Quick Gili Meno guide: the honeymoon Gili

Gili Meno is one of the three Gili islands located in Northwest Lombok, Indonesia. It is the smallest and most tranquil of the Gili Islands. Because of that, it has become the top choice for honerymooners. The island boasts a variety of resorts and luxury hotels, so if you’re looking for a relaxed getaway in Indonesia, this is your place! Discover the top things to do, where to stay and where to eat in Gili Meno in this quick Gili Meno guide!

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Photo by loli mass in Unsplash

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Gili Meno guide: Top 4 things to do in Gili Meno

1. Relax at the beach

This is kind of a given in any of the Gilis, but it is especially true in Gili Meno. Being the most relaxed of the three, Gili Meno excels at letting you unwind, and there is very few things more relaxing than laying down at the beach sipping on a fresh coconut. As with all the Gilis, the best spot for a beach sunset is the western coast.

The beach at Gili Meno is much less crowded than in Gili Trawangan, especially outside of resorts. Image by Dominic v.d. Ruit from Pixabay

2. Watch the Bask Nest underwater statues

If there is a famous sight in the Gili islands it is the Bask Nest underwater statues. This insta-famous spot is only a few meters off the eastern beach of Gili Meno so you can get there on your own if you’re staying on the island! It is a really unique snorkeling site with an eyrie vibe. You can easily visit from another island, since most (if not all) snorkeling tours stop at the Bask Nest underwater statues. However, if you are staying in Gili Meno, you’ll be able to visit early in the morning, before the hoardes of tourists overcrowd it!

The insta-famous underwater statues of Gili Meno. Spoiler alert: you’ll never see them without a swarm of tourists. Photo by loli mass in Unsplash

3. Snorkel with the turtles

Gili Meno is the best island if you want to see the sea turtles in their natural environment. Turtle Point is, unsurprisingly, one of the best places in the world to see this incredible gentle animals. We saw around 20 turtles in a single snorkeling session in Turtle Point! You can easily find this spot on the northern part of the island. If you’re a diver that wants to see turtles, you can visit the nearby Turtle Heaven.

You’ll have the highest chance to spot turtle at Turtle Point in Gili Meno. Photo by tour lombok in Unsplash

Not only turtles are waiting for you in the waters of Gili Meno! There is gorgeous coral and a bounty of colorful reef fish to make the experience absolutely magical.

4. Have a walk at the Gili Meno salt lake and mangrove forest

Gili Meno is the only one of the Gili islands that has a lake. Even though it is a salt water lake, it is still a hub for the islands’ fauna to meet, especially birds and lizards (and mosquitoes!). It is great to have a stroll in nature, and there are some wooden huts that you can use to rest or read a book in the calmness of the lake.

Bonus. Beware of the turtle hatchery

Conservation of sea turtles is an important work. However, having hatcheries where baby turtles are hand-fed (meaning they won’t learn how to feed themselves) does not really help the environment. And worse, untrained tourists touching and handling baby turtles for a handful of coins sounds more like tourist trap than conservation work. If you’d like to help marine conservation, I suggest that you find a charity or association to donate to. If you’re determined to see turtles, you can easily spot them in the wild just a few steps from the beach.

Have a look at this article from National Geographic to learn more about it.

How to get to the Gili Meno

Getting to the enchanting Gili Islands is a breeze. However, they do not have an airport of their own, so you’ll first have to get to Bali or Lombok.

Getting to Gili Meno from Bali

The most common way to reach these tropical gems is by taking a fast boat from Bali. Boats depart from various ports in Bali, such as Padang Bai, Serangan, or Sanur. This journey typically takes around 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on the port and weather conditions. I must say that, in our case, when we returned from Gili T it took almost 4h to get to Padang Bai. We stopped at all the other Gilis as well as Lombok. You can book your speed boat ticket in advance in the link below, although I must say we booked it at the pier the day before. The boat arrives first in Gili T and then stops in the rest of the islands and circles back through Lombok.

Getting to Gili Meno from Lombok

If you’re in Lombok, the ferry ride to the Gili islands is much shorter and cheaper. In our case, we were coming all the way from Komodo National Park in a boat expedition. We made our way to Bangsal harbor (north of Senggigi), were the ferries to the Gili islands depart from. If you’re staying in one of the main areas in Lombok, chances are your accommodation can book a shared transportation for you. In Bangsal we took the local boat, which is quite basic but really cheap at only 20k IDR (1.2€). You can get the deluxe version if you book the tourist boat in advance below. It should take you back around 150k IDR (9€).

Where to stay in Gili Meno

Budget

Even though Gili Meno is the honeymoon island, it also offers options for those travelers on a budget. For a nice bungalow room for little money, check out Meno Turtle Bungalows. This nice cabin hotel offers double rooms with air conditioning for as little as 175k IDR (11€). Other options in a similar range are Meno Smile Cottages and We’Be Cottages.

There are no real hostels in Gili Meno, but if you’re really counting every penny, the cheapest place in the island is Pondok Anjani, offering simple bungalow accommodation for 145k IDR (9€).

Mid-Range

Mid-range accommodations is where Gili Meno really shines. Some of the best bungalow hotels offering beautiful cabins for 2 are Kampung Meno Bungalows and The This-Kon Gili Meno. Neither of them has a swimming pool, but they are a short walk away from the beach. The This-Kon Gili Meno has a more beautiful decor with an outdoor private shower, while Kampung Meno Bungalow offers a more local feel.

If you’re into resort-style hotels, I recommend Meno Dream Resort and Villa Kinagu. Both hotels offer beautiful swimming pools and include breakfast in their price. In the higher end of this category you can find Two Brothers Bungalow, a beautiful and lively beachfront bungalow hotel that is also home to a nice restaurant.

Luxury

Villa Kinagu also offers villas with private pool, so you can still get your own privacy while being in a hotel. But if you’re looking for a luxury private villa, I think you should go for Villa Palma Gili Meno, an absolutely gorgeous Balinese looking villa with a private pool.

If you’re more into a resort-style hotel that allows for a bit more socializing while still giving you your privacy in your private villa, check out Meno House. This resort hotel offers a big swimming pool right at the beach in Gili Meno. If your style is more that of a boutique hotel but you don’t want to compromise on luxury or outdoors scenery, I recommend Villa Pulau Cinta Boutique Suites.

Where to eat in Gili Meno

The Gili islands are quite a popular tourist destination. As a consequence, a big part of the restaurants tend to cater their food to tourists. This is especially true in Gili Meno, where the restaurant offer is low since most of that work is taken by the resort hotels. That being said, there are a few great options that can make your stay at Gili Meno all the more enjoyable! Find out in the link below:

Where to eat in Gili Meno: best restaurants and what to order

Closing statement

As you can see, the Gili islands can be a relaxing paradise but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do! Gili Meno will offer you a more relaxed and intimate experience, which will be the cherry on the top of your honeymoon or really any trip!

Since you’re in Gili Meno, why not checking out some of the other Gili islands?

Quick Gili islands guide: a starters kit for paradise seekers in Indonesia

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