| Gili Trawangan is the largest
of Lombok's Gili Islands and the only one to rise
significantly above sea level. Measuring 3 km long and 2 km
wide, it has a population of around 700. Of the Gilis,
Trawangan has the most tourist facilities; the pub Tîr na
Nôg claims that Trawangan is the smallest island in the
world with an Irish pub. The most crowded part of Trawangan
lies on the eastern side. It was previously administered
under Lombok Barat Regency along with Senggigi until 2010
when the Gili islands came under the jurisdiction of the new
North Lombok Regency (Kabupaten Lombok Utara).
On Gili Trawangan (as well as the other two Gilis), there
are no motorized vehicles. The main means of transportation
are bicycles (rented by locals to tourists) and cidomo (a
small horsedrawn carriage). For traveling to and from each
of the Gilis, locals usually use motorized boats and
speedboats.
Some of the first inhabitants of Gili Trawangan were from
Sulawesi who are fishermen and farmers. Previously Gili
Trawangan was covered in forest and deer lived on the
island. The economy of Gili Trawangan centres on tourism, as
the island is too small to support any broad scale
agriculture, and too remote to allow economically viable
industry or commerce.
Gili Meno is an island in Indonesia, the middle of
Lombok's three Gilis. It has a population of about 400,
mainly concentrated on the center of the island. The main
income of the population comes from tourism, coconut
plantation and fishing. On the west side of the island there
is a small shallow lake that produces salt in the dry
season. Until a few years ago there was also a small
production of seaweed on the reef at the north end of the
island. It has swimming beaches all around the island, as
well as an impressive bird sanctuary.
The island attracts fewer tourists than Gili Trawangan
and is the quietest and smallest of the Gilis. However,
honeymooners are often drawn to the crystal clear water and
idyllic, secluded white beaches. There is no fresh water on
the island, it is imported daily. Electricity is supplied by
generators, although there are plans for renewable energy
sources to be developed. There are also no cars or
motorbikes and only a limited number of tourist
accommodation options.
Gili Air is the second smallest of the Gilis and it's
closest to the Lombok mainland, making it popular with
honeymoon couples and travelers seeking a quiet retreat. It
has a population of about 1,000 and administratively lies in
the West Nusa Tenggara province. The island offers excellent
snorkeling and scuba diving off its east coast, and turtles
can be seen along the coral reef.
Proximity to Gili Meno, the smallest and most secluded of
the islands and to Gili Trawangan the largest island, known
for its many restaurants and parties, makes Gili Air a happy
Medium of seclusion with adequate services. Both other
Islands are a quick boat ride away and provide many choices
to from total seclusion to party central. |
