Gilli Air

Our stay on Gili Air was amazing. We were in Lombok for a few days and then we took the boat to this tiny island. Incredible peace and quiet, turquoise water, sea turtles and nemos at your fingertips, chilled beach bars, and breathtaking sunsets. Welcome to the paradise of the Gili islands! This archipelago in the Indian Ocean consists of three islands which are similar but each one attracts different kinds of people: Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air. We were able to get there in less than an hour.

The intense calm of the islands is due to the fact that there are no motor vehicles there. You can only move on foot, with a bike or horse-drawn carriages, the so-called Cidomos.

Last summer, a big earthquake struck this beautiful place and the buildings were badly damaged. In one year they managed to recover a lot of buildings and do a lot of reparations. Most of the people work in tourism so it’s very important for them so treat them with care and respect.

Unlike Bali the Gilis are Muslim. This means you will meet women wearing headscarves and hear the Muezzin call from a Minaret several times a day. You don’t have to worry about your clothes though. Shorts and a t-shirt and even a dress are fine.

A few years ago the Gilis were a real secret tip, now more and more backpackers come to this little paradise which nowadays draws backpackers and other tourists alike.

For me, Gili Air is the perfect mixture of quiet, relaxation and chilled beach life. There are a few bars and restaurants right by the sea where you can drink and chat till late at night. Big parties are rare here. Instead, you have all the more beaches to enjoy the sunsets.