(For an overview of the gilis, start on our original blog post by clicking here!)
What can we say, except, “We were there when…” As in, we were there when we were 2 of only 8 tourists on the whole island, at Gili Asahan’s only accommodation, the Pearl Beach Resort. There are rumors of a giant hotel chain wanting to built a 250 room resort on this tiny island (about the size of Gili Meno) but considering the logistics of building and staffing such an endeavor, we’ll believe it when we see it.
That said, it is startling (and startlingly refreshing) how undeveloped this string of small islands in the southwest of Lombok have remained. Many have no lodging, some have just a couple small hotels, and all are stunning. From the north coasts you can see Lombok’s Mt Rinjani in the distance. On Gili Asahan, we watched as several pouring rainclouds passed directly in front of us, never dropping a hint of rain on the island!
This is your quintessential “deserted island” (or, rather, as close as you’ll get with any amenities at all). Electricity comes alive between 6 pm and 4 am, and your cell phone probably won’t work here, so say goodbye to “the world” for a few days and make sure you snag the hammock in front of beach bungalow #1. It’s awesome.
