When a Dream Was Just a Whisper
Ten years ago, Slow wasn’t yet a place you could visit. It was still just a small idea, a quiet hope carried across the sea and planted gently on the shores of Gili Air.
The island was different then, raw and untamed, with sandy paths winding under the shade of tall palms and the ocean’s warm breath carrying stories from distant reefs.
Our founders didn’t arrive with big plans or grand designs. They came with a vision: to create a sanctuary where life could slow down. A place where mornings would unfold softly and without rush, and where days could be savored like the taste of fresh coconut water under the sun.
From Sea to Shore — Building Slowly
When it came time to build, nothing about the process was hurried. The materials for our first villa didn’t arrive on trucks or heavy machinery, they came by boat, crossing turquoise waves, before being carefully loaded onto horse carts.
These carts made their way slowly along quiet island paths lined with swaying palms and blooming frangipani. Each beam, each stone, each detail arrived with care and purpose, shaping a home that welcomed the outside in.
That first villa became the foundation of everything that followed. Over time, one turned into many. The gardens grew lusher, the spaces filled with life, and the dream rooted itself deep in the soil of Gili Air.
Slow became more than a resort. It became a rhythm, a way of living. Alongside it, Gili Travel Agency and Slow Retreats were born, offering mindful journeys, soulful connections, and a way of traveling that always comes back to presence.
The Heartbeat of Slow
From the very beginning, the real magic of Slow has been its people. The team members who greet you with genuine smiles. The ones who remember your favourite drink before you say a word. The hands that tend the gardens, prepare your meals, and make you feel at home from the moment you arrive.
Many have been with us since day one. Their lives and stories are woven into the very fabric of Slow.
And then there are our guests. People who came here for a holiday and found something deeper. Some arrived searching for peace, others not quite knowing what they were looking for until they discovered it here. Many left carrying a piece of Slow with them and many return, year after year, like friends coming home.
Moments That Breathe
Over the last decade, Slow has been the setting for countless moments worth holding onto.
Morning swims that woke the soul. Barefoot vows exchanged beneath palms swaying in the ocean breeze. Long breakfasts that stretched into the afternoon. Dinners lit by lantern glow, with laughter carrying through the warm night air.
Every villa has its own story. Every retreat has transformed someone’s journey. These moments live not just in our walls but in the hearts of everyone who has walked our sandy paths.
It’s why we’ve begun weaving them into a digital wall of memories, a living collection of light, laughter, and slow magic that grows with every story shared.
Rooted in Gili — Giving Back
This island has given us more than we could ever put into words. It has given us its beauty. From the turquoise shallows to the deep coral gardens. It has given us its people, warm, resilient, and always ready to share a smile or lend a hand. And it has given us a way of life that is unhurried, grounded, and connected to the rhythms of the earth.
From the moment Slow began, we knew we were borrowing this space. Every path we laid, every garden we planted, every villa we built had to honour the land it stood on. We built on just a fraction of our property, leaving the rest as tropical garden and coconut grove, because we believe the green should breathe around us.
Giving back to Gili isn’t a choice, it’s part of who we are. Through People of Gili, we capture the faces and stories that hold the island’s heart. Through our partnership with the Soraya Foundation, we help protect its culture, community, and environment. And through everyday acts like reducing waste, reusing what we can, composting for our gardens, organising clean-ups, we try to keep the island as pure as the day we first arrived.
The journey of Slow is inseparable from the journey of Gili Air. Its heartbeat is our own, strong, real, and shaped by the moments we’ve weathered together, from days of celebration to seasons of rebuilding after storms, earthquakes, and quiet years when the world stopped travelling. This island has held us through it all, and for that, our gratitude runs deep.
The Next Chapter — Still Slow, Still Sacred
As the sun rises on our second decade, our promise is simple: to keep what matters most. The simplicity. The presence. The deep respect for this island and its people.
The years ahead will bring more mindful retreats, more ways to connect deeply, and more experiences that feed the soul. But the heart of Slow will stay the same.
Whether you’ve been with us from the start or are just discovering our rhythm, we can’t wait to welcome you into the next chapter to the place where time softens, and life blooms gently.
With all our love and gratitude,
Julie & the Slow Family