Gili T or Gili Air?
 

Hi there,

We are planning to spend 3 days or so in the Gilis as part of our 2-week honeymoon in Bali. We've read up on the differences between the 3, and are deciding between Gili T and Air. We're interested in diving and lounging on the beach (obviously!), and wouldn't mind a little bit of an active social scene, but not something inescapable if we just want some peace in the evenings. Can anyone compare what the two are really like? Any lodging recommendations?

Thank you! Leaving for our trip in 3 weeks... so excited!!

I've not stayed in the Gilis, but I have to say everyone I know who has doesn't recommend it. Perhaps that's changed in the last year or so.

If it were me (and it isn't) I'd stay on Lombok at the Qunci Villas and go for day trips to the Gilis.

Well, it depends on what you want... I spent a couple of nights on Gili Meno on an Intrepid tour (early '05). But it was a "basix" level tour, and the chalets were certainly not luxurious. However, it was a great place to chill out and go snorkeling (probably diving too, but I don't dive). Don't leave your footwear around though - one of the guys selling wooden pendants wanted to trade for my flip-flops, and my sneakers were stolen from the verandah of my chalet while we were off eating dinner on Gili Trawangan!

If it's a choice of one of the Gilis or Lombok, I'd go for Lombok, but if you have time for both I'd spend a couple of nights on one of the islands. Just be aware that this is more of back-packer destination. And Trawangan was definitely livelier and more developed than Meno.

Pix of Lombok, including a couple of Gili Meno, here: kwilhelm.smugmug.com/Travel/Round-the-World-2004-5

Kathie,

What were their reasons for not recommending the Gilis? Can you be more specific - beaches, people, lodgings? Even secondhand info would be helpful. We are very excited to dive and to relax on the beach (after about a week of trekking in inland Bali) and it seemed from everything we read that the Gilis were the ideal place for that. Thanks so much.

The second-hand info was that the lodging was not only basic, but run-down and rather dirty. No real options for dinner, etc. I guess it was "too quiet" for them.

Check out Qunci Villas on Lombok. We stayed there in 2004 and have sent probably half a dozen friends there since, all of whom have given it rave reviews. It's small - maybe 20 rooms, on a beautiful stretch of beach. The food is excellent, the staff just wonderful. And it's an easy trip to the Gilis - you can hire a boat right out in front of the hotel.

Here's a link to our Lombok photos (there are several sections of Lombok photos, so I've taken you to the home page for that trip) www.marlandc.com/KL_Lombok_Singapore/Index.html

Here's the Qunci Villas website: www.quncivillas.com/

We stayed in the hotel which was very nice, but there are now pool villas and luxury villas. We are choosy about accommodations, and we paid US$70 for an ocean view room at the "hotel" (really duplex villas) and were delighted with the place.