Just off Lombok’s northwestern coast are the three small coral-fringed Gili Islands. Gili Trawangan is the largest island and most visited by tourists and often referred to as the party island. Gili Air is the smallest island, the one closest to the main land and has the largest permanent population. And Gili Meno, the middle island with the smallest permanent population and the fewest tourists.

Gili Meno
It’s the closest you can get to feeling like Robinson Crusoe stranded on a remote island.

There are no cars or motorbikes for a start. The only way of transportation is by cidomo (small horse carriages) or by foot – you can easily walk around the whole island within an hour. Electricity was introduced to the island in the year 2002 when a solar power plant was built, since 2012 Lombok supplies the gilis with cabel electricity.

The local people immigrated to the island many years ago to establish coconut plantations and for fishing. Today there are 300 permanent residents that are living inland in a small village with an elementary school. Many still work on the coconut plantations, but they also live from fishing, planting corn and peanuts. As more visitors started coming to the island, tourism has also become an important form of income.

Most of the infrastructure is located on the east coast near the boat landing. There are some restaurants, a money changer, a laundry, a minimarket at the harbour, an internet café and phone service.