Lombok and the Gili Islands in Indonesia are a paradise for nature lovers and party fans. We present the most important facts about the islands and give valuable insider tips for those who are planning a trip to the Gilis.

White, fine-grain sandy beach, palm trees and a turquoise sea: for a dream vacation you don't need much more than the Gili Islands and Lombok. The large island of Lombok is a natural paradise with rainforest, mountains and full of local culture that is slowly but surely opening up to tourists and emerging from the shadow of its hyped neighbor Bali. New ones are springing up all over Lombok Resorts and you can already spot a few European vacationers on the island.

But that is nothing compared to what happens just a few kilometers as the crow flies off the coast of the huge island: On Gili Trawangan the bass drums in the afternoon and there is hardly a night that is not turned into day. The island is full of fun-loving young people who are just about to discover the world, and many of them are just now Diving learn - or do their diving instructor course. A contrast could hardly be greater.

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Facts about Lombok, the Gili Islands and the Dream Divers on Gili Trawangan and Gili Air

The three small islands Gili Trawagan, Meno and Air are located in a row northwest of Lombok. Trawangan is furthest away with about five kilometers as the crow flies, while Meno in the middle and Air are only about 1,5 kilometers away from the big sister. Trawangan is the main island of the trio and has about 700 permanent residents. A round trip on the main road can be easily overcome on foot in just over an hour, as the perimeter of the island is only about seven kilometers. Air and Meno are again significantly smaller and also much less frequented than Gili Trawangan. Access to the islands is by boat from Lombok in a maximum of 30 minutes. However, most guests travel by speedboat from much further afield Bali, which takes about 2, 5 hours.

Diving in Indonesia – insider tips for the Gili Islands

On the Gilis you can spend the whole day chilling and eating. Excellent burgers are available in the Dream Divers “Burger House” in the restaurant opposite the base. There is also a restaurant or grill on every corner to suit every other taste - whether vegetarian, meat or fish. The night market near the pier is particularly recommended, where all regional delicacies are packed tightly together.

After you've fortified yourself extensively, it's off to the nightlife: the reggae bar “Sama Sama” with live music is a central point of contact almost every evening, as is the Irish pub. You also shouldn't miss the Full Moon Party - although these parties have become a crowded trend in Asia, you can still have a lot of fun by the sea under the open sky and a full moon with other outgoing world travelers and open-minded locals.

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Lombok – natural paradise and island for adventurers

Lombok is a big island in Indonesia. Nearly 4700 million people live on the almost 2,4 square kilometer large neighboring island of Bali, about 360 000 of which live in the capital Mataram. The island consists of an agriculturally stressed flat south and a mountainous north, in which the volcano Rinjani with its 3 726 meters forms the highest summit. The Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia.

The tourist center of Lombok is located in and around Senggigi near the Gili Islands. Overall, tourism as an economic sector is still negligible, even if this area is gradually growing in Lombok. The journey from Germany to Lombok takes between 16 and 30 hours with one or two stopovers in, for example, Frankfurt or Munich and in Singapore, Jakarta or Hong Kong, depending on the airline and route chosen. The airport was moved from Mataram to Praya in the center of the island. From there it's just over an hour's drive by car to the departure points towards Gilis.

Diving in Indonesia – insider tips for Lombok

Lombok is a very large, eclectic island - and if you have little time, you should think twice about what to do. In the north of Lombok there are numerous waterfalls, which are the first choice for travelers, especially outside the dry season, and offer an impressive view of the Indonesian mountains of rainforest and water. You should also have seen the wild monkeys in the Monkey Forest and the region around the capital Mataram. The city is the linchpin of public life.

It is recommended to visit the imposing Mayura Temple. The large Hindu temple complex impresses with Far Eastern architecture and many fascinating statues. Also in Mataram the local market should be visited. There is everything to buy (and to taste!), Which makes the Indonesian cuisine. And also one or the other present for those left at home can be found there. Then it could go to the Chinese cemetery. The colorful tombs are more reminiscent of art than the memory of the ancestors. To get a good overview of Lombok, you should plan at least a few days.

Facts about the Dream Divers on Gili Trawangan and Gili Air

The Dream Divers are a diving center that has been established for years with a branch on Trawangan with a resort and on Gili Air. There is currently still a head office in the town of Senggigi on Lombok, but it will be closed towards the end of the year. The diving centers have been part of Extra Divers for some time and offer the usual high standards of the diving provider.

The Dream Divers Resort on Gili Trawangan has been completely refurbished. Where once stood pavilions, today is a brand new resort with 28 top-equipped rooms, all with a beautiful and open rain shower, air conditioning, television, refrigerator and safe. The resort is located right next to the diving school and Dream Divers' burger house restaurant, which specializes in regional dishes, as well as burgers: various variations of vegetarian, chicken and beef originating from Lombok. In terms of quality, the burgers in "Burger House" meet the high standards of the so-called "Better Burger Restaurants", which are currently rivaling the big fast food chains in Germany.

The base on the much quieter neighboring island of Gili Air is in no way inferior to the offshoot on Gili Trawangan: a friendly, competent team of diving instructors and guides reads the divers' every wish and navigates to the most beautiful diving spots around the islands at least twice a day and partly before Lombok. Both Dream Divers bases offer the same diving sites. Gili Air is in every way quieter and more relaxed than Trawangan and is particularly recommended for divers who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the surrounding islands.

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Have you ever been to Indonesia or the Gili Islands for diving? Are you planning a trip Share your experiences in the comments.