Gili Islands
Encyclopedia
The Gili Islands are an archipelago
of three small islands — Gili Trawangan
, Gili Meno
and Gili Air
— just off the northwest coast of Lombok
, Indonesia
.
The islands are a popular destination for Western tourists looking for a remote island experience. Each island has several very small resorts, usually consisting of a small collection of huts for tourists, and a restaurant. Most local inhabitants live on Trawangan in a township stretching along its east side just inland (which is also where most recent development is taking place). Automobiles and motorized traffic are prohibited on the islands by local ordinance, so the preferred method of transportation is bicycle or the horse-drawn carriage called a cidomo
. Diving in and around the Gilis is also popular due to the abundance of fish life and attractive coral formations.
The name "Gili Islands" is a misnomer, because Gili simply means "small island" in Sasak
. As a result most of the islands around the coast of Lombok have Gili in their names, although confusion is averted by referring (in English) to the other Gilis around the Lombok coast by their proper names only.
The Gili Eco Trust
protects the environment of these paradisiac islands. Created in 2000 this local ONG implemented many projects to protect and restore coral reefs, improve waste management, struggle against erosion, treat animals, raise awareness, educate...
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
of three small islands — Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan
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. Trawangan means Terowongan due to there is a cave tunnel built in Japanese occupation...
, Gili Meno
Gili Meno
Gili Meno is a tiny island off the north-west coast of Lombok Island, Indonesia, the middle of Lombok's three famous Gilis. Generally the word used in Indonesia for island is 'pulau' but in Lombok the word 'gili' is used. It has a population of about 400, mainly concentrated on the center of the...
and Gili Air
Gili Air
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...
— just off the northwest coast of Lombok
Lombok
Lombok is an island in West Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It forms part of the chain of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali to the west and the Alas Strait between it and Sumbawa to the east...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
The islands are a popular destination for Western tourists looking for a remote island experience. Each island has several very small resorts, usually consisting of a small collection of huts for tourists, and a restaurant. Most local inhabitants live on Trawangan in a township stretching along its east side just inland (which is also where most recent development is taking place). Automobiles and motorized traffic are prohibited on the islands by local ordinance, so the preferred method of transportation is bicycle or the horse-drawn carriage called a cidomo
Cidomo
A Cidomo is a small horse-drawn carriage used in the Lesser Sunda Islands of Lombok and the Gili Islands of Indonesia.-Etymology:The name Cidomo is derived from the Sasak word cika or cikar , dokar and mobil for the wheels used to move it...
. Diving in and around the Gilis is also popular due to the abundance of fish life and attractive coral formations.
The name "Gili Islands" is a misnomer, because Gili simply means "small island" in Sasak
Sasak language
The Sasak language is spoken by the Sasak ethnic group, which make up the majority of the population of Lombok, Indonesia. It is closely related to the languages of adjacent Bali and Sumbawa....
. As a result most of the islands around the coast of Lombok have Gili in their names, although confusion is averted by referring (in English) to the other Gilis around the Lombok coast by their proper names only.
The Gili Eco Trust
Gili Eco Trust
Gili Eco Trust is a local non governmental organization created in 2000 to protect coral reefs from destructive fishing around the three Gili islands, off Lombok, Indonesia....
protects the environment of these paradisiac islands. Created in 2000 this local ONG implemented many projects to protect and restore coral reefs, improve waste management, struggle against erosion, treat animals, raise awareness, educate...