Thinking back on our time in the Gili Islands, there is one word that immediately pops into our minds: turtles!

We had been trying to see sea turtles ever since our first snorkelling trip in Panama. Back then, when we boarded early morning to Coiba Island, there was a faint promise of turtles and whales in the air. But they were shy, and at the end of the day we were amazed by the beauty of the sea but sad to have missed them. In Bocas del Toro we sort of saw our first turtle, but it was being devoured by vultures so we marked it a near miss. Next on our “places to see turtles” list was the Great Barrier Reef, a place where they are a common place, but yet again we weren’t lucky: there were some amazing reefs, but no turtles . So we arrived to the Gili Islands with (very) high expectations.

Welcome to Gili Islands!

“Turtle” Jules on our arrival to Gili Air

There are no motorised vehicles on the island, so all the transport is made on foot, by bicycle or by donkeys

You’ll find them everywhere, either transporting people or goods…

… and sometimes they will play chicken

You also get a Gili version of Sunset Boulevard: less rock, more green

Infinite desert beaches leading to pristine waters

Sometimes you spot one or two fisherman, but most of the time you’re alone at the beach

These were moments of pure bliss!

If you’re in the market for a place in paradise, this may be the deal for you…

…cows included!

At the end of the day…

… when the sun starts going down…

… you get the most amazing sunsets

You get golden reflections in the sky…

… and spread all over the water

Dusk with a reading lamp

A picturesque lamp post, on our way home

Apart from snorkeling, the other major sport here is stand up paddling

The waters are so transparent that you can see beautiful reefs and fish from nearshore

A beautiful collection of sea urchins lies on the bottom of the sea, near shore

Jules on our way to a snorkelling adventure

A close encounter with a curious fish

It’s all good!

Verne running the “twenty thousand leagues under the sea”

Here they are! We finally see turtles!

And we couldn’t get enough of them

I guess we photographed them at every angle

Swimming…

… going up…

… and coming down

Turtle Verne!

But it’s not only turtles… you get to see lots of “Nemos”…

… and colorful reefs

View from below of our transparent bottom boat

Just relax…

Verne taking our last photo in Gili…

… this one in fact!

The Gili are three tiny islands (Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air) northwest of Lombok in Indonesia. Of the three, we made Gili Air our base and visited the other two during our snorkelling adventures.

Gili Air is a paradise on earth. With no motorized vehicles allowed, all the circulation is made on foot, by bicycle or donkey. With less than 4km2, it is pretty easy to walk all around the island and let yourself be amazed with the beautiful nearshore reefs, the unforgettable sunsets and the delicious food, and then allowing the stars and moonlight to pave your way home.

After a full day soaking up the sun as good beach bums, we went on a snorkelling trip around the three islands, with a cheerful group of French, Dutch and Czechs. The reefs were amazing and we got to see incredible colours and fish, but the unforgettable part of the day happened when we crossed our paths with a few very sociable turtles. It is an incredible experience to swim along them, watching their elegance and easiness in the water. We had finally seen turtles, and they were beautiful!

We said good bye to the Gilis with a mix of excitement and sadness. We were very excited with the next leg of our trip, India, with all its exotic promises, but sad to leave such a peaceful and beautiful place. These incredibly small islands totally hooked us, and we hope to come back again, to swim with our shelled friends.

Full speed ahead now to Mumbai, in India, where Verne has a full report of our first impressions, waiting for you!

Jules*