Gili Meno: turtles, statues and a salt lake

The smallest and quietest of the three Gilis, with a ring of underwater statues, a still salt lake and beaches where you can walk an hour without passing a bar.

Area

The Gilis

Start from

Gili Meno harbour

Distance

about 5 km around the island

Time needed

1 day

Best season

All year (calmest seas May – September)

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

On foot; shared island-hopping boat between the Gilis

Tickets & rules

None

Why go

Gili Meno sits between its two siblings and seems determined to be the opposite of both. There is almost no nightlife, no music after dark and very little traffic even by Gili standards. You can walk around the whole island in an hour and a half, and for long stretches the only footprints in the sand are those of crabs and a few other slow walkers.

Off the west coast, a few metres down on the sandy bottom, a ring of life-size human figures lies curled up or stands with arms around each other. The work is called Nest, by the sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, and it was placed in the sea in 2017. Over the years coral and algae have grown over the figures, softening their faces, and fish now shelter in their arms. It is eerie and beautiful, and easy to reach from the beach.

Inland, the middle of the island is taken up by a shallow salt lake fringed with mangroves and trees where herons and other birds gather. Salt was once made here. At dusk the lake goes still and pink, and it feels a long way from the sea, though the beach is only a few minutes away.

The story

Meno is usually said to have been settled in the twentieth century by a handful of families from Lombok and Sulawesi who planted coconuts and fished, and for decades the population was tiny. Even now only a few hundred people live here, and many families have been connected to the island’s coconut groves for generations.

When the backpacker trail reached the Gilis in the 1980s, Meno never quite joined it. There was no party, little fresh water and not many bungalows, so it became the island for honeymooners, divers who wanted to sleep and travellers who had had enough of Trawangan. That reputation has stuck.

The statues were commissioned by a local resort and installed by divers, and they have become the island’s best-known sight. Taylor’s underwater works around the world are designed to be colonised by marine life, which means the Nest you see changes every year: brighter in some seasons, greener in others.

Meno is also known for green and hawksbill turtles. For years small local hatcheries collected eggs and raised hatchlings before releasing them, a practice now debated by conservationists. Whatever the method, the result is visible: turtles are common along the reef edge, and seeing one surface for air, blow and go down again is one of the quiet thrills of the island.

Getting there

Public boats from Bangsal on Lombok stop at Meno, and shared island-hopping boats link the three Gilis a few times a day; times change, so check at the harbour ticket office the day before. Some fast boats from Bali also stop here.

Once on the island, walk. There are a few cidomo carts and bicycles, but the paths are sandy and the distances tiny.

A suggested plan

1. MorningWalk the east coast from the harbour, swim and snorkel along the reef edge looking for turtles.
2. Late morningCross to the west coast and snorkel out to the Nest statues, ideally at high tide and with calm water.
3. LunchA long lunch in the shade on the west side, watching the light on Lombok and Bali.
4. AfternoonWalk the inland path around the salt lake, binoculars in hand.
5. SunsetStay on the west coast for sunset over Mount Agung, then walk back in the dusk.

Where to stay

Meno has a mix of simple bungalows and calm boutique resorts, mostly spread along the coast. It suits people who want to read, swim and sleep early; if you want restaurants and choice, stay on Air or Trawangan and come over for the day.

Good to know

• Bring a torch: there are few lights at night.
• Mosquitoes can be busy near the salt lake at dusk; use repellent.
• Fresh water is precious on the Gilis, so keep showers short.
• Visit the statues early or late, when boat tours from the other islands have gone.