Gili Meno, sea turtle paradise - Life of a Passion

It’s an absolute must to visit the Gili islands when having the possibility. There are 3 islands; Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, and Gili Meno.

Gili Trawangan is the party island where booze and music are no stranger whereas Gili Air is quieter, but tourism is catching up real quick. The most pristine island of the three with a minimal of tourism is Gili Meno.

After visiting Bali, Gili Meno was the next island on our list. We took the ferry from Candidasa to Gili Meno. When arriving on the island, we were in immediate awe. The island has crystal clear water and white beaches.

Fun fact: Gili Meno was a notorious Malaria region for a long time because the island contains a large lake. The risk has dropped considerably now, but you still have to protect yourself.

The only transportation method allowed on the island (besides bicycles) is a horse-drawn carriage, called cidomo.

Tip: When coming to this island, try to take as little as you can with you. We don’t want to burden that horse with another 50 kilos of luggage aside from our weight already.

Nest

The next morning we went to “Nest“, an underwater sculpture by Jason deCaires Taylor for BASK hotel. The sculpture is to help improve local employment and a greater appreciation of the beauty of the underwater world surrounding the Gilis. The sculpture contains 48 life-size human figures. It is hoped Nest will be turned into a fully established reef.

How to go to the Nest?

We were on the other side of the island and left our hotel at 7.30 AM. We got there (while taking the longer road and crossing the lake right into the construction site of the BASK hotel) at 8 AM. Look for the big BASK sign (white stone). From this point on, you can see Gili Trawangan (from our hotel beach, you could see Gili Air). Leave your clothes here, put on your snorkeling gear and swim straight on for about 30 meters. You’ll find the sculpture right in front of you at a depth of around 3 meters.

Tip: Boat tours will come around 8.30-9 AM, and they’ll stop right next to the sculpture. I rather found this irritating.

Turtle island

The hotel we stayed in has a swimming pool and a beach. There is a lot of coral in the sand, especially when entering the water. The beach is shallow for at least 30 meters until you meet the great depth where divers take a plunge.

The Gili Islands are a known paradise for turtles. Gili Meno even has its own turtle sanctuary to protect and preserve the turtles. The best time to spot turtles is in the morning. Turtles will then swim in the shallow water to eat seagrass. When they have enough (around noon), they’ll swim back to the great depths of the ocean, where only divers can spot them. We went around 10.30 AM in the water, thinking we were too late to spot one, but luck was on our side that day!

My parents and I got into the water with our snorkeling gear (you have the possibility to rent them at the hotel, but we preferred our own kit). My mom lost her snorkel, so my father went searching for it in the shallow waters. The tide was getting lower by the minute and I decided to venture off with an Australian couple. The corals I saw were red and green, flourishing with all kinds of fish.

Turtle, turtle!

Suddenly I hear my father shout out my name repeatedly; he found a turtle. I thanked the Australian couple for accompanying me and swam immediately to my father (against the tide). I reached him, half dead for sure, and admired the beautiful sea turtle eating his dinner. The turtle swam away after 5 minutes.

Tip: Do not touch the turtles. I spoke to a woman who’s been to a diving spot where the guides offered them to touch the turtles. Turtles face already many threats, including habitat destruction and extinction. Be an observer, not a disturber.