The Gili Islands
The Gili Islands are a group of 3 tiny islands – Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. Located in Indonesia, near the coast of northwest Lombok Island. Characterized by sandy beaches fringed with palm trees, they’re known for their coral reefs just offshore.
On the smallest island of Gili Meno, sea turtles swim at Turtle Point. At Gili Trawangan, the largest island, a sunken ship sits at Wreck Point near Mentigi Beach. The Gili Islands are an ideal getaway where motorised transport is not allowed only bicycles and cidomos (horse and carts).
The best places for snorkeling and swimming are along the main beach areas. Masks, fins and snorkels can be rented by the hour or day and glass bottom boat trips around the three Gili islands are available. You can see all types of marine life just by snorkeling including many fishes and corals and lots of turtles.
The Gili Islands are one of Indonesia’s top areas for scuba diving and snorkelling, with a reputation for being the ‘turtle capital of the world’. Year round water temperatures about 28 degrees Celsius. Making the islands popular for beginners and experienced divers alike. There are about 25 dive sites around the islands of Trawangan, Meno and Gili Air. Each with a variety of topography (slopes, walls, ridges and canyons) and an enormous amount of diverse marine life. This includes black – and white tip reef sharks, lots of turtles (hawksbill and olive ridley), lionfish, scorpion fish, cuttle fish and octopus, moray eels, sea snakes, different types of rays (blue – spotted, eagle and, from December to March, manta rays)not to mention schools of bump – head parrot fish every full moon and the occasional whale shark…plus countless varieties of hard and soft corals.
The Gilis are noticeably drier and hotter than Lombok, but evenings can still be cool and refreshing. The rainy season is roughly from November to April, but it rains much less than on Bali. The peak tourist seasons are July-August and December-January.
