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Gijón

Gijón or Xixón (in Asturian language) is a coastal city in Asturias province in northwest Spain. It lies close to the cities of Aviles and Oviedo. It attracts a growing number of visitors, drawn by a good offer of culture and sports and a strong service sector.

Climate
The weather in Gijón is not like much of the rest of Spain. Gijón is on the northern coast where it is wet and not very hot in summer.

The climate of Gijón may be defined, in this sense, as being temperate, with an average annual temperature of 15 ºC and only slightly varying annual average maximum and minimum temperatures.

Rainfall ranges between 800-1,000 mm/year, fairly regularly distributed, with few very dry periods and no great concentration of rainfall at specific times of the year.

Both variables, temperature and rainfall, are slightly modified at the southeastern border of the municipality, where the highest altitudes are to be found: the temperatures decrease and the rainfall increases.

History
The first inhabitants of Asturias, arrived 250,000 years ago. Some neanderthal remains are from the Palaeolithic era, and others belongs to the "Asturiense" period, local culture between 7000 and 5000 BC. One of the most important neanderthal remains are Mount Areo dolmens.

The territory was occupied continuously during the Middle Ages, proof of which is the Romanesque churches dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. The founding of the Puebla (Village) in 1270 implied an urban expansion that was to come to a standstill at the end of the 14th century, when Gijón became the stage for the Trastámara conflicts, during which the town was almost completely destroyed.

In the 18th century, the erudite Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos laid out the plans for the development of Gijón. The process of industrialisation begun in the mid-19th century changed the city into the industrial centre of Asturias, with its leading El Musel Port, shipyards and numerous manufacturing installations.

By plane
Asturias airport is 30 km west of north of Gijón, close to Avilés. It has flights from Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Sevilla and other Spanish airports, as well as international flights from Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom. (as of September 2023).

A direct ALSA bus runs between Gijón bus station and the airport hourly taking 50 min; the fare is €9. A taxi costs €40 and takes 20 min.

Other flight options are to use Santander which has budget flights (eg Ryanair from London Stansted), 3 hours away by bus, or fly into Madrid and reach Oviedo by bus or train.

By train
The Spanish railway company RENFE run direct trains from Alicante and Madrid via Oviedo, plus frequent metro services around the area. Metric gauge company Feve also has a line inland through Oviedo, connecting there with its slow, scenic services along the coast west to Ribadeo and Ferrol, east to Santander, Bilbao, San Sebastian and Irun / Hendaye on the French border. Feve is nowadays owned by Renfe with timetables on that website, but the systems aren't integrated. So between Oviedo and Gijón there are duplicate trains and tracks with non-interchangeable ticketing (adult single €6.80): this means trains at least hourly but doesn't look sustainable.

is the terminus for both Renfe (Iberian gauge) and Feve (metric gauge) trains. It's 500 m west of city centre along c. Sanz Crespo. Old maps show a welter of railway sidings continuing towards town, but these are ripped up and it's now just a brownfield expanse of gravel and buddleia. This means you can cross by a paved path at street level (eg towards the railway museum) and don't need to use the road bridge of c. Carlos Marx.

By bus
ALSA runs several direct services a day from Madrid and some other Spanish cities.

By car
From the south, by A-66 (toll motorway AP-66 between Leon and Campomanes, €13.15 for a car). You may find snow and ice in winter. In rush hours it may be slow between Oviedo and Gijon, but you can take AS-I in Mieres or AS-II in Oviedo as alternative routes.

From east and west, A-8 runs along the coast, toll-free except between Bilbao and Behobie-French border.

Get around
You can visit the city by car, on foot, by bicycle through its bike lanes or by Segway, personal transport with autobalance. You can rent segways on the city and make guided tours around it.

By car
Traffic in Gijón is easy, with no major trouble even in rush hours. Parking in an around the city centre requires to buy a parking ticket in one of the ORA vending machines, and leave it in a visible place behind the windshield. There are plenty of underground public parkings within walking distance from almost any place.

Motorized traffic in Cimavilla area is restricted between 23:00 and 07:00, except for residents. Access control is done by traffic cameras and licence plate readers. Be careful to leave the area before restriction applies.

Parking a car in a forbidden place will cause you to have to recover your car from the depot, paying a traffic ticket and towing expenses. Be careful.

By public transport
There are several urban and suburban bus lines in the city. A ticket for urban bus costs €1.25, but with a bus card you can get 10 trips for €8.20, including free bus changes within 45 minutes. Daily from July 1 to August 31, and on Friday and Saturday nights for the rest of the year, there are nightly buses (Buho). There are 4 lines converging in Plaza del Humedal every 60 minutes. More info and lines on Bus Gijón web.

Suburban buses connect Gijón with a lot of places in Asturias. More information on routes and schedules on CTA.

During Easter Holidays and Summer you can enjoy the city on a touristic bus which makes a route with stops on the principal tourism resources like Railway Museum, Isabel La Catolica Park, Laboral City of Culture, Botanical Garden.

Cercanías Asturias is the commuter rail service operating in Asturias, with direct services from Gijón to Pola de Lena, Cudillero, Pola de Laviana and Oviedo, and more places changing train in Oviedo or El Berrón stations.

On CTA you can get travel cards valid for all public transport routes within a zone. Please, check in advance how many zones you need for your planned trip.

Walking
Gijón, except Cimavilla is a plain city, so you can visit the city with some comfortable walks. In summertime, or when weather is fine, there are a lot of people walking El Muro along San Lorenzo beach. With colder temperatures, the Paseo del Muelle, next to the Marina is less exposed to winds.

Walking will let you interact with local people. Don't hesitate to ask them for advice or help, because they are warm and friendly. Foreign languages may be challenging for them (more so for older people), but some writing and gesturing will do the trick.

By bike
Gijón has a decent network of cycle lanes which allows a comfortable city visit. There are 8 public and free bike stations, but a Tarjeta Ciudadana (Citizen Card) is required to take a bike from a station. Anyone can get a Tarjeta Ciudadana, but it takes some time and patience to do the paperwork (in Spanish)

There are also plenty of bike shops where yo can get parts or repair your bike if you need so. Be warned also not to leave your bike unattended, even locked in a bike parking, or some pieces might be stolen. It's not so common but, just in case...

By taxi
Taxis in Gijón urban area may cost between €6 and €20, depending on distance. Extra fees may apply in stations, out of urban area and by night. There are several radio-taxi companies which may send you a free cab within a few minutes.

See
Gijón is a good place to visit because of its Roman past, its museums, its sculptures and architecture.

Further afield

Do
For sea lovers, the Estación Náutica Gijón Costa Verde offers the possibility of practising sailing, scuba diving, boat trips, sightings of sea birds, dolphins and other cetaceans. Other activities include hiking, driving a quad, horse riding, following routes and in the air, paragliding, hot-air ballooning, potholing, bungee jumping, rafting, hydrospeed, skiing and mountain biking. If you like football, visit the Sporting of Gijon Football Stadium, "El Molinón".

 * Football: Sporting de Gijón play soccer in Segunda División the second tier. Their home ground El Molinón (capacity 29,300) is on the riverbank 2 kn east of town centre.
 * Football: Sporting de Gijón play soccer in Segunda División the second tier. Their home ground El Molinón (capacity 29,300) is on the riverbank 2 kn east of town centre.
 * Football: Sporting de Gijón play soccer in Segunda División the second tier. Their home ground El Molinón (capacity 29,300) is on the riverbank 2 kn east of town centre.
 * Football: Sporting de Gijón play soccer in Segunda División the second tier. Their home ground El Molinón (capacity 29,300) is on the riverbank 2 kn east of town centre.
 * Football: Sporting de Gijón play soccer in Segunda División the second tier. Their home ground El Molinón (capacity 29,300) is on the riverbank 2 kn east of town centre.
 * Football: Sporting de Gijón play soccer in Segunda División the second tier. Their home ground El Molinón (capacity 29,300) is on the riverbank 2 kn east of town centre.

Beaches
Gijón lives facing the sea, which is ever present in its geography and activities. Nature has given the borough the gift of numerous beaches all along its coast. All of them have lifesavers service from May 1 to September 30.

Essential leisure spots when good weather pays us a visit, these sandy beaches are not abandoned with the arrival of autumn, the ideal time to enjoy a stroll or go fishing on the shore of the Bay of Biscay, known locally as the Cantabrian Sea.

 * Estaño Beach: it’s a small beach of sand and gravel. It has a natural swimming pool.
 * Cagonera and Serin beaches have brusque swell and not many people.
 * El Rinconin or Cervigon Beach: it is situated next to San Lorenzo beach. It has all services, and it has high affluence of people.
 * Arbeyal beach: small urban beach with golden sand, quiet water and good services.
 * Arbeyal beach: small urban beach with golden sand, quiet water and good services.
 * Arbeyal beach: small urban beach with golden sand, quiet water and good services.
 * Arbeyal beach: small urban beach with golden sand, quiet water and good services.

Fiestas

 * Big week in Gijon, it is the most important fiesta in Gijon. It is celebrated in August; the festivity is the 15th August, Begoña’s day. You can enjoy music concerts, fireworks, orchestras and a great variety of activities for everyone.
 * El Antroxu, it is the asturian carnival, one the most important fiestas on the region. It starts with the popular "Comadres" Thursday (a special night for women) and it lengths until next Tuesday.
 * El Antroxu, it is the asturian carnival, one the most important fiestas on the region. It starts with the popular "Comadres" Thursday (a special night for women) and it lengths until next Tuesday.

Buy

 * Ecological and crafts market: The Ecological and Crafts Market of Gijón is a sincere attempt to recover traditional, local crafts and at the same time to favour the promotion and consumption of ecological products that are environmentally friendly. This novel, curious initiative is in itself an open doorway to one and all to get to know the trends in ecological products first hand and to not lose sight of the most craft forms of working that are used in the region.
 * Shopping precincts, Shopping centres and shopping precincts abound in the town, both in number as well as quality, the latter having been valued at a national level with an award within the National Awards for Domestic Trade. These precincts are open, agreeable spaces that generally coincide with one street and are conducive to taking a stroll, seeing the town and doing some opportune shopping. The streets of San Bernardo, Los Moros, Corrida, Covadonga, Menéndez Valdés, Magnus Blikstad, Langreo, Asturias and Álvarez Garaya are shopping precincts full of shops of all kinds in the centre of Gijón, but also a neighbourhood like La Calzada has good services in streets like those of Brasil and the Avenida de La Argentina.
 * Strolling around Gijón, you can see the high quality and wide range of the town´s shops in which you may find the right buy and the fitting gift. The thing is that it is understood that shopping must be quality shopping and that the whole town of Gijón is the largest Shopping Centre in Asturias

Eat
If Gijón and Asturias are characterized by something it is by their tasty and varied gastronomy. Produce is not lacking, fish, seafood, meats, cider and delicious pastries. To promote all these attractions and enhance this work that has been carried out for three years, Gijón Joint Tourism Board has devised a plan of action focused on five main axes: Gijón Gourmet Menu; Sweet-toothed Gijón; Cider Routes; Gijón Cocktails and Going out for pinchos around Gijón.

Gijón Gourmet Menu arose 5 years ago to make the city's new culinary trends known by encouraging restaurants distinguished by some quality seal or mark to popularize its cuisine. Given the success of this initiative, the idea is to further extend the product by enhancing the use of produce in the region.

As its name suggests Sweet-toothed Gijon aims at highlighting one of the citys biggest attractions, its wonderful pastries. Therefore, Gijón is known for having the largest number of bakers shops per capita in the country, something that the townspeople boast about because of their fondness for sweet treats. Thus, its pastries, cakes, and chocolate will be closer to visitors. The product, presented with authenticity and uniqueness, would create routes of associated establishments in the city with the chance to taste the specialties of each establishment.

Cider Routes Gijón, being the largest borough producing this famous drink throughout the Principality, seeks to link the culture of cider, its elaboration and its presence in the city. For this reason, we will have the collaboration of Comarca de la Sidra (Cider Shire).

Gijón Cocktails.This initiative is born to encourage the catering and tourism sector bringing the citizen closer to the cocktail world as it is a very important part of gastronomy. The idea is to organize a contest on the streets and suggest routes by the participating establishments. Going out for pinchos and tapas around Gijón is a logical action given the long tradition of tapas (appetizers) and the need to enhance pinchos (small snacks) with an increasing demand among the townspeople themselves.

Drink

 * Cimavilla Bars line the streets and plazas of the most emblematic of Gijón's neighbourhoods, a large number of pubs in which to enjoy a chat with friends or others in which you can dance until the early hours.
 * Fomento Following the seashore, we find different establishments, the majority specialising in Latin rhythms. If your thing is dancing, don't miss coming along here later on at night.
 * Capua - Náutico More music and more dancing facing the sea, the latest rhythms can be heard in the disco bars of this zone near to the beach of San Lorenzo.
 * La Arena The most youthful ambience in town is to be found in this neighbourhood that runs parallel to San Lorenzo Beach.
 * El Carmen For more tranquil folk and lovers of good wine, this neighbourhood in the centre of the town is full of tascas (taverns) and bars, ideal for opening up your appetite.
 * The Ruta de los Vinos (Wine Route) One of the longest-standing areas to have a drink in Gijón, to start the night off with a beat.
 * Abierto hasta el Amanecer (Open until Dawn)

Sleep
Gijón has a truly extensive range of hotels. You may choose the hotel that suits you best according to its location, in the city centre or in the surroundings, number of stars, services, etc. Among the accommodation available in Gijón, there are also outstanding country hotels, especially suitable for enjoying the peace and tranquility of the surroundings and the quality of their facilities and services.

Stay safe
Gijón is a very safe place, and it is very unlikely that you are involved in a dangerous situation. If so, call emergency number 112 with operators fluent in several languages, including English.

Go next

 * Oviedo is a short half-hour drive (or bus) from Gijón. More classically picturesque but quieter than Gijón, Oviedo has plenty of museums, churches and parks to pass the time, and as the capital of the region also has excellent transport links.
 * The Picos de Europa, one of Europe's best-kept secrets, is a national park centred around a dramatic snow-capped mountain range, to the outsider appearing more reminiscent of the Alps than what one may expect of Spain. There are buses and a (phenomenally slow and unreliable) rail service serving the southeast corner of Asturias, where the national park is located.

title: Gijón


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Gilbert

Gilbert is in the southeast valley of the Greater Phoenix region of Arizona. With a population of 270,000 (2021 est.) it is the largest town in the US. people. Once a railway town and the "Hay Capital of the World", Gilbert is now a diverse suburban center, retaining its agricultural and railroad history and celebrating its "small town" feel.

Understand
Gilbert bills itself as is the largest incorporated town in the United States. It is the 5th most populated community in Arizona. From 1990 to 2003 it was also the fastest growing, outpacing even places like Las Vegas, largely due to its lower initial starting population. Gilbert is in the southeast valley, south of Mesa, northeast of Chandler, and northwest of Queen Creek and Chandler Heights.

History
Gilbert owes its beginnings to William "Bobby" Gilbert who provided land to the Arizona Eastern Railway in 1902 to construct a rail line between Phoenix and Florence, Arizona. Ayer's Grocery Store, the first store in Gilbert, opened in 1910 and became the location of the first post office in 1912. The town post office moved several times before settling on the east side of Gilbert Road in downtown, where it still stands today. In 1912, many Mormons who had fled the Mormon colonies in Mexico due to the actions of the forces of Pancho Villa settled in Gilbert. By 1915, they began holding church meetings at the Gilbert Elementary School. In 1918, they were organized into the Gilbert Ward.

Incorporated in July 1920, Gilbert was primarily a farming community fueled by the rail line and construction of the Roosevelt Dam and the Eastern and Consolidated Canals. It remained an agricultural town for many years and was known as the "Hay Capital of the World" from 1911 until the late 1920s.

Downtown Gilbert (along Gilbert Road between Elliot and Guadalupe Roads, centered on the railroad crossing) has numerous historical buildings, some dating from the 1910s, even before Arizona statehood. A few buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, while others are listed as historical by the Gilbert Heritage District.

Gilbert has remained a town instead of becoming a city in part due to its early population size and how Arizona defined a city as needing more than 3,000 persons, which it surpassed only in the 1970s. Since then, it's due to Gilbert wanting to maintain a "small town" image, even with a population of over a quarter of a million.

By car
Gilbert is primarily served by one area freeway - the "Santan Freeway" portion of Loop 202. A small section of the US 60 (segment known as the "Superstition Freeway") also skirts the northern boundary of the town at the Higley Road interchange (Exit 186). Several regional major surface streets also serve the area, including Williams Field Road, Chandler Boulevard, Pecos Road, Gilbert Road and Greenfield Road.

Get around
Car is the easiest way to get around Gilbert.

By bus

 * Valley Metro is a regional public transportation system for the metro Phoenix area.

See

 * – Contact Gilbert Recreation to reserve Ramada facilities; see Arizona Game and Fish Department for stocking schedules, bag limits and license regulations.
 * – Contact Gilbert Recreation to reserve Ramada facilities; see Arizona Game and Fish Department for stocking schedules, bag limits and license regulations.

Go next

 * Within in the Greater Phoenix area:
 * Head into Scottsdale for the day – take Loop 202 west, then Loop 101 north.
 * Head Loop 202 West, then north on I-10 to downtown Phoenix – catch a show or a ballgame, or see the Phoenix Zoo or the Desert Botanical Garden.

 * North of the Metro Phoenix area — on Interstate 17 North:
 * Visit the Grand Canyon – a four hours drive to the South Rim, north near Flagstaff.
 * Elsewhere north: Prescott, Sedona and Route 66.

 * South — on Interstate 10 East:
 * See South Central Arizona, with an hour-and-a-half drive to Tucson.
 * Elsewhere south: Picacho Peak State Park, Saguaro National Park, Santa Catalina Mountains.

 * West — on Interstate 10 West (via Loop 202 West):
 * Head towards the Palm Springs area in the California Desert, or continue onwards to Southern California for Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Hollywood.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Gilbert


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Gilbert Islands

The Gilbert Islands are an island group in Kiribati.

Regions

 * Abaiang - 18 km², pop.~5502 - has at least one hotel and a couple of guest houses
 * Abemama - 27 km², pop.~3400
 * Aranuka - 12 km², pop.~1200
 * Arorae - 9 km², pop.~1300
 * Beru - 18 km², pop.~2200
 * Butaritari - 13 km², pop.~3300
 * Kuria - 16 km², pop.~1100
 * Maiana - 17 km², pop.~2000
 * Marakei - 14 km², pop.~2800
 * Nikunau - 19 km², pop.~2000
 * Nonouti - 20 km², pop.~3200
 * Onotoa - 16 km², pop.~1700
 * Tabiteuea (Tabiteuea North - 26 km², pop.~3600 & Tabiteuea South - 12 km², pop.~1298)
 * Tamana - 5 km², pop.~ 900 - the smallest of the Gilbert Islands (too small to construct an airstrip)
 * Tarawa (Tarawa North - 15 km², pop.~5700 & Tarawa South - 16 km², pop.~40000+) - Tarawa South is the location of Kiribati's capital

Understand
The Gilbert Islands are all in the UTC+12 time zone and lie either side of the Equator. The islands are named after 18th-century British mariner Thomas Gilbert, who sailed through the islands and explored some of the islands in depth.

By plane
Air Kiribati has four small aircraft for inter-island travel. Flights travel to all Outer Islands regularly.

title: Gilbert Islands


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Gilbertsville

Gilbertsville is a town in Kentucky's Western Waterlands region on the shore of Kentucky Lake and near the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.

Do

 * Kentucky Dam Village State Park, US Hwy 641 N., +1 270 362-8658. 18 holes of golf. Public.

Buy

 * Twin Lakes Antique Mall US 641S +1 270-362-2218.
 * Warehouse Textiles 5763 US 641N +1 270-362-9702.
 * Warehouse Textiles 5763 US 641N +1 270-362-9702.

Eat

 * Angler's Restaurant 2184 US 62 +1 270-362-4278.
 * Twistin 50s 2261 US 62.
 * Twistin 50s 2261 US 62.
 * Twistin 50s 2261 US 62.

Drink
In 2015, Marshall County became "wet", allowing sales of packaged alcohol and sales by the drink in restaurants.

Sleep

 * Colonial Motel, 6439 US 641 N, +1 270-362-4125.
 * Colonial Motel, 6439 US 641 N, +1 270-362-4125.
 * Colonial Motel, 6439 US 641 N, +1 270-362-4125.
 * Colonial Motel, 6439 US 641 N, +1 270-362-4125.
 * Colonial Motel, 6439 US 641 N, +1 270-362-4125.
 * Colonial Motel, 6439 US 641 N, +1 270-362-4125.

Camping

 * Buckhorn RV Park, 5053 Moors Camp Hwy., . 37 sites.
 * Kentucky Dam Village State Park, 113 Administration Dr.,,  . 221 sites.
 * Moors Resort & Marina, 570 Moors Rd, . On Kentucky Lake. 117 sites.

By phone
Most telephone numbers in Gilbertsville consist of +1 270 plus a seven-digit number, but the entire Purchase area is now served by an overlay complex of two area codes, with +1 364 as the second. A local or in-state telephone call now requires all 10 digits of the local number be dialed (omitting just the leading +1 from a local landline call).

Signage on many established businesses may still display the original seven-digit numbers; dial 270 before these if no area code is indicated.

title: Gilbertsville


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Gilford

Gilford is in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.

title: Gilford


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Gilgit

Gilgit (Urdu: گلگت) is a mountain town in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Travelers exploring the Pakistani Himalayas or en route to or from China are almost definitely going to spend at least one night here. This makes it a great base to further research your trip, meet up with potential travel partners, or simply take a break. It's also a launching pad for climbers to nearby Rakaposhi.

Understand
The best season to visit is from May to mid October. The local dialect is Shina, however, Urdu and English are also spoken and understood.

Get in

Gilgit is just off the Karakoram Highway between Chilas and Karimabad, and most people arrive by road.

By bus
The bus journey from Islamabad can take as long as 24 hours, costs between Rs.3020 and Rs.4180 and departs three times a day from the Pirwadhai Bus Terminal in Rawalpindi. The official government bus company (which also allows foreigners for passengers) operating between Islamabad/Rawalpindi to Gilgit is NATCO (Northern Areas Transport Corporation). For foreign passengers on the NATCO bus journey from Islamabad/Rawalpindi to Gilgit it is advised to bring 10 passport copies for the bus driver, which they need to present at every police checkpoint on the highway.

By plane
Gilgit has a small airport with scheduled fights from Islamabad with PIA, taking just 45 minutes. Delays and cancellations are however quite frequent due to severe weather.

By public transport
Private vehicles are normally used as local transport. Renting jeeps is also a common way of moving around. You can go to nearby cities on buses and by air.

To get around inside the city of Gilgit you can either hire taxis or hop on one of the many commuter minivans. If you happen to see such a minivan, just hail it by waving, get on, and knock on the driver's cabin whenever you want to hop off.

By car / motorbike
You could also think about renting a car, or for the more adventurous, a motorbike to discover the wonders of Gilgit-Baltistan. Inform yourself which roads and sections are safe to drive and keep the weather conditions in mind. Petrol is available in most parts of the roads in Gilgit-Baltistan, and motobike mechanics are usually plenty around and very cheap.

See

 * Monument of Taj Mughal: A victory monument of Taj Mughal, built 700 years ago, is 30 km. jeep drive from Gilgit town.
 * Monument of Taj Mughal: A victory monument of Taj Mughal, built 700 years ago, is 30 km. jeep drive from Gilgit town.
 * Monument of Taj Mughal: A victory monument of Taj Mughal, built 700 years ago, is 30 km. jeep drive from Gilgit town.

 * Singal: About 61 km from Gilgit - Trekking route links with Chilas and Kohistan valley.
 * Gahkuch: Headquarter of Ghizer District - Ideal place for trekking, good fishing sports and duck shooting in season. It is the gateway to Iskoman Valley. Government rest house and private hotels are available (73 km from Gilgit). Archaeological sites in village and a near by village Hatoon.
 * You can visit by jeep to Ghizar district, Chilass city, Astor district, Hunza Valley, Skardu city and Ghanchy from Gilgit. K2, at 8,611 meters the world's 2nd Highest peak, Mashaburam, Gashaburam, Rakaposhi and Nanga Parbat (killer mountain) world's 6th highest peak. You can also visit Fairy meadows
 * You can visit by jeep to Ghizar district, Chilass city, Astor district, Hunza Valley, Skardu city and Ghanchy from Gilgit. K2, at 8,611 meters the world's 2nd Highest peak, Mashaburam, Gashaburam, Rakaposhi and Nanga Parbat (killer mountain) world's 6th highest peak. You can also visit Fairy meadows
 * You can visit by jeep to Ghizar district, Chilass city, Astor district, Hunza Valley, Skardu city and Ghanchy from Gilgit. K2, at 8,611 meters the world's 2nd Highest peak, Mashaburam, Gashaburam, Rakaposhi and Nanga Parbat (killer mountain) world's 6th highest peak. You can also visit Fairy meadows

Do
This area is no doubt a heaven for trackers and hikers.

With the help of a guide or by yourself - area is safe as well as a treat to experience untouched beauty and a rendezvous with the locals. One of the most hospitable, down-to-earth, modest and loving people.
 * Karakoram Air Safari: PIA offers an amazing air journey.
 * Mountaineering, Trekking and Hiking: The area is ideal for mountaineering, trekking and hiking. Permission for mountaineering and trekking for restricted zone is issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of Pakistan, Pakistan Sports Complex, Kashmir Highway, Aabpara, Islamabad (Telephone: 92-51-9203509).
 * Fishing: Fishing permits are issued by the Fisheries Department and you can enjoy the famous trout from Icy water of the region- best of the delicacies.
 * Flora & Fauna: If you are interested in cherry blossoms then this is the right place to visit. The valley turns into different shades of pinks in spring starting March to April. It can be compared with cheery blossom festive cities of Japan without any doubt. Apart from them this place is abundant in roses, lilies, pansies, willow, pine and fir trees. Trees of apples, apricots, peaches, plums mulberry, walnuts, persimmon and fruits like grapes and pomegranate are seen every where from June to October. Almond trees are a watch to delight - blossoming in white and baby pink shades depending on sweet or bitter almond types to a lush green tree- in October ~ March is indeed a sight to remember. The area has its rich wild flora and fauna -which is not found in other parts of the country.
 * Boating is a possibility in river Gilgit and river Indus. You can try your luck with rafting as well!
 * Camping Almost all hotels and Inns allows camping and provide basic facilities as well as security apart from very friendly and hospitable staff - ready to extend you help whenever needed.
 * Gliding People visit the area for paragliding. There is a local association for the sport as well.
 * Walking Tours
 * Walking Tours

Buy
There are banks around town that change cash and travelers checks. Some shops accept the foreign currency as well. You can buy gem stones, antiques and Chinese goods - anything from silk to electronics.

Only very few banks and ATMs in Gilgit-Baltistan accept foreign bank cards or credit cards for withdrawing money. As a visiting foreigner your best bet would be to bring enough cash for your whole journey in Gilgit-Baltistan, or to try the ATM at the Alfalah Bank branch in Gilgit, which sometimes happen to work with foreign cards.

Eat
You can try local fruits like apples, cherries, apricots and a variety of nuts rich in omega 5 like almonds, chestnuts, walnuts etc. Restaurants offer all sorts of Western breakfast to local ones - like salted tea and bread as well as Chinese food, Tanduries, and local dishes. In this region, people do not eat spicy food like the rest of the country. Local food consists of special baked breads (different varieties), handmade-noodle soups, salted meats, roasted meat, vegetables, fruits & dairy products. All the products are organic as they believe in traditional farming without the use of chemical fertilizers and sprays.

Drink
Most of the high end hotels have their own bars but at some areas they have their local alcohol too.

Sleep
Gilgit has one of the cheapest accommodation for visitors with a budget.

 * New Tourist Cottage Also popular with foreigners. Private doubles with bath are Rs 320. Rooms are large and well maintained. Also has outdoor seating areas.
 * New Tourist Cottage Also popular with foreigners. Private doubles with bath are Rs 320. Rooms are large and well maintained. Also has outdoor seating areas.
 * New Tourist Cottage Also popular with foreigners. Private doubles with bath are Rs 320. Rooms are large and well maintained. Also has outdoor seating areas.

Connect
There are a handful of internet cafes along the main road. Fax and telex are also available.

The main post office (M-Sa 9AM-7PM, closed Sundays) is at Saddar Bazaar on the main road.

In Gilgit-Baltistan there is only one working cell phone network operator, namely SCO / SCOM. As a foreigner you can buy a working Sim card at SCO franchise shops and offices. Activation of such a Sim card usually takes about 24 hours.

Stay safe
Gilgit is fairly stable and safe compared to other regions. Travelers - both local and foreign still visit the area and enjoy the breathtaking beauty and nature.

Go next

You can see Hunza valley right from Gilgit near Diamir area. All the autumn colors and seasonal changes give a sit at home treat. It takes 35 minutes by jeep to get to Hunza but weather and traffic are two important factors leading to a bit longer drive to Hunza. The drive towards Hunza is exciting, breath-taking, and once in a lifetime experience. Hunza has the highest literacy rate of Pakistan, close to 98%. People are very friendly and it is quite developed. UNESCO World Heritage Sites can also be seen there.
 * Rakaposhi – this nearby mountain is a popular destination for climbers and hikers, and offers stunning landscapes at most times of the year. The views en route to base camp are especially fantastic in the fall when the surrounding countryside is painted orange yellow and red. You could arrange a tour here in Gilgit, or gather information on hiking around yourself.
 * Hunza Valley
 * Skardu Valley
 * Islamabad
 * To China

title: Gilgit


text:
Gilgit-Baltistan

Gilgit-Baltistan (Urdu : گلگت بلتستان), formerly known as the Northern Areas is the northernmost political entity under the administrative control of Pakistan. According to Pakistan's constitution, Gilgit-Baltistan is an autonomous region separate from Pakistan itself, and its inhabitants have never had any representation in Pakistan's parliament. Four mountain ranges meet here — the Karakoram, Pamir, Himalaya, and the Hindu Kush — and the area is a "mountain paradise" for mountaineers, trekkers, and tourists. The region has some of the world's highest mountains, including five peaks over 8,000 meters, many over 7,000, and the largest glaciers outside the polar region. For comparison, neither Western Europe nor the lower 48 US states have anything that reaches 5,000 m, nothing anywhere in Russia or North America is over 6250, and the highest peak of the Andes is just under 7000.

Gilgit-Baltistan is bestowed with some of the greatest bounties of Nature. Tourists from all over the world have a great attraction toward this region because of its beautiful valleys, plains, peaks and heritage sites. Location of some of the highest mountains on Earth including K2. Trekking to Concordia (the confluence of the Baltoro Glacier and the Godwin-Austen Glacier) and the great Baltoro Muztagh, a sub-range of the Karakoram.

Divisions
Gilgit-Baltistan is large, remote, with 3 administrative divisions.

Cities and Major Regions

 * - the capital of the territory
 * - largest city in Gilgit-Baltistan
 * - home to some of the World's 27th highest mountain peak, glaciers, forts, museums and resorts
 * - along the Karakoram Highway before entering China
 * - includes Koyo Zom, largest Hindu Raj mountain

Other destinations

 * Fairy Meadows is a point where three famous mountain ranges meet - the Himalayas, the Karakorams and the Hindukush
 * is a park around the Khunjerab Pass where the Karakoram Highway crosses the Pakistan-China border
 * : Sher Qillah is the main village of the picturesque Punial valley. One of the biggest villages by area is Hatoon.
 * lake - offers an awe-inspiring view of the eastern side of Nanga Parbat, 8126 m high. For the adventure-loving tourist, hiker, angler, art-lover, mountaineer or polo enthusiast, there are few places in the world that could compare with Gilgit.
 * Rock carvings Dating back to 8th century AD, a huge Buddha figure surrounded by small Buddhisatvas is carved on a rock, three kilometres from Skardu across Sadpara Nullah on Skardu-Sadpara Road. Pre-historic men and animal figures are carved on rocks along Kachura Lake. Some rock carvings and a diagram of a monastery near Perkuta (Mehdi Abad) Nalah are also found.
 * Singal This spot in the Punial valley offers ideal trout fishing opportunities.
 * Singal This spot in the Punial valley offers ideal trout fishing opportunities.

Understand
Gilgit, now the administrative center of this region, was an important city on the Silk Road through which Buddhism was spread from India to the rest of Asia. A large number of Sanskrit Buddhist texts, including the long version of the Heart Sutra have been unearthed in Gilgit. The Dards and Cizinas also appear in many of the old Pauranic lists of peoples, with the former finding mention in Ptolemy's accounts of the region. Two famous travellers, Faxian and Hsuan Tsang, are known to have traversed Gilgit as per their accounts. The old Silk Road route through Gilgit is now the Karakoram Highway (KKH).

Gilgit was ruled for centuries by the local Trakane Dynasty, which came to an end in about 1810. The area descended into internecine turmoil before being occupied by the Sikhs in 1842. It was ceded to Jammu in 1846. Gilgit's inhabitants drove their new rulers out in an uprising in 1852. The Khushwakhte Dynasty of Yasin and Gulapure led the people of Gilgit to drive out the Dogra rulers. After Yasin was conquered by the Katur Dynasty of Chitral, the power of the Khushwakhte was crushed. The rule of Jammu was restored in 1860. Gilgit came under British rule in 1889, when it was unified with neighboring Hunza and Nagar in the Gilgit Agency. When British rule came to an end in 1947, the region was briefly handed back to the maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequently, it came under Pakistani control. To this day, Gilgit-Baltistan remains part of the Kashmir dispute and India considers it a Pakistani-occupied part of the Indian union territory of Ladakh.

Much of the population of wants to be merged into Pakistan as a separate province and opposes integration with the rest of Kashmir, which the Pakistani government has consistently denied on the grounds that it would jeopardise its position in the Kashmir dispute. However, as of November 2020, the Pakistani government seems to be making moves towards converting it into a full-fledged province. To what extent this will play out is open to interpretation, but it is widely believed that such a move could further worsen Indo-Pakistani relations and lead to further tensions in the whole of Kashmir, as many Kashmiri nationalists/pro-Independence supporters consider the region to be an integral part of Kashmir.

Gilgit-Baltistan covers an area of 72,971 km² (28,174 mi²) and is extremely mountainous.

Talk
Urdu is the national language of Pakistan spoken throughout Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan, as the lingua franca. The local languages are Shina, Balti, Khowar, Wakhi and Burushaski. As elsewhere in Pakistan, English is fairly widely spoken among the educated classes and those involved in the tourist industry. Other languages includes Purgi, Domaaki, Pashto, Kyrgyz, Luneci, Brokskat, Ladakhi, Uyghur, Shughni, Ishkashimi, Sarikoli, Uzbek, Turkmen, Munji, and Changthang.

By plane
Pakistan International Airlines offers daily flights on Boeing 737s between Islamabad and Gilgit. The flying time is approximately 50 minutes, and the flight is one of the most scenic in the world, as its route passes over Nanga Parbat and the peak of the mountain is higher than the aircraft's cruising altitude. Lahore and Islamabad also has flights to Gilgit and Skardu. All flights, however, are subject to weather clearance, and, in winters, flights are often delayed by several days. A flight delay generally means it'll fly out the next day - so it's often faster and more certain to travel by road.

By road
The Karakoram Highway, once a minor Silk Road route, connects Islamabad to Gilgit and Skardu, which are the two major hubs for mountaineering expeditions in the Northern Areas.

The bus journey from Islamabad to Gilgit takes approximately 20-24 hours, costs between Rs.3020 and Rs.4180 and departs three times a day from the Pirwadhai Bus Terminal in Rawalpindi. The official government bus company (which also allows foreigners for passengers) operating between Islamabad/Rawalpindi to Gilgit is NATCO (Northern Areas Transport Corporation). For foreign passengers on the NATCO bus journey from Islamabad/Rawalpindi to Gilgit it is advised to bring 10 passport copies for the bus driver, which they need to present at every police checkpoint on the highway.

Landslides on the Karakoram Highway are not uncommon, but bulldozers usually clear the road in a short time. The KKH connects Gilgit to Taxkorgan and Kashgar in Xinjiang, China, via Sust (the customs and health inspection post on the Pakistan side of the border) and the Khunjerab Pass, the highest paved international border crossing in the world at 4,693 m (15,397 feet).

If you are a group, you can book a van or a car from the Islamabad airport, or a rental car company from the central markets.

It is dangerous to go to the territory during the winter, when landslides and snow block roads, sometimes forcing you to stay in the territory for several weeks, or even months.

By bus
NATCO (Northern Areas Transport Corporation), Silk Route Transport Corporation and several other transport companies offer bus and jeep transport service to the two hubs and to several other popular destinations, lakes, and glaciers in the area.

By car / motorbike
You could also think about renting a car, or for the more adventurous, a motorbike to discover the wonders of Gilgit-Baltistan. Inform yourself which roads and sections are safe to drive and keep the weather conditions in mind. Petrol is available in most parts of the roads in Gilgit-Baltistan, and motobike mechanics are usually plenty around and very cheap.

See
Gilgit-Baltistan is home to some of the highest mountains in the world, and offers incredible trekking opportunities. In an area of about 500 km in width and 350 km in depth are more than 700 peaks above 6000 m, and more than 160 peaks above 7000 m. K2 is considered more technically challenging to climb than Mount Everest despite its shorter height.

Mountains
Eighteen of the fifty highest peaks in the world are located in Gilgit-Baltistan. With their rank, they are:
 * (Mount Godwin-Austen), 2nd 8,611 m.
 * , 9th, 8,125 m (28,250 feet)
 * , 11th, at 8,080 m.
 * , 12th, 8,047 m.
 * , 13th, 8,035 m
 * , 15th, 7,946 m.
 * , 17th, 7,932 m.
 * , 19th, 7,884 m.
 * , 21st, 7823 m.
 * , 22nd, 7,821 m.
 * , 25th, 7,795 m.
 * , 26th, 7,788 m.
 * , 27th, 7,760 m.
 * , 31st, 7,742 m.
 * , 36th, 7,498 m.
 * , 38th, 7,611 m.
 * , 39th, 7,577 m.
 * , 44th 7,545 m.

For comparison, Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in Western Europe, is less than 5,000 m and Mount Whitney, the highest point in the 48 contiguous United States, less than 4,500. This region has literally dozens of peaks higher than either of those.

Other mountains include e.g. the majestic.

Glaciers
Three of the world's seven longest glaciers outside the polar regions are also in Gilgit-Baltistan: the Biafo Glacier, the Baltoro Glacier, and the Batura Glacier.

The Siachin Glacier is 75 km. The Hispar (53 km) joins the Biafo at the Hispar La (5154.16 m (16,910 ft) to form an ice corridor 116.87 km (72 mi) long. The Batura, too, is 58 km in length. The most outstanding of these rivers of ice is the 62 km Baltoro. This large glacier, fed by some 30 tributaries, has a surface area of 1291.39 km².

Lakes
There are several high-altitude lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan. rkhulong lake in khaplu
 * in Deosai Plains
 * in Skardu
 * Katchura Lake in Skardu
 * in upper Hunza
 * in upper Hunza
 * near Astore
 * near Nagar
 * Kromber Lake in Kromber Pass
 * daholy lake in khaplu
 * ghenche lake in khaplu

Do

 * Karakoram Air Safari is the most scenic air journey starting from Islamabad by Pakistan International Airlines.
 * Mountaineering, trekking and hiking. The area is ideal for these. One popular trek is the K2 base camp trek. Permission for mountaineering and trekking in the restricted zone is issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of Pakistan, Pakistan Sports Complex, Kashmir Highway, Aabpara, Islamabad (Telephone: 92-51-9203509).
 * Fishing: at Satpara Lake (8 km) and Kachura Lake 932 km) from Skardu abound in trout. Fishing permits are issued by the Fisheries Department at Gilgit and Skardu.
 * Flora and fauna: Roses, lilies, pansies, willow, pine and fir trees are found in abundance. Apples, apricots, peaches, plums, mulberries, walnuts and grapes are available from June to October and almonds from October to March.
 * Wildlife: Baltistan boasts wildlife like markhors, ibexes, snow leopards and birds, namely chakors, partridges and ducks. Most of the animals and birds are protected but limited shooting is allowed. Hunting permits are issued by the local administration.
 * Biking
 * Eco tours at different National parks
 * Skiing
 * Polo Attend Shandur Polo festival

Buy
Only very few banks and ATMs in Gilgit-Baltistan accept foreign bank cards or credit cards for withdrawing money. As a visiting foreigner, your best bet would be to bring enough cash for your whole journey in Gilgit-Baltistan, or to try the ATM at the Alfalah Bank branch in Gilgit, which sometimes happen to work with foreign cards.

Eat
Most hotels have restaurants.

 * Cafe De Hunza is a small but cosy cafe in Karimabad town in the Hunza Valley. It offers a wide range of local foods, coffee and pancakes. The Cafe has its own small library filled with maps and travel related books and magazines.
 * Hunza Cuisine is at Karimabad Zero Point in the Hunza Valley. The restaurant offers Hunza traditional foods.
 * Baltit Fort Cafe is a new addition to the Baltit Fort in the Hunza Valley. A number of local, Pakistani and continental foods are prepared upon order.
 * Pagoda Restaurant offers a sumptuous Chinese cuisine. The Pagoda is on an island amidst the Honeymoon Lake, linked to the Shangrila Resort by a short bridge.
 * The Lake View Restaurant gives a panoramic view of the Shangrila Resort and offers Pakistani and Continental cuisine.
 * Tandoori Village offers a taste of ancient old recipes, Chicken Tikka, Seekh Kababs, Mutton Tikkas, Grilled Fish with home made tandoori roti.
 * Cafe DC-3 This code name of original DC-3 Aircraft was Alpha Alpha Foxtrot (AAF). This unique cafe is one of its kind, insida an old airplane, which crash landed on the riverbed and was brought to the present site in the 1950s. It offers a variety of snacks and cabin crew hospitality.
 * Chalt Tourist Inn is in Chalt Nagar. It offers a variety of snacks and cabin crew hospitality.
 * Haji Ramazan Hotel is in Gilgit city where fresh Pakistani foods are prepared on order.

Drink
There are bars in most of the top end hotels.

Avoid drinking tap water. Locals usually drink water from streams, but that can be unsafe for those not accustomed to it. So only drink water you have filtered, boiled, or bottled water, which is available all over.

Stay safe
Security-wise, Gilgit-Baltistan is considered to be one of the safest regions under Pakistani control, but some parts of it are off-limits to tourists, especially the buffer zone along the "Line of Control" that divides the Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of Kashmir. District headquarter hospitals are present in Gilgit, Skardu, Khaplu (Ghache District), Chilas (Diamer), Ghazin (Gahkuch).

Altitude sickness and road accidents much more of a problem, so prioritize those and acclimatize for a few weeks before travelling.

Respect
As with many people living in Kashmir, people are divided into several opposing camps - Some who desire full independence, some who desire integration with Pakistan, and some who desire integration with India. This makes Gilgit-Baltistani politics incredibly complex.

Connect
Mobile services are available in the area.

Call 1122 in-case of any emergency.

In Gilgit-Baltistan there is only one working cell phone network operator, namely SCO / SCOM. As a foreigner you can buy a working Sim card at SCO franchise shops and offices in Gilgit. Activation of such a Sim card usually takes about 24 hours.

By road
To China: Thrice-weekly bus service was scheduled to begin crossing the border from Gilgit, to Kashgar, China, and road widening work was scheduled for 600 kilometres of the Karakoram Highway. There were also plans for one daily bus in each direction between Sust and Taxkorgan in the border areas of the two countries.

To Islamabad: Via the Karakoram Highway, popularly known as the Silk Road.

To India: The Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route and Wagah borders will allow you to visit India while the Kargil-Skardu road is closed.

By plane
Pakistan International Airlines offers daily flights between Gilgit and Skardu Airports and Islamabad International Airport. The flying time of the first is approximately 50 minutes, and the flight is one of the most scenic flights in the world, as its route passes over Nanga Parbat, with the peak of the mountain being higher than the aircraft's cruising altitude. PIA also offers regular flights on Boeing 737s between Skardu and Islamabad. All flights, however, are subject to weather clearance, and in winters, flights are often delayed by several days.

Gilgit-Baltistan

title: Gilgit-Baltistan


text:
Gili Air

Gili Air is the most easterly of the three Gili Islands off Lombok.

Understand
Of the three Gilis, this is the island closest to Lombok. Traditionally, Gili Air was seen as the domain of families and couples wanting a quiet, off-the-beaten-path escape, while the rowdier hoarders had their fun on Gili Trawangan. With Trawangan now upscaling so obviously, more and more backpackers seem to be choosing Gili Air as their primary option. This island has more of a rural, established feeling than the other two, and it is no surprise that many of the local Gili Islanders seem to prefer living on Gili Air, and that it has the highest permanent population of about 1,800.

Orientation
Most of the accommodation and other tourism facilities are on the south and east coasts, facing Lombok. The boat landing is in the centre of the south coast. A coastal path leads you around the perimeter of the island, and a leisurely stroll all the way around will take about 90 min. For such a small island, the maze of paths that criss-cross the island can get surprisingly confusing, but these always lead back to the coast path eventually.

By boat
See Gili Island main page for more info.

The sea is calmest in the morning and all transport stops running in the late-afternoon, well before dark. During periods of southerly winds and in July and August especially, the swell can be a bit hairy and you are very likely to get wet on the crossing. It is advisable to place laptops, cameras and handphones in waterproof bags for the crossing. You will need to wade through shallow sea when disembarking, so wear either appropriate footwear, or none at all.

From Bali
Nearly all fast boat operators stop at Gili Air, among which:

Amed Sea Express offers a twice daily high-speed schedule to Gili Air from Amed on the East coast of Bali. Boats depart Amed at 10:00 and 15:30 with arrivals on Gili Air at 11:30 and 17:00. Prices are Rp 600,000 (one-way) and Rp 1,100,000 (return) and tickets can be booked online.

Blue Water Express from Serangan and Padang Bai in Bali to Gili Air daily. Exceptional standards.

Gili Getaway (formerly Island getaway) reputed to be among the best in terms of safety and service standards. Also offers trips to Gili Gede. Operating out of Serangan, Bali.

Gili Gili departing from Padang Bai (east Bali).

Kuda Hitam and Gili Gili fastboats both also stop at Gili Air. Kuda Hitam originates in the north-east of Bali (Amed), which is only appropriate for travellers staying in that area.

Patagonia Xpress, a very large and modern boat, sails to Gili Air, leaving from Benoa (08:30 from Rp 450,000) via Padangbai (10:00 from Rp 300,000). Return from Gili Air at 12:30 (same prices; check all prices online before paying more on the island).

To check live seat availability on a variety of trusted carriers (including many of the above) and book boat tickets online, use the well established Gilibookings website.

From Lombok
Public boats depart from Bangsal between 08:00 and 17:00, but often no later than 16:00 and are fewer in number than go to Gili Trawangan. The voyage takes about 30 min and the official price is Rp 18,000 (Jun 2024). Sometimes these services only depart when there are enough people, normally a minimum of 15 is enough. If numbers are insufficient you may have to endure a wait at Bangsal. The official maximum is 20 people but sometimes the boat is overloaded by the time it is ready to depart. The best time to be sure of a crossing to Gili Air is 14:00-15:30 in the afternoon however this can vary, especially with weather or passenger loads.

Buy your tickets direct from the official Koperasi Angkutan Laut Karya Bahari office. In Bangsal this is located inside the main building near the door at the eastern corner. The Koperasi operate the Public Boat, the Shuttle boat (fast boat), the Island Hopping boat and also offer (official) Charter boats.

There is a ticket office on Gili Air to buy your ticket back to Bangsal, it is located adjacent to the arrival and departure point.

Public boat (ferry)
 * This is the standard method to reach Gili Air and is used by both local residents and tourists. The maximum number of passengers is fixed at 20 persons but it is often overloaded with goods and or passengers. If it seems clearly unsafe due to either overloading or prevailing weather conditions then it is most likely best not to board it.

 * Bangsal to Gili Air 1 way is Rp 18,000
 * Gili Air to Bangsal 1 way is Rp 18,000

Shuttle boat (fast boat)
 * This service supplements the Public boat (ferry) service.

 * Bangsal to Gili Air departs at 17:00, the official price is Rp 85,000.
 * Gili Air to Bangsal departs at 08:15, the official price is Rp 85,000.

Charter boat
 * The official charter boat service provided by Koperasi Angkutan laut Karya Bahari is permitted to carry a maximum of 12 persons.

 * Bangsal to Gili Air 1 way is Rp 560,000, return Rp 1,000,000
 * Gili Air to Bangsal no published price

 * Gili Air to Senggigi no published price

 * Informal and unofficial charters are also available from private operators to travel from Bangsal to Gili Air. If requiring one try to deal only with the boat operator, ignore the touts and 'facilitators' and use your time over a negotiation, any hint of haste or urgency is sure to raise the price.

Perama has a small office on Gili Air next door to Villa Karang, and they offer daily transfers from Senggigi at 09:00 for Rp 90,000. These should not be relied on outside of the peak tourist season though. Perama is unlikely to take you to Gili Air if you are the only passenger.

Departing from Bangsal to either of the three Gili islands is rarely pleasant due to the very persistent touts who infest the place, just try to ignore them and do not listen to their generally fanciful tales that involve you paying them money to solve an imaginary transportation problem. They often provide a chorus of gloomy predictions regarding the alleged unavailability of services, then if successful they just place unknowing passengers upon the normal scheduled service or a private charter at an often seriously inflated prices.

The situation arising from the activities of pestering touts combined with confusing and inadequate formal services at Bangsal is the source of many disappointments and complaints.

From Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno
To move from one island to another the formal procedure is to take the Public boat (ferry) to Bangsal and then a further similar ferry to the required island departing from Bangsal. To return the reverse is required. This can be confusing and co-ordinating the timing with the connecting boat departing from Bangsal may be either difficult or elusive. There is also a limited official inter-island Island Hopping service provided.

Ferry operators may sometimes enter into informal arrangements with passengers to journey inter-island. In this situation a passenger boards a boat that is meant to go directly to Bangsal from one of the three Gili islands but instead it detours and sets down on the beach at another island whilst en-route. The prices are a movable feast but people will normally pay a price of around Rp 25,000. Inter-island access on the public boats in this manner is dependent upon timing, weather, loading, payment and the inclination of the crew to facilitate an inter-island journey and such arrangements are not officially sanctioned. The standard procedure is to travel to Bangsal and make a separate trip to the different island or to use the very limited official service. The price for a single journey Public Boat ferry journey from Gili Trawangan is Rp 10,000 and Gili Meno to Bangsal is Rp 9,000. The price for the subsequent Public boat to Gili Air from Bangsal is Rp 10,000, this assuming the required connection was made at Bangsal.

Island Hopping boat
 * A limited formal Island hopping boat service is provided by Koperasi Angkutan Laut Karya Bahari, this is the same local koperasi (maritime transport co-operative) that provides the Public Boat ferry service.

 * Gili Air to Gili Trawangan in the morning is an indirect service. Take the Island Hopping boat leaving Gili Air for Gili Meno at 08:30. The same boat then departs Gili Meno for Gili Trawangan at 08:50. The official Gili A to Gili T Island Hopping price is Rp 23,000. Hopefully you will only pay once. The alternative is to go to Bangsal and look for the boat to Gili T but may be best avoided due to the issues at Bangsal.

 * Gili Air to Gili Trawangan departs at 15:00 and the official price is Rp 23,000
 * Gili Trawangan to Gili Air departs at 16:00 and the official price is Rp 23,000

 * Gili Air to Gilli Meno departs at 08:30 and the official price is Rp 20,000
 * Gili Meno to Gilli Air departs at 16:20 and the official price is Rp 20,000

Charter boat
 * The official charter boat service provided by Koperasi Angkutan laut Karya Bahari is permitted to carry a maximum of 12 persons.

 * Gili Meno to Gili Air 1 way is Rp 170,000, return Rp 320,000
 * Gili Air to Gili Meno 1 way is Rp 170,000, return Rp 290,000

 * Gili Trawangan to Gili Air 1 way is Rp 195,000, return Rp 350,000
 * Gili Air to Gili Trawangan 1 way is Rp 195,000, return Rp 350,000

 * Gili Air to Senggigi to 1 way is Rp 480,000, return Rp 690,000

Informal private charters are also available. Prices are subject to negotiation, take your time over the process.

Get around
Walking is the best option as you can wander around the whole of Gili Air in about 90 minutes.

Bicycles are widely available for rent for Rp 30,000-50,000 per day. Some hotels might give you one as part of your accommodation package.

There are fewer horse carts (cidomos) here than on Gili Trawangan, but they are still not hard to find. If you are planning an early morning departure and have heavy bags, it is wise to ask your hotel the day before to book a cidomo for you. Short trips will cost about Rp 30,000 per person. Alternatively, you can rent a bicycle instead.

Dive shops
There are several dive operators with offices on Gili Air. Most of them are independently run outposts of Gili Trawangan based shops. All dive shops offer a full menu of PADI or SSI dive courses and fun dives.

If you intend to learn to dive or advance existing qualifications and wish to avoid all the temptations of partying whilst doing so, then Gili Air is the ideal base.

Snorkelling
Any of the dive shops will also be able to organise snorkelling trips for you, including hire of gear. Alternatively, there are some good spots where you can snorkel from the beach. Try almost anywhere along the east coast where at least small parts of the reef are fairly healthy and close offshore. Be careful walking in the shallow waters though as there are a lot of very spiny sea urchins in amongst the sea-grass. Equipment can be hired from almost any cafe or shack close to the beach for about Rp 30,000, or your hotel will be able to help you. On Jun 2024, a shared tour including the 3 gili islands (4-5 spots if weather and water visibility are good: turtle, statues, tropical fish, coral garden) is about Rp 120,000-150,000 with mask and fins, sometimes bottom glass boat (more or less) and possibly underwater camera with variable number of people (up to 25p for cheaper tour). Private tour about Rp 900,000-1,700,000. Lunch not included but most operators seems to stop on Gili Meno's Aloha Warung (dish Rp 50,000-125,000, drink Rp 25,000-60,000).

Surfing
Gili Air hardly registers a blip on the global surf scene, which is somewhat surprising. There is a poorly known, barreling right hander off the south coast called Playgili. This is by no means a straightforward wave, breaks over some very sharp coral and is best left to experienced, skilled surfers. It does not always roll, but when it does this is a good wave. Best first stop for any surfer is Ozzy's Surf Shop, where the local crew will be keen to rent you a board and chat about the conditions.

Walk
The circular walk around Gili Air is very pleasant indeed. The highlight for many would be the awe-inspiring views of massive Mount Rinjani towering over Lombok.

Buy
There are different ATM outlets on Gili Air. CIMB Niaga bank ATM is 5 min east of the ferry arrival area. There are 2 terminals inside, the one which dispenses Rp 100,000 notes allows up to Rp 2.5 million per transaction from any Visa/MC (no extra charges).

The best bet for changing money is Oseana shop in the Harbour. Oseana shop will change a lot of different currencies. Ideally, make sure you bring enough cash with you that is already converted to Rupiah.

Siti Shop (in the village center, on the main north-south road of the island) is the biggest supermarket on Gili Air and has a good choice of food and nonfood items for a reasonable price.

There are a few shops selling basic necessities close to the boat landing and on the eastern coast for inflated prices. In the same area as well as along the west coast there are lots of vendors with a reasonable collection of Lombok handicrafts for sale.

Eat

Starting at the jetty and working your way north on the east side of the island up to Hotel Gili Air, there are lots of decent places to eat. Since there is no fresh water on the island, purified shipped water is the norm, which does not mean that salads are 100% safe, but the food is generally not problematic. Many restaurants propose delicious grilled fish, freshly caught from the ocean. Choose the fish from their display stand and discuss the price. Local cooking style normally tends to overcook the fish, so it is a good idea to specify your cooking taste.

For budget travellers, there are several warungs in the village, just go inland from the harbor. Nasi campur special (with chicken) is Rp 10,000, as well as soto ayam. There's also a place selling bakso and (sometimes) martabak a bit further inland, almost in the middle of island. Rp 10,000 for bakso, opens in the late afternoon.

Drink
Gili Air usually has one party a week rotating at different bars during the peak season only. Locals and restaurant owners will usually mention them to you, and sometimes flyers are posted around. The party scene on Gili Air is much more low-key, and not nearly as rowdy as the wild all-nighters on Gili Trawangan.

Sleep
If you prefer an undisturbed sleep, you might wish to check how close the islands' centrally located mosque is to your accommodation.

Budget
For those who want really cheap accommodation (Rp 50,000-100,000), the good option is to walk by the road going inland from the harbor/boat ticket office to the village. There are several homestay-type accommodation options there. In low season, the price can often be bargained down.

Gili Air budget hotels tend to bear a striking resemblance to one another and most are on the east side of the island. There is not a wide range in quality or appeal, although a few stand out.

Splurge

Connect
The island has mobile telephone coverage by the major Indonesian networks (Telkomsel, XL, Indosat, Axis, poor coverage by 3), and there are a couple of public telephone offices.

Mobile internet is a good option, if you have your own laptop or a smartphone. GPRS/EDGE access seems to be quite slow on Gili Air, however, depending upon the operator used it may help to go to the eastern or western beach to try for a better connection.

Go next

 * Hop over to Gili Meno for further seclusion and a real desert island experience.
 * Back to Lombok and Mount Rinjani for one of the best climbs anywhere in Indonesia.
 * Bali per Fastboat depending upon the weather conditions.

title: Gili Air