The closes island to Lombok, Gili Air, is a gem of a spot that allows you to sample the best of both worlds of the Gili islands: It has the relaxing charm of Gili Meno and a bit of the nightlife of Gili Trawangan. Here you can take it fast or slow and enjoy and abundance of water sports from diving to surfing to kiteboarding. Land activities such as yoga and cycling are also available and you can easily walk around the whole island in about 1 1/2 hours. Gili Air has pristine beaches and clear turquoise waters with good snorkeling opportunities. The island has a lot of local charm and atmosphere and is still a very laid-back island paradise where you can enjoy the unique culture and people of Lombok.
You can reach Gili Air by fast boat or ferry. Boat connections are available via Bali and Lombok. See below for more details.
On the one hand our highlight definitely was the amazing atmosphere on Gili Air. We immediately fell in love with the relaxed and laid-back attitude. On top of this the island offers some pretty nice swimming beaches on its east coast. The views from all points of the island are stunning, but the east coast, facing Lombok, is probably the most fantastic. On the other hand we took the chance to enjoy the international and traditional cuisine on the island. We also cooked some traditional Indonesian dishes ourselves and can highly recommend to book a cooking class at Gili Cooking Classes. They run three classes a day and there are three different menu options to choose from.
We stayed for an incredible 6 nights and still felt super sad when we had to leave. Gili Air is a gem of an island and it definitely is hard to leave. We advise to take some time to enjoy this beautiful island and stay at least 3 nights. This way you can soak up the amazing atmosphere and enjoy what the island has to offer. But be aware of the fact that you might want to stay a little longer in the end: Extending a stay and booking a couple of more nights seems to be quite common. But we think it is absolutely ok to get lost in this paradise and every visitor should enjoy it as long as possible.
There is a range of accommodation for every budget from backpacker hostels to bungalows (on the beach and in the village) and private villas and resorts. We stayed at the Si Pitung Village for 38 EUR per night/double room including breakfast. The staff is super helpful and friendly, the rooms are nice and clean and the pool is a great spot to hang out and read a good book. The hotel is located almost in the middle of the island, so you can easily walk everywhere (walking is the best option anyway as you will come across a lot of sandy patches around the island). It also is quite close to the northeast coast, where you find some nice bars, restaurants and some good snorkeling.
Restaurants Gili Air has a great selection of restaurants including homemade Italian or mediterranean food, organic food, Spanish tapas and exquisite cuisine options as well as a number of charming Warungs serving all the best local dishes. The choices definitely suit every budget and it is just too easy to find good food on this island. Make sure to try the "Raja Rasa" Warung for some nice traditional food in a welcoming family atmosphere and the "Tropical Juice Bar" for a light fruit and yoghurt snack at the beach. It is located on the east coast and works together with "Warung Lalapan Saba" which serves delicious traditional food as well. The biggest concentration of bars and restaurants can be found on the east coast where you can take in views of lush green Lombok and the heights of Mt. Rinjani. The bar scene can get pretty lively in the evenings, especially during high season, and the island kicks into high gear with Full Moon parties on the beach.
Snorkeling Gili Air still boasts living reefs off much of its coast and there is wonderful snorkeling directly from the shore, particularly from the east and northeast beaches. The coral starts within meters of the beach, making it easily accessible to anyone – even novices who have never snorkelled before. Because the island is protected by reefs, there are few waves and the ocean is usually gentle, alowing snorkellers to drift in a dreamy daze amongst this panorama of aquatic shapes and colors.
Surfing There is a good surf break with a barreling right hander known as "Play Gili" off the south coast that attracts crowds when it is pumping. It breaks over sharp coral, so check with local surfers about conditions and board hire. You can either paddle out yourself (approx. 20 – 30 min) or hire a boat to take you out.