June 6th-June 9th Gili Meno

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June 6th-June 9th Gili Meno

We took the public boat across to the quietest of the Gili islands with a population of 300. What I found surprising was how Gili Meno reminded me more of a rural community than a tropical island. Cows and goats wandered about. Fields were full of brush and wild lantana bushes. Like Gili T, there are no cars here, of course. One main dirt road that circles the island that you can either walk or hire a horse and buggy to take you around.

We ended up staying in this great place, a little house set apart from everyone (well, that whopping population of 300 with about maybe 50 tourists) that looked out on a field to the left and the sea right in front of us. There was a wide porch with a hammock and mats where we lounged and read during the day. I would sometimes watch the road and look for someone coming around the bend, struck by how seldom anyone did come by. And the best part was on top of the toilet/shower area, there was a bamboo water tower that you could climb, about three stories high. At night, we climbed up there and watched the stars. At fifteen dollars a night, this place was incredible. And there was even electricity although we needed to use candles or our flashlights to get around. One stray kitten insisted on sleeping with us. Since it was open air, there was really no way to keep her out. And we kinda liked her insistence. We named her Beruga which is the little thatched-roof deck structures that love to hang out in on the islands.

Tips for other travelers:
*Where to stay on Gili Meno:
This place I described above is a must and called Bugi Beach. It’s new, so getting a room is a bit difficult as there isn’t reception or anything like that. It’s just two huts side-by-side. The guy who rents it out can often be found around the grounds in the morning or at the boat landing. You can also ask to sleep up on the water tower, and he’ll bring some mattresses up there for you. Mosquitoes are not a problem.

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Photos

Boat Ride from Gili T to Gili Meno
This boat was so tiny I feared we weighed it down too much to make it across.

Where We Stayed
This was the first bungalow they built. More are to come supposedly.

Walking to the Store on Gili Meno
So lovely.

Our Bathroom/Star Gazing Tower
This is our "bathroom." We would climb it at night to watch the stars.

Comments

[mama jean]

gili
Love this place: tropical, rural and quiet altogether plus a cat! Where is the food? Guess you can't recognize any constellations there? Thinking there would be different circumpolar ones there?