The Gili Islands, where nothing has an engine

In the language of the Sasak people of Lombok, gili simply means "small island", and there are many gilis around the coast. But three of them, off the north-west tip of Lombok, have become known around the world as the Gili Islands: Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. Each is small enough to walk around in an hour or two. They are low coral islands with white sand beaches, palm trees and coconut groves, ringed by reefs in clear, turquoise water, with the volcanic peak of Rinjani on Lombok on one side and, on a clear evening, the cone of Mount Agung on Bali on the other.

No engines

What makes the Gilis unusual is the absence of motor traffic. There are no cars and no motorbikes. People get about on foot, by bicycle, or on a cidomo, a small horse-drawn cart that serves as the islands' taxi and delivery van. The rule has kept the islands quiet and the air clean, and the sandy tracks that serve as roads are pleasant to walk and cycle along. The horses that pull the carts have been the subject of welfare concerns, and campaigners and local groups have worked to improve their conditions. In recent years small electric bicycles and scooters have also appeared, which has caused debate among islanders about what kind of place they want the Gilis to be.

Three islands, three characters

Each of the three islands has its own character. Gili Trawangan, the largest and furthest from Lombok, has the most going on: a busy strip of restaurants, bars, dive shops and guesthouses along its east coast, and a reputation for nightlife, though its west coast and interior are much quieter. Gili Meno, in the middle, is the smallest and quietest, with a salt lake in the middle and a sleepy, rather romantic air. Gili Air, closest to Lombok, sits between the two, with a village life of its own alongside its cafés and beaches.

The great pleasure of all three is the water. The reefs around them are home to large numbers of green and hawksbill turtles, and snorkelling with them in the shallows just off the beach is a highlight of any stay. There are dive sites around all three islands, and several local projects work to protect and restore the coral. Sunset, watched from the west coast of Trawangan or Meno with Bali's volcanoes on the horizon, is a nightly ritual.

Life on the islands follows a simple rhythm. The day begins with the call to prayer from the small mosques and the sound of cart bells on the sandy tracks, and many visitors are in the water by mid-morning. Lunch is in a beach café, and afternoons are for a book in the shade, a bicycle ride round the island, or another swim. Evenings bring grilled fish on the beach and, on Trawangan, music late into the night for those who want it. The islands are small enough that it is hard to get lost, and easy to lose track of the days.

Lombok and the Gilis

The islands are usually reached by boat, either from Bali, a crossing of a couple of hours or more, or from the small harbour at Bangsal on Lombok, just a short hop away. Lombok itself, often described as Bali's quieter neighbour, is worth time in its own right, with the great volcano of Rinjani, traditional Sasak weaving villages and long, quiet beaches.

In 2018 a series of strong earthquakes hit Lombok, causing great loss of life on the main island and damage on the Gilis, from which thousands of visitors were evacuated. The islands have since recovered.

G Adventures' Bali to Gili: The Ultimate Island Odyssey, fourteen nights, combines Bali, with Canggu, Mount Batur and Ubud, and the village of Bulian, with Lombok, the village of Tempasan and Gili Trawangan.

G Adventures' six-night Lombok and Gili Adventure includes Tempasan, the weaving village of Pringgasela, Bonjeruk, Gili Trawangan, Senggigi and Mount Rinjani. G Adventures' Ubud to Lombok: Temples, Jungles and Island Vibes, eight nights, includes Ubud with Tempasan, Pringgasela, Gili Trawangan and Senggigi.

The dry season, roughly May to September, brings the calmest seas and clearest water. Whenever you go, pack light and leave your watch in your bag. The Gilis run to their own timetable.