The sights
Nest: the underwater statues
Forty-eight life-size figures, standing and lying in a ring, cast from real people by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor and placed on the seabed in 2017. Soft corals and sponges are slowly colonising them, as intended. They are shallow enough for snorkellers to see clearly and for freedivers to swim among.
ℹ️ Free from the beach on the west coast; also a stop on almost every boat trip. About 4 m deep. Best early morning or late afternoon; busiest 10 am–2 pm.
Turtle Heaven and the Meno Wall
The reef off the north-west and west coast is the most reliable turtle ground in the Gilis. Green turtles feed on the shallow plateau, and hawksbills work the edge where the wall drops away. Divers come for the wall itself, with its overhangs, soft corals and night-dive crabs and lobsters.
ℹ️ Free from shore for confident swimmers at mid to high tide; easier by boat. Expect some current. Allow an hour.
The salt lake
A shallow brackish lake fills the west-centre of the island, edged with mangroves. Salt was once harvested here. Today a boardwalk and path give views of herons and other waders, and the still water makes a fine mirror at sunset. Bring repellent: mosquitoes like it too, especially after rain.
ℹ️ Free, always open. Ten minutes’ walk inland from the west coast. Allow 20–30 minutes.
The west-coast beach and sunset
A long, narrow strand of pale sand facing Gili Trawangan and, beyond it, Bali. A handful of beach bars set out beanbags for the sunset, which is every bit as good as Trawangan’s and shared with a tenth of the people.
ℹ️ Free. Shallow at low tide. Arrive half an hour before sunset; bring a torch for the walk home.
The east and south-east beach
The island’s best swimming beach: broad, soft and gently shelving, with Gili Air and the bulk of Mount Rinjani across the water. Simple restaurants and loungers line the middle section near the harbour, and the ends are usually empty.
ℹ️ Free; loungers are usually free with a drink or meal. Good at all tides. Sunrise is spectacular on clear mornings.
The ring path
A sandy track runs right round the shore under coconut palms and casuarinas, past fishing boats, tiny warungs and long stretches of nothing at all. It is the simplest and best thing to do on Meno, and the only way to understand how small and quiet the island is.
ℹ️ About 5 km; 1.5 hours at an easy pace. Little shade on the north coast — go early or late and carry water.
The Bounty wreck
A sunken floating pontoon off the south-west coast, now thick with hard and soft corals and home to scorpionfish, batfish and clouds of glassfish. The top is shallow enough for strong snorkellers and freedivers, and the rest is an easy, colourful dive.
ℹ️ By boat; visited on some snorkelling trips and many dive schedules. Top at roughly 5–8 m, bottom around 18 m.
