Frequently Asked Questions - Digital Nomad Edition
Top 10 FAQs about living and working on Gili Air as a Digital Nomad
The WiFi!?
We have one of the fastest and most reliable internet connections on the island - so yes, you can take your calls comfortably here. We do not have Starlink yet, but our cable is separate from the rest of the island's (that's good news, trust me!). The membership connection speed goes up to 80Mbps, and while on a small tropical island outages and connection interruptions DO happen at times, you're in safe hands as....
Are there power outages and can I work reliably from the co-work during one?
Yes, there are power outages (Mati Lampus) on the island, but also yes you do not need to worry about them. Our co-working mansion has the most powerful solar panels on the island, and batteries that will run the place on full-blast a good 8 hours even if everything else fails. We gotchu!
Best way to get to Gili Air?
We highly recommend you fly to Lombok and take a Grab/Gojek from the airport to Bangsal port for the quick and cheap public boat to Air. You save heaps of time and avoid the sometimes pretty nausea-inducing speed boat from Bali.
If you however ARE coming from Bali on a boat, do take a morning boat as the seas are calmer and the ride smoother than during the day. Trust us, you feel there difference...
You can easily buy a boat ticket online by Googling it, or alternatively, most accommodations in Bali sell boat tickets to the Gilis including a shuttle to Bangsal port.
How can I find reasonably priced accommodation?
Post on Facebook groups such as Gilipedia, Gili Air Pinboard and Gili Air Community, and outside tourist high season you should be able to find long-term accommodation reasonably easily.
We are also currently working hard to find accommodation partners on the island, so soon we can offer co-living packages to our monthly members (we'll keep you guys posted on this!).
What can I expect to spend on the island, say in a month?
There are great, affordable restaurants and places to eat on the island, and if you are on a budget, you can feed yourself easily for about IDR 200K/day.
Accommodation for monthlies in homestays and 3 star hotels start from IDR 6 mill/month, and then it's up to you how fancy you want to treat yoself.
Our monthly membership is yours from 2,3 mil/month, and that includes new friends, movie nights, skillshares etc.
Where you might spend a tad more money, are the island activities; diving, yoga, gym, language classes and the like.
In short? With a tight budget you can still live comfortably for 800-1000 euros a month, and take it from there. Gili Air is still cheaper for a nomad than, say, Canggu is!
Can I rent a screen, laptop, a call booth, a designated seat?
In short? Yes, yes and yes. All of the above.
What is there to do on Gili Air? Is it worth it?
Gili T is the equivalent of Ibiza, the quintessential party island of the three. Gili Air is profiled as the calmer, even more beautiful one with amazing diving and loads of yoga, wellness and meditation activity options. As all the dive sites are so close to the islands, you can pop for a lovely morning dive while making it in front of your laptop by 9 am if that's your jam.
Gili Air also has a bustling island community scene going on, with more long-termers living on the island, finding friends (and lovers!) from each other.
What if my laptop or phone dies/gets lost?
Our internet provider on the island also fixes and sorts out broken tech, and can order parts and new devices onto the island. Just let us know and we'll hook you up!
There's also an Apple store in Mataram, Lombok plus plenty of computer stores that will fix your tech for you. It's a day trip to Lombok, and you can get your shopping in while waiting for your device to be fixed.
Hospitals & healthcare on the island?
There are medical centers a plenty on the island, and a big inpatient hospital in Lombok. If you need help with anything at all, come talk to us at the reception and we'll help you out. 🫶
Is it safe on the island?
Suuuuuper safe. The safest! Doesn't get much safer than this. 🏝️