From Bali I, the three French guys and a Latvian girl took a fast boat (as opposed to a ferry) to the famed Gili islands. The Gilis are a collection of three small islands located off the northwest coast of the bigger of island of Lombok. They are called Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan in order of increasing distance from the coast. They also range from rural and quiet (Gili Meno) to probably the biggest party station in all of Indonesia (Gili T). We decided to head to the happy medium, and I was not at all disappointed by what we found.

The port (a single small pier) is located on the south side of the island, and there is a small collection of shops and restaurants on the shore. The inside of the island is composed of small, dusty farms navigated by a network of small, dustier footpaths. Motorized vehicles of any kind are not allowed on the Gilis. After a few weeks in Indonesia it is an especially refreshing change of pace. Around the perimeter of the island, particularly on the north coast where we stayed, are a line of ramshackle, perfect beach cafes and restaurants with some of the coolest chillout spots I have ever seen. The vibe is very palpably all about laid back island life, and reggae beats are the universal tunes of choice.

At night the pulse increases with more of a beach party scene, live music and lots of barbecue. Everyone just grabbed a beer, settled into one of the huge pillows or cabanas scattered about, and enjoyed the good energy all around.