A 5-Minute Guide to Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan is the most developed of the 3 Gilis. There are tons of places to stay, eat, drink and play. If you want to know more but can’t be bothered to read the thousands of articles out there, we’re going to run it down for you in just a few minutes.

Getting There and Getting Orientated

• Getting to Gili Trawangan is easy! Fast boats come and go 7 days a week and take just around 2 hours to get to and from Bali.
• You can also fly into Lombok International Airport and get a car to Bangsal and then small boat to the island.
• Boats arrive on the east side of Gili Trawangan. This is the more heavily developed side of the island with the most bars/restaurants and home-stays.
• There are 3 ways to get around the island – walking, cycling, and horse cart. To get to Villa Almarik with luggage you will need a cidomo horse cart.
• There are bicycle rental stands all over the island and you can rent by the day or week.

Money

• Gili T is probably the cheapest of the 3 Gili Islands as there is the most competition for business.
• There are a number of ATMs now on the island so you don’t have to worry about bringing a lot of cash with you.
• Debit and credit cards are also accepted at most restaurants and hotels. Just don’t expect for the beach-side bar made of bamboo to have a card machine.

What to Do

• You may have seen the picture perfect beaches of Gili Trawangan. They really are beautiful, with soft white sand and turquoise water. To find out the best beaches on the island, have a look at our article Which is the Best Gili Trawangan Beach for You

• There are more than 25 diving sites around the Gili Islands. Gangga Divers at Villa Almarik is one of the most highly regarded dive schools on the island and does PADI certifications and diving for experienced divers as well.

• Snorkeling is beautiful off of Gili Trawangan and sea turtles are one of the main attractions. The best sea turtle spot is right in front of Villa Almarik to the north of the main Gili T strip.

• The magic really happens on Gili T at sunset. Everyone heads down to the beach to watch the sky turn shades of pink and orange with a cold beer or tropical cocktail. Lots of people head to the famous overwater swings, so if you want a sunset swing photo get there early!

• Eat and drink! There is tons of choice for eating and drinking on the island. Villa Almarik has the best handmade wood-fired oven pizza on the island so you may need to go far for a feed.

• Gili Trawangan is know to attract backpackers and party people from around the world. The nightlife is legendary, so even if more of the early-to-bed type, check it our at least once. There is something for everyone, from nightclubs to fire dancing on the beach.

When to Visit Gili Trawangan

• Rainy season is from November to April but it has been unpredictable in recent years. Even in rainy season there is plenty of sunshine.
• The least busy months in terms of tourist numbers are January, February and October, November.
• Check when the Balinese holidays of Nyepi and Galungan fall, as well as the Muslim Idul Fitri as there are more tourists and higher prices during these holidays. You will also need to book Villa Almarik in advance during these times as it is usually fully booked.
• Also note on Nyepi day there are no boats in or out of Bali and no flights to or from Bali from Lombok International Airport.

Covering the Basics of Gili Trawangan

This covers pretty much all you need to know about Gili T. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask us in the comments below. We’d love to help you with your plans to visit the Gilis!