GILI TRAWANGAN

VISITOR INFORMATION

Gili Trawangan, the most popular among the three Gili’s. Just kick back and enjoy the sun, nightly beach parties and sea. The main stripe is full of accommodations, restaurants, and dive shops. If you are seeking a quieter place to stay there are bungalows in the north. This Island is also known as "Party Island", where mostly young European find themselves "Lost In Paradise". If you come during the Peak Season (July-August, December-January), most places are full and prices are doubled. An advanced reservation is a must.

With spectacular sunrises over Lombok's Mount Rinjani volcano and breathtaking sunsets that illuminate Bali's towering Mount Agung volcano, together with warm hospitality of the Gili Trawangan residents, it's not surprising that most visitors end up staying longer than originally plan.

Accommodation on Gili Trawangan

Most of the accommodation centrally located on south east of Gili Trawangan. A few new establishments of bungalows with a better facilities are now available. Places in the front (beach line) are more expensive. The upmarket accommodation is no longer dominated by Villa Ombakand Villa Almarik. There are many new quality boutique resorts are now available (see places to stay, updated recently). Gili Trawangan is more developed than other Gilis for the last few years. There are also a few places to stay around the north and south west coast in more quiet atmosphere. 

Activities

Snorkeling off-the-shore, sunbathing, swimming, or join any dive trips with any dive operators which colored the lines. There are quality dive schools available to cater the needs of tourists, offering complete range of PADI courses, as well as Fun Dives for those already certified.

 

By night, the waterfront comes to life as various foreign and locally restaurants and bars start to fire up, with fresh snapper, grouper and tuna, cooked over charcoal flames, readily available.

 

Nightlife
Although the island once had a reputation among the back-packing community as wicked party destination, many establishments which once laid claim to hosting wild dance parties today trade on their reputations.

By a tradition that continuous today, only one establishment per night can play music and host dance party until 4 am. Of the seven weekly venues hosting parties, the one most anticipated by tourists and locals alike are the funk house and hard music parties with local DJ's in spinning disks.

If wild dance parties are not to your liking, many restaurants and bars, including the Tirnanog - Irish bar, provide a range of more sedate and social gathering point for Al fresco dinning and drinking by the water's edge.

Diving Information

Some excellent scuba diving sites are within a short boat ride, especially off Trawangan's west coast. There are several dive operations based in the main tourist area. It's worth to checking them carefully, as the standards can vary as well-qualified staff come and go. Reliable ones will not mind you looking around and asking to see the certification of instructors and dive masters. Most trips have minimum and maximum number limits, so the bigger, more popular outfits will have more options on a given day.

 

List of Quality Dive Operations on Gili Trawangan:

1. Villa Ombak Diving Academy

2. Dive Indonesia

3. Dream Divers

4. Big Bubbles (new)

5. Blue Marlin Dive Centre

6. Manta Dive

7. Trawangan Dive

 

Snorkeling

The coral around the islands is good for snorkeling. Ask locally to find the best spots, many of which you can reach from the shore. You don't have to be totally inactive. There are places to rent snorkeling gear (mask, fins and snorkel) at reasonable price.

You can also join the Glass Bottom Boat-Trip to see the coral from the boat without getting wet.

 

Most of the tourist facilities are on the east side and south east of the island. Mobile phone are now widely used almost in all over Lombok including the Gilis.

There are few internet kiosk available on the island for emailing or browsing the-net. Internet access can be found at the following places:

- Borobudur restaurant

- Gili Trawangan Wartel & Internet service near Perama office

- Internet Service next to Living Room Restaurant

 

There are group of shops which sells basic supplies, souvenirs and second-hand books located at Art Market of Gili Trawangan. Several places will change money or travellers cheques, but you'll get better rates on the mainland.

Map of Gili Trawangan GILI ISLANDS, LOMBOK INDONESIA