On our recent trip to Indonesia, we wanted to explore somewhere we hadn’t been before. We’d visited Bali a couple of times years ago, but lately all we seemed to hear was how busy it had become and how much it had changed.
Lombok appealed to us far more. It had always been on the list, and with quick and affordable direct flights from Sunshine Coast Airport to Bali, we decided it was finally time to give it a go.
The Gili Islands sounded perfect, snorkelling, beaches, turtles… basically all my favourite things. There are three Gili Islands: Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan (better known as Gili T).
We spent four days on Gili Air and two nights on Gili Meno, giving Gili T a miss. It’s known as the party island and honestly… we’re probably a bit too old for that these days! We were far more interested in quiet beaches, sunrise snorkels and spotting turtles than late nights and clubs.
The fact there are no cars on the Gilis made it even more appealing. Rustic, relaxed and exactly the slower pace we were looking for.
How to get to the Gilis?
You can reach the Gilis by fast boat either from Padang Bai in Bali or from Bangsal Harbour in Lombok.
As we arrived in Denpasar the night before, we organised a transfer straight to Padang Bai so we’d be ready to hop on the boat the next morning.
There are quite a few boat companies operating the route, but it’s worth doing your research. The cheapest options aren’t always the safest, and safety standards can vary quite a lot in Bali. We chose BlueWater Express and honestly couldn’t fault them. Yes, they were more expensive, but they have an excellent reputation and we felt safe the whole time. Even better, the trip was surprisingly smooth for someone like me who gets terrible seasickness!
For our overnight stay before the boat, we stayed at Bhalance Retreat near Padang Bai. It felt like a little oasis compared to the chaos of southern Bali and was the perfect place to recharge before heading to the islands.
What to do on Gili Air?
Snorkel straight from the beach
This was hands down the highlight for us. Gili Air is basically turtle paradise.
The east side of the island was our favourite spot for snorkelling, with calm clear water and turtles everywhere. We’d barely been in the water five minutes before spotting one lazily swimming past. At one point I had four around me!
But it’s not just the turtles. There are some really beautiful fish and colourful coral too. Right across from Manta Dive Gili Air Resort is a fantastic snorkelling spot for turtles and coral. If you head further north towards the top of the island, there’s a lot more sea grass and the turtles absolutely love it there. There are fewer corals and fish up that way, but the turtles… just WOW!
If you can drag yourself out of bed early enough, definitely do a sunrise snorkel. The water is calmer, there are hardly any people around and the whole experience feels magical.
Ride around the island
Hiring bikes is one of the most popular things to do on Gili Air. The island is small enough to circle in under an hour… in theory anyway!
Bike hire is also really affordable, usually around 50K-70K IDR per day, making it an easy way to explore the island.
Some sections (especially north of the island) are incredibly sandy, which means you’ll probably end up pushing your bike instead of riding it. It definitely became more of a workout than we expected!
Or just walk it instead
To be honest, we actually preferred walking. In the heat, pushing bikes through deep sand quickly becomes exhausting. Walking let us slow down, stop whenever where we wanted and properly take in the island vibe.
Watch the sunset, cocktail in hand
The sunsets on Gili Air were honestly spectacular. Every evening people gather along the western side of the island to watch the sky turn orange, pink and purple.
There are happy hours everywhere, making sunset cocktails very easy to justify! We especially loved the atmosphere at Legend Bar, PinkCoco and Mowie’s.
Catch sunrise over Mount Rinjani
As beautiful as the sunsets were, the sunrises might have been my favourite time on Gili Air, so peaceful and magical.
Watching the light slowly hit Mount Rinjani across the water was absolutely stunning. Early morning is definitely the best time to see it before the haze and glare roll in later in the day.
Spend a lazy afternoon at a beach club
For Simon’s birthday, we did exactly what island holidays are made for, swimming, eating, relaxing and repeating.
One thing we loved about Gili Air is that you don’t need to stay at a fancy resort to enjoy the beachfront day beds. Most places are happy for you to use them as long as you order some food or drinks.
Explore the village
The centre of the island has plenty of cafés, little local restaurants and shops to wander through. It’s small, relaxed and easy to explore on foot.
Visit the nearby Gilis
We spent another two nights on Gili Meno and loved it there too. If you’re staying only on Gili Air, it’s very easy to organise a snorkelling trip or catch a boat across for the day.
We especially recommend visiting the famous underwater statues on Gili Meno, but go at sunrise if you can. Later in the day they become extremely busy with snorkel tours.
Where to stay on Gili Air
We stayed at Manta Dive Gili Air Resort and thought it was fantastic value. Comfortable rooms, a great pool and close to everything without feeling too hectic.
If you’re looking for something a bit more luxurious, these are also worth checking out:
- PinkCoco Gili Air — a beautiful adults-only resort right on the beach with amazing sunset views.
- Slow Villas & Spa — stylish private villas with a boutique feel, perfect if you want somewhere quieter and a little more special.
Would we go back to Gili Air?
Absolutely.
For us it had the perfect balance, enough cafés, restaurants and atmosphere without feeling overdeveloped, incredible snorkelling straight off the beach, stunning sunsets and that laid-back island vibe that’s getting harder and harder to find.
We visited in April during shoulder season and honestly thought it was the perfect time to go. Warm weather, beautiful clear water and far fewer crowds than peak season.
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