Gili Islands, Island group near Lombok, Indonesia
Gili Islands is an island group near Lombok in Indonesia, made up of three separate islands: Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air. Each island has white sand beaches along the shoreline and is surrounded by shallow, clear water suitable for swimming and snorkeling.
The Japanese military occupied these islands during World War II and used them for military purposes. Soldiers built observation posts and operated prisoner camps across all three islands.
The name Gili comes from Sasak language and means small island, while locals call them Gili Indah, which translates to small beautiful islands. Visitors see cidomos everywhere, traditional horse-drawn carts that carry goods and people, since motorized vehicles are not allowed.
All three islands are reached by boats from Bangsal harbor on Lombok or directly from Bali. Within each island, visitors move on foot, by rented bicycles, or by cidomo, since cars and motorcycles are banned.
Underwater, divers find many sites with regular sightings of sea turtles, including Shark Point and Manta Point. Off the coast of Trawangan sits an underwater sculpture called Nest that serves as an artificial reef and encourages coral growth.
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