For anyone heading to this part of Indonesia, here is a list of what to do in Gili Trawangan Island, located just after Bali and Lombok Island towards the east.
Popularly known as the Gili Islands, this unique cluster of three islands has gone through it all, from the days of some serious backpacker partying in the nineties to a tourist-friendly island since going through a massive makeover in 2005.
What to do in Gili Trawangan Island
The three islands next to each other are Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno, where the Tranwangan is the largest. Gili Air is pronounced as Ai-Yea and not air, as most foreigners call it.
The beauty of the Gili Islands is that no motorised vehicles are allowed on any of the islands; therefore, it is such a charm to see horse carriages and bicycles being used as the primary mode of transport.
No airport is available here; therefore, the only way to get here is via a boat or a ferry from Lombok or Bali, which is a one or two-hour ferry ride.
As for accommodations, you can find luxury resorts, boutique hotels, budget hostels, backpacker guest houses and even homestays catering to all travellers.
As for food, you must know that there is no pork available through the Gili Islands, making it halal or pork-free; however, you can find almost all kinds of wines, spirits and beers catering to international travellers that seek the perfect island getaway.
As for what to do in Gili Trawangan, here is a list of what I experienced during my trip here in July 2016.
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| Choices of bicycles are available at the Gili Islands. |
1. Rent a bicycle and cycle around the island
This is the best option to move around as it takes at most 40 minutes to make one round the entire Gili Trawangan Island. Bicycles are available for rental from most hotels, resorts, or shops along the main beach road.
Prices are anywhere from Rp. 60,000 for the whole day or Rp.25,000 to Rp. 30,000 for a couple of hours. Some bicycles for rent include the classic city bicycle with a basket in the front or the 4x4 off-road monster tire mountain bike.
2. Island Hopping from Gili Trawangan to Air to Meno
Visiting the neighbouring islands is a must-do activity as you can see the smaller islands and the laid-back life there. As Trawangan is the most inhibited island, you will find things easier on the other two islands, but nevertheless, a well-worth trip to explore if you love islands.
I noticed that many travellers hop from one island to another to eat, drink and explore as usually, visitors here would spend a week at the islands, compared to Asians who just visit for a few days.
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| Datu Swings at Ombak Sunset Hotel. |
The world-famous 'Swing in the Sea' is the most popular tourist stop, originally at Ombak Sunset Hotel on Gili Trawangan Island. There are four swings at the original spot, but due to popularity, another resort followed suit and built its own set of swings in the sea, so if you want the original, it is at Ombak Sunset, while the other one is at Pandawa Beach.
At the Datu Swings, you must line up in an orderly fashion to wait your turn to get that legendary photo of the Gili Trawangan Swing in the Sea. This is the most shared photo on social media, especially with younger travellers.
4. Scuba Diving at the Gili Islands
Hands down, this is truly a scuba divers' paradise with over 20 dive resorts and operators on all the islands. The scuba diving price on Gili Trawangan ranges from around USD$28 per dive and a slight discount when you take a package.
There are dive centres with foreign-speaking dive guides who speak English. As for dive sites around the Gili Islands, there are 20 dive sites for you to choose from, and unfortunately for me, there was not enough time to do a check dive in Gili, but I am sure I will be back to try some diving at the Gili Islands.
5. Snorkeling at Gili Islands
There are dive centres with foreign-speaking dive guides who speak English. As for dive sites around the Gili Islands, there are 20 dive sites for you to choose from, and unfortunately for me, there was not enough time to do a check dive in Gili, but I am sure I will be back to try some diving at the Gili Islands.
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| A turtle was spotted while snorkelling at Gili Air. |
Anyone who comes here is bound to try snorkelling at the Gili Islands, and you can do it from the beach or take the many snorkelling trips offered by the operators on the island.
Usually, an island hopping package takes you from one island to another, and they will stop at one of the beautiful reefs for guests to snorkel.
Through my snorkelling experience, I noticed beautiful vibrant marine life; occasionally, the curious turtle may pass you by. You should also ensure that you stay within a reasonable distance as sometimes currents can be strong, and you may need to swim against the current back to your boat.
Usually, an island hopping package takes you from one island to another, and they will stop at one of the beautiful reefs for guests to snorkel.
Through my snorkelling experience, I noticed beautiful vibrant marine life; occasionally, the curious turtle may pass you by. You should also ensure that you stay within a reasonable distance as sometimes currents can be strong, and you may need to swim against the current back to your boat.
6. Hike up the Gili Trawangan View Point
If you are into hiking and trekking, look no further, as there is a viewpoint at the highest point of Gili Trawangan where you can see the sister islands and the beautiful overall view of the Gili Islands. The viewpoint is about 30 minutes trek up from most parts of the island, and if you are a photographer, this would be the perfect place to catch sunrise and sunset.
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| Wide selection of local food at the Gili Trawangan Night Market. |
7. Eat at the Gili Night Market
A very popular spot is the Gili Night Market which is hard to miss as it is located on the only main road around the island. Here, you will see loads of tourists and travellers ordering all kinds of local foods like mixed rice dishes, cooked or grilled seafood and various local desserts.
Go early to get a good spot, and the night market is open from around 5pm till 11pm, nightly too. If you want to try Indonesian food, island style, this is the place. Nearby there are convenience stores and coffee shops.
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| Movie on the beach at Gili Trawangan. |
8. Watch a Movie by the Beach
A popular attraction is a movie by the beach at Gili Trawangan, where guests pay around Rp.50,000 or 60,000 to watch a movie inclusive of juice. Comfy bean bags are provided on the beach and are limited to a number, so you must come early to get your spot.
You cannot see anything from the beach road, so no freebies are here. A timetable of movies and show times is displayed on a board while they show international movies on a big screen. Great for those wanting to just chill and relax.
You cannot see anything from the beach road, so no freebies are here. A timetable of movies and show times is displayed on a board while they show international movies on a big screen. Great for those wanting to just chill and relax.
9. Try a Cooking Class on Gili Trawangan
Yes, there is a cooking school in Gili Trawangan called Sweet and Spicy Cooking School where you can learn how to cook. Open to around six or eight students at a time, this fun cooking class is conducted by a local chef and is quite entertaining as those passing by will have the opportunity to witness your cooking skills.
For those interested in learning how to cook, this would be the perfect experience for you to attend a traditional cooking class on Gili Trawangan. Other cooking classes are also offered, and you can just ask for more information.
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| Sun tanning at the many beaches on the Gili Islands. |
10. Get a Sun Tan on the Beach
As the island is surrounded by beaches, you can simply pick your spot to sun tan; if you want privacy, the choice is up to you. Some places are private, so you need to take note while most of the beaches are public.
Deck chairs are also on rental or belonging to a resort, so please check first. Remember that SPF50, if you are planning to get a sun tan and the best time to do it is before 11.00 am.
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| Bars at Gili Trawangan |
11. Enjoy a cocktail at the beach bars on Gili Trawangan
As you arrive on the islands, you will notice loads of beach bars, restaurants and cafes situated directly on the beach areas. Some of them are privately owned, and most of them are hotel operated.
Here, you can enjoy a cocktail at the bar or even on the beach and absorb the natural island beauty. For Muslim travellers, they serve Mocktails, juices and other non-alcoholic drinks too. Take note of the happy hour times they offer, as sometimes, you can find a good deal at some of the bars at Gili Trawangan.
Here, you can enjoy a cocktail at the bar or even on the beach and absorb the natural island beauty. For Muslim travellers, they serve Mocktails, juices and other non-alcoholic drinks too. Take note of the happy hour times they offer, as sometimes, you can find a good deal at some of the bars at Gili Trawangan.
12. Go for a Spa at Gili Trawangan
Nothing beats having a traditional spa on an island; here at the Gili Islands, spas are almost everywhere. Prices vary from one another, but you should book early for your spa session as it tends to get crowded during peak hours, especially at the hotel and resort spas here.
One can do a few more things at Gili Trawangan, but the above are some of the main things you should notice. If you love water sports, several operators offer various types.
As for money, there are ATM machines located all over the island, so getting cash is not a problem while convenient, and pharmacies are also available along the main beach road if you come down with the flu.
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| Beach road along Gili Islands. |
When is the Best Time to Visit Gili Trawangan?
You must take note that the best time to visit Gili Trawangan Island is in July, August, and September as this is the super peak period and also December for the year-end season; therefore, it is advised to book way ahead for your hotel room, or you will be turned away as it gets really packed, and if you plan to just try a walk-in, most hotels there will hang signs outside stating 'No Rooms' or 'Hotel Full'.
The low season at Gili Islands is from February, March and April. The other months are the rainy months, where you can expect showers in and out and for divers, November to April is the worst possible time to go diving at Gili Trawangan.
Again, with the recent influx of tourism here, sometimes during the low months, rooms can be fully booked too, so best to always book your Gili Trawangan Hotel ahead of your trip.
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| Gili Islands Map, click to enlarge. Map from Lombok Media. |
You may be interested in exploring somewhere new besides Bali, and the Gili Islands are the next best trend. Currently, there are a lot of European tourists who are flocking here to avoid the over-commercialised Bali island.
There are also Asians are also coming here due to the wow factor of the islands, and in time, this place will be the talk of the town where loads of tourists will be packing this place up; therefore, I recommend you visit the Gili Islands before it gets super commercial and busy.
Conclusion
If you have questions or suggestions on what to do in Gili Trawangan Island, please leave them in the comment form below. For those who want to find out about the many places I visit around Indonesia, you can also follow Malaysia Asia on Instagram.
This trip to the Gili Islands was organised by Indonesia Tourism on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism Indoorganisedpromote the #TripofWonders campaign.