Gili Air

Gili Air is one of three islands off the north coast of Lombok, known collectively as the Gili Islands. Gili Air means ‘Small Island with Water’ in the local Sasak language, as it is the only one of the Gili Islands that naturally has underground fresh water. Gili Air was first settled by nomadic fishermen from Sulawesi. For a brief period during the Second World War, Japanese forces occupied the island. Relics from this period include the wreck of a patrol boat submerged in the bay to the south of Gili Air. In the 1980's, the island’s economy began to shift from traditional fishing and coconut plantations to tourism. The island now has a range of shops, restaurants and resorts that cater to visitors. As motorized traffic is prohibited on Gili Air, the preferred methods of transportation are by foot, bicycle, or horse-drawn carriages known as Cidomos. Scuba diving is a popular activity on the island due to the abundance of marine life and coral formations. Turtles come to the east coast of the island to feed on seagrass and can frequently be seen near to the shore. Both Bali and Lombok are easily visible from Gili Air in clear weather. Mount Rinjani is close by on neighbouring Lombok, and dominates views towards the east. Getting to Gili Air Most people travel to Gili Air from Bali by taking boats from the ports of Pandangbai, Sanur, or Amed. Travellers can also fly to Lombok, then take a taxi to the harbour at Bangsal where public boats depart several times a day to Gili Air. Related pages Gili Meno Gili Trawangan Other websites Map of Gili Air Archived 2008-05-12 at the Wayback Machine