Are you thinking about breaking away from your normal routine and going on a vacation? There are many vacation spots in the world today but not many compete with the picturesque view of the Gili islands. There is this big misconception about the fact that you need to spend a lot for a tropical holiday — which Gili Air proves completely wrong. It’s one of the best vacation spots around Bali that offers beautiful sceneries, interesting activities, and the much needed peace and quiet at a completely affordable price. Pretty cool, right?
Gili Air Island is one of the three Gili islands off Lombok and very close to Bali. The other two islands are Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno, and they are all so close together that you could actually see one island from the coast of another. Gili Air Island has seen continued investment recently, resulting in rapid development of the area. This is evident in the number of cafes, bars, ATMs and so on springing up around the island.
How do I get to Gili Air Island?
There are several ports in Bali with boats departing for Gili Air Island, you can board a boat from any of these ports. GiliTickets offers comfortable and affordable transportation to the island and it makes it easy to book your tickets at the best available price online.
From Padang Bai; one of the ports in Bali, the island is about 90 minutes by boat, but if you are setting off from any of the ports in the South of Bali (Serangan, Benoa, or Sanur), the trip takes about 3 hours. When you traveling from the very north of Bali (Lovina beach, Singaraja) more convenient might be the Amed. The trip from Amed to GiliT is just about 70minutes.
What can I do on Gili Air Island?
Spending time on a small island and simply relaxing is a dream in itself, but there are plenty of interesting activities too that you can engage in. Let’s look at some of the most popular activities that you can engage in during your time on Gili Air island.
Yoga
Yoga is one of the most popular relaxing physical activities today and there’s no better place to practice it then in a quiet island like Gili Air. There are plenty of yoga centers on the island with great facility where you can register for a nice, restorative yoga session.
Diving
Diving is another amazing activity that’s a must do in a location like Gili Air. By the way Gili Air could be translated like Water Island. One of the best things about diving here is that the water is way cleaner than in most places in Bali and you can spot sea turtles and a variety of wildlife under the sun kissed ocean waves. At the northern part of the island, you will be able to swim with these beautiful sea turtles and take a dive among the colorful corals, which many consider an unforgettable experience.
If you have time, you can enroll in one of the several diving schools to become a certified diver. So you won’t only have an amazing holiday for yourself but you can then dive by yourself anywhere in the world.
Going Snorkeling
Snorkeling is another activity that is quite popular on the island, and you can easily get a snorkeling gear from any dive center. Haan’s Reef and the Gili Air Wall are two popular snorkeling spots. Some of the rare sea creatures you are likely to see are Leaf scorpionfish, lionfish, Flying gurnard, frogfish, and so on. No wonder photographers looking to catch a glimpse of nature’s unique beauty go to these places.
Coral reefs are all around Gili
Perfect day for snorkeling on Gili Air
Shopping
Your vacation is not complete without a visit to the local stores. Souvenirs are excellent reminders of the great time you had, so ensure you visit one of the few stores on the island and get some unique items that will remind you of your time on the island.
Rent a bike
It takes about two and a half hours to travel by foot around the island – yes, it is a pretty small island – but if you are not in the mood for a hike, you can rent a bike and ride around. There are places all around the island for renting bikes, so you are sure to bump into one quite easily.
Where to stay on Gili Air Island
Although the island is quite small, it has enough hotels and other accommodation options, so you don’t have to worry about where you are going to stay. There are premium level accommodations as well as more humble guesthouses on the coconut groves or on the beaches, so it all depends on your budget.
Apart from the occasional power outages, they offer excellent lodgings at very reasonable prices.
Mola Mola resort
Sunrise resort
Exciting Things To See On Gili Air Island
There are many exciting and noteworthy things to see on your visit to the island. Not many of these are as fascinating as the beautiful sunset on the northwestern part of the island. This is also the place you will mostly find the sea turtles, so you’ll have a view of nature at its finest. If you are lucky and the sky is clear, you can even get a glimpse of Mount Batur in the backdrop.
The lovely beaches on this island also offer a great sight. You will find the whitest beaches on the island on the eastern part and most of the beach accommodations are at the southern part of the island.
South coast of Gili Air
West coast of Gili Air
Although nightlife on this tropical island can’t really be compared with the nightlife on some other tropical islands, it still offers entertainment that will keep things interesting throughout your stay. It gets quite dark on this island at night, offering you an opportunity to count shooting stars.
If you have the time, you can go on excursions to Lombok and Komodo, two islands that are quite close to Gili Air. Therefore, if you are interested in seeing giant lizards and iguanas, you can take a quick trip to Komodo.
Ready To Book Your Tickets To Gili Air?
Though you might be able to get tickets upon arrival, it’s better not to risk your trip and book it online in advance, especially during the peak season, which in the Gilis is between December to January. To get the best deal, just search based on your preferred date and destination on Gili Tickets and you’ll see the best options in terms of pricing lining in on the top
Gili Air - near to harbor
The offers you’ll find here are the lowest prices you’ll find for your trip to the Gilis and they are all from trusted and verified boat companies that offer free drop off and pick-up in most areas of Bali. You can pay with a credit card or PayPal and ask any questions prior to your trip via email, Facebook, or even WhatsApp.
It’s really easy and within a few minutes you should already have your ticket to and back from the Gilis in your email.