rp to 40,000Rp), so you can sample another Gili's pleasures for the day – although you can't hit all three in one day by public boat. Check the latest timetable at the islands' docks. You can also always charter boats between the islands (400,000Rp to 450,000Rp).
DANGERS & ANNOYANCES ON THE GILIS
AAlthough it's rare, some foreign women have experienced sexual harassment and even assault while on the Gilis – it's best not to walk home alone to the quieter parts of the islands.
AAs tranquil as these seas appear, currents are strong in the channels between the islands. Do not try to swim between Gili islands as it can be deadly.
AThe drug trade remains endemic in Trawangan. You'll get offers of mushrooms, meth and other drugs. But remember, Indonesia has a strong antidrugs policy; those found in possession of or taking drugs risk jail or worse.
ATourists have been injured and killed by adulterated arak (colourless, distilled palm wine) on the Gilis; skip it.
ABike riders (almost entirely tourists) regularly plough into and injure people on Gili T's main drag. Cidomo hauling construction goods are almost as bad.
AThere are seldom police on any of the Gilis (though this is changing). Report thefts to the island kepala desa (village head) immediately, who will deal with the issue; staff at the dive schools will direct you to him.
AFor trouble on Gili Trawangan, contact Satgas, the community organisation that runs island affairs, via your hotel or dive centre. Satgas tries to resolve problems and track down stolen property.
Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan is a paradise of global repute, ranking alongside Bali and Borobudur as one of Indonesia's top destinations. Trawangan's heaving main drag, busy with bikes, horse carts and mobs of scantily clad visitors, can surprise those expecting some languid tropical retreat. Instead, a wall-to-wall roster of lounge bars, hip guesthouses, ambitious restaurants, minimarts and dive schools clamour for attention.
And yet behind this glitzy facade, a bohemian character endures, with rickety warungs and reggae joints surviving between the cocktail tables, and quiet retreats dotting the much-less-busy north coast. Even as massive 200-room-plus hotels begin to colonise the still mostly wild and ragged west coast, you can head just inland to a village laced with sandy lanes roamed by free-range roosters, kibbutzing ibu (mothers) and wild-haired kids playing hopscotch. Here the call of the muezzin, not happy hour, defines the time of day.
Settled just over 50 years ago (by Bugis fishers from Sulawesi), Gili T was discovered by travellers in the 1980s, seduced by the white-sand beaches and coral reefs. By the 1990s Trawangan had mutated into a kind of tropical Ibiza, a stoney idyll where you could rave away from the eyes of the Indonesian police. And then the island began to grow up – resident Western hedonists morphed into entrepreneurs, diving rivalled partying in the economy, and outside money poured in to build resorts.
Gili Trawangan
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
rBeaches
Gili T is ringed by the sort of powdery white sand people expect to find on Bali but don't. It can be crowded along the bar-lined main part of the strip, but walk just a bit north or south and east and you'll find some of Gili T's nicest beaches for swimming and snorkelling. You can find even more solitude along the west and north coasts, where it will be you and your towel on the sand – although water- and Bintang-vendors are never far away.
Note that at low tide large portions of the west and north coasts have rocks and coral near the surface, which makes trying to get off the shore deeply unpleasant. And the beach has eroded to oblivion on the northeast corner.
Many people simply enjoy the sensational views of Lombok and Gunung Rinjani, and of Bali and Gunung Agung.
Gili Trawangan East
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
7Shopping
2Activities
Almost everything to do on Gili T will involve the water at some point.
Diving & Snorkelling
Trawangan is a diving polestar, with over a dozen professional scuba schools and one of Asia's only freediving schools. Most dive schools and shops have good accommodation for clients who want to book a package.
There's fun snorkelling off the beach north of the boat landing – the coral isn't in the best shape here, but there are tons of fish. The reef is in much better shape off the northwest coast, but at low tide you'll have to scramble over some sharp, dead coral (bring rubber booties) to access it. Snorkel gear rental averages 50,000Rp per day.
Big BubbleDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-612 5020; www.bigbubblediving.com; fun dives day/night 490,000/600,000Rp)S
The original engine behind the Gili Eco Trust, and a long-running dive school. It's a GIDA member.
Blue Marlin Dive CentreDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-613 2424; www.bluemarlindive.com; 10-dive nitrox package 5,100,000Rp)S
Gili T's original dive shop, and one of the best tech diving schools in the world. It's a GIDA member and home to one Gili T's classic bars.
oLutwala DiveDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0877 65492615; www.lutwala.com; divemaster courses 14,000,000Rp)S
A nitrox and five-star PADI centre owned by Fern Perry, who held the women's world-record for deepest open-circuit dive (190m). A GIDA member, it also rents top-quality snorkelling gear.
Manta DiveDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-614 3649; www.manta-dive.com; open-water courses 5,500,000Rp)S
The biggest and still one of the best dive schools on the island. It has a large compound that spans the main road and a pool. It is a GIDA member and has special kids programs.
Trawangan DiveDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-614 9220; www.trawangandive.com; 5 guided nitrox boat dives from 2,700,000Rp)S
A top, long-running dive shop and GIDA member with a fun (very large) pool-party vibe. Ask how you can join its regular beach clean-ups.
FREEDIVING THE GILIS
Freedive GiliDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-614 0503; www.freedivegili.com; beginner/advanced courses US$275/375)
Freediving is an advanced breath-hold technique that allows you to explore much deeper depths than snorkelling (to 30m and beyond). Trawangan's professional school is owned by an expert diver who has touched 90m on a single breath, and offers two-day beginner and three-day advanced courses. After a two-day course many students are able to get down to 20m on a single breath of air.
Surfing
Trawangan has a fast right reef break that can be surfed year-round (though it is temperamental) and at times swells overhead. Shop the backstreets for rentals as the much-hyped Surf Bar has outlandish prices for battered boards.
Walking & Cycling
Trawangan is perfect for exploring on foot or by bike. You can walk around the whole island in a couple of hours – if you finish at the hill on the southwestern corner (which has the remains of an old Japanese gun placement c WWII), you'll have terrific sunset views of Bali's Gunung Agung.
Bikes (per day from 50,000Rp) are a great way to get around. You'll find loads of rental outlets on the main strip. Beware of the bike-unfriendly north coast; paths across the interior of the island are usually in good shape for cycling.
SilaBICYCLE RENTAL
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6562 3015; bike rentals per day from 50,000Rp)
Has a huge range of bikes for rent, including two-seaters. Also does boat trips.
Yoga & Wellness
Gili YogaYOGA
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-614 0503; www.giliyoga.com; per person from 100,000Rp)
Runs daily vinyasa classes, and is part of Freedive Gili.
Xqisit SpaSPA
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-612 9405; www.exqisit.com; 1hr massages from 180,000Rp; h10am-10pm)
A day spa on the waterfront with curtained-off treatment rooms for massage, and leather seats for mani-pedi or reflexology. Also has a coffee bar. The long list of services includes shiatsu and an 'extreme hangover recovery' massage treatment (700,000Rp) – talk about tapping into market demand.
CCourses
Gili Cooking ClassesCOOKING COURSE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %087763241215; www.gilicookingclasses.com; classes from 275,000Rp; h11.30am, 4pm, 8pm)
This slick operation has a large kitchen for classes right on the strip. You have a range of options for what you'll learn to cook – choose wisely as you'll be eating your work.
CULTURAL RESPECT
As almost all locals on the Gilis Islands are Muslim; visitors should keep these cultural considerations in mind:
- It's not at all acceptable to wander the village lanes in a bikini, no matter how many others you see doing so. Cover up away from the beach or hotel pool.
- Nude or topless sunbathing anywhere is offensive.
- During the month of Ramadan many locals fast during daylight hours and there are no all-night parties on Gili Trawangan.
4Sleeping
Gili T has over 5000 rooms and more than 200 places to stay, ranging from thatched huts to sleek, air-conditioned villas with private pools. Yet, in peak season, the entire island is often booked; reserve your room well ahead to arrive with a relaxed attitude.
Many places are owned by local families with little or no experience of running hotels. Virtually all dive schools offer really good midrange accommodation, which may come with price breaks on diving packages. The cheapest digs are in the village, where the mosque is everyone's alarm clock. Head to the north or west coasts to escape the crowds.
The high-season rates quoted can drop a bit off-peak, but Gili T's popularity means that rates are mostly zooming upwards.
Village
Pondok Gili GeckoGUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0818 0573 2814; r from 250,000Rp; W)
An inviting guesthouse with a charming gecko motif. The four rooms are super clean, and have ceiling fans and private tiled patios overlooking the garden.
oIndigo BungalowsGUESTHOUSE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0818 0371 0909; www.facebook.com/IndigoGiliT; r from 550,000Rp; aWs)
In the crowded Gili T midrange market, Indigo stands out for its attention to detail. The four rooms have hot water, patios and views of the pool or gardens. It's got a nice, quiet compound feel.
WoodstockBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0821 4765 5877; www.woodstockgili.com; r fan/air-con from 540,000-600,000Rp; aWs)
The hippest spot on Trawangan. Commune with the spirit of the Dead, Baez and Hendrix in 12 pristine rooms with tribal accents, private porches and outdoor baths, which surround a laid-back pool area.
Alexyane ParadiseBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6599 9645; r from 400,000Rp; a)
Five great-quality dark-wood cottages with high ceilings, bamboo beds, and lovely light-flooded outdoor baths sprouting foliage.
Oceane ParadiseCOTTAGE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 3779 3533; r from 500,000Rp; aW)
A terrific compound of nine wooden cottages with stylish outdoor bathrooms.
oVilla NeroVILLA$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 0904 8000; www.thevillanero.com; villas from US$250; aWs)
One of the best-run and most luxurious places to stay on Gili T. Each of the 10 large units has multiple rooms and a large lounging patio. The scheme is refreshingly minimalist, with accents of art and green plants. Among the many amenities: free bike use.
Gili JogloVILLA$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0813 5678 4741; www.gilijoglo.com; villas from 1,400,000Rp; aW)
Three fabulous villas. One is crafted out of an antique joglo (traditional Javanese house) with polished concrete floors, two bedrooms and a massive indoor-outdoor great room. Though slightly smaller, we prefer the one built from two 1950s gladaks (middle-class homes). Rooms come with butler service.
Main Strip
oGili HostelHOSTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0877 6526 7037; www.gilihostel.com; dm from 175,000Rp; aWs)
This co-ed dorm complex has a shaggy Torajan-style roof. The seven rooms each sleep seven, and have concrete floors, high ceilings and a sleeping loft. There's a rooftop bar with beanbags, sun loungers and hammocks, plus views of the treetops, the hills and the big party pool.
Sama Sama BungalowsBUNGALOW$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-612 1106; r 300,000-550,000Rp; aW)
Just a few metres from where the fast boats drop you on the beach, the eight lumbung-style units here are perfect if you want to be right in the very heart of the action.
Le Petit GiliGUESTHOUSE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6585 5545; www.lepetitgili.com; r 500,000-750,000Rp; aW)
The three rooms here have a casual chic, reminiscent of one of the better listings on Airbnb. The spaces are made cosy with natural woods and the odd antique. Big windows let the light in and let you look out at the views, which include the night market. Guests can use bikes and refill water bottles. Good ground-floor cafe.
KokomoVILLA$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-613 4920; www.kokomogilit.com; r from 3,250,000Rp; aWs)
Offering beautifully finished and lavishly equipped modern accommodation, these 11 minivillas are set in a small complex at the quieter southern end of the main strip. All have private pools, contemporary decor and lovely indoor-outdoor living quarters. You can rent one, two or three bedrooms in your unit.
Beachside
Blu da MareBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0858 8866 2490; www.bludamare.it; r from 900,000Rp; aW)
At Blu da Mare you can bed down in one of five lovely, antique joglo from 1920s Java. Features include gorgeous old wood floors, queen beds, and freshwater showers in a sunken bath. It has a fine, Euro-accented cafe.
Balé SampanHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 3702 4048; www.balesampanbungalows.com; r garden/pool US$88/94; aWs)
On a nice wide-open stretch of beach. The 14 fine modern-edge rooms have Yogja stone baths and plush duvet covers. Other highlights include a freshwater pool and a proper English breakfast.
SoundwavesBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 3673 2404; www.soundwavesresort.com; r 400,000-700,000Rp; aW)
The 13 rooms here are simple and clean with tiled floors. Some are set in wooden A-frames, others in a two-storey concrete building with staggered and recessed patios offering beach views from each room. Some rooms are fan-only.
North, South & West Coasts
oEden CottagesCOTTAGE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 1799 6151; www.edencottages.com; cottages 550,000-850,000Rp; as)
Six clean, thatched concrete bungalows wrapped around a pool, fringed by a garden and shaded by a coconut grove. Rooms have tasteful furnishings, stone baths, TV-DVD and fresh-cold-water showers. The owner avoids wi-fi, which only increases the serenity.
Alam GiliHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-613 0466; www.alamgili.com; r US$65-125; aWs)
A lush mature garden and a quiet beach location are the main draws here. The nine rooms and villas in a small compound boast elegant lashings of old-school Balinese style. There's a small pool and a cafe on the beach.
oWilson's RetreatRESORT$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-612 0060; www.wilsons-retreat.com; r from 1,750,000Rp; aWs)
A fine new addition to the north shore, Wilson's has 20 rooms plus four villas with private pools. Even though the setting is expansive and classy, it still manages some Gili languor. The excellent cafe overlooks a fine stretch of beach.
Gili Eco VillasVILLA$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0361-847 6419; www.giliecovillas.com; r/villas from US$150/190; aWs)S
Nineteen classy rooms and villas, made from recycled teak salvaged from old Javanese colonial buildings, are set back from the beach on Trawangan's idyllic north coast. Comfort and style are combined with solid green principles (water is recycled, there's an organic vegetable garden, and solar and wind energy provide most of the power).
Pondok SantiRESORT$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-714 0711; www.pondoksanti.com; r from US$300; aWs)
Six gorgeous bungalows are set well apart on this old coconut plantation. Lawns now cover the grounds, and this is easily the classiest looking resort on Gili T. The units have outdoor showers and rich, traditional wood decor. It's on a great beach and just close enough to the strip.
Danima ResortGUESTHOUSE$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6087 2506; www.giliresortdanima.com; r from 1,600,000Rp; aWs)
An intimate four-room boutique property. Nests are blessed with floating beds, vaulted ceilings, tasteful lighting, rattan deck seating and rain showers. It has a romantic pool and beach area too.
GREEN GILI
When you pay your hotel or diving bill on the Gilis you may be offered the chance to pay an 'Eco Tax' (50,000Rp per person). It's a voluntary donation, set up by the pioneering Gili Eco Trust (www.giliecotrust.com) to improve the island's environment.
It's a worthy cause. The environmental pressure on the Gilis as their popularity has grown is enormous. Intensive development and rubbish plus offshore reef damage from fishers using cyanide and dynamite to harvest fish have been just some of the problems. Up to 10,000 visitors and workers arrive on the islands each day.
Eco Trust has several initiatives to help:
- Distributing free reusable shopping bags to cut down on plastic-bag use, and encouraging restaurants to stop using plastic straws.
- An aggressive education campaign to get locals and business owners to recycle their rubbish. There are now over 1000 recycling bins on the islands.
- A long-term scheme to recycle virtually all the rubbish on the islands. Ground was broken for a sorting centre on Gili T in 2015.
- Care of the islands' horses – vet clinics are offered and there are driver education programs in horse care.
- Biorock, a reef restoration program that now has over 120 installations around the islands.
There are many ways visitors to the Gilis can help, besides just paying the Eco Tax:
Clean up the beach Eco Trust and Trawangan Dive You both organise weekly beach clean-ups and more hands are always needed. Admire the white sand and azure waters as do your own freelance beach clean-up. Toss anything you find in a recycling bin.
Report horse mistreatment Anyone seeing a cidomo driver mistreating a horse can get the number of the cart and report it to Eco Trust (0370-625020 or 0813 3960 0553), which will follow up with the driver. Unfortunately many transport carts with their heavy loads of construction supplies and Bintang have no cart numbers for reporting.
Build a reef For US$600 you'll get two dives a day for two weeks and can help build a Biorock installation. Eco Trust has details.
5Eating
In the evenings, numerous places on the main strip display and grill delicious fresh seafood. There's not much to distinguish them – pick by what looks good and how much chilli and garlic you like in your marinade.
Elsewhere on the strip, you'll find timeless beach bars with lots of Indo standards, which you can enjoy with a cold Bintang and your feet in the sand. There's also a growing number of high-concept cafes.
oPasar MalamMARKET$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 15,000-30,000Rp; h6pm-midnight)
Blooming every evening in front of Gili T's market, this night market is the place to indulge in ample local eats, including tangy noodle soup, savoury fried treats, scrumptious ayam goreng (fried chicken) and grilled fresh catch. Just wandering around the stalls (we like Green Cafe) looking at all the dishes vying for your attention will get you drooling. Seating is at long tables.
La Dolce VitaITALIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 20,000-40,000Rp; h7.30am-5pm Tue-Sun; a)
There comes that moment when another nasi goreng will just make you turn nasty. Don't delay, hop right on over to this little cafe that's not much bigger than one of its excellent espressos. Slices of authentic pizza and a whole range of pastries are joined by daily specials to sate the ravenous.
Warung Kiki NoviINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains from 15,000Rp; h8am-10pm)
Long-time islanders will tell you that this is the best place for nasi campur (rice with a choice of side dishes) in the Gilis, and they are right; this cheery dining room is the scene of budget-dining nirvana. Besides fine Indo mains there's a smattering of Western sandwiches and salads.
oKayu CaféCAFE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6239 1308; mains 40,000-80,000Rp; h8am-10pm; aW)
There are two options here: the main cafe on the inland side of the strip has a lovely array of healthy baked goods, salads, sandwiches and the island's best juices, all served in air-con comfort. Across the road the beach cafe is all open air and exposed wood. Service on the sand can be slow – head inside to order.
ReginaPIZZA$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0877 6506 6255; mains 40,000-100,000Rp; h5-11pm)
The wood-fired oven rarely gets a break at this excellent Italian joint, just inland. At busy times there's a long line for takeaway pizzas, but a better option is to find a bamboo table in the garden and have some cold ones with the fine thin-crust pies. A sign announces: 'no pizza pineapple'. Ahh, the sound of authenticity...
Thai GardenTHAI$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6453 1253; mains 50,000-120,000Rp; h3pm-10pm)
Who needs Bangkok when you have Gili T? The most authentic Thai food this side of Phuket is served up in a cute little garden. The flavours are spot on thanks to regular deliveries of key spices. Here's the place to beat the Indo rice blues.
Cafe GiliINTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 35,000-70,000Rp; h8am-10pm; W)
Think: cushioned beachside seating, candlelight, and some cool and housey music playing. The kitchen spills from a shabby chic whitewashed dining room and rambles across the street to the shore. The menu meanders from eggs Florentine and breakfast baguettes, to deli sandwiches and salads, to decent pasta and seafood dishes.
Pearl Beach LoungeINTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-613 7788; www.pearlbeachlounge.com; mains 60,000-180,000Rp; h8am-11pm; W)
The bamboo flows only a little less fluidly than the beer at this high-concept beachside lounge and restaurant. During the day, spending 100,000Rp on food and drink from the burger-filled menu gets you access to a pool and comfy beach loungers. At night the striking bamboo main pavilion comes alive, and more complex steak and seafood mains are on offer.
Beach HouseINTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-614 2352; www.beachhousegilit.com; mains 75,000-250,000Rp; h11am-10pm; W)
Boasts an elegant marina terrace, a wonderful nightly barbecue, a salad bar and fine wine. Among much competition, it's a contender for the best barbecued seafood around and is always popular. Book ahead.
The island has oodles of beachside drinking dens, ranging from sleek lounge bars to simple shacks. Parties are held several nights a week, shifting between mainstay bars such as Tir na Nog and Rudy's Pub, and various other upstarts. The strip south of the Pasar Malam is the centre for raucous nightlife.
oLa MoombaBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h10am-midnight)
If you wish to chill on a luscious white beach, with bamboo lounges and reggae pumping from the tiki bar, head to La Moomba, Trawangan's best beach bar.
Vintage Sunset BeachBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h11am-10pm)
The kind of sunset bar that you won't want to leave after the sun has set. While strains of Billie Holiday add mellifluous accents to the lapping surf, enjoy excellent Jamaican food (the spicy chicken, yum!; mains from 60,000Rp). Or just let the sand caress your toes as you hang low in a hammock.
Tir na NogPUB
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-613 9463; h7am-2am Thu-Tue, to 4am Wed; W)
Known simply as 'The Irish', this hanger of hangovers has a sports-bar interior with big screens. Enjoy tasty chow such as kebabs (mains 35,000Rp to 80,000Rp). Its shoreside open-air bar is probably the busiest meeting spot on the island. Jovial mayhem reigns on Wednesday nights when the DJ takes over.
Blue MarlinBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8am–very late)
Of all the party bars, this upper-level venue has the largest dance floor and the meanest sound system – it pumps trance and tribal beats on Mondays.
Sama SamaBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; hhours vary)
An overly decorated reggae bar–slash-roadhouse with a top-end sound system, a killer live band (playing the same set list) at least six nights a week, and a beer garden on the beach.
ExileBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 0772 1858; hnoon-late; i)
This beach bar has a party vibe at all hours. It's Indonesian owned and 20 minutes from the main strip on foot, or an easy bike ride. There is also a compound of 10 woven bamboo bungalows with rooms from 450,000Rp here, just in case home seems too far.
7Shopping
Gili Trawangan was once the domain of cheap knick-knack stalls and not much else, but a stream of refinement is rapidly taking root. Outlets of Bali boutiques are popping up along the main strip near the Pasar Malam.
oCasa VintageCLOTHING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h9am-9pm)
The best boutique on Gili T is tucked on a backstreet near Il Pirata. It's a treasure trove of vintage fashion sourced internationally, and displayed with grace. Browse chunky earrings, superb leather hand- and shoulder bags, baby-doll dresses, and John Lennon shades.
8Information
Emergency
There's a few very basic health clinics around, including Vila Ombak Medical Clinic ( GOOGLE MAP ; h24hr). For security issues contact Satgas, a community organisation, via your hotel or dive shop.
Internet & Telephone
Wi-fi is common. There is 3G data service.
Money
Gili T has abundant ATMs on the main strip and even on the west coast.
8Getting There & Away
You can buy tickets and catch public and island-hopping boats at the boat landing ( GOOGLE MAP ). While you wait for your ship to sail, note the amazing amount of Bintang bottles arriving full and leaving empty. Several of the fast-boat companies have offices on Gili T (Click here).
Gili Meno
Gili Meno is the smallest of the three islands and a good setting for your desert-island fantasy. Meno has a certain Robinson Crusoe charm, although new resorts under construction will mean Crusoe will want to don some Ray-Bans.
Most accommodation is strung out along the east coast, near the most picturesque beach. Inland you'll find scattered homesteads, coconut plantations and a salty lake. The once lonely west coast is seeing some high-profile development, including an enormous beachside condo project called Bask (www.baskgilimeno.com) that is slated to have over 130 rooms when it opens in 2017. It's got some powerful Australian backers and a high-profile pitchman, ex-Baywatch star David Hasselhoff (aka 'The Hoff'). The effect of this huge resort on little Gili Meno is likely to be profound.
rBeaches
Ringed by sand, Gili Meno has one of the best strips of beach in the Gilis at its southeast corner. The sand is wide and powdery white, while the swimming is excellent. The west coast is rockier with crushed coral, and a lot of rocks and coral near the surface at low tide. Meno's northeast also has nice sand, although erosion is a problem in parts. It takes around two hours to circumnavigate Meno on foot.
Gili Meno
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
6Drinking & Nightlife
7Shopping
1Sights
Unique to Gili Meno, the large inland salt lake is home to imposing white egrets, which make it an intriguing natural attraction.
Turtle SanctuaryTURTLE HATCHERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.gilimenoturtles.com; donations accepted; hoffice 9am-6pm)
Meno's turtle sanctuary consists of an assortment of little pools and bathtubs on the beach, bubbling with filters and teeming with baby green and loggerhead turtles. They're nurtured here until they're around eight months old, and then released. The impact of the hatchery on turtle populations has been considerable. With a simple snorkel you're all but guaranteed a sighting. Try to attend one of the regular releases.
2Activities
Like the other Gilis, most of the fun here involves getting wet. Walking around the island is scenic and takes less than two hours.
Although you can rent bikes for 50,000Rp per day, you won't get far. The beach path from the southern tip right round up the west coast to the top of the salt lake is a shadeless dry sand path that will have you walking your wheels. You can go for a little jaunt to the northwest coast on the good path along the north side of the lake, but again soft sand along the very north will stymie riding further.
Diving & Snorkelling
Snorkelling is good off the northeast coast; on the west coast towards the north; and also around the site of the vast new Bask hotel on the west coast (which claims it will install an underwater sculpture garden, no idea if the Hoff – or Pamela Anderson for that matter – will be depicted).
Gear is available from 40,000Rp per day.
Blue Marlin Dive CentreDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-639980; www.bluemarlindive.com; guided boat dives 490,000Rp)
The Meno shingle of the Trawangan original. There are rooms here, too.
Divine DiversDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0852 4057 0777; www.divinedivers.com; guided dives from 500,000Rp)
This Meno-only dive shop is on a sweet slice of beach on the west coast. It has rooms and offers some good dive/stay packages.
Gili Meno DiversDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6536 7551; www.giliairdivers.com; Kontiki Cottages; introductory dives from 900,000Rp; h9am-5pm)
French and Indonesian owned; offers a range of courses including some good ones in underwater photography.
Yoga
Mao MenoYOGA
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 9937 8359; www.mao-meno.com; classes from US$9)
Offers daily classes in styles that include ashtanga and vinyasa. It has simple cottages in its inland compound that rent from US$45 per night.
DIVING THE GILIS
The Gili Islands are a superb dive destination as the marine life is plentiful and varied. Turtles and black- and white-tip reef sharks are common, and the macro life (small stuff) is excellent, with seahorses, pipefish and lots of crustaceans. Around the full moon, large schools of bumphead parrotfish appear to feast on coral spawn; at other times of year manta rays cruise past dive sites.
Though years of bomb fishing and an El Niño−induced bleaching damaged corals above 18m, the reefs are now well into a profound recovery and haven't looked this great in years. The Gilis also have their share of virgin coral.
Safety standards are reasonably high on the Gilis, but with the proliferation of new dive schools, several have formed the Gili Island Dive Association (GIDA), which comes together for monthly meetings on conservation and dive impact issues, and all mind a written list of standards that considers the safety of their divers, a limitation on number of divers per day, and preservation of the sites to be paramount concerns, which is why we highly recommend diving with GIDA-associated shops (identifiable by a logo). All GIDA shops carry oxygen on their boats and have working radios. They also have a price agreement for fun dives, training and certification. Sample prices:
- Introductory dives – 900,000Rp
- Open Water Diver course – 5,500,000Rp
- Rescue Diver course – 5,500,000Rp
Some of the best dive sites include the following:
Deep Halik A canyonlike site ideally suited to drift diving. Black- and white-tip sharks are often seen at 28m to 30m.
Deep Turbo At around 30m, this site is ideally suited to nitrox diving. It has impressive sea fans and leopard sharks hidden in the crevasses.
Mirko's Reef Named for a beloved dive instructor who passed away, this canyon was never bombed and has vibrant, pristine soft and table coral formations.
Japanese Wreck For experienced divers only (it lies at 45m), this shipwreck of a Japanese patrol boat (c WWII) is ideal for tech divers.
Shark Point Perhaps the most exhilarating Gili dive: reef sharks and turtles are very regularly encountered, and there are schools of bumphead parrotfish and mantas.
Sunset (Manta Point) Some impressive table coral; sharks and large pelagics are frequently encountered.
4Sleeping
As you can see with all the west coast development, Meno is not immune from Gili growth. New properties are also appearing in the north – some of them rather posh. But you can still find a simple beachfront retreat.
oGili Meno Eco HostelHOSTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6249 2062; gilimenoecohostel.com; dm/r from 90,000/200,000Rp; W)S
A fantasy in driftwood, this is the place you dream about staying when you're stuck in the snow waiting for a train. A volleyball court, groovy lounge, tree house, beach bar and much more open right onto the sand. Recycling and other ecofriendly practices, such as using sustainable construction materials, are a feature.
Tao KomboBUNGALOW$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6033 1373; www.tao-kombo.com; r 200,000-400,000Rp; W)S
This innovatively designed place has seven lumbung cottages with thatched roofs, stone floors and outdoor bathrooms. It's home to the popular Jungle Bar, and is 200m inland from the main strip. The owners are heavily involved in community projects; the whole place is run with an eye to sustainability.
oKebun Kupu KupuGUESTHOUSE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 0742 8165; www.kupumenoresort.com; r from 800,000Rp; aWs)
Situated 300m from the beach, this collection of bungalows (the ones made from wood are lovely) has a great pool, palm trees overhead and a quiet spot near the salt lake. The French owners honour their heritage by serving excellent food (the crème brûlée is particularly good).
Ana BungalowBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6169 6315; www.anawarung.com; r fan/air-con from 500,000/800,000Rp; aW)
Four sweet, peaked-roof, thatch-and-bamboo bungalows with picture windows, and pebbled floors in the outdoor bathrooms. This family-run place has a cute used-book exchange on the beach next to its four lovely dining berugas (open-sided pavilions) lit with paper lanterns. Seafood dinners are excellent.
Jepun BungalowsBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 1739 4736; www.jepunbungalows.com; bungalows fan/air-con 500,000/600,000Rp; aW)
Just 100m from the main beach path and harbour, with charming accommodation dotted around a garden. Choose from six lovely thatched lumbung, bungalows, or book the family house; all have bathrooms with fresh (hot) water and good-quality beds. Three have air-con.
Seri ResortRESORT$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6109 6374; www.seriresortgilimeno.com; r 550,000-1,600,000Rp; aWs)
It's a tough call, but we think this beachfront resort is just that much whiter than the surrounding sand. There is an interesting range of rooms here, from budget huts that share bathrooms, to suites in three-storey blocks, to luxurious beach villas. Service is good, and the atmosphere high-end.
Mallias BungalowsINN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 1732 3327; www.malliasgili.com; r 500,000-1,200,000Rp; aW)
This location right on Meno's best beach can't be beaten. The bungalows are simple – although some have air-con – really just bamboo and thatch. As such they are a good deal at the lower end of the price range. Then again, swinging on a hammock on your porch overlooking the beach is priceless.
5Eating & Drinking
Almost all of Meno's restaurants have absorbing sea views. Here 'dressing for dinner' simply means putting on clothes.
oSasak CafeINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 25,000-80,000Rp; hkitchen 7am-9pm, bar till late)
Considering its out-of-the-way location, this bamboo-and-thatch, island-casual hang-out has tasty Indo standards, which literally take on a rosy glow when the sun sets. The tunes and the drinks flow late into the night.
Webe CaféINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0821 4776 3187; mains from 25,000Rp; h8am-10pm; W)
A wonderful location for a meal, Webe Café has low tables sunk in the sand, with the turquoise water just a metre away. It scores well for Sasak and Indonesian food such as kelak kuning (snapper in yellow spice); staff fire up a seafood barbecue most nights too. There are also basic bungalows for rent (from 400,000Rp).
Ya Ya WarungINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; dishes 15,000-30,000Rp; h8am-10pm)
Ramshackle warung-on-the-beach that serves up Indonesian faves, curries, pancakes and plenty of pasta, along with the views you came to Meno to enjoy.
Diana CaféBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8am-9pm)
If you find the pace of life on Meno too busy, head to this intoxicating little tiki bar par excellence. Diana couldn't be simpler: a wobbly-looking bamboo-and-thatch bar, a few tables on the sand, a shack offering tattoos, a hammock or two, reggae on the stereo and a chill-out zone.
7Shopping
Art Shop BotolHANDICRAFTS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; hhours vary)
Art Shop Botol is a large handicrafts stall just south of Kontiki Meno hotel. Choose from masks, Sasak water baskets, wood carvings and gourds. It's run by an elderly shopkeeper with 11 children and countless grandchildren.
8Information
There is one ATM; it's near the boat landing and is often out of currency. Given that few places take credit cards, bring cash.
8Getting There & Away
The boat landing ( GOOGLE MAP ) is a sleepy hub. Check the public boat schedules carefully as Meno's small size means that waiting for a boat to fill can take a long time. None of the fast boats directly serve Meno, although some provide connections. Otherwise, you need to go to Trawangan or Air to catch a Bali boat.
Gili Air
Closest to Lombok, Gili Air falls between Gili T's sophistication and less-is-less Meno, and is for many just right. The white-sand beaches here are arguably the best of the Gili bunch and there's just enough buzz to provide a dash of nightlife. Snorkelling is good right from the main strip – a lovely sandy lane dotted with bamboo bungalows and little restaurants where you can eat virtually on top of a turquoise sea.
Though tourism dominates Gili Air's economy, coconuts, fishing and creating the fake-distressed fishing-boat wood vital to any stylish Gili guesthouse are important income streams. A buzzy little strip has developed along the beach in the southeast, although the lane is still more sandy than paved.
rBeaches
The entire east side of the island has great beaches with powdery white sand and a gentle slope into beautiful turquoise water, with a foot-friendly sandy bottom. There are also good, private spots the rest of the way around Air, but low-tide rocks and coral are a problem.
Gili Air
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
2Activities
Water Sports
The entire east coast has an offshore reef teeming with colourful fish; there's a drop-off about 100m to 200m out. Snorkelling gear is easily hired for about 50,000Rp per day.
The island has an excellent collection of dive shops which charge the standard Gili rates.
Blue Marine Dive CentreDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 377 0288; www.bluemarinedive.com; night dives 570,000Rp)S
Has a nice location on the beautiful northeast corner of the island. Offers freediving courses. The owner is very active in reef preservation efforts.
Oceans 5DIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0813 3877 7144; www.oceans5dive.com; fun dives from 500,000Rp)S
Has a 25m training pool, an in-house marine biologist and nice hotel rooms. Also offers a program of yoga diving, and emphasises sustainable diving practices to its guests.
7 SeasDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-663 2150; www.7seasdivegili.com; 4-day TEC diving packages 6,400,000Rp)S
A vast dive shop with a range of accommodation and a good pool for training or just playing. A local leader in recycling.
Oriental LandKAYAKING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6546 1505; 1/2hr rental 150,000/270,000Rp)
Rent a kayak made from clear plastic and not only can you explore the reef-protected waters around Air, but you can see the reefs right under you.
Cycling
Bikes can be rented for 50,000Rp a day but large sections of the coastal path in the north and west are annoying, as long slogs of deep sand swallow the trail at times. Inland lanes, however, are mostly concrete and very rideable. Some shops have bikes with huge tyres which actually aren't any easier to pedal.
Yoga
H2O YogaYOGA
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0877 6103 8836; www.h2oyogaandmeditation.com; classes 100,000Rp, 3hr workshops 300,000Rp)
This wonderful yoga and meditation retreat centre is set back from the beach on a well-signed path in the village. Top-quality classes are held in a lovely circular beruga. Massage is also available, and there's candlelight yoga at 5pm.
Harmony SpaSPA
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 386 5883; massages from 150,000Rp; h10am-7pm)
The beautiful north-coast location alone will make you feel renewed. Facials, body treatments and more are on offer. Call first.
DON'T MISS
SNORKELLING THE GILIS
Ringed by coral reefs, the Gilis offer superb snorkelling. Masks, snorkels and fins are widely available and can be hired for about 40,000Rp per day. It's important to check your mask fits properly: just press it gently to your face, let go and if it's a good fit the suction should hold it in place.
Snorkelling trips – many on glass-bottomed boats – are very popular. Typically, you'll pay about 200,000Rp per person. Expect to leave at about 10am and visit three or more sites, possibly with a stop for lunch on another island. On Gili T there are many places selling these trips along the main strip; prices are very negotiable.
On Trawangan and Meno turtles very regularly appear on the reefs right off the beach. You'll likely drift with the current, so be prepared to walk back to the starting line. Over on Air, the walls off the east coast are good too.
It's not hard to escape the crowds. Each island has a less-developed side, usually where access to the water is obstructed by shallow patches of coral. Using rubber shoes makes it much easier to get into the water. Try not to stamp all over the coral but ease yourself in, and then swim, keeping your body as horizontal as possible.
Among the many reasons to snorkel in the Gilis are the high odds you'll encounter hawksbill and green sea turtles. Top overall snorkelling spots include the following:
AGili Meno Wall
AThe north end of Gili T's beach
AGili Air Wall
4Sleeping
Gili Air's 50 or so places to stay are mostly located on the east coast. You'll find more isolation in the west.
oGili Air HostelHOSTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.giliairhostel.com; dm/r from 125,000/350,000Rp; hreception 7.30am-7pm; aW)
A great addition to the island. Beds here are in two- to seven-bed rooms, all of which share bathrooms. The decor defines cheery, and there's a cool bar, a huge frangipani tree and even a climbing wall.
Bintang Beach 2BUNGALOW$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0877 6522 2554; r from 350,000Rp; a)
On Gili Air's quiet northwest coast, this sandy but tidy compound has basic rooms and bungalows that range from budget-friendly and fan-cooled to mildly snazzy. The bar area is a delight. This enterprising clan has a few other guesthouses nearby.
oVilla Casa MioBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-646160; www.villacasamio.com; cottages from 900,000Rp; aWs)
Casa Mio has fine cottages with pretty garden bathrooms, as well as a riot of knick-knacks (from the artistic to the kitsch). Rooms have fridges, stereos and nice sun decks with loungers. The casa also boasts a lovely beach area, and good access via a paved portion of the beach lane from the boat landing. Several competitors have sprung up nearby.
oRival VillageGUESTHOUSE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 0734 9148; www.facebook.com/rivalvillagegiliair; r 500,000-600,000Rp; aW)
This modest four-room guesthouse just gets everything right. The French owners have created a sparkling-clean little compound amid family houses off one of the village's main paths. Rooms are large, the bathrooms are open-air, breakfast is delicious, everything works. Très bon!
DamaiGUESTHOUSE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6142 0416; www.facebook.com/damaihomestay.giliair; r 450,000-650,000Rp; aW)
It’s worth seeking out this thatched enclave. The 11 rooms range from basic bungalows to deluxe crash pads, which are tasteful and open onto a garden. The cosy dining patio has cushioned seating, and is elegantly lit with paper lanterns.
Biba Beach VillageBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 1727 4648; www.bibabeach.com; bungalows from 700,000Rp; aW)
Biba offers nine lovely, spacious bungalows with large verandahs, and grottolike bathrooms that have walls inlaid with shells and coral. The gorgeous garden has little chill-out zones. Biba is also home to a good Italian restaurant. The best rooms have sea views.
Grand SunsetBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0859 3610 3847; www.grandsunsetgiliair.com; r 700,000-900,000Rp; aWs)
These solidly built, bungalow-style rooms reflect the ethos of this modest resort: solid. Bathrooms are well designed and open-air, rooms have all the basic comforts, the wi-fi works, the pool is large and refreshing, and the beachside loungers have superb views. Plus there's the quiet that comes with the location on the sunset side of Air.
7 SeasHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 0700 3240; www.7seas-cottages.com; dm from 80,000Rp, r 450,000-800,000Rp; aWs)
Part of the 7 Seas dive empire, this is an attractive bungalow compound in a great location. Rooms are tidy and comfy; cottages have soaring ceilings and thatch. There are also fan-cooled, bamboo, loftlike hostel rooms.
5Eating
Most places on Gili Air are locally owned and offer an unbeatable setting for a meal, with tables right over the water.
oEazy Gili WaroengINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 25,000-40,000Rp; h8am-10pm)
In the buzzy main village, this spotless corner cafe serves up local fare aimed at visitors. It's the slightly Westernised face of the beloved Warung Muslim, immediately to the east. It also does breakfasts, sandwiches and a superb pisang goreng (fried banana).
Warung Sasak IIINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains from 15,000Rp; h8am-10pm)
A fine find in the village, this dead simple warung has excellent versions of all the standards such as chicken satay and fish curry. It also has many variations on parapek, a Sasak speciality where foods are cooked in a spicy sauce.
Pasar MalamMARKET$
(Night Market; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains from 15,000Rp; h6-11pm)
Inspired by the wild success of the night market on Gili T, Air's has the requisite stalls with fresh Indo fare arrayed around open-air tables. It gets lively after 8pm. Half the fun is just browsing.
oLe CirqueFRENCH, BAKERY$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 1601 0360; www.lecirque-giliair.com; mains 35,000-120,000Rp; h7am-10pm; W)
A clever French-accented culinary vision with a scrumptious bakery and tables spanning the path right up to the shore. The dinner menu is ambitious and there are nightly seafood specials. Kids get their own menu with tasty treats such as 'pizza circus'.
Scallywags Beach ClubINTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-645301; www.scallywagsresort.com; mains 45,000-150,000Rp; h8am-10pm; W)
Set on Gili Air’s softest and widest beach, there’s elegant decor, upscale comfort food, great barbecue, homemade gelato and superb cocktails here. But the best feature is the alluring beach dotted with loungers. The choice of sambals is sublime.
Sunset LoungeSEAFOOD$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 40,000-120,000Rp; h9am-11pm)
More ambitious than your usual beachside bamboo hang-outs, Sunset offers a nightly seafood barbecue and an ever-changing line-up of fresh fare. Good pasta shows what the Italians can do with mie (noodles). Come for drinks, stay for sunset and then have a moonlit meal. (On a bike, buzz over on the paved interior lanes.)
6Drinking & Nightlife
Gili Air is usually a mellow place, but there are full-moon parties and things can rev up on the strip in the southeast in high season. Still, where late-night Gili T is all about rave parties, Gili Air's hotspot is the waffle-cone stand.
oLegend BarBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h7am-late)
Painted the requisite Rasta colours of red, green and gold, this raffish reggae bar has a large dance party every full moon.
Little BarCAFE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h9am-late)
Set on a sublime stretch of beach with technicolour sunsets, there is no better place for a sundowner than Little Bar. The menu includes snacks and veggie options.
8Information
There are ATMs along the southeast strip.
Royal Medical ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6442 1212; hphone service 24hr) has a simple clinic.
There's a good general store, Siti Shop ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8am-8pm), in the village.
8Getting There & Away
The boat landing ( GOOGLE MAP ) is busy. Gili Air's commerce and popularity mean that public boats fill rather quickly for the 15-minute ride to Bangsal. The ticket office has a shady waiting area. Clipboard-toting staff handle fast-boat check-ins.