The Gili Islands are so breathtaking, each offering something different for travelers from a robust part scene to complete tranquility, as a traveling family Gili Air seemed like the perfect mixture of things to do with an opportunity to connect with nature and each other. We only had three days to spend on Gili Air, but the next time we return I would spend a week there without question.
When you think about a small island off the coast of Lombok with children, you may be wondering about ways to keep yourselves entertained. Don’t worry, the beauty of Gili Air is that tranquility is mixed with a nice combination of entertainment without the partying atmosphere of Gili Trawangan.
Table of Contents
Hang out at the beach
The beaches on Gili Air are picturesque with dazzling blue water with lush green islands all around, making it the prime place for relaxation. We ended up spending the majority of our time while on Gili Air Island lounging on the beach watching the girls play in the sand. If you have small ones who love swimming, you will have to keep a close eye on them because the water can be choppy and difficult for little swimmers during certain times of the year. When we visited Roo was content hanging out at the water’s edge making sand castles adorned with broken coral that had been washed up on the shore. The beaches of Gili Air are covered with crushed coral, which can make it a bit painful to walk on sans shoes.
Our favorite place to hang out on the beach near our Airbnb was Scallywags Beach Club. During our stay, they were offering a special for beach lounge chairs for the entire day for a whopping 25,000 IDR each (approx. $1.79)!
The loungers came with an umbrella and a flag to call for the waiter to refill your cups or plates as needed. Our only complaint of Scallywags was that the food was a bit expensive, so we opted for snack foods.
Eat yummy food
The amount of delicious food that we found on Gili Air Island was a little mindblowing. Our Airbnb host provided us with a customizable breakfast each morning that was served right on our front porch. We all know that I love an accommodation that includes breakfast, it allows you to start your day on the right foot. The added benefit of having a menu available for their guests meant that even picky eaters like Roo could find some good fuel to start the day.
Now, you may expect that there would only be one type of cuisine, but we were able to find some of the best Italian that we have had the entire trip so far on Gili Air! The first night we arrived, our host shared a meal with us at Classico Italiano. The wood-fired pizza was crispy and had a delicious smoky flavor from the oven with abundant fresh toppings. This place gets jam-packed for dinner, so be sure to arrive early to get your spot because this is a pizza you don’t want to miss!
Our second favorite place to eat on Gili Air was on the sunset side of the island at Lumbung Restaurant & Bar. You will know you are at the right spot based on the crowds, impressive music selection, iconic Gili Air swing, and red bean bags on the beach! It was at this unsuspecting restaurant that we had some of the best Italian that we have had in YEARS! I am sure the veteran travelers are rolling their eyes because the universal advice is to stick with local cuisines because trying anything else can lead to food poisoning, but the menu was so enticing. I am glad we ventured outside of our food comfort zone!
In addition to yummy Italian choices on Gili Air Island you can also find a delicious burger and craft beer at Sharkbites, creamy ice cream at Scooperific, and American style coffee at Coffee & Thyme!
Looking to create some authentic Indonesian cuisine? Be sure to check out Gili Cooking Classes! Roo has a deep love for cooking, but their recommended class age starts at 6, so it will be on the list of things to do when we visit next time.
Catch a spectacular sunset
The sunset anywhere on Gili Air is beautiful, but if you want to see it in all its glory, then you should head to the “sunset” side of the island about an hour or so before the sun is expected to set.
This will allow you to grab a bite to eat and stake out a front row seat for nature’s nightly show. Many of the restaurants on the sunset side have open-air seating or bean bags on the beach so that you can relax and soak paradise in. After our first Gili Air sunset, we were hooked, and it became our nightly routine!
Snorkel
If you are traveling with older kids be sure to take advantage of the crystal clear water of Gili Air and go snorkeling on a glass bottom boat! Because the water was choppy during our visit, we didn’t feel comfortable with Roo being in the water, so we opted out of snorkeling this time around.
Go for a bike ride
One of my favorite aspects of Gili Air is that there are no motorized vehicles on the island. Not only does this help reduce emissions, but it makes for a quiet and serene atmosphere that can be the total opposite from Bali. It only takes a few hours to walk around the entire island, but if you want to travel in style consider renting a bicycle. An important note is that the vast majority of the Gili Air “roads” are sand so opt for a bike with fatter tires!
Practice your stargazing
Once the sun sets over Gili Air, it goes almost pitch black! We had no idea, so our first night we were disoriented, thankfully our Airbnb host was with us to guide us back to our room. While navigating an unknown place in the dark can be a bit intimidating take the opportunity to stargaze. If you are worldschooling this would tie in perfectly with an astronomy unit because there is little light pollution to interfere with identifying constellations.
Visit a picturesque Bali swing on the beach
Looking for an Instagram worthy souvenir of your travels to Gili Air? Well, head over to the sunset of the island before the tide comes in and take an iconic Gili Air photo! The sunset side of the island is lined with swings and hammocks, most of which belong to the restaurant it is in front of, which means they vary in their upkeep so be sure to inspect it and test it before climbing into them.
Where to stay on Gili Air Island?
Gili Air is has a vast range of accommodation choices from homestays to resorts. When we visited Gili Air, we stayed at a local accommodation through Airbnb in a family room, and it was simply perfection! Our host Dean was so hospitable, and his bungalows were central which made them a quick walk from the harbor and all that Gili Air has to offer.
Quick tips for your trip to Gili Air Island:
- Be sure to secure and confirm your transportation accommodations before heading to Gili Air. We made the mistake of thinking we would be able to travel on a speedboat, but children under two are not recommended to go by speedboat to the Gili Islands.
- I would recommend bringing a headlamp or download a flashlight app on your phone at the very least if you are planning to visit Gili Air. As I mentioned above, it gets pitch black once the sun goes down and thankfully we had our phones to use as torches, but a stronger light source would have been helpful when walking back from the sunset side of the island.
- Bring cash if you can. There are two ATMs on Gili Air a few steps from the harbor, but with there only being 2 ATMs on an island they may not get restocked as often and if there is a power outage you may be in a bind. As with many businesses in Indonesia, most merchants are cash-based, and although a few accept cards, it is better to be prepared. I used my USA based card with no issues at both ATMs (because one was out of order during a portion of our trip).
- Move yourself to “island time”! Relax, enjoy yourself, and know service may take a little bit longer than what you are used to.
Have you visited Gili Air Island? What were some of your favorite things to do? We’d love for you to share with the Tribe!
