Lombok - Bali and Lombok - page 139

Jellyfish are common when strong winds
blow from the mainland, and they can leave
a painful rash. See p370.
Getting There & Away
From Bali, most people either use the Perama
tourist bus and boat service via Padangbai (see
p224) and Senggigi; or, fly to Mataram and
travel on from there.
Coming from other parts of Lombok you
can travel via Senggigi (there are direct Perama
boats to the Gilis from here); via Bangsal (the
cheapest route) or book a shuttle bus/speed
boat. Blue Marlin and Manta Dive (p306) on
Gili Trawangan can arrange transfers (125,000
to 250,000Rp per person, depending on desti-
nation and passenger numbers). All the above
use the idyllic harbour of Teluk Nare, south
of Bangsal.
Coming by public transport, catch a bus
or bemo to Pemenang, from where it's about
1km by cidomo (3000Rp) to Bangsal har-
bour. Bangsal is a headache, see p299 for tips
on dealing with the inevitable hassle there.
Boat tickets are sold at the Koperasi harbour
office, where the prices are displayed - the
public boats (roughly 8am to 5pm) don't
leave until full (about 18 people). While it
can take hours for the boat to Gili Meno to fill
up, you shouldn't have to wait more than an
hour for the other two islands. The one-way
fares at the time of research were 5500Rp to
Gili Air, 6800Rp to Gili Meno and 8800Rp to
Gili Trawangan, though expect steep price
rises because of escalating fuel costs. Special
charters can also be organised in Bangsal.
All boats pull up on the beach when they
get to the Gilis, so you'll have to wade ashore
with your luggage.
Getting Around
CIDOMO
Hiring a cidomo for a clip-clop around an
island is a great way to explore the terrain; a
short trip costs around 7000Rp, or you can
pay about 20,000Rp for a two-hour jaunt.

and returning to Air at 9.45am. In the af-
ternoons the boat leaves Air at 3pm, Meno
at 3.15pm, Trawangan at 3.30pm, Meno at
4.15pm and gets back to Air at 4.30pm. Check
the latest timetable at the islands' dock.

GILI AIR

0 500 m

INFORMATION

0 0.3 miles

Koperasi/Public Boat Office....................................
Medical Clinic.........................................................
Ozzy's Shop............................................................
Perama...................................................................

1
2
3
4

A2
A2
B1
A2

A B Takat Malang

Takat Sira

B A L I S E A

17

12

23

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

11

1

Blue Marlin Dive Centre..........................................
Dream Divers..........................................................

5
6

B1
B2

5
13

WALKING
The Gilis are flat and easy enough to get around
by foot (or bicycle, opposite). A torch (flash-
light) is useful at night -you can buy one at
local shops for around 25,000Rp.
GILI AIR
Closest to the mainland, Gili Air's easy-going
appeal contrasts with party-boy Gili T and se-
date Gili Meno. The island retains a distinctly
rural character, its coconut grove-filled, flat
landscape juxtaposed with dramatic views
of Gunung Rinjani and, on a clear day, Gu-
nung Agung in Bali. The slim white-sand
beaches, turquoise water and laid-back at-
mosphere are the main draw, but in high
season the bar scene can get quite lively. Gili
Air is the most heavily populated of the three
islands, yet this still amounts to just 1800 or so
inhabitants.
Orientation
Boats stop at the southern end of the island,
near the jetty; the Koperasi ( h 8am-5.30pm) has
a hut here with prices marked clearly outside.
Virtually all accommodation and restaurants
are on the east and south coasts, which have
the best beaches for swimming. The network
of dirt tracks that crisscrosses the island can
get quite confusing at times. To explore Air
it's simplest to follow the coastal path around
the island - it's a lovely walk that takes about
an hour and a half.

24

Snorkelling

7

SLEEPING 8

3

Abdi Fantastik.........................................................
Coconut Cottages...................................................
Gili Air Santay.........................................................
Gili Indah Hotel....................................................
Gusung Indah.......................................................
Hotel Gili Air..........................................................
Kira Kira................................................................
Lucky's.................................................................
Nusa Tiga Bungalows............................................
Pino Cottages.......................................................
Pondok Sandi........................................................
Sunrise Cottages & Restaurant..............................

7 B1

8
9
10
11
12

B1
B2
A2
B1
B1

9

20

2

21

19 22

13 B1

2

14
15
16
17
18

A2
B2
B2
B1
B2

16

To Gili Meno 15

4 1

(1.5km)

10 18

14

6

Boat

Landing

Jetty

To Bangsal

(3.5km)

EATING

Abdi Fantastik......................................................(see 7)
Blue Marlin...........................................................(see 5)
Coconut Cottages................................................(see 8)
Gecko Café..........................................................
Gusung Indah.....................................................(see 11)
Hotel Gili Air.......................................................(see 12)
Munchies..............................................................
Santay..................................................................(see 9)

easy and gear can be hired from Ozzy's Shop
for 15,000Rp a day. Check with dive centres
first about currents, as sometimes they can
be extremely strong. Ozzy's Shop also oper-
ates glass-bottomed boat tours (per person 40,000Rp,
minimum 4 people) around all three islands.
There are several good scuba diving sites a
short boat ride away. See p306 for more in-
formation. Gili Air has two dive schools, Blue
Marlin Dive Centre ( % 634387; www.diveindo.com) and
Dream Divers ( % 634547; www.dreamdivers.com).

19 A2

20 B2

DRINKING

Chill Out Bar.........................................................
Gita Gili................................................................
Hallelujah Bar.....................................................(see 11)
Legend Pub..........................................................
Star Bar.................................................................

21
22

B2
B2

23
24

A1
B1

SURFING
Directly off the southern tip of the island
there's a long, peeling right-hand break. To
rent a board, ask around in the dive schools.

and-timber huts are just above the bog stand-
ard category, all coming with hammocks,
fans and fairly modern bathrooms. There's also
a little shoreside restaurant here, see p302.
Abdi Fantastik ( % 636421; r 75,000-80,000Rp) Enjoy-
ing unobstructed sea vistas, these neat - rather
than 'fantastik' - thatched bungalows are just a
few metres from the shore and come equipped
with verandas and a hammock to swing in.
Sunrise Cottages & Restaurant ( % 642370; s 50,000-
75,000Rp, d 80,000-100,000Rp) A class above the real
cheapies, this efficiently run place has rustic
two-storey lumbung -style bungalows with
bathroom and separate living area (with day
bed and hammock). The accommodation is
well spaced and sits at the rear of a pretty
garden. There's a safe for valuables and a great
beachside café-restaurant.

CYCLING
Ozzy's Shop has bikes for hire for 20,000Rp a
day. Exploring the island by bike is a delight,
though sandy tracks can make the going a bit
tough, and you're sure to end up in someone's
back yard at times due to the unmarked trails.
Sleeping
Most places are spread up and down the east
coast, where the best swimming is. Prices
quoted are high-season rates - expect about
a 25% discount in low season. Breakfast is in-
cluded in all (except one) of the hotels listed.

Information
There's a small Perama ( % 637816) office next
to the Gili Indah Hotel. Ozzy's Shop ( % 622179;
per min 400Rp; h 8am-8pm) about halfway up the
east coast has pedestrian-paced, internet ac-
cess, a wartel and will change money, as will
Hotel Gili Air, but exchange rates are poor.
Blue Marlin charge 7% for cash advances on
credit cards. There's a clinic ( h 8am-6pm) in the
village for medical services.
Activities

ISLAND-HOPPING
There's a twice-daily boat service that loops
between all three islands, meaning that you
can spend the day snorkelling and explor-