Gili Islands, Trawangan, Meno and Gili Air  

The Three GILI Islands
The Gili Islands are located just off the west coast of Lombok, Indonesia.

The three Gili Islands are a small-scale backpacker mecca and Lombok's most popular tourist destination. The islands are very relaxed and laid-back, with countless little beachside cafes playing reggae and serving up banana pancakes, and no cars or motorbikes to disturb the peace. The beaches are without a doubt better than anywhere on Bali or Lombok. The flip side of the coin is that as they exist solely to cater for travellers, they're also rather anonymous (you might as well be at anywhere) and, aside from snorkeling and diving, there's little if anything to do. Note that there are no ATMs on the islands, so bring plenty of cash with you. From west to east, the islands are:

* Gili Trawangan, or "Gili T" is by far the most developed with plenty of backpacker options and one swanky resort. There are no dogs on the island but according to one local, there are more cats here than people. The local population is around 800. There is no police on the island and all problems are usually settled by the local "council".

* Gili Meno, the smallest and quietest, low-key with some simple places to stay

* Gili Air, closest to the mainland and with the largest local population

Strictly speaking, the name "Gili Islands" is rather redundant as gili simply means "small island" in Sasak, but the name has stuck and is universally used and understood in Lombok.
 

GET IN
There is now a new FastBoat service running direct to the Gili Islands from Benoa Harbour in South Bali. This takes just two hours on the water, and the ticket price of around US$75 includes air-con transfers to and from the Kuta area in Bali (about 20 minutes from the harbour). This is by far the easiest way of getting to and from the islands - as an added bonus there are frequent sightings of dolphins on the way. This service is operated by BlueWater Safaris.

There are regular shuttle services from Bangsal on the main island of Lombok, stopping at all islands. The trip takes about 15 minutes to Air, 30 min to Meno and 45 min to Trawangan. Around Rp30-40,000 one-way, or Rp70,000 if including land transfer from Senggigi. Avoid traveling to Bangsal as captains will wait until the boat is full of passengers before setting off. If you do go via Bangsal, you driver may warn you about the Bangsal Maffia: a bunch of guys hanging around the port who will seriously hassle you to buy boat tickets to the Gili's from them, with various excuses like claiming that your ticket is no longer valid. Do not give in! Book a trip with Perama instead, which will travel to and from the islands no matter how many people they have.

Alternatively, the Gilis can be visited on a day trip from Senggigi, in which case you'll get your own little boat and crew to take you around. The trip across take 1-2 hours each way and is quite scenic, if a little bumpy when the waves are high. Available from any travel agent, figure on Rp400,000 for a tour for two.

Note that the sea is calmest in the morning and all transport stops running in the afternoon, well before dark.

GET AROUND
In a rare display of foresight, all forms of motorized transport are banned from the islands: your only choice is horse-drawn carts, known as cidomo, which are used even to shuttle around diving gear. However, as the islands are only a few km in diameter, it's entirely possible to just walk instead.

SEA AND DO
There are no sights as such on the islands themselves, but the excellent snorkeling and diving all around is a major draw. Sea turtles are also common, especially around Turtle Point just north of Gili Meno. You can rent masks and fins off the beach, or contact any of the numerous dive shops to arrange snorkeling or diving at choice spots nearby.

EAT
* Beach House, Trawangan. Great Seafood Buffet.
* Manta Cafe, Trawangan. Run by the dive shop next door, has a very large menu offering Western, Italian, French, Mexican and Indonesian dishes for around Rp20-30,000 each.
* Good Heart, Meno. Good local dishes (ie, seafood). Located directly on the beach overlooking the sea.
* Ryoshi restaurant, Trawangan. Great Japanese food and fresh air-flown sushi, right next to the Irish Bar (TirNanOg).

DRINKS
There are regular party nights on Gili Trawangan - the various bars take it in turn to host the late night gig (up to 4.00am), to ensure that everyone gets together in one place rather than being spread around. Ask around for where the party is going on on any given night.

* Horizontal, Trawangan. Probably the only place in the Gilis that wouldn't look out of place in Seminyak, this stylish outdoor bar offers fancy drinks, funky furniture and DJs spinning the night away.

* Tir Na Nog, Trawangan. Irish pub (well, sorta) with indoor and outdoor seating, restaurant and some rooms for rent (Rp200,000 and up). Party night weekly on Wed.

STAY SAFE
True to the hippie vibe, magic mushrooms are widely available and openly advertised. Unfortunately, although legal, this doesn't make them safe, so caution is advised.

Small but annoying jellyfish are common in the waters around the Gilis, so wearing a full-length wetsuit or surf skin in the water is advisable.

STAY HEALTHY
Tap water is not potable. Bottled water is widely available and some cafes will fill up bottles for a nominal charge reducing waste.

CONTACT
Mobile phone towers ensure you're never out of touch, and there are several netcafes on Trawangan for feeding your Internet addiction. Printing is possible in a few internet café's and you can even hook up your laptop in some.