How to Enjoy the Gili Islands, Indonesia

Idyllic and remote tropical island destinations are still available for travelers' enjoyment, and for a balance of being off the beaten path and comfort, few compete with the Gili Islands in Indonesia. A set of three small islands off the northwestern corner of the larger island of Lombok, the Gilis attract surfers, divers and people just looking to get away from it all in a hammock by the shore.

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Get to Lombok. The island's airport is located at Mataram, which is also the capital of Lombok. You can fly there on domestic routes from elsewhere in Indonesia, the main ones being Jakarta and Denpasar in Bali. Another option is the sea ferry from Bali.

2. Step 2

   Get to the Gilis. If you are taking the sea ferry, odds are you have purchased a transport package that is taking you the entire way to the Gilis. In this case, you have nothing to worry about, past the usual basic travel precautions. If you have flown or are improvising your way from the ferry, you will have more work ahead of you. Simplest, fastest and most expensive is to hire a taxi. Next would be to work your way to the northwest corner of the island by bemo, the converted mini-buses that serve as local public transport across Indoensia. Third would be to buy a ticket on a tourist mini-bus once you are already in Lombok.

3. Step 3

   Beware of porters! Once you have arrived on the northwest coast and are waiting for your ferry to the Gilis, watch your luggage like a hawk. Best of all would be to sit on it. When the boats arrive, local "porters" will seize it, run down the beach and put it on a boat. They will then demand an inflated payment for the "service" and gang up on you if you refuse to pay. Violence with these scam porters is not unheard of, so it's best to just prevent them from taking your stuff in the first place.

4. Step 4

   Pick which Gili you want to go to. There are three islands: Air, Trawangan and Meno. Gili Trawangan is the largest and most popular, being home to the backpacker party scene on the Gilis. Air is the more adult, pseudo-resort of the three islands. Meno is the place to go if you want to do your own "Castaway," as it is the least developed and quietest of the three.

5. Step 5

   Get your beach spot thing on. Whatever it is that you want to do at the beach, you will find it on the Gilis. Gorgeous white sand or a hammock strung up between coconut trees? Check. SCUBA diving and snorkeling with sea turtles? Check. Surfing? Check. Great seafood. Check. Great sunsets? The sun sets behind the giant Gunung Rinjani on Lombok, so definitely "check."

6. Step 6

   Consider a trek to Gunung Rinjani. Across the straits on Lombok, the 12,224 heights of Gunung (Mount) Rinajni looms. This is a semi-active volcano, and the second largest in Indonesia. You can book two to three day trekking trips there from the Gilis, so if you tire of the pleasures of the shore, you can trade them for a short, hard trip up the side of a tropical volcanic mountain.

Source : www.ehow.com