Your thoughts on Gili Gede for snorkeling and hotels

Hi there, we’re planning to spend a month in Lombok in July 2026 and would love to hear your thoughts on Gili Gede.

We really enjoy snorkeling, preferably from the beach (so we don’t have to rely on renting a boat). On the side, we also love short hikes of a few hours—like to waterfalls or through rice fields (max 5–6 hours round trip). We’d like to stay in small family-run hotels away from the crowds (but with a pool, since our kids love spending their evenings there).

Do you think Gili Gede checks at least 2 of these 3 boxes (snorkeling + small family-run hotels away from the crowds)? Would you recommend a better spot in Lombok that ticks all 3 boxes?

Thanks so much in advance! Fanny

Hello

Gili Gede is a very pretty, very peaceful island, perfect for short hikes (or rather, strolls), but it’s not large enough to have waterfalls or rice fields—you’ll need to head to Lombok at the foot of Rinjani for that.

Also, snorkeling from the beach isn’t the best, so it’d be a shame to visit Gili Gede without renting a boat to explore the marine life around Gili Rengit and Gili Layar, which, in my opinion, are among the best diving spots in Lombok. Think of Gili Gede as a great base for exploring the archipelago on day-long boat trips, rather than a standalone destination.

Personally, I stayed at a small homestay (3-4 rooms), Homestay Pelangi: the owner could organize boat trips, and his wife was an amazing cook. I’m speaking in the past tense because this was about 5-6 years ago, but based on Google reviews, the homestay is still open.

Loic