Gili Islands

The Gili Islands (Indonesian: Tiga Gili, Kepulauan Gili ) are an archipelago of three small islands — Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air — just off the northwest coast of Lombok, Indonesia.

The islands are a popular destination for Western tourists looking for a remote island experience. Each island has several very small resorts, usually consisting of a small collection of huts for tourists, and a restaurant. Most local inhabitants live on Trawangan in a township stretching along its east side just inland (which is also where most recent development is taking place). Automobiles and motorized traffic are prohibited on the islands by local ordinance, so the preferred method of transportation is bicycle or the horse-drawn carriage called a cidomo. Diving in and around the Gilis is also popular due to the abundance of fish life and attractive coral formations.

The name "Gili Islands" is a misnomer, because Gili simply means "small island" in Sasak. As a result most of the islands around the coast of Lombok have Gili in their names, although confusion is averted by referring (in English) to the other Gilis around the Lombok coast by their proper names only.

The Gili Eco Trust protects the environment of these paradisiac islands. Created in 2000 this local ONG implemented many projects to protect and restore coral reefs, improve waste management, struggle against erosion, treat animals, raise awareness, educate...

• View of the west coast of Gili Meno looking south — Lombok is in the distance

• Mount Rinjani from the south coast of Gili Air