How to visit Gili Air, Lombok

If you’re visiting Bali, chances are you have already heard about the Gili islands, off the coast of Lombok.

Gili Air is one of the three islands which makes up the group. It’s a popular tourist destination, famous for its tranquil beaches, relaxing aura and pretty coral reefs.

I visited Gili Air in September 2023. I’d previously visited Gili Trawangan, its party island neighbour, which just wasn’t for me, so I was a little apprehensive Gili Air would have a similar feel. However, to me, Gili Air was so much nicer! I absolutely loved my stay.

Following my visit, I’ve pulled together all I learned from my trip into this guide, to give you more information on what to do and where to stay.

About Gili Air

Gili Air is an island in central Indonesia.

It’s one in a set of three islands: Gili T, Gili Air and Gili Meno. Together they are called the Gili islands, or the Gilis for short. They’re located just off the north-west corner of Lombok, with Gili Air, the closest, being just 1 km away.

The Gilis are well known for any visitors to Indonesia due to their proximity to Bali, the most visited island. You can easily reach them with a 90 minute boat ride from the east side of Bali.

Naturally, their closeness to Bali makes them very popular with tourists. Most itineraries to Bali include a trip to the Gilis, and why not? We’re talking tropical islands here. It’s an idyllic place to go to (at least on paper).

Gili Air: the Goldilocks island

Each Gili island has its own vibe. Gili Trawangan – affectionately shortened to Gili T – is known for its nightlife and parties; Gili Meno is known for its peace and relaxation; and Gili Air lies somewhere in the middle.

As such, to me, Gili Air has a Goldilocks vibe. It’s not too party like Gili T, but also it has more going on than Gili Meno. It’s a great island if you don’t mind the odd bar and party, but are also happy to chill and relax in a non-nightlife-oriented setting.

Let me tell you, I loved this vibe! After visiting Gili T, which is very developed, full of bars and clubs, moving to an island where there was space to breathe and no clubby atmosphere was heaven.

Also, Gili T is so developed that there’s barely any coastline that hasn’t been adopted by a bar or restaurant. By contrast Gili Air, although also developed and with its own bars and club areas, has large swathes where there are no hotels or bars and you’ll just find beach backed by trees. This is particularly noticeable on the west coast, but even on the east and north sides, there are gaps, with the sand in effect claimed by no one.

This set-up makes it great if you want to sunbathe and snorkel in different spots across the island, or if your hotel is inland and therefore doesn’t have its own section of beach. I do worry that this will go as the island becomes more developed, but for now it works out great!

Beach and reefs

Gili Air is well known for its pretty beaches and coral reefs. The reefs themselves are close to shore and therefore are easily accessible. You can just wade out to see them!

Gili Air’s beaches are thin with white-beige sand. Given the proximity of the coral reefs, you’ll find lots of white bleached coral debris on the shore. However, the islands are part of Rinjani Geopark and have a partial volcanic origin, so you’ll also find darker volcanic sediments hidden amongst the otherwise white sand.

Outward from the beach, the water is typically shallow for a long distance before you encounter the coral reefs. In these areas you’ll find little corals, seaweed and marine life such as crabs and small fishes.

I have to admit, I didn’t find the coral reefs as impressive as I’d seen elsewhere on Bali. The corals at Amed were much more developed! There were a lot of bleached and sandy areas amongst the corals, and there were only a couple of places where I saw developed reef systems.

Marine life at Gili Air

Amongst the reefs, you can find a lot of fish, of all species and types. I saw plenty of shoals go past, and I always find it exciting to see angel fishes and trigger fishes going about their day-to-day lives!

However, for most people snorkelling at the Gilis, I got the impression that the turtles are what they want to see. I get the excitement: there are a lot of turtles at Gili Air, and you can see both green and hawksbill varieties.

We saw a turtle on over half of our snorkel sessions on the Gilis, so they’re super common to see. Also, you don’t need to go out too deep as it’s easy to see them in shallow water! On a few occasions, we could watch them surfacing from the beach as well.

The only thing is that, given there are so many visitors to the Gilis, the best diving and snorkelling spots can get very busy. I felt guilty towards the turtles as a few times it looked like they were being swarmed by swimmers. Not all the visitors to the Gilis have the proper respect for them!

Life on Gili Air

Life on Gili Air and the other Gili islands is quite different to the mainland. None of the Gilis have vehicles. They’ve only got bikes (of the manual and electronic varieties) and horse and carriages. This makes it fairly chill as no one is getting around in a hurry!

Its population primarily comes from the Sasak ethnic group, which originates from Lombok and is primarily Muslim. You’ll often see signs asking people to cover up off the beach to respect local culture, which is understandable.

Take a walk through the centre of the island and you’ll get a better sense of life on the island, and what Gili Air must’ve been like before the later tourist development.

Gili Air is such a quiet and calm place, and it was the perfect place to chill for a few days.

Ratings

As part of this blog, I give every place I visit a rating so that I can easily compare destinations and decide whether they’re worth a visit. Those are the scores you see at the top of the page!

This is how Gili Air rated:

• Safety: 5/5 – excluding the inherent safety concerns about being on an island, such as limited healthcare, we felt very safe on Gili Air.
• Accessibility: 4/5 – it’s easy enough to reach Gili Air, with a range of ferries and fast boats available from Bali and Lombok. However, any visitors will need to be comfortable getting on and off boats and moving across sand.
• Enjoyment: 5/5  – I loved my time on Gili Air. The island is so relaxing and comfortable!
• Value: 3/5 – visiting Gili Air is expensive compared to larger Indonesian islands, particularly with respect to transport and accommodation. However, you can dig around to find cheap warungs and restaurants.

Overall score: 4.25/5

If you’ve already visited, let me know if you agree with these ratings! Just to note, the ratings are my personal opinion based on my visit, so you might have a completely different experience.

More: how I rank destinations using the Everywhere Ratings system

How to get there

To get to Gili Air, you’ll first have to travel to Bali or Lombok, the neighbouring larger islands. From there, your only option is to take a ferry to the Gilis.

Travelling from Bali

To get a ferry from Bali to Gili Air, you’ll need to head to one of the ports on the east coast of the island.

Coming from the south (Denpasar Airport, Canggu, Seminyak, or Uluwatu)? Head to the port at Serangan, in the south-east of the island.

Coming from the centre (Ubud)? Head to the port at Padangbai.

Coming from the north (Munduk, Lovina, or Amed)? In the past there was a fast boat service from Amed to the Gilis. However, at the time of my visit this wasn’t running, so you’ll need to head to Padangbai instead.

It’s also possible to take a boat directly from Nusa Penida, a pretty island off the south-east coast of Bali. The boats going between the Gilis and Serangan often stop at Nusa Penida on the way.

Should you take a fast or slow boat?

There are dozens of operators running boats between Bali and the Gilis. Most of these are fast boats. It’s also possible to take a slower boat, or to take a ferry to Lombok and then transfer to a different boat to get to the island.

I would strongly recommend taking a fast boat with a reliable operator! On multiple occasions I’ve heard people describe the boat ride as the “worst few hours of their lives”. That’s because the journey to the Gilis can get very choppy – and some boats are just built better to be stable during this than others. Of course there is little you can do to mitigate the choppiness if the weather just isn’t that great, but some operators will deal with it more effectively.

Also, I’ve heard very bad things about the organisation at the port, so taking a reliable operator is useful.

If you have the budget, I’d highly recommend taking Blue Water Express. We took them and had such a smooth journey, and they were communicative and organised throughout. However, at Rp 650,000 ($42 / £33) per ticket, this is the priciest boat we found that sailed between Bali and the Gilis!

We have also heard good things about Eka Jaya and Golden Queen, two other fast(ish) boats sailing across. However, plenty of fast and slow boats are available, with prices ranging from Rp 200,000 to 500,000 ($13 to $32 / £10 to £25) per ticket.

Make sure to book tickets from the most reputable companies early, as they often fill up in advance!

Do ferries go directly to Gili Air?

Many of the ferries heading from Bali to the Gilis make separate stops at both Gili Trawangan and Gili Air. You’ll have to wait on the boat whilst it stops at Gili T, but you won’t have to make any changes.

From Lombok

If you get seasick, travelling from Lombok is the way to go. You can fly into the airport at Lombok then take a transfer to the port.

Most boats from Lombok to the Gilis depart from Bangsal port, in the north-west corner of the island. It’s super close to the Gilis; expect a 5 minute fast boat ride to Gili Air, or a 15 minute slow boat ride.

There’s a fast boat going approximately every hour (add from timetable or include photo), costing Rp 85,000 ($5 / £4).

The slow boat leaves from the port as and when it’s full, and costs Rp 18,000 ($1.20 / £0.90). When we visited, we bought one of the last slow boat tickets, so we only had to wait a few minutes. However, if you’re travelling at a less popular time, it’s possible to have to wait for an hour.

Don’t worry about booking either boat in advance as they’re so frequent there’s normally space. I’d recommend our plan – turn up 15-30 mins before the fast boat, and if a slow boat is going before that time you can catch it instead. If not, you have the security of the fast boat leaving soon anyway! 

From the other Gilis

It’s super easy to travel between the Gili islands, with there being slow and fast boats travelling between the islands almost every hour. Just head down to the port to buy your ticket. The fast boat and slow boat options are the same as those that go to Lombok.

How to get around the island

Gili Air is small, with a perimeter of 5 km. It’ll only take you 1.5 hours to walk the island, and even less if you are cycling.

As it’s so small, you can walk everywhere. Alternatively you can rent a bike, although this is less popular than on Gili T.

If you do rent a bike, the walkways around the edge of the island are mostly sandy, so expect to have to make use of the inland paths! It costs around Rp 50,000 ($3.20 / £2.50) per day for bike rental.

During our visit, Lou got super hot and felt unwell when we were walking around Gili Air. The temperatures are just so high and in certain stretches there is little shade. Take it easy out there!

It’s also possible to take a horse and carriage to get across the island. These are available to rent from the port in the south of the island; I’m not sure about pricing.

However, to be honest I didn’t like the look of the horse and carts. I’m not convinced by the treatment of the horses – on Gili Trawangan, we saw some of their enclosures, which were scarily small, and I can’t imagine they care for the horses well. Therefore, we couldn’t justify ever taking one.

Horse and carriages are much less common on Gili Air as they are on Gili Trawangan, and as it only takes 30 mins to walk from the port to the north of the island, it’s entirely possible to avoid using them if you don’t want to, like us.

Where to stay

Gili Air has a range of accommodation options, from homestays to hostels and resort hotels. It’s more expensive than Bali for the same quality of accommodation – think Rp 200,000 to 300,000 ($13 to $20 / £10 to £15) for a dorm bed.

Make sure to check the location of your hotel on the island. Most resorts are located in the north and east of the island, which is equipped with a mix of restaurants and bars. Hotels in the south will place you closer to the port with a wider range of facilities. Meanwhile, you’ll get more peace on the quieter west side of the island.

Ultimately, it’s up to you what vibe you seek!

We stayed at Tipsea Turtle, a hostel in the north-east corner of the island. It had a friendly vibe, with social events on every night and regular free yoga in the morning, which Lou spoke highly of. Keeping in with the wider island, it was a good hostel for people who want to relax without scrimping on friendliness. The dorms were also super nice and comfy!

Tipsea Turtle is located in the north-east corner of the island, and I really liked this area: it was north enough to be quiet but still was surrounded by restaurants.

Where to eat

You have so many good options for food on Gili Air. Seriously, we were so spoiled for choice! Prices are a bit high compared to the rest of Bali but still work out affordable for the Western traveller.

Throughout Indonesia, we always aimed to eat at reasonably priced warungs with good reviews. At Gili Air these included Warung Fisherman and Family Warung, which were both affordable, comfortable and friendly.

However, the best restaurant we found on the island was Optimize. It’s centrally located and within ten minutes’ walk of the port. The table settings, with doilies and flowers, are a bit quirkier than the average warung, and we were super impressed by the food, which had amazing attention to detail and was really tasty (mains Rp 40,000 to 60,000 / $3 to $4 / £2 to £3).

Aura Bowls is another great option near the port. They do local food (mains 30 to 40,000/$2 to $3/£1.50 to £2) and smoothie bowls (Rp 40,000 to 60,000 / $3 to $4 / £2 to £3), both of which were tasty.

If you are holidaying and want to go luxury, also check out Mama Pizza and Pitoq Cafe. We didn’t visit either of them as, with mains exceeding Rp 80,000 ($5 / £4), they were a bit above our price range. But they looked super nice!

What to do on Gili Air

1. Relax

Gili Air has a lot of beach space, with a gentle holiday vibe. There’s often great weather and a relaxed feel. Therefore, when visiting the island, my top recommendation would be to relax!

Find somewhere to lie back and enjoy the sun. You deserve it!

2. Snorkel from the beach

Given the coral reefs and abundant marine life off the shore, there’s a fair bit to see in the ocean. Rent a mask and snorkel from your hotel or a vendor and dive in! Rental should be around Rp 25,000 to 50,000 ($1.60 to $3.20 / £1.30 to £2.50) for the mask and snorkel.

Possibly the best place to snorkel is off the east coast, labelled as “turtle beach” on Google Maps. We saw a lot of people snorkelling here, although as it’s also where most hotels on the island are based, it’s hard to know if this stretch is more popular for a reason.

On both sides of the island you’ll find very shallow water extending out from the beach. At low tide, the water is so shallow that weeds and rocks will even stick out of the water. With the water being so shallow, you’ll most likely have to wade out for some way before you can snorkel.

I’d therefore recommend snorkelling at high tide, and bringing water shoes with you if you have them, or renting them on the island. That way you can protect your feet from any rocks or marine life growing. And of course take care with your footing so you don’t damage any corals!

3. Take a snorkelling tour

If you don’t want to wade out to the reef, your other option is to take a snorkelling tour. We took one of these whilst we stayed at Gili Air, and they are a lot of fun.

Normally tours run in the morning or afternoon. You will normally get taken to three or four spots for snorkelling across the three Gili Islands. As you’ll be dropped off in deep water, you don’t need to worry about hitting any corals with your feet, and the coral quality should be higher than those you’d find close to the shore.

A particular spot of interest is the underwater statues off Gili Meno. Whilst snorkelling, you might get to see some turtles too!

Prices for the snorkelling tours tend to be reasonable, with a public tour costing 150,000 to 200,000 ($10 to $13 / £8 to £10) per ticket including equipment rental.

Want to go on a boat ride but not snorkel? You can find traditional boat tours across the island, with the option to go out for sunset. Our tour in particular took us out for snorkelling and sunset: a great combination.

4. Go diving

There are many dive centres across Gili Air. You’ll find them offering dives across all three Gili islands.

All dives are boat dives in the Gilis and you’ll mainly get to visit coral reefs. You can take them as a certified diver (a “fun dive”) or as a first timer (a “try dive”, which will include some practice time on the pool beforehand), so don’t worry if you aren’t certified. However, be aware that as there are so many dive schools across the Gilis, the most popular spots get super busy.

My sister, Lou, enjoyed her dive at Turtle Heaven whilst we stayed on Gili Air. She saw lots of turtles and many pretty fishes, and I gathered it was an all round enjoyable experience!

5. Take a massage

Bali is known for its massages, so it’s no surprise Gili Air has a couple of massage centres too. They are much less common than on Gili T but are still widely available, and the prices I saw were slightly lower too, although still higher than mainland (Rp 120,000 to 200,000 / $8 to $13 / £6 to £10 for an hour’s massage).

As I despise massages, I didn’t try them on the island (or elsewhere, for that matter). However, I imagine they’re pretty good on Gili Air, if you’re into this kind of thing.

6. Take a cooking class

Want to try making some classic Indonesian dishes? Take a cooking class! You’ll find these offered in pretty much every tourist hotspot on Bali and Lombok, and Gili Air is no exception.

On Gili Air, the most established cooking class is Gili Cooking Classes, which also operate on Gili Trawangan.

It’s a great way to embrace the local cuisine and get yourself fed at the same time!

7. Walk or cycle the island

If you want to see all sides of Gili Air, it’s fairly easy to walk or cycle its full circumference. The walk takes around 1.5 hours, but you’ll probably want to stop as you go along, whether it’s to swim, chill on the beach, or have a drink at one of the bars on the beach.

It gets hot on Gili Air, and some stretches of the beach do not have much shade. I’d therefore recommend heading off early in the morning or waiting until later in the afternoon to start walking. We walked around during the afternoon and we were in such a sweaty state that we had to spend some time in our air-conditioned dorm to recover afterwards!

8. Watch sunset

The Gili islands are known for their beautiful sunsets, so many people like to go watch one (or a few more!) whilst they’re visiting.

You’ll get the best view of sunset if you’re on the north or west side of the island. There are many bars along the seafront on the north side which make a good option, and you’ll also find the odd bar on the west side as well. However, it’s perfectly acceptable to bring your towel with you and sit on the sand to watch.

I would warn you though that, at least if you watch sunset on the north side like I did, the sun set route is perfectly aligned with Mt Agung, the tallest peak on Bali. Therefore, don’t expect to see the sun set below the horizon; it’ll disappear much earlier than that. I’d recommend to be ready to watch sunset fifteen minutes earlier than you think, so you see the sun set beneath the mountain!

Are there ATMs on Gili Air?

There are multiple ATMs on Gili Air, so do not worry: you will not be left without cash. There could be a bit of a walk to the nearest one depending on where you’re staying.

That being said, most places on Gili Air do not accept card; if they do, they often charge a commission. It worked out cheaper and easier just to pay by cash. As the ATMs are limited and can be far from where you’re staying on the island, I’d recommend bringing some cash with you.

Conclusion

Gili Air is a relaxing island close to Bali and Lombok. It’s less developed and more tranquil than other tourist hotspots on Bali, without compromising on options for accommodation, food and drink. This makes it a great place in which to chill and explore for a couple of days, and the perfect place for a holiday.

I loved my visit to Gili Air and would recommend it to anyone visiting Bali!

Do you have any questions about visiting Gili Air? Let me know in the comments.

Planning a longer trip to Bali? Check out my guides to Amed, Gili Trawangan and Ubud!