bigtravelbuzzGili Air is one of the best three Gili Islands off the coast of Lombok. With its white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and amazing marine life, this tiny island is the perfect place to add to your Bali itinerary. Gili Air is all about easy living, while Gili Trawangan is for those who prefer a fun party every night. Plan a trip of 2-4 nights and follow the activities in the Gili Air Guide.
Activities in Gili Air
A peculiarity of the Gili Islands is that there are no cars on the island. It’s so small that you can cycle around the whole island in 30 minutes. Local transportation options are bicycles, e-bikes or horse taxis. In general, horse taxis are notoriously bad and are not recommended.
Tips: On the south side of Giliar he has three ATMs. 1 on the north side.
1. Gili Air Local Cooking Class
Indonesian cuisine is a vibrant and delicious blend of colors and flavors. Join a Gili cooking class and learn about the ingredients and what is served. Prepare your own food and sambal at Waroeng Alam Damai. This amazing man offers cooking classes completely free. Pay for your food and tip him for being a great person.
Note: Cooking classes usually take place before lunch.
2. Snorkeling with sculptures
Explore the underwater world of the Gili Islands. Just off the coast of Gili Meno is an underwater sculpture intended as a dive site that is home to a myriad of fish. Discover a whole new world as soon as you drop your glasses in the water. Learn more about the Gili underwater sculptures. Gili Meno is just a 15-minute boat ride from Gili Air. It was our absolute favorite to do in Gili Air and we highly recommend it.
3. Live music on the beach
Sit in a beanbag chair at the Gili Lumbung Beach Club, enjoy live music and watch the sun set over the ocean against a backdrop of Bali’s volcanoes.
4. Participate in a beach cleanup
Unfortunately, we all have to ensure that paradise remains paradise. Cleanup is needed all over the world and luckily companies like TrashHero have it every week!Great way to meet a person and clean up in the morning or afternoon he only has 1-2 hours It doesn’t cost. Learn how to reduce plastic and travel plastic-free!
5. Cycle the island
One of the best activities in Gili Air is to lease a motorbike and discover the island. Follow the beach to discover all the great beach clubs, or cycle through the center of the island to see local life, coconut farms and great restaurants. Bike rentals are available near the boat dock or at the hotel.
6. Swing on the beach
Ride one of the many swings around Gili Air although they belong to beach clubs, but don’t worry. Swing freely. This pink swing is in his PinkCoco. Swing is perfect for Instagram travel photography. Unlike Gili Trawangan, these swings do not have queues for taking pictures. At sunset the swing becomes even more fantastic!
7. Best Spas at Gili Islands
Slow spas at Gili Air let you pamper yourself even more. The stunning bamboo spa offers a wide range of treatments and is very popular with tourists and expats working on the Gili Islands. The Slow Spa is part of the Slow Villa but is open to all visitors.
8. Snorkeling with turtles at Gili
Gili Air is known for its crystal clear turquoise waters that are perfect for snorkeling and diving. The entire northern part of the island is a habitat for sea turtles. Therefore, the chances of seeing sea turtles are high. Do not swim during low tide. The coral is too close. You can easily damage corals or yourself.
9. Sunsets on the West Side
The best sunsets are on the west side of Gili Air, and on a clear day you can even see Bali’s Mount Agung in the background.
10. Subwing
Like a manta ray, it moves through the underwater world while being pulled by a boat. ‘Subwinging’ is a great experience on Gili Air for all thrill seekers.
Gili Air Restaurants
Although it is a small island, there are some good restaurants serving local and international cuisine.
- Warung Sunny (Great Local Food)
- Gili Bliss (Smoothie Bowl)
- Warung Alam Damai (Delicious Local Food)
- Camila (Best Sushi)
- Pachamama (Best Vegan Options)
- The Mexican Kitchen (Delicious Mexican Food)
- Coffee & Thyme
- Classico Italiano (Best Coffee)
Speed Boat to Gili Islands
Take a speed boat from Bali to Gili Islands. Depart from Serangan, Sanur, Padangbai and Amed ports depending on the boat company. Expect to pay between IDR 400,000 to 900,000 (USD 28 – 63) for a round trip ticket to Bali. Prices vary by company, luxury item and season.
Boat to Gili Air He takes 2.5 hours by speedboat. Drop-off point is the pier in southern Gili Air (see map).
We visited the Gili Islands her two times and both times the sea was rough. We recommend spending a little more money for quality and sailing with Bluewater Express. There is no need to book a return date with
Gili Boat Company. Please confirm your return from Gili Air with the island office the day before.
Best Time to Travel to Gili Air
The weather is best from July to August and from December to January. Officially, the rainy season runs from November to April, but the showers are nothing compared to Bali.
Gili Air Hotel
The island has a wide variety of hotels and guesthouses to suit all budgets.