Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won't cost you anything, they will help us keep this site running and free for everyone.
We recently spent 5 days on Gili Air and absolutely loved it! The island feels like a true tropical paradise - cycling along sandy paths, snorkelling with turtles and discovering beautiful cafés at every turn. With no cars and a laid-back atmosphere, it’s the kind of place where you quickly slow down and slip into island time.
From snorkelling and scuba diving to sunset beach bars, spa days and trying delicious local food at family-run warungs, this 5-day Gili Air itinerary will show you how to make the most of your time on the island.
Day 1: Relax & Explore Gili Air
Depending on what time you arrive on Gili Air, just relax and explore the island on your first day. We arrived in the evening, so we headed straight to our villa and went out for some dinner before going to sleep.
Morning: Hire a bike & grab breakfast
We started our first morning on Gili Air by hiring bikes, as its the easiest and most enjoyable way to get around - much better than walking in the heat!
The island is small and only takes around 30 minutes to cycle the full loop, and bikes are really cheap to hire (less than £2 a day).
We then headed for breakfast at Kopi Susu, a brunch cafe where you can choose 3 or 5 different items to create your own breakfast.
The food and coffee was delicious and the outdoor setting was perfect. It was our favourite breakfast/brunch spot, so we would highly recommend adding to your list!
Afternoon: Explore the island
After breakfast, hop on the bike and start exploring the island. You’ll follow sandy paths lined with palm trees, pass by local homes and family-run warungs and cycle along the turqoise water.
Take your time and stop wherever something catches your eye, maybe a quiet stretch of beach to relax at, a boutique shop selling handmade jewellery or a café where you can cool off with an iced coffee.
Head to the area around Snake Beach / Turtle Point if you want to go for a snorkel and try to spot turtles! Just a heads up - you'll definitely need water shoes or fins as there's a lot of sharp coral here.
You can easily rent or buy masks, snorkels, fins or water shoes if you didn't bring any with you, just head to either a dive or snorkel shop or local market!
When you’re ready for lunch, we recommend heading to a local warung (family-run eateries that serve traditional Indonesian dishes) as they're cheap and delicious.
If you're new to Indonesian food, nasi goreng (fried rice), mie goreng (fried noodles) or gado-gado (vegetables with peanut sauce) are some well-known favourites!
Gado Gado & Tempe Kecap
Evening: Sunset by the sea
We spent our first evening by watching the sunset at the western side of the island (around Sunset Point), which is the perfect end to the first day on Gili Air.
There are plenty of beach bars that set up beanbags on the sand, so you can relax with a drink while watching the sunset.
For dinner, you’ll find plenty of beachfront restaurants within walking distance of the sunset bars. On this side of the island you'll find Mama Pizza Gili Air, which has an incredible ambience (right on the beach) and even more incredible pizza.
Day 2: Snorkelling Trip Around the Gili Islands
Morning: Snorkelling
Snorkelling is one of the best things to do in the Gili Islands, so we highly recommend booking a snorkelling trip around the three islands (Air, Meno and Trawangan).
We booked a private tour as we we're travelling in a group, but you can also join group snorkelling tours. These trips typically last around four hours and can be booked for either the morning or afternoon (we went from 12-4 pm).
The highlight of the trip is visiting the famous Bask Nest underwater statues near Gili Meno, a beautiful snorkelling spot where you can swim among the sculptures below the surface.
You’ll also have the chance to spot lots of turtles, tropical fish and vibrant reefs at different stops around the islands. The tours provide masks, fins and snorkels, and some even include snacks or cold drinks onboard.
The statues can get very busy as they’re one of the islands’ main attractions. For a quieter experience, try going at sunrise or sunset, although you might need to book a private tour or stay on Gili Meno and swim out.
Top Rated Snorkelling Tours
Afternoon/Evening: Sunset & Dinner
After returning to Gili Air, we took the rest of the day slowly and just relaxed at our villa, before heading out for dinner. For dinner, we highly recommend Pachamama, they had incredible tapas dishes and were very vegetarian/vegan friendly.
Day 3: Spa, Beach Time & Outdoor Cinema
Day 3 is all about exploring more of the island and taking time to relax! We spent plenty of time beach hopping, at the spa and relaxing in our villa relaxing by the pool.
Morning: Relax at the spa
Start day 3 off in the most relaxing way possible with a massage at the spa. Gili Air has plenty of spas offering massages, scrubs and facials at very reasonable prices.
We chose to visit Slow Spa, which was a lovely spa hidden away in nature, offering a range of relaxing massages and facials.
Afternoon: Beach hopping & warung lunch
Spend the afternoon moving between different beaches, each side of the island has its own charm, from quiet sandy stretches to livelier spots with beach bars.
Go for a swim, lounge with a book or just enjoy the view. For lunch, stop at a local warung for simple, tasty meal.
Evening: Outdoor cinema by the beach
In the evening, swap the beach bar for an outdoor cinema! A few places on the island set up screens on the sand with beanbags and popcorn, such as Royal Regantris Hotel (every night at 7pm & 9pm - on the beach) and Lagoon Beach Club and Restaurant (Weds - Sun at 7pm & 9pm).
Watching a film under the stars with the sound of the waves in the background is a unique Gili Air experience and the perfect way to end the day.
Day 4: Go Scuba Diving or Freediving
Morning: Diving
If there’s one place to go diving in Indonesia, it’s the Gili Islands. You can do both scuba diving and freediving on Gili Air, even if its your first time.
Gili Air has a few dive schools but we chose to dive with Gili Air Divers, who we'd definitely recommend!
We did two dives with Gili Air Divers; one at 9am and one at 11:30am, but you can add more onto this and even do night dives.
Diving in the Gili Islands gives you the chance to spot lots of turtles, colourful coral gardens, tropical fish and even reef sharks. We also dived at Bounty Wreck, which was an epic wreck site just off of Gili Meno.
Afternoon/Evening: Rest & Recharge
After a morning (or afternoon) underwater, you’ll probably want some downtime. Spend the rest of the day enjoying the island at a slower pace; we just relaxed at our villa!
Of course, no day is complete without catching another Gili Air sunset. Try a different stretch of the west coast to mix things up, each one offers its own view of Lombok’s dramatic mountains in the distance.
In the evening, head to one of the many incredible restaurants for dinner. We highly recommend Chupito, a fun mexican restaurant and bar - it's the perfect spot for a lively dinner and cocktails.
Day 5: Activities & Last Evening by the Beach
The last day on this Gili Air itinerary is all about soaking up the island life and trying some unique activities.
Morning: Jewellery-making or Indonesian Cooking Class
For your last day on Gili Air, why not do something a little different? The island has a handful of unique experiences like an Indonesian cooking class, where you can learn to make dishes such as satay, gado-gado or sambal from scratch.
Or, you can do a jewellery-making workshop, where you can design and craft your own piece as a unique souvenir from your trip.
Silver jewellery-making is really popular across Bali and the Gili Islands. We did our workshop in Bali, but it’s also available on Gili Air and is such a fun experience!
Top Rated Classes to Book
Afternoon: Last swim & beach time
Spend the afternoon revisiting your favourite beach spot or exploring a side of the island you haven’t yet seen. Go for one last swim in the turquoise water, enjoy a fresh juice and just soak up the relaxed pace that makes Gili Air so special.
Evening: Last sunset & dinner
Finish your trip with one final sunset on the beach, by now you’ll probably have a favourite spot, but if not, head to Sands Beach Club, a beautiful venue right on the beach for sunset with happy hour cocktails.
For your last meal, head to Sabai Sabai, a tasty thai restaurant, or if you're up for italian, Italy Pizza & Cucina was another favourite of ours.
Where to stay in Gili Air for 5 days?
Gili Air is a very small island so choosing where to stay is simple - everything is within easy reach!
There's also a wide range of accommodation types, from budget homestays and beachfront bungalows to boutique resorts and villas with pools, so there's plenty to choose from.
We stayed in La Villa Turkuaz in the middle of the island, which was a beautiful villa, perfect for families or groups. Some other amazing options are:
- Villa Tokay (Luxury) - Unique luxury bamboo villas with stunning architecture & private pools in a tranquil setting.
- Hani Hideaway (Mid-range) - Beautifully designed bungalows surrounded by tropical gardens with a shared pool.
- Divino Gili Air (Mid-range) - A boutique stay with stylish rooms, a shared pool and steps away from the beach.
How many days should you spend on Gili Air?
We stayed on Gili Air for 5 days, which was the perfect amount of time to snorkel, dive and explore while still leaving plenty of time to relax.
You can easily stay on the island for 2-3 days and manage to see some of the highlights, but ultimately staying longer lets you experience more and enjoy the slower pace of island life.
Do you need a bike on Gili Air?
Bikes are the easiest way to get around the island, so we highly recommend hiring one. The island is small enough to walk, but walking 20 minutes in the heat and sun isn't always fun, and you'll save time by biking.
Bikes are super cheap to rent - we paid around £2 each per day! We rented ours for the entire duration of our stay and it was easy and simple to pick them up and drop off at the end.
👋 We hope that you found this guide helpful! Before you go - don't forget to read our other Indonesia travel guides for more tips, suggestions & advice.
