Last Updated on June 23, 2026 by Eve Dawes
The Gili Islands sit just off the northwest coast of Lombok, a tiny trio that’s become one of Indonesia’s most photographed escapes, and for good reason. The name itself simply means small island in the local language, and the three that make up this famous cluster, Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air, can each be seen from one another across the water, which makes island hopping quick and easy. Cars and motorbikes are banned across all three islands, and while electric bikes and scooters have become more common in recent years, walking, bicycles, and horse drawn carts are still how most visitors get around, something that genuinely changes the pace of a day here in a way photos never quite capture. Some of the best things to do in the Gili Islands happen right in the water, snorkeling with sea turtles, discovering underwater sculpture installations, and island hopping between three completely different atmospheres in a single day.
We actually booked the southern Gilis tour first, a separate, much quieter cluster off the coast of Lombok that shares the same name, before switching to the northern Gili islands instead. In this article I’m comparing both so you can see exactly why we changed our plans, what we did on each island once we arrived, and where the snorkeling is genuinely worth your time, so you can decide which tour is right for you.
This review is based on our own visit to the Gili Islands, where we experienced each island firsthand and made our own decisions on tours, snorkeling spots, and activities. No part of this trip was sponsored.
Northern Gilis or Southern Gilis: How We Chose
Here’s the part most people don’t know going in. “Gili” simply means small island in the local language, and there are two completely different clusters that share the name. The northern Gilis: Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, and Gili Meno, are the famous trio most people think of when they hear Gili Islands. The southern Gilis: Gili Layar, Gili Rengit, Gili Nanggu, Gili Tangkong, and Gili Kedis, also sit near Lombok but further south, and are a separate, much quieter, undeveloped set of islands.
We had originally chosen to do the Private Day Trip 5 Secret Gilis: Layar, Rengit, Nanggu, Tangkong, Kedis as we love pretty, private beaches. However, we didn’t want to be snorkeling all day and love a beach bar, so we pivoted to a private northern Gili Islands tour. The decision really comes down to what you want out of the day.
How to decide: If you’re trying to decide between the two: choose the southern Gilis and Secret Gili’s tour options if you want something quiet, undeveloped, off the typical tourist path and like beach hopping and snorkeling. Choose a northern Gilis islands tour, like we did, if you want more variety across the day as there’s more to actually do on each island including snorkeling, with options for every pace, from lively to laid back. They also offer their signature zero cars setup that makes the whole experience feel different from anywhere else we’d been during our Indonesia trip.
We booked a private boat for the day so we weren’t tied to anyone else’s schedule, which mattered most when we wanted to slow down for the turtles or stay longer at one island or snorkeling spot than planned.
Gili Air
Gili Air was our first stop and is quieter with a more local feeling than Trawangan. It was a great place to start the day and is where we slowed the pace down. It was only 8:30am when we got there so too cold to be swimming, so we just enjoyed the view from the beach for about an hour.
Gili Meno
Gili Meno is the smallest and most laid back of these three Gili Islands but famous for its Nest underwater sculpture by artist Jason deCaires Taylor. The circle of underwater statues consists of 48 life-size figures off the coast of Gili Meno. Yes, it’s a popular snorkeling spot but even as someone who is scared of snorkeling, I loved this spot. However, the best snorkeling of the day happened at Turtle City, Gili Meno. This was a much quieter spot where we even got to feed them in the water which was the highlight of the day. If you’re wanting to go snorkeling in Gili islands definitely consider stopping at a couple of spots around Gili Meno. More on snorkeling in Gili islands below.
Gili Trawangan
This is the Gili island most people know and was our last stop, so we had the most time here. We appreciated having more time here as Gili Trawangan has the most to do and is the liveliest of the three main Gili Islands. In saying that, it still felt slow and peaceful during the day, even with the ferries coming and going. I’m not sure if it gets livelier at night as we left at 3:30pm before the water got too rough for the journey back.
Cars and motorbikes are also banned here, so the main ways to get around are on foot, by bicycle, or by horse and cart, though electric bikes have become a popular option on Trawangan in recent years too. If you’re only here for a few hours, a few ideas for things to do in Gili Trawangan include:
- Find a cute spot for lunch overlooking the beach and water.
- Walk up and down the main street to take photos of the horse and carts, go shopping, or grab a drink.
- Go for a massage. They’re so affordable and good. We went to Gili Pearl Spa and it was IDR 500,000 for a 1 hour massage for both of us.
- Stop at Beach House for a bite or a drink and to cool off in their pool. Just don’t be doing that without purchasing something. If you’re looking for a hotel in Gili Trawangan, definitely check out the Beach House.
Snorkeling in the Gili Islands
This is the part we were least excited about as we’re both scared of the water but it’s definitely worth considering and planning around. Snorkeling in the Gili Islands isn’t just good, it’s genuinely one of the best reasons to choose the northern or southern Gili islands in Indonesia. The water is crystal clear, warm, and calm. Two moments stood out:
Feeding wild sea turtles by hand, in open water, just off the coast. Not a tank, not a sanctuary, an actual wild turtle encounter that felt completely unscripted. Going on a private tour with just my husband and I made us both feel a lot safer as we had the guide to ourselves. He stayed closed, fed the fish and turtles, had us feed them, and made sure we were safe at all times.
Snorkeling to the underwater statues near Gili Meno, a popular but surreal sculpture installation beneath the surface that you genuinely don’t expect to find on a beach day like this is also worth your time.
If snorkeling is the priority for your trip, build extra time into the Gili Meno leg specifically. It was the stop we were happiest we didn’t rush.
Tip: Rent or bring a GoPro if you can. We were gutted we didn’t have one, since the underwater shots would have been some of the best photos of the whole day.
Best Things to Do in the Gili Islands
If you’re short on time and just want the highlights, here’s what made our day in the Gili Islands genuinely memorable:
Feed wild sea turtles by hand in open water, no tank, no sanctuary, just an unscripted encounter just off the coast.
Snorkel to the underwater statues near Gili Meno, the famous sculpture installation beneath the surface with lots of colorful fish. There’s lots of people as this is a popular Gili Islands snorkeling spot but it’s worth visiting anyway.
Island hop between all three northern Gilis in a single day, Trawangan for energy, Air for an easy pace, Meno for the best snorkeling.
Get a massage on Gili Trawangan, since slowing down between islands is half the point of a day like this.
If you have extra time, ride a horse drawn cidomo or rent a bike, since exploring without any cars or motorbikes around is one of the things that makes the Gilis feel different from anywhere else in Indonesia.
Gili Islands Tour: The Verdict
Three islands, one private boat, and the discovery that “Gili” means a lot more than we expected going in. If you’re choosing between the northern and southern Gilis, the north is the better call for first timers who want variety across the day, easy snorkeling, and that completely car free island feeling that’s genuinely hard to find anywhere else. For those of you who’ve already been or would just rather be lazing on a beach and snorkeling, go to the Secret Gilis: Layar, Rengit, Nanggu, Tangkong, and Kedis.
If you’re unsure which Gilis you’re even looking at, hopefully this saves you the same scramble. The northern Gilis, Trawangan, Air, and Meno, are the better call for most first time visitors.
Follow along @glamourandgains for more from our Indonesia trip including Bali, Lombok, Flores, and Komodo National Park.
Gili Islands FAQ
The northern Gilis, Trawangan, Air, and Meno, are the well known trio with the most infrastructure, things to do, and tourism. The southern Gilis, Layar, Rengit, Nanggu, Tangkong, and Kedis, sit near Lombok and are quieter and far less developed.
Gili Trawangan has snorkeling spots, but Gili Meno is the standout for clear water, turtles, and the underwater statue installation.
No. Cars and motorbikes are banned across all three islands. Walking, bicycles, and horse drawn carriages are still the most common ways to get around, though electric bikes and scooters have become increasingly popular, especially on Gili Trawangan.
