Dennis Falt
Google
The Gili Islands are 3 very small islands off the coast of Lombok , the next island east of Bali. You can reach the Gilis by boat from Bali or fly to Lombok and take a taxi over the mountains to a coastal village that has outriggers to ferry you out to the Gilis. Actually, the taxi stops just before you enter the village and you pay a small fee for a horse-drawn cart to take you to the boat ramp. It's just a way for the villagers to make a little money and it's a pleasant ride. At the boat ramp, you board a boat going to your island of choice. There are three island: Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan. We took the boat to Gili Air. It is the closest to Lombok and only took about 30 minutes. It is also the smallest of the 3. It's village is in the center of the island with many coconut trees and people going about their daily activities. After walking through the village, we came to some bungalows that looked nice, right on a white sand beach with some beautiful coral close to shore. This resort had a few bungalows and an open-air center dining room (all meals included). We snorkeled and relaxed on the beach. At night in the dining room, one of the workers entertained us with a guitar, singing Indonesian folk songs. The next day we took a boat to Gili Trawangan, skipping the middle island of Meno. Trawangan is the biggest of the 3 island and has a hill with a WW2 bunker. It's nice to hike up there for a great view of the other islands and the Lombok coastline. Upon landing, we settled on the easternmost bungalow resort as it was the least busiest area. The beach is beautiful with white sand and shallow crystal-clear water. Many tropical fish can be seen very close to shore, so make sure you've brought your snorkel gear. There are some more luxurious resorts with swimming pools, but I figure, who needs a pool with the beach and clear warm water right there. Besides, the bungalows are more private and cheaper. Again, your 3 meals are included in the open-air dining room, but one day I hired a boat to sail us around the islands and trolled for fish. Fir the first time in my life, I saw flying fish. It was amazing. Soon, I snagged a big fish, a bonito. I took it back to my resort and took over the kitchen. I cut the fish into chunks, skewered them, spiced them with whatever I could find in the kitchen, and BBQed them. There was enough for every guest to have two big sticks. Afterwards, many of the guests told me it was the best meal they had there. Anyway, I recommend the Gilis for a bit of off-the-beaten-path adventure, beauty, and relaxation. We hope to get back there someday.
