Situated a few miles off the north west coast of Lombok, the three Gili Islands - Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air - were discovered by backpackers in the 80s and until recently remained a haven for budget travellers in search of paradise. The islands are surrounded by glorious soft sandy beaches, colourful coral reefs and crystal clear turquoise waters, ideal for diving. There are almost no roads or motor vehicles but small ferries transport guests between islands, none more than twenty minutes apart. Most of the accommodation is on Gili Trawangan, generally small bamboo bungalows a few metres from the beach - like Thailand’s islands twenty years ago. Mainstream tourism is beginning to establish itself here and a few exclusive hotels have opened up, most recently on the smallest, least developed island, Gili Meno.