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Gili Air Island, Lombok, Indonesia
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10 Tips to Enjoy Gili Air Like a Local
10 Tips to Enjoy Gili Air Like a Local

I came to Gili Air nearly 10 years ago, and I immediately fell in love with this stunning and peaceful island. With white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, palm tree plantations, and the view of the majestic Mount Rinjani in Lombok, Gili Air had my heart from day one. These are just some of the reasons why I have settled here, and why every day I keep falling in love with this place. My wish is for you to explore the best of what Gili Air has to offer, so you can see the magic that I found in this place. Download our Travel Like a Local - Ebook 2020 by Gili Travel Agency here, to explore the best of what Gili Air has to offer! 1. NIGHT ACTION FAVORITES One of my favorite things to do when the sun has set in Gili Air is to visit the amazing Pura Vida. On Sundays they have Live Reggae Music, which you can enjoy on their beachfront restaurant just next to the ocean. Let the moonlight shine while this wonderful Reggae band light up your night. See if you can sit still or if the great vibe brings you to dance in the [...]

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It’s Festival Time!

Calling all festival lovers! High season is here and exciting events are taking place at Gili Air. Are you ready for some festivals in paradise?  Gili Bangkit Festival: June 15 – July 15, 2019! Slow Food & Yoga Festival: June 20 – 24, 2019!  This is Life Festival: July 20 – 21, 2019! GILI BANGKIT FESTIVAL Gili Bangkit is a one month festival taking place on Gili Air. ‘Bangkit’ means ‘rise’ in the local language, and the festival is a joined collaboration of local and foreign stakeholders; Pak Subur (Kepala Desa & Biba Beach), Julie (Slow Villas), Emily (Flowers & Fire Yoga Garden) and Chef Hero (Sunny Warung). The festival will take place on Gili Air from June 15 – July 15. During the month different activities and events will take place to showcase the best of what Gili Air has to offer. Gili Bangkit Festival will offer visitors the freedom to take off their shoes, live vehicle-free and explore Gili Air’s fascinating culture, through art and food. Fun activities include a triathlon, traditional stick fighting, workshops by local artisans, musical performances and dancing. While spending time on Gili Air, visitors will have the rare opportunity to immerse themselves in […]

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Slow Villas and Spa Soft Opening – Mindfulness for Busy People

News from Slow Villas and Spa in Gili Air. It is with great excitement that we wish to inform you that Slow Villas and Spa has re-opened! The ideal place to awaken mindfulness for busy people. Last week we walked around the island of Gili Air, and for the first time in two years, the island actually felt like the Gili we fell in love with. Almost all businesses were open, and there were customers everywhere. We devoured a seafood barbecue, watched the sun set over the crystal clear blue water, and danced the night away during the full moon party.  The island had literally slowed down for two years, and it's coming back in full bloom. S L O W is not just a name, it's a whole concept. A completely new way to go on holidays!    Ever feel like you are running all the time?  Ever feel like you never have time for yourself?  Need a break?  You deserve a break!   S L O W will bring you comfort, relaxation and total freedom. You’ll feel straight at home in your Private Pool Villa. At S L O W you’ll arrive as a guest and leave as [...]

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Q+A: Beginner-Friendly Yoga for Low Back Pain

Got low back pain? You’re not alone! Worldwide, back pain is the single leading cause of disability, preventing many people from engaging in work as well as other everyday activities. While low back pain can have chronic and long-term effects, Slow’s resident physiotherapist Jean-Louis Thonnard is on a mission to find a holistic cure. He’s currently conducting research on Hatha yoga for low back pain, hoping to prove that a regular Hatha yoga practice can significantly relieve—and even cure—chronic low back pain. We sat down with Jean-Louis to discuss common questions regarding  Hatha yoga for low back pain. He explains how the diversity of Hatha yoga postures makes it possible to stretch and strengthen a multitude of muscles and to mobilize the spine in all its degrees of freedom. Our Q+A covers the following regarding yoga for low back pain: What to engage: Strengthen the abdominal muscles and the rotator deep muscles of the trunk. Stretch and lengthen the flexor and extensor muscles of the hip. Decompress and mobilize the facet joints of the lumbar spine. How to stretch: Stretch slowly and for a long time. This is super important—Jean-Louis explains why in the video! Bring your awareness to the […]

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3 Calming Rituals to Slow Down the Mind

I recently completed my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Radiantly Alive in Ubud, Bali. One ancient yogic truth our witty and wise philosophy teacher Sanna taught us has been rolling around in my head ever since: “Yoga is stopping the turbulence of the mind” — Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra This one stuck with me. We’re not talking about yoga that stretches your body into the bendiest human pretzel of all time. This definition is for Yoga with a capital Y—an all-encompassing yogic way of living that extends much further than the corners of your mat. We come to our mats to practice yoga, yes. But we also practice Yoga when we get cut off in traffic and simply let it go. We practice Yoga when we choose inner peace over daily dramas. Lately for me, the ripple effect of COVID-19 in my own personal bubble has been quite turbulent, making capital Y-Yoga quite challenging and my need for calming rituals even greater than ever. Thoughts constantly loop like: What’s happening with my career? When will I see my family again? Is everyone staying safe? How long until things go back to “normal”? Why is it so hard to focus? How much […]

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CEO Julie’s Quarantine-Friendly Slow Detox Program

I just want to be really real and really honest in this situation. As a CEO and entrepreneur, how do we manage to deal with our feelings and our minds, during this lockdown? It feels a bit like the world is being forced to slow down. If you can’t go out, go inward. MASTER THE ART OF DOING NOTHING At first I collapsed. I slept and watched Netflix for a week—and I realized I really needed that. But after a week, I was bored. I didn’t want to do that anymore. I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to do it all the way, without having to feel guilty about it. I also want to keep that feeling towards the future—to know that sometimes it’s time to just collapse and do absolutely nothing, master the Art of Doing Nothing. It’s like when La Casa De Papel came out, and I watched the entire season in one night, without nervously counting the “hours of sleep” I’d have until the next day of work. I just fully committed to just watching it all night, and I fully enjoyed it. I finished at 5AM, after the mosque! The next morning I woke up [...]

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Meet the QuaranTEAM Bringing You Slow at Home

We’re excited to bring you Slow at Home — a series of curated tips for slowing down all areas of life to experience each day more mindfully and joyfully.

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Good to know before traveling to The Gili Islands

Are you on your way to our tropical paradise with white sandy beaches and palm tree plantations? If yes, you are certainly in for a wonderful treat. We are happy to welcome you to our favorite place in the world! To give you the best possible experience, we have written down a few things for you, which are good to know before traveling to Gili Air. Feel free to ask for more information, if needed. When visiting Gili Air, we also recommend you to read through our Gili Air E-book – A guide to travel like a local. Here you will find tips and tricks about Gili Air, where to eat, where to drink, and how to get the best possible experience during your stay on the island. Gili Air is a Muslim Island The majority of the Indonesian people are Muslim. In fact, Indonesia is the country in the world, holding the largest population of Muslim people. However, all religions are spread throughout the country, and the main religion of the different islands varies. On Bali, most people are Hindu, whereas on Lombok, most people are Muslim. This means, that the three Gili Islands are also Muslim islands.  When […]

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Slow Spa Yoga

We are proud to introduce our brand new concept of Slow Spa Yoga. At Slow, we think of yoga as a way to freedom: to free your body, to free your mind, and to free your soul. This is why Slow Villas & Spa is the perfect place for practicing yoga, as feeling free comes naturally in our paradise surroundings. When checking in to our Slow Luxury Villas, you will immediately feel at home. You will get you own luxury villa with private pool, coconut tree garden, dining area, kitchen and a lovely outdoor bathroom. Head to the in-house spa to check out our luxury spa treatments and book yourself into one of the daily yoga classes. If you’re not a guest at Slow Villas, you are still welcome to join our yoga classes! Yoga styles At Slow Spa we offer different types of yoga classes. It’s our wish to create a safe space, where the focus is on each individual. This is why we allow a maximum number of 10 participants in each class, to keep the classes small and intimate. Vinyasa Flow – 75min Start your day with Vinyasa Flow to gain energy and reconnect with your body. […]

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Zero Waste & Sustainability

A JOURNEY TOWARDS A ZERO WASTE GILI AIR!  Follow your dreams – cause they know the way! Our dream is to live on a Zero Waste Island. But we all know, that it’s a long journey, and that we all need to make an effort! At Slow we believe that small things do matter. This is why, we are taking the first steps towards becoming a Zero Waste Gili Air! It is no secret, that our planet really needs our help. We are going in the wrong direction, and we all need to open our eyes and face the problems. Plastic pollution is ruling the world these days, and we are killing our beloved nature with trash. Many people have already opened their eyes towards recycling. This is wonderful! BUT – it’s still just turning plastic into plastic…. At Slow we have this thought: What about cutting down our plastic production in general? Isn’t it clear, that this where we need to begin our journey? We have consulted several specialists to improve our footprints to the world and to find an affordable way to improve them! We are proud to announce, that we are now taking the first steps towards becoming […]

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