Gili Islands

Imagine yourself on a sandy beach, lined with palm trees and gentle surf. What would you think if the people who lived there told you that if you wanted a real beach vacation, you were in the wrong place? Too much time in the sun perhaps? Well, that’s what we’ve been told here, with the place that is always recommended being the Gilis, a set of three small islands a little to the northwest of here. Having come all this way, we’re intrigued enough to have to see it for ourselves.

We catch our boat right out front of the hotel. In all our travel, I would have sworn Ang had experienced some ocean travel in a rickety fishing boat, but she tells me today is the first time, so props to her for being a trooper (I think there were only lifejackets enough for me and the skipper, but I didn’t have the heart to tell her that).

Our first stop is Gili Trawangan, which of the three has a reputation as the “party island”. What we find is a beautiful white sand beach fronting a one street town on an island where cars and motorbikes are prohibited (not exactly Mykonos). Aside from the boats that get you there, the only methods of transport are carts pulled by half-size horses and bicycles, which makes for a very peaceful setting.

After a quick walk through the town, and a little due diligence into hotels should we ever come back, we spend an hour or so snorkeling over the reef. We don’t have any diving in the plans for this trip, so this is as close as we’ll get, and all in all, it isn’t that bad. Nothing big like turtles or rays, but the coral is in good shape and there are plenty of fish. It made me think of Nick and how much he enjoyed sleeping under the dome at the aquarium.

Jumping back in the boat, we take a 10 minute trip over to Gili Meno, the most mellow of the three islands. Just when we’re wondering how you get more mellow than an island populated with horse carts, we step off the boat and into a total Robinson Crusoe experience. Where Gili Trawangan has a street with some shops, Gili Meno has none of that. If you look hard, you can find a bit of a cart trail (this may be the literal one horse town, as I never did see more one), but for the most part, it is nothing more than the odd hut masquerading as a hotel and restaurant.

If you’re ever looking for a place to completely check out, this is it. As relaxed as I figured I was yesterday, I had to shift down and find a new gear for this. Stretched out in the bale (an Indonesian gazebo of sorts) watching the waves and listening to the reggae mix on the bar stereo, I quickly find myself just a few degrees north of comatose. I overhear a waiter say the cost of a room is 100,000 rupiah (about 9 dollars) and can’t help but do the math in my head for how long I could stay here and do nothing until the money runs out.

We do some snorkeling here as well, and then back in the boat for the return trip to the hotel. It turns out that its Ang’s turn for some lobster skin today, so as least we both look ridiculous now.

Tonight is our last night in Indonesia, as tomorrow is pretty much a full day of travel to our next stop in Vietnam. We have had an absolutely wonderful time here, and will take away many great memories (with the falling tiles in the Diggler Room right near the top). We knew early on that our plan to see three countries was too ambitious, and as we get ready to leave Bali/Lombok, we would probably say now that even two was too many. After all, we’ve only seen two of the countless islands in Indonesia, and only part of each at that.