06-01-2013

Although I only had the chance of paying a very quick visit to the Gili Islands, it was definitely worth every minute. Only a 10-minute boat ride from Lombok, this group of islands is a small paradise. You can choose a two-and-a half-hour boat ride directly from Bali or a 45-minute flight into Lombok and a one-and-half-hour drive to the small port. The speed boats take you there in ten minutes.

Rochelle -my new travel buddy and partner- and I chose the second way because the timetables of the boat didn’t suit our working hours. We got there at night. The first sight was impressive as there are no cars or motorcycles on the island. The waterfront consists of a long stretch of beach with a lot of smaller bays and the only settlement of Gili Trawangan. The island is so small that it will take you only one hour to bike all around it. The main source of income is tourism but the locals have managed to keep the local colour and maintain the identity of the island. That’s probably the best part that we all love about the Gilis.

As a contrast to the overwhelming Bali, this was a nice surprise for both of us. The local fish market was our restaurant and a local hut was our home. As for the underwater world, you can check out the video.