The Gili Islands are the choice if you’re looking for the perfect getaway in Indonesia. You will meet a lot of friendly people with a smile on their face. In the Gili Islands, you will find no vehicles or police. Everything is so relaxing and safe, of course.
Getting the most out of the Gili Islands is not a difficult thing to do. There are so many ways to do that. The Gilis is packed with tons of beautiful beaches you can enjoy. There are so many fun activities to fulfill your trip to the Gili Islands. Here are some of them.
1. Island Hopping to All Three Islands
Because the Gili Islands is a group of three little islands, Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air, try the island hopping to visit all of them. It’s like one of the things you must do to not missing out on the other islands.
You can visit all three on a day tour. Begin your day by visiting the Gili Meno in the morning. Then, continue the trip to Gili Air. After that, head to Gili Trawangan to spend the night there.
2. Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
When it comes to the beach destination, scuba diving and snorkeling would be on the favorite list of everyone. Among the three islands, Gili Air has the best spot for Scuba Diving. Clear visibility and a comfortable warmth of the water makes it ideal for scuba diving.
If you’re not qualified to do scuba diving, you can take a one-day experience of scuba. Or, you can join the three-day course to get your PADI. There are so many operators available, just pick one that you think can teach you well.
An alternative for those who don’t want to dive is snorkeling. This activity is so popular around the Gilis. Gili Air offers a more wonderful snorkeling activity. You can join the three-islands snorkel tour to experience all the spots.
3. Exploring the Island
It’s more than island hopping. Focus on the island your in. Take your time to explore and enjoy the greatness of this beautiful island. Stroll along with the sandy pats, dip the toes in the ocean, and take a selfie on the swings of the beach.
Enjoy a cool drink from some beachfront restaurants. You can admire the beauty of Gili’s ocean while drinking your beverages.
4. Cycling Around the Island
One thing that every tourist should know. You can’t ride any vehicles with engines on the Gilis. The best way to get here and there is by cycling. Just follow the roads along the shorelines. Explore the entire island including the villages.
You should choose the bike with bigger tires because most roads are covered with sand. So, you can comfortably ride your bicycle without a problem.
5. Kayaking Alone or With Partner
Enjoy the Gili’s quiet water by taking yourself and your friend on a kayak. It’s a great idea for an outdoor activity around the Gili island. If you want to challenge yourself in exploring the island, Kayaking is the best choice.
To make the activities more interesting, you can rent a transparent kayak so you can admire the beautiful fish and corals through the bottom of the kayak. It’s such a wonderful experience you have to try in the Gili islands.
For experienced tourists on a kayak, they tend to go further to see the turtles that are swimming right beneath them.
6. Watching the Sunset in the Swings
A sunset view from the beach is one of the most favorite things to watch in the Gili Islands. In fact, you can make watching more outstanding. Sit on the swing and watch the ocean as the sun goes down. Then, ask someone or a friend to take a photo of you while watching the sunset.
The photo would be amazing. It would make a breath-taking silhouette over the sunset light. It’s a great picture to be added to your Instagram gallery.
For the record, you probably face a crowd that lines up to take the photos of the swing set. This set is located in Gili Trawangan. If you want to avoid the crowd, you may need to give up on the sunset and just take the picture in the morning or afternoon way before the sunset.
7. Touring on a Glass Bottom Boat
Similar to the transparent kayak, a glass-bottom boat allows you to see through what’s under the boat. The boat will take you to the best reef spot where there are a lot of corals and fish.
You can see the amazing marine life directly from the boat. It’s just like snorkeling but you’re still completely dry. There are many glass-bottom boat service in the Gili islands. You will easily find one to choose from.
8. Trekking to Mount Rinjani
This famous volcano on Lombok is located nearby the mainland. There are a lot of people that come to Lombok just to do Rinjani trekking. If you are interested in it, the trekkings can be arranged from all the Gili islands.
You can also head to the mainland by yourself to save a budget and find a cheaper option. Hiking to the top of Mount Rinjani would take a few days. So, you need to set a camp there for at least one or two nights. Plan the trip accordingly.
Remember, it’s gonna be hard trekking but it’s definitely worth it.
9. Being a Vegetarian While in the Gilis
For those who are vegan, the Gili islands would be a heaven for them. However, if you love meat, you will love the vegetarian restaurants in all three islands of Gili.
The demand for vegetarian or vegan food is quite high in the Gili islands. That becomes the reason there is a lot of restaurants that sell delicious vegan and vegetation foods. Everyone would really enjoy it. Even meat lovers would probably consider becoming a vegetarian.
Pituq Cafe in Gili T, Pachamama in Gili Air, and Ya Ya Warung in Gili Meno are the three recommended vegan-friendly restaurants you have to visit.
10. Spearfishing with Crystal Clear Water
This activity is one level above snorkeling. In the Gili Islands, there is a great opportunity for spearfishing. The crystal clear water and a lot of marine life are very ideal for spearfishing. You can do this activity while snorkeling.
However, in order to do spearfishing, you need to hire a private boat, a guide, and a captain. You won’t find any group spearfishing tours on the island. The price would be the same as a private snorkeling trip.
Conclusion
After all, this post hopefully helps you to decide what to do in Gili Islands. You don’t have to worry because the Gili Islands would guarantee to make your trip memorable and fun.