The South Gilis off Sekotong | A Guide to Lombok’s Quiet, Hidden Gili Islands

4 October 2026

Information as of August 2026

When people hear “the Gili Islands”, most picture the three islands off north-west Lombok: Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno. Far fewer know that small islands such as Gili Nanggu and Gili Gede are also scattered off Sekotong in south-west Lombok, where we at Semelar Beach Village are based. In this article we look at the “Secret Gilis” off Sekotong island by island, and set out how they differ from the three northern Gilis.

In this article

✓An overview of the “South Gilis” off Sekotong
✓The character of each main island, including Gili Nanggu, Gili Gede, Gili Sudak and Gili Kedis
✓How they differ from the three northern Gilis, and how to tell which suits you
✓The basics of getting there by boat from Sekotong harbour
✓Infrastructure limits worth knowing before you go

The short answer

The “South Gilis” off Sekotong have none of the nightlife or well-developed infrastructure of the three northern Gilis. Instead, they offer quiet beaches and unhurried island time. The basic way to enjoy them is to pick islands that match what you want to do and charter a boat from Sekotong harbour.

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What are the “South Gilis” off Sekotong?

“Gili” is a word in the language of the Sasak, Lombok’s indigenous people, and simply means “small island”. So beyond the famous three northern Gilis, there are other islands around Lombok with “Gili” in their name. The best-known group is the one off the Sekotong area in south-west Lombok. As we explain in our Sekotong Complete Guide: A Hidden Corner of South-West Lombok, there are said to be around 12 islands of various sizes off Sekotong, and the four most often visited are Gili Nanggu, Gili Gede, Gili Sudak and Gili Kedis. Further west, off western Sekotong, there are also islands such as Gili Asahan, Gili Rengit and Gili Layar, and the departure harbour and atmosphere differ from island to island.

We call these islands the “South Gilis”, in contrast to the three northern Gilis. The three northern Gilis, covered in What Are the Gili Islands? The Three Islands Compared and How to Get There, share the fact that no cars or motorbikes run on them, and they have grown into holiday islands with plenty of restaurants, dive shops and nightlife. Most of the South Gilis, on the other hand, are either uninhabited or have little more than a fishing village, and tourist infrastructure is very limited. This lack of development is precisely what gives the South Gilis their character.

In a video published in December 2025 on our team’s YouTube channel, Hiroki Nakamura, who runs a business in Sekotong, says that a few minutes by boat from Semelar Market there is a sandbank island called “Sand Island”, which you can only land on when the tide is out, and which shrinks to a tiny patch at high tide (video). In the same video he also mentions that on an earlier visit the island had disappeared under the water (video). In another video, published in July 2026, he says resorts are increasing on the islands off Sekotong: the larger islands have around 10 resorts each, while some small islands have just one resort to the whole island (video).

Profiles of the main islands

Here we look one by one at the islands off Sekotong that are most often featured, in terms of size, atmosphere and who each one suits.

Gili Nanggu: the “starter” island with great snorkelling

Gili Nanggu is relatively large for a South Gili and is known for having one resort on the island. Its appeal lies in the white-sand beach on the south side and the healthy coral reef that runs out from it. With calm sea conditions and plenty of shallows, it is often described as a snorkelling spot that beginners and families can enjoy easily. There are reports of dense schools of fish and of turtle sightings, and it is fair to say it has the most “holiday island” facilities of all the South Gilis. On day-trip island-hopping tours it is usually the first stop.

Gili Gede: the largest and most developed South Gili, an island people live on

Gili Gede is the largest and most developed of the South Gilis. About five small hamlets are dotted along an island roughly 4 kilometres long, and daily life centres on fishing and pearl farming. There are no ATMs, supermarkets or cars, but there are said to be around 20 places to stay, from simple homestays to villas with private pools, giving it the widest choice of accommodation among the South Gilis. Dive shops and restaurants are clustered mainly around the jetties, so when choosing where to stay it is worth checking whether dinner is served. Gili Gede is home to a Muslim community, so please show respect when walking around the island, for example by keeping your shoulders and knees covered. It is often used as a base for diving and island hopping, and suits a stay spent moving from island to island more than one spent relaxing on the beach.

Gili Sudak: soft sand, and an island where you can camp

Gili Sudak has a simple, rustic feel, with coconut palms, local huts and grazing cattle. The sand is soft and the water stays shallow a long way out, but its reef is said to be less colourful than that of neighbouring Gili Nanggu, and the island is not well known in its own right. There is basically no accommodation and most visitors come on day trips, but it is sometimes used as a stopover on island-hopping tours or as a camping base, for example because you can gather firewood for a campfire. Precisely because it has not been developed for tourism, it is also an island where you can sense local life just as it is.

Gili Kedis: a tiny sandbar you can cross in seconds

Gili Kedis is strikingly small even among the South Gilis: you can walk from one end to the other in a matter of seconds. It is surrounded by powder-fine white sand and shallows, and sometimes has a swing, benches and a simple shelter. There is no accommodation, but camping is sometimes possible, and it suits a beach barbecue at sunset, stargazing or a day-trip picnic. Pearl-farming rafts can sometimes be seen floating nearby, giving you a glimpse of the simple livelihoods typical of the South Gilis. On island-hopping tours it is often the last stop, a “closing island” for enjoying the quiet.

Gili Asahan and around: further west, the quietest islands of all

Further west of the Sekotong area, in the stretch that starts around Koles village, islands such as Gili Asahan, Gili Rengit, Gili Layar and Gili Goleng are scattered. Gili Asahan in particular is sometimes described as “the quietest of the inhabited islands”, with no roads, cars or motorbikes, in a setting where time seems to stand still. The island has a few small resorts and eco-lodges with beach bungalows, and activities include snorkelling, diving, climbing the hill for the view, and kayaking to neighbouring Gili Goleng. On the other hand, there are not enough eateries on the island to choose freely between them, so you are likely to rely on your accommodation for meals, which is worth understanding in advance. Gili Rengit and Gili Layar are similarly almost undeveloped, and are described as islands for snorkelling coral gardens or resting on empty beaches.

Island-by-island comparison

← Scroll the table sideways

Island	Size and atmosphere	Accommodation	Best for
Gili Nanggu	Medium-sized, with a rich coral reef	One resort	Snorkellers, and a first taste of the South Gilis
Gili Gede	The largest South Gili, with fishing and pearl-farming hamlets	Around 20, from homestays to villas	People who want to hop between islands, or a diving base
Gili Sudak	Soft sand and a feel of simple local life	Basically none (day trips and camping)	Enjoying a stopover on an island-hopping tour
Gili Kedis	A sandbar you can cross in seconds	None (day trips, camping in some cases)	Quiet sunsets and starry skies, couples
Gili Asahan area	Especially quiet even for the South Gilis, no roads or cars	A few small resorts and eco-lodges	Settling in for a few days of rest

Note: A guide based on generally available information (as of August 2026).

Figure: Where the five main South Gilis sit

Access is basically by boat from Sekotong harbour

How they differ from the three northern Gilis

As we explain in What Are the Gili Islands? The Three Islands Compared and How to Get There, Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno are holiday islands with a concentration of restaurants and dive shops, and some areas stay lively until late at night. Many fast boats also run there directly from Bali, and that easy access is a big part of their appeal for travellers.

The South Gilis, by contrast, have limited electricity and internet on most islands, and only a handful of places to eat. Getting around basically means chartering a boat from Sekotong harbour or elsewhere, and there is not the kind of scheduled public-boat network the three northern Gilis have. In short: if you want buzz and convenience, go for the three northern Gilis; if you want uncrowded beaches and unhurried island time, go for the South Gilis. If your schedule allows, we can also recommend combining the two: enjoy the liveliness of the northern Gilis, then base yourself in Sekotong to experience the calm of the South Gilis.

Getting there from Sekotong: the basics

As explained in detail in our Sekotong Complete Guide: A Hidden Corner of South-West Lombok, the basic way to reach the South Gilis is to charter a boat from Sekotong harbour. Boats to Gili Nanggu, Gili Sudak and Gili Kedis often leave from around Tawun harbour, while boats towards Gili Gede and Gili Asahan often leave from around Tembowong harbour, so note that the departure point depends on the island you are heading to. Most travellers plan a half-day or full-day island-hopping tour that takes in several islands.

Some islands have no public boat service, so arranging a boat through your accommodation or a tour operator is the reliable option. Boats may be cancelled depending on the weather and sea conditions, so we recommend building some slack into your schedule.

Please note

Limited infrastructure: Most islands have no ATM, supermarket or hospital. Bring plenty of cash and any regular medication you need.
Few places to eat: On uninhabited islands or those with only a small hamlet, meals may not be available. Check whether your tour or accommodation offers a plan with meals included.
Risk of boat cancellations: On some days boats cannot go out because of sea conditions. Avoid scheduling island travel too close to the last day of your trip.
Few scheduled public boats: Shared public boats like those serving the three northern Gilis are limited. Getting around is basically by charter.

🏝️ A word from Sekotong

In Sekotong, every boat trip brings a different small island into view. We don’t know the names of many of them, but if you ask a local boatman he will often tell you, “That one is Gili So-and-so.” Not every island has facilities for visitors, so we recommend checking with your accommodation or tour operator which islands you can actually get to before you plan (as of August 2026).

Frequently asked questions

Q. How many islands are there in the South Gilis?

There are said to be around 12 islands of various sizes off Sekotong. Not all of them can be visited or are inhabited; the most visited are the four islands of Gili Nanggu, Gili Gede, Gili Sudak and Gili Kedis, plus islands to the west such as Gili Asahan.

Q. Can I visit several islands in one day?

Yes. Neighbouring islands such as Gili Nanggu, Gili Sudak and Gili Kedis are commonly combined into an island-hopping tour on a half-day or full-day boat charter. Boats towards Gili Gede and Gili Asahan leave from a different harbour, so it may be better not to force them into the same day.

Q. Are there islands I can stay on?

Gili Nanggu has one small resort, and Gili Gede has several places to stay within its fishing villages, from homestays to villas. Islands to the west such as Gili Asahan also have small resorts and eco-lodges. Gili Sudak and Gili Kedis, on the other hand, basically have no accommodation and are mainly visited on day trips or for camping.

Q. Should I choose the northern Gilis or the South Gilis?

If you want restaurants and nightlife and value easy access, the three northern Gilis suit you. If you want quiet, uncrowded beaches and unhurried island time, we recommend the South Gilis. If your schedule allows, combining both is another option.

Summary

The South Gilis off Sekotong are, in contrast to the three northern Gilis, an area of modest development where quiet island time still survives. Each island has its own character: snorkelling at Gili Nanggu, fishing-village life on Gili Gede, the simple beaches of Gili Sudak and Gili Kedis, and further west, the calm of the Gili Asahan area. Bearing in mind the limited infrastructure and choice of food, pick the islands that match what you want to do and visit them on a boat charter from Sekotong harbour.

Watch: 5 days in Sekotong and the South Gilis