Gili Air is the closest island to Lombok with gorgeous beaches and stunning views over to Lombok. Gili Air is more sophisticated than the backpacker central of Gili Trawangan. It is also greener and is the only island that has a local indigenous population giving it a more local vibe and living-in feel instead of just a tourist island.

There’s a good selection of bungalows, guest houses and boutique resorts to suit all budgets available on Gili Air as well as a good smattering of restaurants, beach bars and live music that makes Gili Air the perfect middle ground between buzzing party scene on Gili Trawangan and the ultra quiet and tiny Gili Meno.

There are also plenty of things to do on Gili Air including several scuba diving operators, kite surfing, paddling boarding and yoga retreats you can even see marine life by snorkelling just a few meters away from the beach.

How to reach and where to stay
There are many boats that run between the 3 Gili islands; speed boats and slow boats leave from various areas of Bali, Lombok and the Nusa islands to the Gili islands, which normally take between 2–3 hours. There is no motorized transport on any of the Gili islands so you can either walk, cycle or take a horse and cart taxi to your accommodation.

The most luxurious accommodation on Gili Air is Gili Air Lagoon Resort; for a more budget but charmingly rustic option, try the Sunrise Resort.