Gili Trawangan Travel Guide

Gili Trawangan (Terawangan, or Gili T) is the largest and most visited of the three Gili Islands off Lombok. It has evolved from a backpackers' haven to a more developed tourist island with a thriving dive industry. Despite these developments, Gili T has retained its small scale charm and has no high rises and remains free of motorized traffic.

The sea is calmest in the morning and all services from Bali stop running in the late afternoon, well before dark. During periods of southerly winds and in July and August especially, the swell can be a bit hairy and you are very likely to get wet on the crossing. Put laptops, cameras and phones in waterproof bags for the crossing. In most cases, you will have to wade through shallow sea when disembarking, so wear either appropriate footwear, or none at all.

Bicyclesare available for rent and the main tracks are good enough for riding. Expect to pay between Rp 30,000 to Rp 50,000 per day, often the cheapest places to rent are inland from the waterfront. A ride around the island is less than an hour, but you need to walk your bike at a few points due to the sandy nature of the track. A bike is also great for exploring the inland areas, where you can see a lot of cows, goats and chickens as well as local homes.

Poweris normally available 24 hours a day and many of the hotels now have A/C. However there may be frequent disruptions to the supply. This problem arises from regional power generation insufficiencies. To address this issue many mid-range and upmarket hotels and restaurants on the Gili islands have their own back up generators. The closer you sleep to a mosque, the more likely you will be disturbed by loud night time prayer calls. There are two mosques on Gili Trawangan. One is right behind th