Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ilies, honeymooners and backpackers are all well catered for, though budget travellers should
note that ultracheap
accommodation
is nonexistent on any of the islands and and prices soar
from June to September and over Christmas; booking ahead is essential during these periods,
when you'll be lucky to get the simplest room for under Rp350,000. Diminutive
Gili Meno
,
next east from Gili Trawangan, is the smallest and quietest of the Gilis, with just a handful of
places to stay and very low-key nightlife. East again,
Gili Air
falls somewhere in between,
with plenty of restaurants and bars but a much larger population of islanders to balance out
the tourist influx.
Prices
on the islands are generally higher than on Bali and mainland Lombok due to the
high transport costs, and can be expected to increase slowly as local land prices rise and more
luxurious hotels are opened.
All three Gili Islands - known collectively as
Gili Indah
(“Gili” actually, and tautologically,
means “Island” in Sasak) - have only really been settled since the 1970s, mostly by Sasaks
from mainland Lombok and Bugis fishermen from Sulawesi. Island dialect reflects these
roots and all three islands are
Muslim
. Despite what disingenuous touts on Bali might tell
you, however, the Gilis remain resolutely open to visitors during Ramadan, with just the
nightlife being toned down. Note, though, that although local people are fairly used to seeing
scantily clad Westerners, you should cover up when you move away from the beach.
