Gili Islands
The three small islands of Gili are considered a real Garden of Eden, located in the very center of a larger paradise called Indonesia. It seems that time is slowing down here, reality is relegated to the background, and worries stop worrying.
History of the Gili Islands
During World War II, the Japanese used the islands of Gili as a prisoner of war camp. Not far from Air Island, you can still see the remnants of a patrol boat, which today is popular among diving enthusiasts. In 1971, Lombok Governor Vasita Kusama sent prisoners here to grow coconut plantations, many of them later remained on the island to live. But there were many difficulties with growing and over time, residents switched to the tourism business, in which they were helped by the flow of tourists from the neighboring island of Bali. And 1980-1990, diving centers and hotels were built. The diving industry grew rapidly in 2000 by the Gili Eco Trust, which was created to protect coral reefs and improve the environment.
A bit of facts
The small islands of Gili still conquer guests with their magnificent beaches and detachment from the problems of the outside world. They are located in the Lombok Strait and in translation mean « small island ». There are several such small land plots in the sea passage, but only 3 islets are popular: Travangan, Meno and Air. There is absolutely no motor transport, so you will have to move around the territory on foot, by carts or by bicycle. There is no police here, but Muslim customs are quite strict, so there’s no need to worry about preserving things and ensuring order.
Description of the islands
All three islands of Gili do not differ much among themselves: beaches with white sand; street with cafes and restaurants, hotels and bungals; the azure waters of the ocean, characterized by special tranquility; lovely coral reefs, hiding hundreds of fish with a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors; the beauty of the surrounding nature. Yet Travangan is called the most noisy and party island. It is great for young people who prefer to spend nights at discos and in nightclubs.
Air may seem completely uninhabited, but in the evening and here you can find several entertaining places that amaze with some special soulfulness. The place is more suitable for connoisseurs of complete privacy. There are only a few hotels. In addition to the tourists who are tired of the bustle, young people come to the island, enjoying each other's company surrounded by the most romantic setting. The communication between the islands of Gili is very well developed, so you can settle on any of them and change your place of residence as you wish.
What to do?
Of course, wallowing on the beach, enjoying the warm sun, pleasant waters, the most tender sand. When a careless vacation gets tired, you can go around the entire territory of the selected island or move to the neighbors. It will take only a couple of hours, but the tourist will know exactly where the most picturesque places and cafes with the most delicious dishes are located.
Here you can also do diving into the waters of the ocean with scuba gear or just with a mask. This can be done directly near the beach ( you just need to clarify about currents that can be quite dangerous ) or rent a boat and go to study the underwater kingdom on the most beautiful atolls: locals are ready to take tourists to the most visited or completely deserted places. The Gili Islands are perfect for training beginners and immersing already experienced divers, and there are also fridayvos schools that can reveal the hidden possibilities of the human body.
The islands will also come for surfing. Unexperienced surfers will especially like the local places: there is practically no excitement, except for certain periods when silence with fairly stable waves is established on the sea. But most often, the islands of Gili are used as a place for a complete emotional and mental reboot.
