Jan 14 - Feb. 7, 2024
On January 14 2024, we took a ferry from Bali to Lombok. We were lucky and gifted four complimentary nights (due to Home Exchange) at the exquisite Amehalia Beach Resort on Gili Asahan, a tiny island situated southwest of Lombok (check its location here). This idyllic tropical paradise is home to just a handful of local families who reside permanently on the island. The snorkeling was fantastic. I enjoyed sea kayaking, running around the island (who can run 4 km around a tropical island in January?), swimming, hiking to the island's viewpoint and snorkeling.
Sunset on Agung volcano (Bali) viewed from Mataram, Lombok
Gili air is part of the three most popular islands (Gilis) located on the north-western side of Lombok (click here to see where). There are direct fast boats from Bali, making this island easily accessible for tourists. We stayed fours nights late January 2024 (during low season) and the island was very quiet. Most restaurants, warungs, and bars were completely empty. The ambiance was good and I found the prices on the island to be very reasonable (cheaper than Seminyak or Ubud in Bali). I went scubadiving with my daughter (Alixe) and she really enjoyed her experience. We saw turtles, eels, and many mushroom corals.
We took a 10-minute ferry to Gili Meno, which is the least developed island amongst the three Gilis. This island is a true hidden paradise with a very laidback vide, very few tourists, no big parties and amazing snorkeling (I saw at least 4 sea turtles every time I went snorkeling in front of The Pirate beach Resort. I wish we could have stayed longer here... Better, cheaper and nicer than Bali.
We concluded our two-month journey in Indonesia with a week in Ahmed, situated in the northeast of Bali. During this period, spanning the end of January to the beginning of February, the weather took a turn, featuring more rain, cloudy days, and almost daily downpours. Despite these conditions, we snorkeled at various sites, including the Japanese shipwreck at Lipah Beach, and Jemeluk Bay where the water was fairly clear with vibrant fish and lively coral formations. Having explored the most stunning beaches in the region for two months prior, Amed left me somewhat disappointed. Its beaches primarily consisted of pebbles, with a slight issue of litter pollution. Nevertheless, the authentic local life and the absence of throngs of tourists compensated for these shortcomings.
Our journey continued as we took a taxi back to Seminyak, where we spent four nights before departing for Perth, Australia, on February 8, 2024. Australia marked the next destination on my global travel itinerary and my 105 traveled country on this planet!
