Gili Air

Gili Air is one of three islands off the north coast of Lombok, known collectively as the Gili Islands. Gili Air means ‘Small Island with Water’ in the local Sasak language, as it is the only one of the Gili Islands that naturally has underground fresh water.

Gili Air was first settled by nomadic fishermen from Sulawesi. For a brief period during the Second World War, Japanese forces occupied the island. Relics from this period include the wreck of a patrol boat submerged in the bay to the south of Gili Air. In the 1980's, the island’s economy began to shift from traditional fishing and coconut plantations to tourism. The island now has a range of shops, restaurants and resorts that cater to visitors.

As motorized traffic is prohibited on Gili Air, the preferred methods of transportation are by foot, bicycle, or horse-drawn carriages known as Cidomos. Scuba diving is a popular activity on the island due to the abundance of marine life and coral formations. Turtles come to the east coast of the island to feed on seagrass and can frequently be seen near to the shore.

Both Bali and Lombok are easily visible from Gili Air in clear weather. Mount Rinjani is close by on neighbouring Lombok, and dominates views towards the east.

Getting to Gili Air

Most people travel to Gili Air from Bali by taking boats from the ports of Pandangbai, Sanur, or Amed. Travellers can also fly to Lombok, then take a taxi to the harbour at Bangsal where public boats depart several times a day to Gili Air.

Gili Air Media

Gili Trawangan as seen from Gili Meno
Joko Widodo examining the earthquake damage.
View of the west coast of Gili Meno looking south — Lombok is in the distance
View of Trawangan Pier and a Cidomo, local transport
View from the top of the hill on Gili Trawangan just after dawn; foreground is Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno is next and then Gili Air — Gunung Rinjani is backlit by the approaching dawn
View from Gili Trawangan; in the foreground are island hopper boats anchored off Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno is the next island — Ginung Rinjani is in the distance
Beach on Gili Trawangan, Indonesia
Fishing in the sea. Fishers. Gili Trawangan (island), Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
Clouds over Bali Sea after sunset in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Gili Meno Island, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.