How to get to Gili Meno
Before exploring the best things to do in Gili Meno, let’s first cover how to get to the island. You might be in Bali, Lombok, or one of the other Gili Islands. If you’re coming from another part of Indonesia, you’ll need to travel to one of these locations first.
- From Bali:
There are several ports that offer ferries to the Gili Islands from Bali. You can find these ports in Padang Bai, Serangan, Sanur, and the Nusa Islands (Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan).
The most common option is to take the ferry from Padang Bai. Although this port might be farther away, the ferry ride is shorter and tends to be more enjoyable.
I recommend using the website 12Go to compare different companies and schedules and to book your ferry.
- From Gili Trawangan or Gili Air:
If you are on one of the other Gili, you can travel by public boat (island hopping) or by speedboat. The first option costs 40,000 IDR, and the second option costs 85,000 IDR. You can also opt for a private transfer, although it is much more expensive.
With the public boat, you can go from Gili Trawangan at 9:30 am and 4:00 pm, and from Gili Air at 8:30 am and 3:00 pm. With the speedboat, from Gili Trawangan, there are departures at 9:45h and from 11:00am to 5:00pm, every hour. From Gili Air, there are departures from 9:05am to 4:05pm, every hour.
- From Lombok:
If you are on the island of Lombok, you have to go to the port of Bangsal, in the northwest of the island. There you can take the public ferry or the speedboat. The public ferry is affordable, but you have to wait for the boat to sell out every seat before departing, and the trip is longer (we chose this option to go from Gili Air to Lombok).
From Bagsal, the speedboat to Gili Meno (passing first by Gili Air) leaves every hour, from 9:00am to 4:00pm. It costs 85,000 IDR ($5.45 USD) per person.
Things to do in Gili Meno
Now, it’s time to discover the best places to visit in Gili Meno and the must-see attractions you can’t afford to miss.
🛏️ If you still do not have accommodation on this island, I recommend the hotel where we stayed: Bungalow Cafe Gili Beach Front. What we liked most was the location, which is right in front of the sea, in a very quiet area of the island. Being able to have breakfast overlooking the sea and watch the sunset from the hotel was a treat.
1. Diving next to the sculpture “Nest”.
The underwater sculpture known as “Nest” is the main attraction of this island and the archipelago. No wonder! Diving next to it is a real blast. You have probably already seen it on social networks on numerous occasions. It is a circular sculpture composed of several figures of people standing hugging each other and people lying in the center.
The good thing about visiting it from Gili Meno is that you can go swimming from the beach and do it at a time when there are not many people (very early or late afternoon). Always take into account the tide and currents. The sculpture “Nest” is located in front of the Bask hotel. We had a drink at the restaurant, left our things there, and visited the place on our own.
Another option to visit the sculpture is to hire a snorkeling tour once you get to the island. They will take you to this place and other spots where it is easy to see sea turtles. They can also include a visit to a sunken ship. You can agree on the time and price of the tour with the person offering it.
📝 MY GILI ISLANDS TRAVEL GUIDE.
2. Swimming with turtles in Gili Meno
One of the main attractions in the Gili Islands is swimming with sea turtles. If you have never done it before, it will surely become one of the highlights of your trip to Indonesia.
On Gili Meno Island, snorkeling on the north shore is advised if you want to have more chances to see turtles. My special recommendation is to go to the Easy Warung & Bar (great food). There you can have a drink, leave your stuff, and get in the water with your equipment (if you don’t have it, they rent it to you) to look for turtles (always respect the distance and don’t touch them). They also offer boat tours.
Another place where we saw turtles on Gili Meno was on the west coast, when we went to visit the “Nest” sculpture. We came across quite a few turtles, and one of them was huge. I was shocked!
3. Take a tour to the rest of the Gili
If you are only going to visit this island but you want to get an idea of what Gili Trawangan and Gili Air are like, as well as snorkeling in other parts of the archipelago, you can take a tour that takes you to the other islands. You can book it once you arrive at the destination and agree on the price and time of the activity.
Another good option to visit some of the other islands is to take the public ferry (island hopping) or speedboat on your own, spend a few hours on the island of your choice, and then return to Gili Meno. You can see the schedules in the section where I explain how to get to the island.
🏥 I remind you that it is very important to have travel insurance for Indonesia if you do not have medical coverage in the destination. Without adding a lot of money to your budget, you can travel with the peace of mind that if something happens to you, your expenses will be covered and you will have a team of people to help you. I always use and recommend the company Heymondo, where I can offer you a 5% discount on your next policy.
4. Swimming at the best beach in Gili Meno
After spending several days on the island and swimming in many of its beaches, there was one that we especially liked. I wanted to dedicate a section just for it, so you do not miss it during your visit.
It is a beach located on the southeast coast. According to Google Maps, this beach is located on the stretch of coast between “Gili Meno Beach” and “Gili Meno South-East Beach.” You can also find it by going to the restaurant called “Umar Resto,” as it is right in front of it (and if you go a few meters further south, even better).
This beach became my favorite because at the bottom there are no remains of fossilized coral (as happens in many of the beaches of the archipelago), but you find a good stretch of white sand, both outside and inside the water. In addition, from the beach, you have beautiful views of Lombok and Gili Air.
There are a couple of restaurants (which is great for a drink or a bite to eat on the spot), but the beach is very quiet, at least when we were there. You will also find some sun loungers, so it is a perfect place to spend a nice day at the beach in Gili Meno.
5. Explore the island on foot or by bike
As in the rest of the Gili’s, there are no motor vehicles here either, but you have to move around on foot or by bike (there are also horse-drawn carriages, although I do not recommend it). We rented a bicycle. They cost 50,000 IDR per day, but if you are going to spend several days, you can get a better price.
One of our favorite things to do on Gili Meno (and the rest of the islands) was to bike from place to place, discovering moments in the daily lives of the people who call this island home. Although it is not possible to go all the way around the island (there are stretches where there is only sand), I am convinced that you will enjoy getting into every single street of this island, either by bike or on foot.
You will notice that in the middle of this island there is a huge lagoon called “Gili Meno Saltwater Lake.” You can go visit it, although we didn’t get a very good impression of the place. It smelled a bit bad, and there is a wooden jetty surrounding part of the lake, which would have been great to walk along, but it was in pretty bad shape.
6. Eating fresh fish, one of the best things to do in Gili Meno
One of the highlights of my stay on this beautiful island was enjoying fresh fish at a beach bar with a sea view, all at a fantastic price. While Gili Meno may not offer modern cafés or a wide variety of international restaurants, it has excellent options for local cuisine, especially seafood.
I recommend two great places to eat on Gili Meno: Easy Warung & Bar and Sunset Bar & Restoran Meno. We dined at Easy Warung & Bar frequently, not only for its fantastic food but also for its wonderful location. We enjoyed a variety of fresh fish and other local dishes, all of which were delicious and offered great value.
In addition, we visited Sunset Bar & Restoran Meno several times, as it was conveniently located near our hotel. We particularly loved their grilled cuttlefish, which was outstanding. Every dish we tried there was delicious.
7. Watching the sunset
An activity as simple as sitting and saying goodbye to the sun will become one of your favorite things to do during your stay in the Gili Islands because the sunsets here are known to be special.
If you want to see the sunset in Gili Meno, you should be on the west coast of the island. There are not so many bars and restaurants where to sit down to have dinner or have a drink as in the other islands, but there are. Some recommended places are Diana Café, Malfina Beach Bar and Restaurant, or the Mahamaya Hotel.
A little further south, you will find the restaurant I recommended in the previous section, Sunset Bar & Restoran Meno, which also allows you to see a good sunset. The terrace of our hotel (you will find it below). I also found it great to watch the sunset (you can go for a drink and sit wherever you want).
Where to stay in Gili Meno
My recommendation in Gili Meno is to stay in front of the sea. It will make your experience on the island even more wonderful.
As I mentioned above, we stayed at a hotel called Bungalow Cafe Gili Beach Front. The room was a bit small, but it had its charm, and we were very comfortable. This hotel has a terrace, pool, and hammocks. The food in the restaurant was not very good, but it was not a problem because there were restaurants nearby. I highly recommend it.
Another hotel that looks very good is the already mentioned Bask (located in front of the underwater sculpture “Nest”). We were having a drink in their restaurant and swimming in the pool, and we were great. It is an expensive hotel, but its facilities and services will make it worth the money invested. I feel it is a very good choice for a special celebration, such as a honeymoon.
Below you can find more hotel recommendations for different budgets:
- Meno Dream Resort. A cozy 3-star hotel featuring a relaxing swimming pool, nestled in the heart of the island.
- Le Pirate. An adults-only retreat with a beachfront location and a refreshing swimming pool, perfect for a serene escape.
- Villa Samalas Resort. A charming 3-star hotel offering private villas, situated just steps away from the sea.
Tips for visiting Gili Meno
Read on and take note of the following tips you should know before visiting this destination:
- Who is Gili Meno for? I recommend opting for this island if you are looking to enjoy an extremely quiet and undeveloped place to relax and forget about the rest of the world. If you are looking for a more lively atmosphere, perhaps it is better to opt for Gili Air or Gili Trawangan.
- Bring plenty of cash. In Gili Meno I didn’t see any exchange houses or ATMs (in Google Maps I found one but it doesn’t have very good reviews), so it is important that you carry all the Indonesian rupee you will need during your stay on the island.
- It is not a bad idea to take some booties or Velcro flip-flops, as there are fossilized coral remains at the bottom of many beaches and you can hurt yourself.
- When swimming, watch out for currents. When the tide is going out, the inland current can be quite strong. Just keep this in mind.
- How many days to spend on Gili Meno Island? My advice is to spend a minimum of 2 nights there, but more is better. It all depends on whether you are going to visit other Gili’s and your itinerary in Indonesia.
- If you don’t have snorkeling equipment, don’t worry; you will find plenty of stores and rental shops on the island.
📲 If you want to have internet, you can buy a sim card at the destination or, something a little more expensive but more convenient, buy before your trip an Holafly eSIM with a discount. You can purchase one here. You can book it here for 5% cheaper with the code “comeamaviaja.” You will have internet from the moment you land!
Map of things to do in Gili Meno Island
On the map below, I have marked all the places mentioned in this article, including recommended restaurants and hotels.
💳 To get Indonesian rupees or pay by card, I recommend you get an N26 card. With the free plan, you can withdraw money with a very low commission and pay in another currency with the best exchange rate and no commissions. In Gili Trawangan, you will find several ATMs.
I hope this article about the best things to do in Gili Meno Island has been very useful for you to organize your visit to this amazing destination. If you have any questions or want to share with me your experience, I’ll read you in the comments. Hope to see you again soon!
