Anyone who has been following the blog for a while will know that I am a massive fan of Gili Trawangan. I fell in love with the laid back bustle of the island when I first visited in 2020, and so I was obviously very excited to return again for a few days this year. If you’re planning a visit to Gili T (or one of its neighbours, Gili Air or Gili Meno), keep reading for a complete guide to Gili Trawangan.
Getting to the Gili islands
Although they are an essential stop on any Bali itinerary, the Gili islands aren’t part of Bali itself. They are actually part of Lombok, hence they are closer to Lombok than they are to Bali. That said, travel time from Padangbai in Bali is still quite short, with most fast boat crossings taking between 90 minutes and 2 hours, stopping at Gili T first and then continuing on to Gili Meno and Gili Air.
There are several boat companies available and many include pick up from your accommodation in Bali. However, many of these are shared shuttle buses and can take a number of hours. If you’re a backpacker with a smaller budget, it’s a great low cost way to get from your hostel to the port. If your budget allows for a private transfer, or if you are tight on time, I suggest arranging your own transport. You can do this using the Grab or Bluebird apps, or by sourcing a local driver and negotiating a good rate.
Boats from Lombok run frequently throughout the day, departing from Bangsal harbour and taking just 30 minutes. There are also fast boat transfers available from the Nusa islands, although some go via Padangabai and take upwards of 3 hours, so try to book a direct route if possible.
12Go Asia is a great website for comparing prices and booking tickets in advance.
I recommend wearing some sort of sandals or shoes that slip on and off easily for the journey. It is possible that you will need to take them off and wade through the water when boarding or disembarking.
What you need to bring
- Sunscreen: I recommend a high factor, and go for a reef friendly option if possible, particularly if you plan on spending a lot of time in the water.
- Bug Spray
- An underwater camera or a waterproof phone case: If you plan on doing any snorkelling or scuba diving, this is an absolute must.
- A dry bag: Again this is useful for any water activities. I also have a medium sized one which I used for all of my electronics and valuables during the boat trip over and back, just for peace of mind when boarding and disembarking.
- Comfortable walking shoes: There is no motorised transport on any of the Gili islands.
- Cash: There are ATMs scattered around the islands, but you should bring a reasonable amount of cash just in case.
Where to stay
There are numerous options for accommodation on Gili T, ranging from backpacker dorms right up to private villas.
- Backpacker: Mad Monkey hostel on the west side of the island has great reviews and is part of one of the largest hostel chains in Asia. It is quite far from the port though, so if you’re looking for somewhere closer to the centre, check out My Mate’s Place. It’s just an 11 minute walk from the ferry terminal, and is located slightly inland from the east coast of the island.
- Affordable: Casus Dream Hotel offers comfortable, beach hut style accommodation starting from EUR34 per night for 2 adults sharing. It’s just a short walk to the ferry terminal, close to the night market, and has a shared pool.
- Affordable Luxury: Jawa House offers private villa style accommodation, with a choice of private whirlpool or swimming pool, starting from EUR54 per night for 2 people. It is a 20 minute walk from the ferry terminal and the bustle of the east coast, but there are a handful of restaurants close by, and one or two small local grocery shops for essential supplies.
Booking.com is a great site for booking accommodation, and has a tiered loyalty scheme where you can earn discounts and/or free breakfasts at certain properties.
Getting Around
As I have already mentioned, there is no motorised transport on any of the Gili islands. Options for getting around are bicycle, e-bike, horse and cart, or on foot. I also saw a small number of electric mopeds while I was there, but did not see any advertising for rental, so I suspect that they are mainly owned and used privately by local residents on the island.
Bicycle rental costs just 50,000 IDR, or roughly EUR3 per day. Horse and cart prices, should you choose to use them, will need to be negotiated with your driver. I personally choose not to use the horses and carts. I have heard that the horses are not always treated particularly well, and I found it very sad to see them dragging heavy loads around the island all day in the heat and humidity. I am fortunate to be fit and healthy enough to be able to walk anywhere that I needed to go while I was on the islands. If you do find yourself needing to use a horse and cart for transport for whatever reason, try to limit to a maximum of two people and minimal luggage in order to keep the load as light as possible.
What To Do On Gili Trawangan
Once you’re on the island, there is a lot more to do than you would think. Make sure to give yourself a minimum of 3 nights and 2 full days, but you could honestly spend a week or more here and not get bored or run out of awesome things to do.
Hire a bike and cycle around the island
Gili T is quite a small island, just 6 square kilometres, and so it is very easy to get around and to explore. Bike rentals can be found all over the island, and particularly along the east coast close to the pier. The “road” that circles the coast is mostly paved, but once you head inland it’s a lot more rugged and sandy, and you may occasionally need to get off and walk.
Eat your way around the night market
The night market is open every night and is just a couple of minutes walk south of the pier. There are lots of stalls selling fresh seafood, meat or fish skewers and nasi campur, as well as cakes, desserts and crepes, and you can even have a beer to wash it all down. It’s not particularly cheap. We paid pretty much the same price for a meal at the night market as we did for a similar dinner at a sit down restaurant. But it is a relaxing way to spend an hour or two after sunset.
Watch the sunset on the west side of the island
If you’re not already staying on the west side of the island, heading over to watch the sunset is an absolute must. There’s a very chilled vibe, and most of the bars will have entertainment of some kind. I can personally recommend Pink Coco. It has beanbags laid out facing the water, a DJ, a fire dancer, and the cocktails are strong so you get great value for your money.
Go island hopping
Each of the Gili islands has its own unique feel and character, so I recommend using the daily public boat services to explore the neighbouring Gili Air and Gili Meno. Spend a few hours strolling around Gili Meno with its saltwater lake, or chilling out at the beach bars on Gili Air. There are 2 slow boats each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, which start at Gili T and do a loop, stopping at the other 2 islands and then returning to Gili T. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on which of the islands you are going to.
There are also a number of fast boats each day, which take around 10 minutes and do a similar loop. I never did manage to get my head around the boat schedule, and I even found that the times displayed at the ticket office were incorrect, so I advise asking at the office the day before, and check return boat times when you get to your destination. There is a ticket office on the east side of the island, a little north of the pier, opposite the Ekajaya Fast Boat office. Slow boats usually leave from the beach at the front of the office, and fast boats generally leave from the pier.
Go snorkelling or scuba diving
The Gili islands are one of the most popular snorkel and dive locations in all of Asia, and there are several dive centres scattered along the east coast of the island. There are also numerous tour operators selling snorkelling tours. The waters surrounding the islands are known for the famous Gili Meno underwater statues, and turtle sightings are also very common.
Take a 3 islands tour
If you don’t have a lot of time and want to pack in as much as possible, the 3 islands tour will be your absolute best friend. Generally starting from Gili T, these tours are a great way to fit in some snorkelling and see both of the neighbouring islands, all in one day. Prices vary depending on the length of the tour and the number of snorkelling locations included, but usually range from 150K to 250K IDR.
Take a sunset cruise
A sunset cruise is another great way to fit a couple of must do activities into a relatively small amount of time. Most will include a BBQ dinner, and some operators even offer a 3 islands sunset option.
Spend a relaxing day at the beach
Thanks to its small size, no matter where you are on the island, you are certainly never far away from the beach. Grab a towel and a good book, and don’t forget to pile on the sunscreen and bug spray.
Pose for photos at the Gili swings
Thanks to Instagram, the Gili swings have become almost better known than the islands themselves. There aren’t quite as many to be found post Covid. It seems that many were removed during pandemic times and haven’t been replaced. There are still a few dotted around each of the 3 islands though, and they provide the perfect setting for an Instagram photo op.
Thanks for reading my complete guide to Gili Trawangan
To read more about why I love Gili T so much, check out these posts from my 2020 visit.
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