Gili Air

Gili Air is one of three small islands off the west coast of Lombok, Bali's neighbouring island to the east. M. and I decided to head there to get away from the hassle and business of Ubud, and we were well rewarded. The beaches were beautiful, the water an incredible shade of turquoise, and the noisy touristic crowds thinned out. Gili Air is a small island: you can walk it's circumference in about an hour and a half! The beach is populated by small simple bungalows and tourist-catered restaurants. The food wasn't too special, but the scenery more than made up for it!



We spent our days lazing around on the beach, snorkeling, and getting to know the locals. Indonesia is made up of a bunch of islands and different tribes. The Sasak tribe is the one found on Gili (and most of Lombok). Their typical dress is similar to the Balinese: a sarong with a top. The differences that I saw are that the Balinese add a scarf-belt and the men also wear a head scarf. We haven't had the courage to do a day of shopping yet: it takes a lot of energy to haggle! Still, I'm keeping my eyes open and planning already my shopping spree...