Gili Trawangan in Indonesia

Indonesia is a huge country and thinking of liquidating it in a few weeks is practically impossible. 1700 islands reachable by ferry, speed boat or low cost planes but still 1700.

Starting from the assumption that I already have a clear idea that I will return and when I do it will be for a few months that I will dedicate solely and exclusively to discovering this splendid country for the first time, I can say that I was not disappointed at all.

The Gili Islands with Bali they are perhaps among the most famous islands and there is a reason. They are not part of Bali but of Nusa Tengare and very close to the island of Lombok which is about 4 hours by ferry from Bali (2 if you go by speed boat but which also costs twice as much) and just twenty 20 minutes from the 3 islands .

The islands are: Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan one almost attached to the top, the view from above is incredible, seen on a postcard obviously.

Gili Trawangan it is the island on which I decided to stay for a series of reasons although I would have preferred to stay on one of the other two as they are notoriously quieter and more isolated.
I opted for Gili Trawangan as it is the most touristic island of the three and has the most convenience for work issues, and therefore the need for internet, I imagined that it would be easier to find it here as well as having the certainty that the costs for accommodation could be lower.
Although Gili Trawangan is considered the “party” island, I believe it can also be good for those who, like myself, are not looking for parties.
The beach is splendid however and you only need to swim a little offshore with a mask and tube to have delightful encounters like some sea turtles that seem to be waiting for us to be chased up and down the blue waters.

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The island is the largest of the three there isn’t much to do unless you want to get a certificate PADI scuba diving you want to go diving or snorkeling.
In short, the ideal place to open a book and spend the days reading under the sun or in the shade of some trees on the beach.
Snorkeling is also great from the island’s beach. Tropical fish and some sea turtles 20 meters from the shore, if you don’t have your own mask and tube, which I always have in my suitcase with me, you can rent them anywhere for around 20,000 rupiah.

The beach on which all the bars and expensive guest houses are located is very crowded with people and boats, but it doesn’t take much to find 4/5 of the coast completely deserted.
You may meet someone sporadically but it is not the norm.
The water is warm, particularly hot, the scenery incredible, just think that in front of our eyes there is a volcano and the green and enormous island of Lombok that rises in its grandeur. You can see the palm trees and not even the shadow of a house. This side of the beach, deserted during the day, however comes alive at sunset where the Sunset Bar you can have a drink while the sun goes down behind Bali.
Another wonderful thing about the islands is that there are no cars or scooters. You can’t hear the noise of engines! The only vehicles that can be seen circulating are bicycles and carts pulled by small horses.

The town center is quite lively, full of hotels (there are more than 100 different guesthouses and hotels on the island), bars where the prices are not exactly popular, some of these have free wi fi for customers so if, like me, you need internet and you don’t have it in your room with a 10,000/15,000 rupiah coke (between 1 euro and 1.5) you can enjoy a pretty good connection for a few hours. My favorite bars with wifi are the Fortuna and ExtraBlatt where I can spend up to 3 hours just with a coke and the staff is always friendly and kind.

Obviously it is enough to move a little towards the interior of the island, simply taking the first road perpendicular to the main street where the warung lokal where you can eat for 15,000 or 20,000 rupiah are located.
Thus the costs of guest houses also decrease.
In fact, if a beach side room costs no less than 250,000/350,000 rupiah per night (in low season) 3 minutes walking from the main road I found it for 80,000.

According to what I was told by some guys I met at the food night market, where among other things I devoured a chocolate and coconut pancakes phenomenal (15,000 rupiah), and where food costs a fortune, party nights are Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The clubs fill up in an incredible way to say the least (I didn’t realize there were so many people on the island) and the young people of the island, local and otherwise, gather these 3 days a week to dance until dawn. On Friday the party is at Ruby’s Bar e Restaurant.

The Gili Islands like all of Indonesia, apart from Bali which seemed to me to be 90% Hindu, are Muslim areas which also means a mosque from which at 5 in the morning a voice from a megaphone invites Muslims and non-Muslims (since it also wakes up us) to prayer. The island is small and the guest houses are all concentrated, there is no escape. Morning singing is for everyone!
Although Muslim there is no problem walking around in shorts and t-shirts, it is still a very touristy island and I believe that even the locals have gotten used to it, but there are signs scattered around the town that invite you at least not to walk in a bikini in compliance with the local culture and therefore it is right to limit the bikini to the beach.

To go from Gili Trawangan to Gili Meno or Gili Air there are numerous options.
The cheapest is to take a local boat, which leaves if there are at least 20 people, and which costs 10,000 rupiah for one way, or you can organize a snorkeling tour, 100,000 (just under €10), and see the other two islands in a single day and do some great snorkeling.
To you the choice.

How to get to the Gili Islands from Bali

Regardless of which island you want to go to, many agencies offer packages that include mini shuttles and boats to reach the islands from any main city in Bali and obviously from Lombok.

The cost from Ubud by ferry is 160.000 rupiah (€16) while it rises to 350,000 (€35) if you choose the speed boat.
I took the ferry which was quite comfortable and a nice walk on the sea. I wasn’t in a hurry and the difference in costs was considerable.
Same costs from Kuta. I also recommend negotiating before buying the ticket.
Once you arrive at the port of Penang Bay an agency employee will sell you a return ticket for the same price.
I recommend doing this since the same route purchased on the island costs a little more (200,000 rupiah if purchased on the island).
Once you arrive in Lombok a car will be waiting to take you to Sengiggi where to take the boat to get to the Gili (about an hour’s journey with a possible stop at the agency where the owner will explain some things to you).
The return ticket sold is open, meaning you can use it whenever you want and without having to notify the agency in advance. There’s always room.
Also if by chance instead of going directly to Kuta o Ubud do you want to stop for a few days at Travel with this ticket you can do it. The shuttle to the next destination is included in the price and you can decide when to go without any rush, but in this case it is advisable to call the agency to let them know so that the pick-up can pick you up at the guesthouse.

Where to sleep in Gili Trawangan

The Beach House – Spacious and clean rooms. The property is located near the main road and numerous restaurants and bars. Rooms starting from €30 per night.

Dejavu Hotel Turtle Beach Gili Trawangan – Spacious, clean rooms and hotels a little far from the town centre, the island is however very small, which is a good thing so you can sleep in peace. Double rooms starting from €48.
Le Pirate Beach Club Gili Trawangan – Located opposite the main road on a beautiful beach the property offers beautiful bungalows and space to relax in the hammock or on the beach. Bungalows starting from €60 per night.

Les Villas Ottalia Gili Trawangan – 4-star bungalows, swimming pool and tropical garden. A romantic, clean and spacious place in the center of the island and away from the chaos of the main road. Bungalows starting from €59 and villas starting from €89 per night.

Villa Nero – A luxury hotel at special prices, spacious rooms furnished in Korean style. The property is located away from the main road but free bicycles are offered. Rooms starting from €78.