Gili Asahan – The Peaceful and Quiet Gili Island

The Secret Gilis in the southwest of Lombok are becoming increasingly popular and are a great alternative to the 3 famous Gili Islands: Trawangan, Meno and Air. Most of the islands in the Sekotong archipelago are still quite untouched, and only a handful of them offer accommodation.

Gili Asahan Lombok – The Quietest of the Secret Gilis

One of these islands is Gili Asahan. It is located at the far west of the Sekotong archipelago and is the quietest of all habitable Gilis here. My first time on one of the Secret Gilis was back in 2014, specifically on Gili Nanggu. You can also stay overnight there, but over the years the island has become a popular destination for day trips from Lombok. As a result, it rarely offers as much peace and relaxation during the day as Gili Asahan does.

Accommodation on Gili Asahan – Our Hotel Tip

We stayed at the Pearl Beach Resort. The resort is located on the east coast of the island and even has its own house reef. You can go snorkeling directly from the beach. The rooms come in different categories. We stayed in the beach bungalows, which are very nicely decorated and highly recommended. The hanging bed on the veranda, in particular, invites you to relax and chill out.

Another accommodation option is the Gili Asahan Eco Lodge. The resort is located on the southwestern side of Gili Asahan. From there, you have a wonderful view of the sunsets. It also made a great impression.

What Can I Do on Gili Asahan?

Definitely relax! Enjoy the peace and seclusion. Bring a good book. You are on one of the quietest islands around Lombok. If you still want to be a bit active, you can go snorkeling at the house reefs of your resort. Directly from the beach. The Sekotong area is also an absolute underwater paradise for divers.

Gili Asahan has several hills that you can also climb. From up there, you have a great view of Gili Asahan itself as well as the neighboring islands. You can easily combine the ascent to the viewpoint with a walk around the island (pay attention to the tides when walking around the island). Along the way, you will also pass through the local village, where you will meet many friendly locals. It is best to set off early in the morning or in the early afternoon to avoid the midday heat on the hill. The highlight is, of course, the sunset from up there, but it is also beautiful from the beach.

You also should not miss a snorkeling or island-hopping tour to the surrounding Secret Gilis. I have already written about the other Gilis on the blog. Since islands like Gili Nanggu or Gili Sudak are located at the other end of the archipelago, such a tour is not always possible or the boat ride takes a bit longer. For a shorter tour, we recommend the two islands Gili Layar and Gili Rengit (Gili Ringgit). They are among the most popular snorkeling spots in Sekotong, and usually only these tours are offered. On Gili Layar, you can relax for a while after snorkeling and enjoy the quiet beach.

Other activities on Gili Asahan include yoga, massages, or canoeing/kayaking. For example, you can paddle by kayak to the small neighboring island Gili Goleng and feel like Robinson Crusoe.

Conclusion – Why a Trip to Gili Asahan Is Worth It

No roads, cars, motorbikes, or even the Lombok-typical Cidomos (horse-drawn carriages). You will meet friendly locals at most, a few other tourists, cows, and goats. Gili Asahan feels a bit as if time has stood still. And that is exactly what creates the atmosphere of this island. We definitely recommend a visit. You can also easily combine it with a stay on the other Secret Gilis (e.g., Gili Nanggu) or in Sekotong itself.

The only small downside for foodies: there are hardly any warungs on the island, so you are almost always dependent on the food from the resorts and cannot fully experience the variety of authentic Indonesian and Lombok cuisine. We ate both at Pearl Beach Resort and at Gili Asahan Eco Lodge and really liked it. Of course, you unfortunately do not get local prices.

You can visit Gili Asahan all year round. Even in the rainy season on Lombok, it is a great vacation spot. In contrast to the dry season (when we were there), it is beautifully green and lush.

This article was created in cooperation with Fairaway, who provided us with transport and accommodation. However, as always, our opinions are our own and freely written.

Lombok: Tours and Tickets

Do you prefer to travel with a guide who knows the area very well? Then we recommend a guided tour with a local. This way you can get to know Lombok in a completely different way. GetYourGuide offers a wide selection of exciting tours for Lombok.

How to Get to Gili Asahan

To get from Lombok to Gili Asahan, you first need to head to West Sekotong, more precisely to Kores. The best option is to arrange a boat transfer with your accommodation in advance (all accommodations on Gili Asahan offer this). You can either book a driver or a transport company, hire a taxi, or make your own way to Sekotong (although this is not really recommended due to the lack of secure parking). The drive from Senggigi and Kuta takes about 2 hours each.

Another option is traveling from Bali. With Gili Getaway, you can travel from Bali via the two Nusa islands directly to Sekotong. However, at the moment there is only a transfer to Gili Asahan’s neighboring island Gili Gede. From there, you can again use the boat service provided by your accommodation. Be sure to clarify this in advance. You can also travel to and from the three Gilis with Gili Getaway, but only in high season. You can find prices and departure times on 12go.asia.

Have you ever been to Gili Asahan? How did you like it? Write us a comment about your stay on Gili Asahan.