What does paradise look like for you?
My paradise is a sand island surrounded by translucent water that shifts between shades of turquoise, minty greens, sky blue and navy. Within the water rainbow coloured marine life live in abundance. My paradise has sunsets that change every day as it sets over the ocean shading the sky from a palette of pastel and fuschia pinks, electric luminous oranges, delicate lilacs and vibrant tomato reds. My paradise has powdery sand beaches, shells and coral. My paradise has fresh coconuts and cocktails… In the island of Gili Air I found a very close resemblance to my paradise.
Getting to Gili Air…
I arrived from Gili Trawangan, better known in the backpacker world as “Gili T” via the local boat for a mere 40,000 rupiah. Gili T, the party island wasn’t for me despite its beauty in the quieter parts.
As I stepped off the boat into the crystal clear waters of Gili Air, I unfortunately misjudged the waves and fell flat on my face, rucksack on back and bag containing passport, money, cards, phone over my arm. Yes I got fully drenched as did my belongings. Not the best entry to paradise! Over the next few days I settled into a daily routine of beach, coffee, swimming in the sea, lunch and watching the sun set over the ocean for almost two weeks. Gili Air so far is the best part of my trip. Not doing anything. Just enjoying the most simple yet most sublime of pleasures. Sipping a cappuccino and listening to the waves. Drinking a fresh coconut on the beach. Walking through the warm crystal clear waves lapping at my toes. Watching the sun set over the horizon. I enjoyed the art of absorbing the moment and slowing my pace.
On my final day in Gili Air I walked to the small fishing boat that took me to the larger mainland of Lombok, bags in tow. As I passed by the cafe that I frequented almost daily for my cappuccino, watermelon juice and lunch, the friendly staff saw me leave and waved and shouted their goodbyes as I got on the boat and watched the island become smaller and smaller as we left it behind. I got pretty emotional as it hit me I probably won’t ever return to this little island again. This little slice of paradise.
Where are the Gili Islands?
The Gili Islands (Gili Trawangan, GiliMeno and Gili Air) are three tiny islands situated North East of Bali – around a 45 minute boat ride from Amed, and lie just off the North West coast of Lombok.
What you need to know about the Gilis..
The Gilis differ from Bali in a few ways. One is that the Gilis are part of Lombok which is Muslim, whereas Bali is predominantly Hindu. Expect prayers to be broadcast five times a day via loudspeaker. Tip- don’t book accommodation near a mosque or take earplugs as the 4am prayer will wake you up and it goes on for quite a while.
There’s also no police or hospital on Gili Air. Keep this in mind. I recommend bringing a basic first aid kit.
Be aware that bad sea conditions can mean that boats between the Gilis and Bali/Lombok can be cancelled so bear this in mind if you have a flight to catch…
Why go to the Gilis…
I was excited to head to the Gili Islands for one main reason- no scooters or cars are allowed on the islands!! Bali’s roads especially in the South are incredibly congested and as a result polluted from scooters and old cars. Gili Air is free of such congestion and pollution. I was also excited to be in an island where everything is accessible by walking- you can walk around Gili Air in an hour or so.
Getting to Gilis from Bali..
I got the fast boat- the FreeBird express from Amed to Gili T. I’m not going to lie- it wasn’t the most pleasant journey- the waves were very intense and I was sat under a constant dripping of water. As the sick bags got handed out one or two people were sea sick. I was relieved to arrive. Another popular option is to get a boat from Padang Bai.
A backpacker travel guide to Gili Air…
Accommodation:
Accommodation remains relatively simple. If you’re after five star luxury this isn’t the island for you.
Backpackers may opt for a hostel such as Tipsea Turtle hostel. Located behind a dive centre steps from the beach and a range of restaurants, it is a good choice. The staff are relaxed and the pool and bar make for a homey yet fun atmosphere conducive to meet fellow travellers.
Bedang Backpackers is located inland about a fifteen minute walk from the beach. Stay in a simple bamboo hut with little more than bed inside. Breakfast isn’t included, but options are available at a reasonable cost. If you want an early night bear in mind the thin bamboo walls means noise travels and people tend to stay up late drinking and chatting by the mushroom shaped pool.
Another option is to stay at one of the many homestays. These are locally run and offer simple private rooms ofte with breakfast. It’s a good option to relax and meet locals. I stayed at a honestay for three night which was very pleasant.
Yoga on a Gili Air:
The H20 Yoga resort offers a range of daily yoga classes including aqua yoga. They also offer accommodation- Dorm rooms start at 200 per night. Book in advance as the rooms fill up fast! Five gluten free breakfast options are included and guests get 10% off the cafe menu. The yoga here included somewhat gimmicky options such as bamboo yoga and aqua yoga. I think any advanced yogis would find the classes a bit frustrating but it’s a nice atmosphere inside.
Another option for yoga is the fire and flowers yoga resort. I didn’t have time to try it out but it is currently the only resort that offers yoga with a sea view.
Snorkelling: Hire snorkel gear for 40 a day or take a snorkelling trip for 150.
Eating:
Indonesian options:
Warung Sunny – the best local food I’ve had in Indonesia. So flavoursome I was in heaven. I had a delicious watermelon smoothie and this unique dish I haven’t heard of before – aubergine in tempeh with the most delicious salsa. It was so good. I highly recommend it.
Warung Zzz- super cheap and basic with friendly service. Located near to Bedang Backpackers.
Many good local options can be found at Warungs (small restaurants) all over the island. Go inland away from the port and beach to find hidden gems.
Western Options:
If you’re after something organic and healthy head to Pachamama cafe an Aussie owned cafe famous for its smoothies and light bites. It is a bit pretentious and overpriced, but sometimes you need something other than Nasi Goreng (fried rice). It also has a nice shaded mini courtyard spot to escape the midday heat.
Coffee. A few places do a decent cappuccino with real coffee machines and fresh coffee beans. My favourite was Oyo cafe located in front of the ocean. The staff here were adorable and the coffee was in my opinion the best on the island.
Le Bistro – this French restaurant offer a range of coffees, shakes and meal options. Order the Vietnamese salad for lunch. Pleasant location by the beach front. Sit and enjoy listening to the waves.
Watch the sunset:
Enough said..
Chill by the beach:
Find a cozy spot to relax at a sun lounger. Most places are happy for you to relax on their bean bags and loungers as long as you buy a drink.
Coco beach offers the most girlie spot with pink sunloungers and discounts if you wear pink! It has instagrammable pink swings in the sea for that perfect photo. The menu is overpriced but worth it for a cocktail at sunset.
Be warned..
Service on this island can be horrific. Considering they get so many tourists they have no idea how to handle basic customer service. Expect your orders not to arrive, nobody to come and give you a menu, having to remind the staff what you ordered, the wrong orders etc. The best customer service I received was at Warung Sunny.
Also food is often cooked to order. Nothing seems to be prepared in advance e.g if a carrot is in the dish they will chop it up there and then. So expect to wait a long time for your order to arrive.
Overall I spent two weeks on Gili Air and didn’t get bored. If you’re happy snorkelling amongst turtles, watching the sun set over the ocean and the sky light up each night in a show of colours, reading by the beach with a view of the waves and a drink in hand then Gili Air will not disappoint.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my chance to stay in paradise.
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