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Gili Trawangan (also known as Gili T) is proof that Indonesia only gets better outside of Bali. Although it’s near Bali, Gili Trawangan is part of Lombok, Bali’s neighbor. Bali is stunning, with my favorites being Nusa Lembongan and Munduk, but I loved Lombok even more. There’s so much to be discovered, from swimming with sea turtles to biking to serene beaches. If you’re into nightlife and partying, you’ll not only enjoy the daytime but also the lively nighttime. If that’s not your scene, you’ll love the tropical paradise you can discover in the daytime. There’s something for everyone on Gili T and it should be included on any Indonesia itinerary!
Why should I visit Gili Trawangan?
The Gili Islands are lined with white sand beaches and bright blue water inhabited by sea turtles. If that doesn’t sound like paradise, then what is? Gili Trawangan is the largest and most lively of the three Gili Islands. The other two are Gili Meno, the most chill island, and Gili Air, known for being in between the chill vibes of Gili Meno and the lively vibes of Gili T. Gili Trawangan is the perfect Gili Island to base yourself on because of its countless coffee shops, restaurants, beaches, late night parties, and things to do. You can easily visit the other two islands while staying on the island that has the most to offer.
How to Get to Gili Trawangan
You can get to Gili Trawangan from Bali or Lombok. If you come from Bali, you can catch a ferry from Padang Bai, which takes 1.5-2 hours. There are horror stories out there about this journey because the ocean is usually really rough, so I recommend doing research on which ferry company you decide to go with. Some have better, bigger boats for the waves. I didn’t come from Bali, but I heard great things from other travelers about Ekajaya.
If you’re coming from Lombok, you need to make your way to Bangsal Pier where you can catch a fast 30-45 minute ferry to Gili Trawangan.
How to Get Around Gili Trawangan
There are no motorized vehicles allowed on Gili Trawangan, so you’ll be doing a lot of walking and/or biking. But don’t worry, because the island is small and flat. You can rent a bike for about 50,000 IDR a day.
A note on the horses in Gili T…
I was not mentally prepared for how sad the horses on Gili Trawangan are. Because there aren’t vehicles, many visitors get around in horse-drawn buggies. However, the horses are in bad condition and treated terribly. As an animal lover, it was a hard sight. I encourage you to avoid using the horses for transport. The horses will surely thank you!
Where to Stay in Gili Trawangan
The best place to stay is near the harbor, where you can easily walk to your accommodation without having to drag your suitcases through the sand or ride in the horse buggies. There’s so much happening around the port, from adorable cafes and delicious restaurants to a nice beach and lively nightlife.
The best booking platform for finding and reserving great hotels in Indonesia is Agoda. It’s owned by the same company as Booking.com but is based in Southeast Asia, making it great for finding any hotels you need. If you’re a backpacker staying in hostels, then Hostelworld is consistently the best hostel booking platform worldwide, and Indonesia is no exception. Book your Gili Trawangan accommodations on Agoda today:
Don’t want to search for the best option, or just don’t have time? That’s what I’m here for! I’ve linked the best hotels and hostels in Gili Trawangan through Agoda and Hostelworld. As a professional travel advisor, I’ve vetted or personally stayed at these suggested properties. Properties marked with “$$$” are 4 or 5-star luxury properties, “$$” are 3 and 4-star mid-range hotels, and “$” are hostels.
$$$: Quma Hotel
$$: Abdi Hotel
How Long to Stay in Gili Trawangan
Three to four days is the perfect amount of time for Gili Trawangan. I recommend staying three full days and leaving on the fourth so you don’t feel rushed. My Gili Trawangan itinerary below lays out the best way to spend your time.
How to Book Activities and Excursions in Gili Trawangan
The best activity and excursion booking platforms for Indonesia are Klook and GetYourGuide. Both websites have thousands of trustworthy travel experiences with verified user reviews. I use Klook and GetYourGuide to book almost all my excursions in Asia, and you’ll find links throughout the article to great experiences I’ve personally vetted or experienced myself.
Where to Eat on Gili Trawangan
I had some really delicious meals on Gili T, both Indonesian food and Western food. Here are the spots I enjoyed the most:
- Coffee & Thyme: amazing smoothie bowls, also have other cafe fare
- The Banyan Tree: vegetarian restaurant with a great bakery
- Wajan Sister Cafe: cheap local Indonesian fare
- Tiki Grove: tacos with a great vibe
- Jali Kitchen: Asian fusion inspired by Indonesian and Vietnamese flavors
- Regina Pizzeria: wood-fired pizza
Is Gili Trawangan good for solo travelers?
Gili Trawangan was my favorite place as a solo traveler during my one month trip to Indonesia! I stayed in my favorite hostel of my trip, met the most people, and had an overall amazing time. The island is great for backpackers and solo travelers because it attracts a young, social crowd. I also always felt safe and it was so easy to get around solo with the affordable bike rentals.
Said favorite hostel was Tipsea Turtle, the perfect mix of social and party vibes but also able to sleep comfortably if you want to. They organized daytime and nighttime events every single day. On my first day, I went on their private snorkeling trip where I met so many people from the hostel who I continued to hang out with the following days. And their dorms are only three people, so I slept great as well. I highly recommend this hostel!
Gili T is one of my top picks for the best places to solo female travel in Asia!
A note on the magic mushrooms in Gili T…
I didn’t know this before I went, but it’s a big thing to do magic mushrooms in the Gili Islands. So much so that on my snorkeling tour, the guide played a song with lyrics along the line of “welcome to Gili Meno… eat magic mushrooms for breakfast” (yes, it’s a real song). As a solo traveler, I steered clear of these. I heard some pretty crazy stories at my hostel of bad trips and I don’t think it’s worth compromising your safety in a foreign country, especially alone. But if it sounds appealing to you, please be safe!
What to Do in Gili Trawangan
Go snorkeling
When it comes to snorkeling in Gili Trawangan, you’re in for a treat. The island is known for its sea turtles, which you’re almost guaranteed to have an encounter with if you hop in the water for a few minutes.
You have two choices for snorkeling in Gili Trawangan, and I recommend trying both! The first is to join a snorkeling trip, which will take you to three of the best snorkeling sites. These usually include the Gili Meno underwater statue, a turtle viewing point, and a reef. On my tour, we saw at least 10 turtles in the span of just 30 minutes. We even saw some turtles at the spots that weren’t specifically meant for turtles. It was magical to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat.
A note about the snorkeling tours: I highly recommend finding a private one that you can split with friends and/or family. If you join the public tours, the sites will be really crowded and a lot less enjoyable. With a private tour, you can time it so you’re missing the crowds.
You can also snorkel with turtles just by swimming right off the shore of Gili Trawangan. On the island’s north shore, there is a spot called Turtle Point. You can rent a snorkel for just 25,000 IDR (25,000 more for fins), swim out to the reef, and spot some turtles. I saw only two turtles here, but it was still worth the easy and cheap attempt.
This should go without saying, but please never touch the sea turtles or anything else in the ocean. I witnessed a group of tourists grabbing onto the turtles and stepping on the reef and it broke my heart. Please be a responsible tourist and respect the ocean by not touching anything.
Go diving (or get certified!)
Gili Trawangan is an excellent place to scuba dive or become a scuba diver! I already had my certification when I visited, but I met so many people who were doing their lessons and having a great time. There are so many exciting dive points around Gili Trawangan, my favorite being Shark Point. I saw five reef sharks, a blue spotted ray, two sea turtles, and more. It’s a great place for new or experienced scuba divers.
I dove with Gili Divers and had a great experience. The prices are affordable and they’re very professional but fun.
Explore the island on a bike
Since there are no motorized vehicles on Gili Trawangan, it only makes sense to hop on a bike and circle the island. I did a complete circle around the island in only 37 minutes, and I wasn’t in a rush. On the way around, you can stop at the beaches, restaurants, cafes, or just enjoy the scenery. I recommend hitting the road and seeing where it takes you; the fun was in the spontaneity of just stopping wherever I saw something I wanted to check out!
Lounge on the beach
The island is surrounded by beautiful beaches just waiting for you to kick back and relax. The beaches don’t have names but are rather referred to as their direction on the island. The best beaches on Gili Trawangan are:
- Northeast Beach: good for swimming, close to the pier, just watch out for boats
- Southeast Beach: good for swimming and surfing, less boats and noise than Northeast Beach
- West Beach: best for sunset, not great for swimming but a nice quiet place to relax on the sand
- North Beach (AKA Turtle Point): can snorkel to see the turtles or just relax on the beach, better for swimming at high tide
Take a day trip to Gili Meno or Gili Air
Did you know that Gili Trawangan is only one of the three Gili Islands? Gili Meno and Gili Air, known for being more chill than Gili T, are only 10-20 minutes away by boat. If you don’t have time to stay overnight, they’re perfect for a day trip. You can relax on the beach, explore on a bike, or visit some of the unique sights like the Gili Meno Sea Turtle Sanctuary. If you’re on Gili Air, you can’t miss a meal at Mama Pizza. I heard so much about Mama Pizza but didn’t get to go until I stumbled upon their other location in Kuta Lombok. It definitely lived up to the hype! Get your fast boat tickets to Gili Meno here and Gili Air here.
Walk or eat around the Night Market
The Gili Trawangan Night Market is a small but bustling local market where you can try affordable, authentic Indonesian food. There’s lots of seafood, but there are other dishes too if you don’t eat seafood.
I’m vegetarian and had already dealt with a little Bali Belly, so I chose to err on the side of caution and not eat here. If you’re worried about an upset stomach, which is a valid worry in Indonesia, you can just walk around and enjoy the vibes or order something unlikely to upset your stomach. I saw lots of people ordering crepes or pastries to still get the night market experience.
Watch the sunset
You can’t stay in Gili Trawangan without witnessing one of its spectacular sunsets. The beach referred to as “West Beach” is also called Sunset Beach because it’s the perfect place to watch the sky change. There are tons of establishments with bean bags or loungers on the beach where you can buy an affordable drink and watch the sunset in comfort. You can also just bring a towel or find a bench.
If the sound of a sunset horse ride sounds appealing to you, Stud Horse Riding and Rescue is a great organization dedicated to the well-being of horses. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with most places in Gili Trawangan. The horses here are happy and healthy, and you can ethically ride off into the sunset.
Check out the nightlife
Gili Trawangan is known as a party island, and it lives up to its reputation. It’s lively every single night, and Tequila Sunrise is the place to start the night. At midnight or one o’clock, everywhere except one bar closes and everyone goes there to continue the party. Ask your hostel or hotel where the after party is that day so you know where to go when everything starts to close.
If you’re not into partying, don’t let it deter you from visiting Gili Trawangan. I thought it would be a lot more of a party atmosphere than it was. Yes, there are parties every night, but they shut down early and the strip is quiet except for one place. You can easily stay home and ignore the nightlife if it’s not for you!
Gili Trawangan Itinerary
Check out my 1-month Indonesia itinerary to fit Gili T into your trip and for ideas for further exploration.
Day 1
On your first day in Gili Trawangan, you should meet its resident turtles! Join a snorkeling tour (as mentioned above, I highly recommend going private) and spend the day immersed in the beauty of the underwater world. If you still have energy left after the tour, get ready for a night out to see what the hype is about!
Day 2
Today’s the perfect day to day trip to Gili Meno or Gili Air and see what the chiller, quieter Gili Islands are like. You’ll have plenty of time to relax on the beach, bike around, and get a feel for island. If you only have time for one other island, I recommend Gili Air because there’s more to explore there. Buy your fast ferry tickets here for an affordable, easy journey.
Head back to Sunset Beach in Gili Trawangan in time for sunset. If you’re up for it, head out for another night on the town.
Day 3
On your last morning in Gili Trawangan, you have two choices: go snorkeling at Turtle Point or go diving. Either way, you’ll get to see more of the island’s thriving marine life, which I can personally never get enough of.
In the afternoon, rent a bike and ride around the island. The ride itself takes less than an hour, but I recommend stopping anywhere that interests you. You can find a nice beach to chill or swim at and enjoy your last afternoon in paradise.
Gili Trawangan was one of my favorite stops on my one month Indonesia itinerary, and you’ll quickly see why when you step foot off of the ferry. From turquoise waters full of sea turtles and white sand beaches to scenic bike rides and lively nightlife, you’ll be glad you ventured outside of Bali to see what Lombok has to offer. How about the surf and beach paradise Kuta Lombok next?
Keep reading:
- Indonesia Itinerary: 1 month in Bali, Lombok, & Komodo
- Bali Itinerary: 2 weeks of adventure, relaxation, and nature
- Munduk, Bali: A complete guide to the island’s hidden gem
- Nusa Lembongan, Bali: Top things to do & itinerary
- Kuta Lombok: Best things to do in beach & surf paradise
- 8 things to do in Uluwatu: Travel guide to Bali’s beach paradise
- Best places to solo travel in Asia as a woman
- 3 week Philippines itinerary
- Solo female travel in the Philippines: Safety, tips, & what to expect
- Solo female travel in Thailand: Safety, tips, & what to expect
- Malaysia itinerary: 10 days of culture, city, beach, & nature
- 3 day Singapore itinerary & travel guide
- Solo female travel in Singapore: Safety, tips, & what to expect
- 2 week South Korea itinerary & travel guide from a local
- South Korea Solo Travel Guide: Safety, tips, & what to expect
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