Glassy clear waters greeted us on our run to Gili T. I am routinely susceptible to a heaving stomach on road, sea and air so this transfer was one of the rare occasions I actually got to enjoy myself, the experience, the sea & the landscape. A perfect view of all three islands lay ahead of us, the other two being Meno & Air, and to the left and right of us, unforgettable scenes of active volcano, Gunung Rinjani on Lombok & Gunung Agung, East Bali. Within about 35 mins we arrived on the beach directly in front of our hotel. Our bags were offloaded and taken straight to our rooms and while we checked in, enjoyed a freshly squeezed juice and cleaned off the travel and sea spray from our faces with a chilled towel. Villa Almarik was just as we had left it the year earlier…

Our reasons for returning to this same destination were mixed, however the decision to come back to the same hotel didn’t even require discussion. A year earlier we had come with our daughters, a seven and a two-year-old. Both had lapped up every minute on the island from sun up til a little after sun down. Between the pool, beach and snorkelling off the hotel reef, riding in horse-drawn carts, taking the kids in a glass bottom boat & bike-riding (we were lucky enough to find a bike with a safety seat for our 2-year-old at the rental shop), there was so much to explore & see.

The hotel has a beautiful salt water pool if you don’t enjoy swimming in the ocean, which includes a smaller pool for children. It is directly in front of the main reception and hotel restaurant area so you always have easy access to ordering a poolside drink or meal. The staff at Almarik is attentive, receptive and incredibly easy to communicate with. We needed a cot for our youngest child, bottles cleaned, extra sheets, pillows and special catering for our elder who has allergies to peanuts – they didn’t even bat an eye to some of our unusual requests. Babysitting was also available. It was easy to just feel at home and on holiday at the same time.

There are many dive centres on the island if that is something which peaks your interest. It is also the reason my husband and I decided to return a second time to Gili T without our children. Villa Almarik has their own dive centre which is very professional and the dives which my husband and I managed to take included sightings of reef sharks, stingrays, eels, sea snakes, crabs, many turtles & a very interesting wreck dive. If you enjoy diving or wanted to take up a new experience I highly recommend investigating this before you arrive so that arrangements can be made to get certification. You can also arrive with no plans at all and just have your diving license on hand to have some very unforgettable diving trips on Gili T.

Transport on the island is limited to walking, cycling or hitching a ride on a horse-drawn cart, a cidomo, for a very decent fare. Horse riding is also an option and probably one of the best ways to see the entire island as cycling with children can get tricky to deal with as the trail turns sandy. This adventure around the island can take up to an hour or two on foot, even for the most enthusiastic children. With only one main cobbled-come-dirt road to service the islands visitors and residents, it was just one more bonus to not have to avoid, or be delayed by any “traffic” while we explored or decided where to go for a meal or beverage.

Although the Villa Almarik provided a beautiful American breakfast & continental buffet every morning, we found ourselves exploring the islands bevy of restaurants and watering holes for either lunch or dinner. We found many restaurants would also cater for the kids who simply played in the sand while we ate and enjoyed the peaceful surroundings. From gourmet pizzerias to fresh fish, steak & seafood BBQ eateries, the standard of all-round service and meals was fantastic the island over. Nightlife is also quite prominent on the island with a decent amount of reggae to have you singing in your head for months afterwards lyrics like, “Welcome to my paradise” & “Don’t you worry, about a ting…” Live bands, dancing and beach culture can be found closer to the main docks so that when you just want to be left to your own piece of paradise, you can retreat back to your bungalow at the Villa Almarik.