Gili Islands in 3 days

Three car-free islands off Lombok with turtles, bikes and no engines at all. Best time to visit: May-September. Average daily budget: $35 to $100 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Gili Trawangan, The biggest and liveliest, with dive schools, bars and the best range of food.

Morning: Snorkel the turtle points. Swim with green turtles off Gili Meno and see the underwater statues at Nest.

Afternoon: Explore Gili Trawangan, The biggest and liveliest, with dive schools, bars and the best range of food.

Evening: Sunset on the west coast. Watch the sun drop behind Bali's Mount Agung from a beach swing or bar.

Eat: Trawangan's night market for grilled fish sold by the piece

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: Gili Air, The balanced middle option: local village life, good reef, low-key beach bars.

Morning: Cycle the island loop. Ride the full sandy loop of whichever island you are staying on in an hour or two.

Afternoon: Explore Gili Air, The balanced middle option: local village life, good reef, low-key beach bars.

Evening: Learn to dive. Dive or take an open-water course at one of Trawangan's many schools.

Eat: Nasi campur and sate at the local warungs behind the main strip

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: Gili Meno, The smallest and quietest, honeymoon territory with a salt lake and turtle sanctuary.

Morning: Gili Meno's salt lake, dry and eerie in the middle of the island. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Gili Meno, The smallest and quietest, honeymoon territory with a salt lake and turtle sanctuary.

Evening: The north end of Gili Air where nobody walks and the reef is intact. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Fresh coconut and pisang goreng from beach carts

Hidden gems

Gili Meno's salt lake, dry and eerie in the middle of the island
The north end of Gili Air where nobody walks and the reef is intact
Early-morning bakery runs on Trawangan before the day-trip boats land
Night snorkelling with plankton on a calm, moonless evening

Getting around

There are no motor vehicles. You walk, rent a bicycle for about $4 a day, or use a cidomo horse cart. Between islands, the public hopper boat runs a few times daily for around $2 to $4, while fast boats connect to Bali (Padangbai or Serangan) in 1.5-2.5 hours for $25 to $45.

Safety

Crime is low but there is no police station on Meno or Air and only a small post on Trawangan, so lock valuables away. Currents between the islands are strong: snorkel with the drift, not against it. Medical care is basic, the nearest hyperbaric chamber is on Lombok or Bali, and mushroom drinks sold openly on Trawangan cause most of the incidents involving travellers.

Gili Islands in 5 days | Gili Islands in 7 days | Full Gili Islands guide