Gili Nanggu
Gili Nanggu is the biggest and best-known of the Secret Gilis off Sekotong, and for years it has traded on the nickname "paradise island" without much argument from anyone who has been.
It is small — a walk round the shoreline takes under half an hour — with white sand, a shallow reef flat that starts a few metres from the beach, and a single low-key resort. Day-trippers arrive by chartered boat from Tawun or Tembowong, usually as the first stop on a three-island circuit, and the island is often close to empty by mid-afternoon.
The snorkelling is the main event. The reef shelf is shallow enough to see clearly with a mask and no fins, and the fish are extremely used to people because visitors have fed them for years. Bring bread and you will be surrounded within seconds — though the practice is not great for the reef and is worth skipping.
Staying overnight changes the experience completely. Once the last boat goes, there is no nightlife, no shop, and no phone signal worth the name. That is either the point or the problem, depending on what you came for. Book directly with the resort; there is nowhere else to eat.
Travel tips for Gili Nanggu
- Come as part of a three-island charter from Tawun or Tembowong — IDR 400,000–600,000 for the whole boat covers Nanggu, Sudak and Kedis.
- The reef starts metres from shore. You do not need a boat trip or fins to see it.
- Skip the bread-feeding. The fish will mob you, but it damages the reef and the fish do not need it.
- Bring cash for the resort restaurant — there is nowhere else to eat and no ATM.
- Stay overnight for the empty island. Day boats leave mid-afternoon and the place transforms.
- Reef shoes help. The shallow shelf has sharp coral rubble in places.
Popular tours here
- Secret Gili Tour: Nanggu, Sudak & Kedis
- Lombok Private Tour with Local Guide & Driver
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Gili Nanggu?
By chartered boat from Tawun or Tembowong on the Sekotong peninsula, typically about 20 minutes and usually as part of a three-island circuit.
Can you stay overnight on Gili Nanggu?
Yes — there is one small resort, and once the day boats leave in the afternoon the island is close to deserted.
Is Gili Nanggu good for snorkelling?
Yes, and unusually easy — the reef shelf is shallow and starts only a few metres from the beach.
Is Gili Nanggu busy?
Far less so than the three famous Gilis; it fills briefly with day-trippers around midday and empties by mid-afternoon.
Are there facilities on Gili Nanggu?
Only the resort restaurant — no shops, no ATM and limited phone signal, so bring cash and anything you need for the day.