Gili Islands (Indonesia): description, photos, reviews of tourists. How to get there from Bali?

The islands of Gili (Indonesia) are familiar to all lovers of beach holidays in Bali. Three tiny pieces of sushi, surrounded on all sides by the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean, look like a bird's eye view very attractive. Well, having met Travangan, Meno and Eyre, you want to stay here forever. Many people call Bali a paradise island. Yes, in many respects it is good and even remarkable. Bali is rich in historical and natural attractions. But if you are interested in the beaches and the transparent turquoise sea, then you can not find the Gili Islands, which are part of the Western Small Sunda archipelago. They are located only thirty-five kilometers from the eastern Cape of Bali. But from the air to Gili not get. On tiny islands there is no place to build an airport. The only way is by sea. This article will tell you about the specifics of Travangan, Eyre and Meno. We will also show you how to get to the islands and where to rent accommodation.

Incarnate advertising "Bounty"

Our ideas of "paradise pleasure" often rest on the seen clip about a chocolate bar. Warm white sand, fine, like powdered sugar; Calm calm sea, purity and color resembling turquoise, and on the horizon - sapphire; Slender palms bent to the very water ... It is behind this that many tourists go to Bali. And with surprise learn that on a volcanic island all is a little not so. And to get into the advertising of the coconut bar "Bounty" live, you need to go a bit to the east - to the islands of Gili. Photo Travangana, Eyre and Meno do not lie. All three islets are different, have their own specifics. But they all have chic beaches. Just such as in advertising "Bounty". Curious tourists who do not think of leave without cognitive excursions, Gili will not do. But for those who crave passive recreation on the beach, they are just right. Active divers and lovers of snorkeling will also not be disappointed.

Specificity of the Gili Islands

Travangan is the largest of the trinity. The islands of Gili Air and Meno are much smaller. Accordingly, if you want to alternate a beach holiday in the afternoon with a fun pastime in the evening, you are at Travangan. Big this island can not be called, except in comparison with two neighboring tiny pieces of land. But on Travangan there is a sufficient choice of hotels for every taste and fullness of the bank card, cafes, restaurants and even nightclubs. There is even a food market. And if you want to abandon civilization and feel like such a Robinson Crusoe on the edge of the earth, you can go to the islets of Gili Meno and Eyre. Fortunately, they are only one kilometer from Travangan. From this island is seen a mountainous Lombok. And from the opposite shore you can admire Bali. Rather, the island itself is hidden beyond the horizon, but in the sky can be seen the towering summit of the volcano Batur. There are few hotels on the Eyre, and even less on Meno, so the hotel needs to be booked in advance.

Gili (islands): how to get there. The fastest and most expensive option

In fact, Gili are not very far from the island of Lombok. And the one, respectively, is located very close to Bali. You can get to the "Bounty Islands" only by sea. But here there are options. The ticket price directly affects the time spent on the road. The more you pay, the faster and with the best comfort will get to the island you need Gili. The most expensive option is an individual transfer. You are taken from Bali, from the point that you specify, driven by a car to the paddock of the Bay of Padang, planted on a speed glider and delivered to the desired island. The price of the issue is one hundred or more US dollars from the passenger. But you will be in place an hour or eighty minutes after leaving the hotel in Bali.

Optimal in all respects option

Just for thirty-five dollars round-trip from a person you can visit the islands of Gili. How to get from Bali to Travangan? To do this, you need to get to Padang Bay on your own. There are other options. You can pay at the Bali tour desk for a trip to Gili. It will cost a little more, but then you will be taken away from the hotel (if you are vacationing in Nusa Dua) or from McDonald's in Jimbaran. Tickets can be bought in Kuta or directly at the ticket counter. Speedboat (speed boats) depart from Bali at nine in the morning, at noon and at three o'clock in the afternoon. What's good - a return ticket is given with an open date. This will allow you to leave Gili at any time: before the planned time, if you are not lucky with the weather; Later - if you really enjoy staying on the "paradise island". Speedboat overcomes the distance of thirty-five kilometers per hour with a small. At first the boat calls on Travangan, then on Meno (one kilometer from the larger island) and, lastly, Eyre.

The cheapest option

Plymouth and public ferries to the islands of Gili. "Bali - Lombok" is sent from the same pier of Padang Bay. This ferry regularly, but slowly. It should be noted that public transport for local does not provide air conditioning and any amenities (except for the toilet). In Lombok, you need to change to another ferry, to Gili Trawangan. Boats on smaller islets - Meno and Eyre - go very rarely. They are ordinary wooden motor boats with additional boards along the sides for stability. But this trip of a whole day will leave a lot of impressions. Plus this option - the opportunity to see Lombok. Many tourists traveling to Indonesia, even advised to stay on this island for a night or two. Another advantage is the low price. Two tickets on the public ferry of Bali-Lombok-Gili will cost one passenger thirty thousand rupees (or twenty US dollars).

How to move around

To Gili Islands and continue to remain environmentally friendly, local authorities banned all kinds of motorized modes of transport. So if you are traveling with a scooter, you will have to leave it at a paid parking lot in Bali or Lombok. On the ferry or boat to Gili with him you just will not be imprisoned. But do not be discouraged. Even the largest of the islands of Gili, Travangan, has two and a half kilometers in length and one and a half - in breadth. You can bypass it around the perimeter in an hour or so. In a good hotel it is always possible to rent bicycles, the benefit of the flat relief of the islets does not turn the torsion of pedals into hard labor. Another type of local transport - tuk-tuki, harnessed ponies. Rather, this is another entertainment for tourists than the way of travel. Moreover, tuk-tuki is quite expensive. A trip in the carriage will cost eighty thousand rupees. Boats are the most popular form of transport on Gili. You can ride a traditional wooden junk. For those who are panic afraid of diving, there are boats with a glass bottom. Between the three islets of Gili from morning to night scurry carriers.

Where to stay

All the islands of Gili have their own specifics. Travangan is considered the most expensive. But this is only at first glance. Luxury hotels, the night in which costs from a hundred dollars, stand on the first line of the northern and eastern coasts. But already across the road (especially in the local school district), a lot of hotels are simpler. Even backpackers can rent housing here. The room in the guesthouse will cost ten dollars a night. Housing on Gili Air is cheaper. But even there there are chic hotels, although many tourists prefer to stay in apartments with kitchen. Prices for a room in the guesthouse start at five dollars per night. In the center of the island there are only mosques and government institutions. All hotels, even the cheapest, are located on the first line. Gili Meno is also called the island of the newlyweds. There are few hotels here, they need to be booked in advance. Also, do not compare Meno with the racer Trawangan. To feel happy in this tropical Eden, you need to have Eve (or Adam) next to you.

What to do on Gili

According to the reviews, the main pastime of tourists is languid lying on the beach. And when the sun bends to the horizon, the audience goes to the west coast, settles comfortably in the sun loungers or directly on the cooling sand with a bottle of some drink and gives in to the contemplation of sunsets. Sunset - the spectacle is truly enchanting. For the sake of sunsets alone, it's worth visiting the islands of Gili. Reviews also compare the local waters with the Egyptian Ras Mohammed. The inhabitants of coral reefs are not only colorful fish, but also stingrays, giant manta rays, turtles and sharks. Few people know, but on Travangan and Eyre there are good bays for surfers. They are located on the southern extremities of these islets. In the diving aria there are schools where they teach scuba diving. Travangan even gives out diplomas.

Gili Islands (Bali): reviews

All tourists say that a few categories of holidaymakers are feeling fine here:

• Newlyweds or lovers,
• Very lazy people, for whom rest is a languid lying on the beach,
• Divers and surfers,
• Very young children, for whom the main entertainment - the construction of sand castles.

Gili do not indulge tourists with excursions. The only thing that tour operators can offer you is a trip on a boat with a glass bottom. The tour lasts about three hours and costs 1,000 rupees per person. Along the way, the boat makes several stops among the reefs, and those wishing to dive, not only to see, can plunge into the gentle waters of the Indian Ocean.