Gili Islands deep dive
The August 2018 Lombok earthquakes (7.0 magnitude main shock plus strong aftershocks) devastated the Gili Islands — mass evacuations, damaged infrastructure, and an economic shutdown. Eight years later, the islands have fully rebuilt, tourism has recovered, and new buildings are more earthquake-resilient. This is the story of one of Southeast Asia's most impressive community recoveries.
# The Gili Islands After the 2018 Earthquake: Rebuilding Paradise
In August 2018, a series of earthquakes devastated Lombok. The initial 6.4 magnitude quake on July 29 was followed by a 7.0 magnitude main shock on August 5, then a 6.9 aftershock on August 19, plus hundreds of smaller aftershocks over the following weeks. Across Lombok and the Gili Islands, more than 500 people died, thousands were injured, and tens of thousands of homes and buildings were destroyed.
The Gili Islands experienced one of the most dramatic stories of the disaster. The islands are tiny (Gili Trawangan is just 3 km long), densely populated during peak tourism, and accessible only by boat. When the August 5 quake hit, thousands of tourists and locals had to evacuate across a chaotic sea while aftershocks continued. Buildings collapsed. Tourism stopped overnight. For months afterward, the Gili economy was in shutdown.
Eight years later, the islands have fully rebuilt. Tourism returned stronger than before. New buildings are designed to better earthquake standards. And the community resilience shown during and after the disaster is one of the defining stories of modern Lombok.
The August 5 earthquake struck at 18:46 local time — early evening, with tourists finishing dinners and starting their nights out. The shaking was severe; many beachfront buildings on the Gilis suffered immediate structural damage. Power and water were cut. Aftershocks started within minutes and continued for hours.
Tsunami warnings were issued (later downgraded). Thousands of tourists fled to higher ground on the islands — there isn't much high ground on a flat island, but the central hills were the safest options. Panic scenes at the harbors as boats struggled to evacuate people in the dark. Reports of some boats overloaded, some people paying inflated prices for emergency transport.
The Indonesian navy deployed ships to Gili Trawangan and Gili Air within 12 hours, evacuating tourists to Lombok mainland. By August 7, most foreign tourists had been evacuated. Locals who stayed were left with damaged homes, disrupted water supplies, and an economy that was suddenly zero tourism for months.
From August 2018 through early 2019, the Gilis were essentially closed to tourism. Rebuilding began immediately — volunteer organizations from Bali and international NGOs arrived within weeks. The Australian, German, and Dutch governments contributed relief funds. Locals cleared debris, repaired water systems, and rebuilt damaged structures.
Gili Eco Trust, a community organization on the Gilis, played a significant coordination role during recovery — connecting volunteers, managing debris removal, supporting local families whose homes were destroyed.
By mid-2019, tourism started returning cautiously. By late 2019, it was nearly back to pre-earthquake levels. Then COVID-19 hit in 2020, and the islands faced a second tourism shutdown from a different cause entirely. The 2018-2020 window was a brutal cycle for the Gili economy.
New buildings on the Gili Islands constructed after 2018 follow better earthquake-resilient designs. The changes are mostly invisible to tourists but important:
Older pre-earthquake buildings that survived are still in use — some were reinforced, some weren't. On Gili Trawangan specifically, several original 1990s-era beachfront bungalows look the same as they did 15 years ago.
The Gili vibe is essentially unchanged. The islands still have no cars. Horse carts still run the streets. Dive shops still dominate the main strip. Sunset bars still fill up at 6pm. The three-island distinction (party T, chill Air, quiet Meno) is still how visitors describe them.
New restaurants and hotels opened after 2018 brought some modernization, but the casual beach-holiday feel is the same as pre-earthquake. You won't notice the reconstruction unless you look for it.
What's worth understanding is that the locals who make the Gilis work — dive instructors, guesthouse owners, boat operators, restaurant staff, horse cart drivers — went through the disaster, endured the tourism shutdown, rebuilt their businesses, and kept working. Many lost homes, family members, and savings. The fact that a tourist can fly into Lombok today and have essentially the same Gili experience as 2017 is a testament to community resilience that tourists rarely see or appreciate.
If you visit the Gilis and want to support locals directly, prioritize locally-owned businesses over international chains. Your Indonesian-owned dive shop, guesthouse, and restaurant keeps more of your money in the community that rebuilt after the disaster.
The Gili Islands sit near major tectonic plate boundaries, and earthquakes will happen again. This isn't a reason to avoid visiting — the same logic applies to Bali, Japan, California, and many other destinations tourists love. But visitors should understand:
Travel insurance covering natural disasters is recommended for any Indonesian travel.