In all honesty, no matter which Gili Island you land on, you’re in store for an incredible family holiday. All of the Gilis are great for families, although each island has its own unique vibe and there are a few pros and cons when considering which Gili Island is best for families across each of the islands. So let’s get into it—which Gili island is best for families?
Gili Trawangan?
Gili Trawangan is the biggest of the three islands (but still tiny), and it’s the island that sees the most tourism and therefore with the most businesses like shops and restaurants.
Gili Trawangan (also called ‘Gili T’) is famous for being the ‘party island’. There’s no shortage of late-night bars with booming sound systems—great if you want to party into the night while someone looks after the kids, but not so great if you have light sleepers in the family.
The plus of staying on Gili Trawangan is that it’s definitely the liveliest island and there are lots of family-friendly activities to keep you entertained. Unique to Gili T is the night market where you can find lots of cheap local eats, watersports including stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking, and the open-air cinema. Everything else like diving, snorkelling, dining, and shopping can also be done on Gili Air and less so on Gili Meno. Accommodation here is plentiful and varied for a range of budgets.
The night market on Gili T is a must-do—here you can find all kinds of fresh seafood which will be grilled in front of you, as well as all the typical Indonesian specialities and desserts. Prices are cheap (although still inflated due to the number of tourists) but it’s important you confirm prices before they start cooking.
Away from all the hustle and bustle, on the west side of the island, you can enjoy the white-sanded beaches with fewer people around. Hula Sunset Beach Club is a new venue on this side of the island—they have plenty of seating/sun loungers, a great pool, good food and cocktails, and often have live music in the evenings.
Also on this end of the island, you’ll find the open-air beach cinema hosted by Aston Sunset Beach Resort which has recently been having two showings every night with the schedule posted outside. There are tons of bikes to rent on Gili T which is good for getting around as walking from one end to the other takes around 40 minutes which may be a bit much in the heat for young kids.
Gili T with kids pros
- Loads of things to do
- Tons of kid-friendly restaurants
- Lots of accom options
- Loads of chilled bars and beach clubs
- Watersports
- Cycling
- Shopping
- Snorkelling and diving
- Open-air beach cinema
Gili T with kids cons
- It’s a party island—loud music late into the night and loud drunk people
- The busiest island—harder to find secluded beach spots
Gili Meno?
Think of Gili Meno as the opposite of Gili Trawangan. It’s the smallest of the three islands and also the quietest one. Gili Meno is perfect for honeymooners that are looking to escape the world for a bit. You can easily find yourself entirely alone on a stretch of beach on Meno. There is a good range of accommodation here, but the more upmarket places like a villa with private pool tend to be quite pricey.
In terms of things to do on Gili Meno, it’s not entirely barren. There are a few restaurants scattered around the island, although they serve mostly local food which could be a problem for picky kids. Le Pirate is probably the closest thing you’ll get to a beach club, and there are lots of little beach bars around the island. Everything on Gili Meno is closed by around 9 pm.
Unique to Gili Meno is the Sea Turtle Sanctuary. Here they hatch turtles and raise them until they’re old enough to be released. For IDR 100,000 (USD 6) you can choose a turtle to release on the beach which kids will love, and the donation goes back into the turtle programme. There isn’t a whole lot to see at the sanctuary itself though. The saltwater lake on Gili Meno isn’t particularly pretty or interesting.
Gili Meno with kids pros
- Undisturbed time with family
- Complete tranquillity
- Snorkelling and diving
- Turtle sanctuary
Gili Meno with kids cons
- Not much to do!
- Harder to find food for picky kids
- Everything shuts early
- Live music is rare
- High-standard accommodation can be pricey
Gili Air?
Gili Air is the in-betweener island. Definitely not as energetic as Gili T, but not as deserted as Gili Meno. The island is bigger than Meno but smaller than Gili T, so you can walk from one side to the other in around 20 minutes whereas it will take you around double that on Gili T. Gili Air is perfect if your family wants to experience staying on a tranquil tropical island but also wants to have lots of dining, drinking, and accommodation options.
There are heaps of beachfront shops, restaurants and cafes selling a mix of local and western cuisines. Live music is common in the evenings. Places stay open later on Gili Air than Gili Meno but the island is mostly quiet by around midnight which is ideal for light-sleeping kids (and parents!). Cycling is possible on Gili Air and you’ll find bikes for rent around the island or at your accommodation.
There’s a handful of yoga studios on the island with the two main ones being Flowers & Fire and H2O, and there’s even a gym—Holiday Fit. There are tons of family accommodation options including budget homestays, villas, and upmarket hotels—all generally at very reasonable prices. The benefits of private villa vs hotel accommodation are that you don’t have to be as mindful of your kids bothering other guests since you’ll have the pool all to yourselves. Check out what we offer at Villa Burung (family villa, Gili Air).
Other things to do here include horseriding on the beach (kid-friendly) and of course snorkelling or diving (for older kids). If a good mix between fun family activities and undisturbed serenity on the beaches sounds good to you, Gili Air may be the best island for your family.
Read about what else there is to do on Gili Air.
Gili Air with kids pros
- The ideal blend of entertainment and tranquillity
- Heaps of beachfront dining and drinking option
- A good mix of Western and local food
- Yoga studios
- Snorkelling and diving
- Gym
- Shopping
- Live music
- Horseriding
- Places stay open late, but not too late
- Loads of accom options at reasonable prices
Gili Air with kids cons
- A bit less hip and happening than Gili T
Conclusion
So, the answer? All the Gilis are very safe for families. One interesting thing about the Gilis is that there are no dogs! Aggressive street dogs can sometimes be an issue in Bali and Lombok but not here—instead, you can spend time stroking all the cats of Gili! While there are things to do in Gili Islands for families on all three of the islands, Gili Trawangan and Gili Air certainly offer more in the way of activities.
Gili Meno can quickly become boring for kids, and a private family villa on this island can run up to hundreds of dollars a night. Gili T is famous for being a party island, and for some families, the atmosphere may not be appropriate.
Gili Air can be considered the perfect in-between of Gili T and Meno—plenty of things to do, yet no loud music and out-of-control partying. While the decision on the best island for families depends on your personal preferences, most settle on Gili Air as the ideal family holiday destination.
