Whenever someone thinks about an exotic tropical destination, places like Maldives and Mauritius come to mind. But there is a beautiful beach paradise in Indonesia with white beaches surrounded by azure seas where you can travel in a budget. This paradise is the Gilis which are a group of small Islands situated near Lombok, ideal for a perfect honeymoon vacation.
How to reach
Regular ferries run between Bali to Gili taking two hours to reach. The beaches are very clean and less touristy unlike Bali. Gili Trawangan is the biggest and most popular among all while Gili Air and Meno are relatively peaceful. You can purchase open tickets to these islands in Bali and can return any day you want.
Things to do
1. Relax at the beaches
The first thing to do after an exhausting ferry ride from Bali is to absorb the beauty of this place by relaxing at the white sunny beaches and enjoy a slow pace of life at these islands. Riding a bicycle is another popular activity to do because these islands don’t allow any vehicles which makes the Gilis pollution free and relaxed with no annoying traffic.
Also read: Nusa Penida Island
2. Experience the nightlife
Another popular thing to do in Gilis is party at Gili Trawangan which becomes vivid at night with live music performances at the pubs. You can also just stroll around the beach in solitude away from the noise and crowds. If you are a vegan, make sure to dine at the Banyan Tree restaurant in Gili Trawangan.
3. Watch the sunset
Watching the sunsets was my favorite part of living in the Gili islands. Every restaurant at Gili offers happy hours on drinks during the sunsets for tourists. You can sit near the beach, listen to the sound of ocean and enjoy the evening.
4. Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
The Gili islands are home to some of the best marine life you will ever see, and you will easily spot sea turtles closely during your snorkeling trips in all the three islands. The boat trip gives a tour of all the underwater statues at Gili Meno and the coral garden which has a wide variety of stunning coral reefs. You can also opt for scuba diving which is expensive as compared to snorkeling.
