Gili Islands: Things to Do in Gili Trawangan

The best time to visit the Gili Islands coincides with the region's dry season, from April to October. During these months the weather tends to be more stable, with less rain and calmer, clearer water, which is perfect for activities like diving, snorkeling and relaxing on the beach.

Keep in mind, though, that the Gili Islands are a popular destination all year round. In the rainy season, from November to March, you may get more rain, but you can still enjoy the islands' beauty. And since it's low season, you'll probably find fewer tourists and lower prices on places to stay and activities.

Gili Trawangan: The largest of the 3 and the busiest, with plenty of hotels, bars and restaurants. It's also the party island.

Gili Meno: The quietest, with less entertainment. Perfect for disconnecting from everything.

Gili Air: A mix of the other two. It's quiet and has a good choice of hotels and restaurants.

From Bali

Fast boats usually leave from the ports of Sanur and Padang Bai. The trip takes about 2 hours, depending on the weather.

It costs 250,000 rupiah (US$18), including the transfer from your hotel to the port. Many companies run the route and they all charge the same.

From the Nusas

You can buy a fast boat ticket from any of the Nusa islands to the Gilis. The route goes Nusa – Padang Bai – Gili and takes 3 and a half hours, since the boat picks up passengers at the port of Padang Bai.

It also costs 250,000 rupiah (US$18).

When we were in Bali, we asked around about the price of going from the Nusas to the Gilis, and many people told us it was far more expensive (US$60) and that we should take a fast boat to Bali and then buy another ticket to the Gilis. There's no need: you'll find that in the Nusas they sell the ticket for US$18, covering the whole trip to the Gilis.

From Lombok

From the port of Bangsal you can take a public ferry that takes about 30 minutes and costs 22,500 rupiah (US$1.50).

You can check schedules and prices and book any of these fast boats here.

1. Go snorkeling

One of the best things to do in the Gilis is get in the sea with a snorkel and enjoy the marine life! You'll probably see more than one turtle.

You can also do a snorkeling tour. It lasts about 5 hours and takes you to see the underwater sculptures, various spots for turtles and fish, and lunch on Gili Air.

It costs 100,000 rupiah per person (US$7). The downside is that the boats carry 30 people and they ALL leave at the same times, so the spots are packed.

They offer private tours for 700,000 rupiah (US$50), which seemed very expensive to us and not worth it.

We later discovered that you can also swim to the sculptures from Gili Meno and find turtles and fish along the way.

If there are only a few of you, we definitely don't think it's worth spending that much on a private tour. If you're a big group, though, this option is probably the best deal.

2. Swim among underwater sculptures

If you're in the Gilis, you have to visit the underwater sculptures by artist Jason deCaires Taylor, a few meters off the coast of Gili Meno.

Nest, as the work is called, was designed to become a coral reef that serves as a home and shelter for marine species. Another of its main goals is to raise awareness about caring for the ocean and the environment.

All the snorkeling tours that include the sculptures go at the same time, so you'll always see them packed with people.

Our recommendation for really appreciating them is to go on your own. For that you need to take a boat very early to Gili Meno. Once there, walk left along the beach until you reach a sign that says BASK. The sculptures are straight out from the sign, about a 5-10 minute swim. There are always boats around anyway, which will help you find them. Remember to bring snorkeling gear (you can rent it everywhere).

We went both ways, with the crowded tour and on our own from the island, and the difference was incredible. On our own we could really appreciate the work, and we saw it full of fish and life.

3. Explore the island by bike

You can rent them everywhere, and they're perfect for getting around the island, since it's fairly large and there are no motor vehicles.

Go ahead and get lost in every corner of the island. Look at the dreamy street we found!

4. Don't miss a single sunset

The west side of the island is full of really cool bars, perfect for having a drink while you enjoy a spectacular sunset.

The famous swings in the water are at a bar called THE EXILE, perfect for watching the sunset!

5. Eat at the night market

Every night on Gili T the night market sets up on the main street, perfect for delicious, super cheap local food. We went to try it our first night and liked it so much that we ended up eating there almost every night we were on the island.

6. Go to Gili Meno for the day

Since we were already on the island, we decided to make the most of the beaches in this less crowded spot. If you want to relax for a while and enjoy paradise, we 100% recommend spending the day on Gili Meno.

So after snorkeling at Nest we went to a little stall facing the beach for lunch, and stayed the rest of the day enjoying the sun and the sea.

The island is small, so anywhere is a good place to stay.

We chose a homestay near the port where the fast boats arrive, which is where most of the restaurants and bars are.