Gili Air is small, but there is more to it than a sunbed: turtles on the reef, a village in the middle, sunrise on one coast and sunset on the other. And with Gili Meno, Gili T and Lombok all within a short boat ride, it makes an excellent base. These are the eleven places we would build a stay around, each with its own guide covering what to do, how to get there and which tours cover it.
Things to Do on & Around Gili Air
Eleven places that turn a few beach days into a proper Indonesian island trip.
On Gili Air
On Gili Air Gili Air’s Turtle Reefs
Green and hawksbill turtles, a few fin-kicks from the beach
The reefs that ring Gili Air are grazing grounds for green and hawksbill sea turtles, and you have a real chance of swimming with one on almost any snorkel. Go from the beach on the east and north-east coasts, or take a boat to the best spots around all three Gilis.
On Gili Air Gili Air Sunset Coast
Beanbags, swings and the sun dropping behind Bali
Gili Air’s west and north-west coast faces Bali across the Lombok Strait. Every evening, low-key bars put out beanbags and swings in the shallows, and on a clear day the sun sets beside the perfect cone of Mount Agung.
On Gili Air Gili Air Village & Coastal Path
Around the whole island on foot or by bike
A sandy path runs right round Gili Air — roughly five kilometres, with no cars or motorbikes. Walk it in about two hours or cycle it in under one, past fishing boats, beach cafés, yoga shalas, coconut groves and the village at the island’s heart.
On Gili Air Gili Air Harbour & East Coast
Where the boats land and the island comes to life
The south-east corner around the harbour is Gili Air’s front door: the public boat and fast-boat landings, dive schools, warungs, the main mosque and the busiest strip of cafés. The east coast looks straight across to Lombok and Mount Rinjani — the place for sunrise.
On Gili Air Gili Islands Dive Sites
Warm water, gentle reefs and dive schools on every corner
The waters around the three Gilis hold more than a dozen well-known dive sites — walls, pinnacles, a wreck and turtle-packed reefs — all within a short boat ride of Gili Air. The island is one of Indonesia’s most popular places to learn to dive or freedive.
Gili Meno & Gili Trawangan
Gili Meno & Gili Trawangan Gili Meno
The smallest, quietest Gili — and the underwater statues
Gili Meno sits between Gili Air and Gili Trawangan and is the smallest and least developed of the three: long empty beaches, a salt lake in the middle, and the circle of life-size statues off its west coast that most snorkel trips stop at.
Gili Meno & Gili Trawangan Gili Trawangan
The biggest and liveliest of the three Gilis
Gili T is the largest Gili and the one with the party reputation — bars, night markets and dive schools along a busy main strip, but also quiet beaches on its west and north coasts and a small hill with views of Bali and Lombok. An easy day trip from Gili Air.
Day trips on Lombok
Day trips on Lombok Mount Rinjani
Lombok’s 3,726-metre volcano and its crater lake
Rinjani, the volcano you see from Gili Air’s east coast, is one of Indonesia’s great treks: a two-to-four-day climb to a crater rim above the turquoise lake of Segara Anak, with an optional pre-dawn push to the summit. The trailheads at Senaru and Sembalun are a few hours’ drive from the Gilis.
Day trips on Lombok Senaru Waterfalls
Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep, in the forest below Rinjani
On the green northern slopes of Rinjani, the village of Senaru is the start of a short walk to two of Lombok’s most beautiful waterfalls: Sendang Gile, dropping into a forested gorge, and the wider curtain of Tiu Kelep, where you can swim. The easiest Lombok day trip from Gili Air.
Day trips on Lombok Kuta Lombok & the South Coast
Surf, headlands and huge white bays
Lombok’s south coast around Kuta (not to be confused with Kuta in Bali) is a spectacular run of bays and headlands — Tanjung Aan, Mawun, Selong Belanak — with surf breaks, viewpoints like Merese Hill and the traditional Sasak village of Sade nearby.
Day trips on Lombok Sekotong & the Southwest Gilis
The Gilis before the crowds
The Sekotong peninsula in southwest Lombok is fringed by more than a dozen small islands, also called Gilis — Nanggu, Sudak, Kedis, Gede and others. A handful of simple resorts, clear water and very few visitors: the adventurous next stop after Gili Air.
A sensible week: Day one, arrive and catch the sunset. Day two, a turtle snorkelling trip. Day three, cycle the island loop and take a cooking or yoga class. Day four, Gili Meno’s statues and beaches. Day five, Senaru’s waterfalls on Lombok. Day six, a try-dive or freediving session. Day seven, one last sunrise over Rinjani before the boat.
Plan your days on Gili Air
Turn slow island days into the trip of a lifetime
Snorkel with green turtles, hop between all three Gilis, learn to dive, cook Sasak food and watch the sun set behind Bali’s volcano. Compare the best-rated experiences and book in a couple of taps.