Things to Do on Gili Air: Indonesia’s Relaxing Paradise

I don’t know if I truly understood what it meant to be relaxed, until I visited the small Indonesian island of Gili Air.

In our increasingly hectic and fast-paced world, Gili Air is a place where one can take a step back from the frenetic tempo of modern life and learn a bit about the art of doing nothing or, as the Italians like to say, il dolce far niente. Even the sense of peace and tranquility that I found in Bali, couldn’t compare to that which I felt while looking out at the coral-strewn beaches of Gili Air and watching the tide slowly inch its way up the shore and back down again.

Relaxing is just about the only thing to do on Gili Air. And that is what makes the island so special.

 

THE GILI ISLANDS IN INDONESIA

Gili Air is one of three tiny islands that sit off the coast of mainland Lombok. The three Gili Islands—Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air—are popular tourist destinations that each have their own distinct character.

To reach Gili Air, Courtney and I bought a combination bus and boat pass from Ubud for about eighteen dollars and joined the throngs of other backpackers who were making their way toward the Gilis for a few days of sun and sand.

Nearly everybody we met along the way was traveling to Gili Trawangan, also known as Gili T. Gili T is the largest of the islands and the most popular among young tourists. From what we’d heard, it also has the best parties and nightlife.

With that in mind, Courtney and I chose to skip out on the popular Gili T and head, instead, toward the sleepy and laid-back Gili Air.

A stone’s throw away from the honeymooner’s retreat of Gili Meno and the party mecca of Gili T, Gili Air is characterized more by its lack of things to do and see, than by its plethora of activities and attractions.

 

THINGS TO DO IN GILI AIR

We chose to stay on Gili Air for three days—relishing the sense of peace and quiet that is so elusive in the frenzied chaos of the world’s fourth most populous country.

Dan decided to fly to Indonesia last-minute to join me and Courtney for the remainder of our trip. It was wonderful to see him again and to share stories of our adventures to Borobudur, Mount Bromo, and the Dieng Plateau.

We spent our afternoons lounging around, chatting with fellow travelers and taking frequent swims. Then, in the evenings, we would make our way to the northwest corner of the island to see the sky illuminate in a spectacular display of color.

 

• EXPLORE GILI AIR ON FOOT OR BY BIKE

Gili Air does not contain any cars. Nor does it have any roads. To get around the island, one can either walk, ride a bicycle or take a horse-drawn cart on a network of crisscrossing, sandy paths.

This sense of tranquility gives the island a nostalgic feeling of being stuck in time.

 

• RELAX OR SNORKEL ON THE BEACH

Though the beaches of Gili Air are beautiful and the waters are warm, the sand is nowhere near as powdery as that of the San Blas Islands and the water almost looked murky in comparison to that of French Polynesia. The offshore reef, too, had difficulty comparing to some of the other places I’d visited in my travels. Instead, the ocean floor immediately surrounding Gili Air was covered in a blanket of short grasses and reeds.

I’d heard that, away from the beaches, swarms of tropical fish and sea turtles inhabit the warm waters of the Gilis. If we wanted to take advantage of the surrounding underwater world, we could have joined a snorkeling excursion or tried our hands at diving. We chose not to.

It didn’t matter that Gili Air’s beaches were strewn with sharp coral, or that the island lacked a ring of colorful reef. They may not be the most striking beaches in Lombok, but we didn’t go to Gili Air in search of the world’s most beautiful beach. Nor did we go to Gili Air for the snorkeling. The magnificent snorkeling would come later in our travels, during our visit to Komodo Island.

Our time on Gili Air was simply about relaxing, enjoying the quiet island lifestyle, and soaking up the sun on a nearly empty stretch of sand.

 

• ADMIRE THE PHENOMENAL GILI AIR SUNSETS

Gili Air sunsets are special and, every night, the sky put on a show for us that was more beautiful and vibrant than the last. I hadn’t seen such intense sunsets since leaving Namibia.

Each evening, when the water levels retreated, the low tide exposed a patchwork of seagrass and shallow water that extended out to the island’s natural breakwater. Shielded by the largely exposed barrier, the shallow water around Gili Air formed a glassy surface that reflected the colorful sky in near-perfect symmetry.

 

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During the three nights that we spent on Gili Air, we relished the lack of activities that the sleepy island has to offer.

Sure, activity-starved travelers can join yoga classes, sign up for cooking classes, or take boat trips to the surrounding islands. But really, tours and classes aren’t part of the island’s main draw. At least in my opinion.

Instead, the island is best experienced by sitting on the beach with drink in hand, watching the waves lap gently against the shore, and admiring the sunset as it paints the sky in a tapestry of brilliant colors.

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