Gili Meno

Gili Meno for couples: a slow guide to the quiet island

If Gili Trawangan is the party island and Gili Air the all-rounder, Gili Meno is the one you come to for each other. The smallest and quietest of the three Gilis has long been the honeymoon choice, and it wears that reputation well. There is, deliberately, not much to do, and that is the point. Meno is a slow loop of white sand you can walk in under an hour, fringed by shallow reef and dotted with a handful of beachfront bungalows and barefoot bars. Days here are built around the water and the shade: a snorkel before it gets hot, a long lunch, a hammock, a sunset, repeat. The snorkelling is genuinely special. Green turtles are common in the shallows, and just off the west coast you will find the underwater statues, a ring of human figures on the seabed that has become one of the most photographed sights in the Gilis. You can reach it straight from the beach with a mask and fins. Inland, a small salt lake and patches of forest give the island a wilder, quieter character than its neighbours. Accommodation runs from simple bamboo bungalows to a few genuinely lovely boutique retreats with private terraces and over-water decks. Because Meno is small and popular with couples, the best places book out early, especially in the dry season, so reserve ahead rather than hoping to find something on arrival. A couple of practical notes. Meno has the fewest shops and ATMs of the three islands, so bring enough cash for your stay. There is very little nightlife, which is exactly why people choose it; if you want one big night out, Trawangan is a short hop away on the shuttle boat and you can be back by morning. Come to Meno with low expectations of doing anything and high expectations of doing nothing well. It is, for the right couple, the most romantic corner of the Gilis.