Bike rental on Meno
Despite the fact that the roads to Meno are quite bad, renting a bike is a great way to explore the island. Focus on the cost plus or minus 2-4 $ per day. You can rent a bike through any guest house on the island, as well as in the port area.
Lake Meno
The salt lake with mangroves is the main attraction of the island. There is a hiking trail around the island, there are also a couple of tiny varungs where you can have a coffee, a snack or just spend an hour or two reading a book surrounded by wildlife.
Turtle Reserve
Turtles have chosen the southeastern part of the island for nesting. In a tiny nature reserve located here, local volunteers create safe conditions for hatching turtles and keep babies in special water tanks until they become strong enough to meet the ocean.
For a small charitable contribution (about $ 10), you can participate in the so—called release of turtles – the release of babies into the ocean. A very emotional event, participation in which will give you the opportunity to support the maintenance of the reserve and the locals working here.
Snorkeling with turtles
The main charm of living on the island of Meno is that you do not need to buy a standard snorkeling tour (unlike the islands of Trawangan and Air) in order to meet a turtle in the ocean. The main “turtle spots” are located near Meno — you can swim with a mask on your own in the area of the northeast coast or rent a local boat for a very inexpensive price and sail to the spots located a little further from the coast.
Head to the spots early in the morning to miss the snoking tours from the neighboring islands. Boat rentals and private snorkeling tours can be arranged through local guest houses and local tour operators (focus on the amount plus or minus $ 20-30 per boat).
Underwater sculptures Nest
Nest, a unique (and very photogenic) underwater sculpture composition, is also located near the coast of Meno. The composition is a circle of 48 sculptures in the form of human figures. Nest is located at a depth of 3 meters near the west coast of Meno opposite the Bask Nest sign (between Diana Cafe and Laskar Cafe). To the statues from the shore — about 100 meters, count your strength by going to the spot yourself.
The alternative is to rent a boat and combine Nest with swimming with turtles on the east side of Meno. Go to the spots early in the morning to miss the snoking tours from the neighboring islands. Boat rentals and private snorkeling tours can be arranged through local guest houses and local tour operators (focus on the amount plus or minus $ 20-30 per boat).
Varungi Meno
In fact, even compared to the neighboring Gili Islands, the choice of places to eat — to look at the sea, on Meno is not so big. But the local beach varungs are distinguished by a special flavor — with bamboo, wood and thatched roofs as the main material, such charming huts, very much in the style of wild Meno)
The main part of such varungs is concentrated along the eastern coast in the port area.
Beaches and districts of Meno
Meno Island is small, calm and quite homogeneous in terms of the experience of living. The island can be divided into southern and northern parts. In the south there is a port, a local village and a small number of beach hotels along the coast. The northern part is more touristic (if you can say so about Meno), most of the beach housing, beach varungs and cafes are concentrated here.
Port and Village of Meno
The port of Meno is located in the south of the island, from the east coast, which “looks” at Gili Air. A small local village is located deep into the island just behind the port. About 400 local residents live here and quite a lot of budget housing is offered — simple bungalows and homesteads.
Look for accommodation on the island’s hotel map
South Coast
The southern coast of the island is deserted and practically not built up. In the western part of the southern coast there are several small resorts, cafes and varungs stretch along the southern edge, in the eastern part there is a turtle reserve, a couple of cottages for rent and local cafes.
Look for accommodation on the island’s hotel map
Lake district, central part of the island
The lake occupies a fairly large part of the island from the west coast in the central part of the island. The coast here is deserted, but just east of the lake and north of the local village, you can find excellent housing options in the format of bungalows surrounded by wildlife. It is very calm and quiet here, but at the same time close to both the village and any part of the coast of Meno.
Look for accommodation on the island’s hotel map
North of the island
The most beautiful beaches of the island are located in this part of the island. The bulk of Meno beach housing in the form of small resorts, beach bungalows and cottages is also concentrated here. On the east side there are excellent spots for swimming with a mask (turtles can be found even near the shore), on the west side — for watching the sunset.