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Wednesday January 16, 2013
The Gili Islands are perfect for doing nothing but relaxing on the white beaches and splashing in the blue water, but should the urge to do something more active come over you, here is our 12 suggestions. From volcano climbing for the ones who wants to go to extremes to a quite massage for the less ambitious.
1. Snorkel with sea turtles
The Gili islands do a great job in preserving sea turtles – if you visit Gili Trawangan you can’t miss the hatchery right on the main beach. If you are in one of the right spots - ask someone local where that is – you can spot sea turtles when snorkeling right of the beach. Swimming in crystal clear water with a sea turtle is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Remember to respect the turtles and don’t touch them.
Fins and masks can be rented almost everywhere on the Gilis.
2. Have a plate of fresh caught seafood
Lobster, shrimp, tuna, mahi mahi, snapper or squid, pick your favorite among the many seafood’s available on the Gili islands. For traditional dinning, walk by the many restaurant with fish on display and pick the one where the fish look the freshest. For a more local experience, visit the square on Gili Trawangan where local fishermen barbecue the catch of the day and serve them up.
3. Watch the sunset
Head to the west side of the island you are staying on, find a spot in the sand or a chair in a beach bar and watch the sun paint the sky orange as the sun sets behinds Bali’s Mount Agung. On Gili Trawangan there are two popular sunset bars about half and hours walk or 10 minutes in bike from the pier (head south along the coast road), where people gather for a drink before the sunsets.
4. Bike around the island
You can bike around any of the three Gili islands in less than an hour, but if you bring swimwear and snorkeling equipment and take time splash in the water a tour along the coast road can turn into a day trip. Remember to bring water.
5. Climb Lomboks Mount Rinjani
The view from the rim into the crater of Mount Rinjani is as spectacular as it gets and is more than worth the uphill trek to reach it. Rinjani is located on Lombok, so you have to cross the water and drive for about an hour to reach the foot of the volcano.
Several operators on the Gilis arrange tours to Rinjani and can also help you with equipment. Prices and trip lengths vary from 1 day/1 night to week long trekking trips. You generally get what you pay for, so it might be worth paying a little extra to get a decent guide and an upgrade on the food.
The climb is fairly hard, so you need to be fit.
6. Treat yourself with a massage or spa treatment
If you have been climbing Mount Rinjani your body definitely deserves a massage, but it might feel just as well after a day on the beach.
Several resort and villas offer massages on the grounds, but you can also find salons dedicated to all kind of traditional massages, pedicures, and treatments.
7. Go sea kayaking
Explore the Gili islands from a sea kayak. If you are lucky you might end up paddling with manta rays or sea turtles next to you. Karma Kayak, located on the north beach of Gili Trawangan arranges daytrips including a lunch break on the beach.
8. Walk to the view point on Gili Trawangan
Get a good look of the Gili islands, Bali and Lombok from the highest point on Gili Trawangan. The hill is located on the southern end of the island and can be reached within half an hour from most places on the southern half of Gili Trawangan. The view point is perfect for watching the sunset.
9. Scuba dive the Gili Islands many dive sites.
One of the major attractions on the Gili islands is Scuba diving and with more than 20 different dive sites around the islands there is something for everyone. Swim with sharks and turtles, go for a drift dive or explore the Gilis macro life – it is up to you. Just talk to one of the operators on the islands and they’ll find a dive site that will suite your mood.
Read more in our guide to diving the Gilis.
10. Take a day trip to Lombok
Take a daytrip to Lombok where you can trek to waterfalls or explore the local villages. Lombok is much less touristy than Bali and has it very own culture worth experiencing. No matter where you are staying the staff should be able to help you organize a tour.
11. Learn to freedive
Explore the waters around the Gili islands without an oxygen tank on your back. Gili Trawangan has its own freediving school, where you learn breathing techniques and how to be efficient with oxygen, so you can explore the depths with just a single breath.
12. Party under the stars
Nightlife on the Gili Islands used to be restricted to only Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but these days the island seems to come alive every night. Thursday is usually quite due to Muslim customs. Head to the liveliest stretch on the coast road and let the music guide you to the party.
If you head to the Gilis for partying, make sure that you don’t arrive at a Muslim holiday like the Ramadan, as thing tends to be quite on these dates.
For a place to stay – have a look at our villas on the Gili islands.
2 br in Gili Islands
from $315 / night
4 br in Gili Islands
from $420 / night
3 br in Gili Islands
from $425 / night
