GILI TRAWANGAN LOMBOK

Gili Trawangan: Snorkeling Paradise

Gili Trawangan, most offshore, is with 3,5 sq.km. the biggest of the three Gili's. Many of the residents are, like the other people of the Gili's, descendants of Buginese migrants from South-Sulawesi. They have interchanged with the local Sasak-population and speak the Sasak language as well.

On the climax of the tourist season, the months July and August, many of the daily flood of tourists which leave from Bangsal find a place to sleap on the beach. All losmen are located along the eastern coast. The young, mainly European tourists which come to the Gili's, spend their days on the beack, sunbathing. Snorkeling and playing Frisbee are the favorite sports. On many places you can rent goggles and other diving gear. The reefs off the eastern coast of Trawangan are reasonable, but beware of the strong currents futher off the beach, they can be dangerous. A walk around the island takes about four hours.

You can find good equipped diving centers on the Gili's. Most centers also take care of the beginners, but also can provide you with the heavy things, like diving in the strong currents off the west coast of Trawangan, where divers can see huge shells (tridacna), as well as sharks, mantha's, and blue tailed rays.

Gili Trawangan scene

Westerners dream of visiting an island paradise, but if the food isn’t good and you can’t get a cold drink ,how long are you going to stay there? Gili Trawangan may not be unspoilt and traditional, but it certainly is a great place to relax, complete with creature comforts. Gili Trawangan has the reputation as the ‘party island’ but most of the island is undeveloped, even for farming and the strip of wall to wall bars and restaurants was originally set up for scuba divers, not the low budget beer swilling crowd. Learning to dive here is part of the enjoyment.

Getting around:
To get from the north end of the island to the main strip would cost around 20,000rp on a cidomo (horse drawn carriage). This seems a little expensive considering a cheap room might cost 40,000rp. The cidomo’s have a monopoly so you may factor this in when selecting a place to stay.

Salt water showers:
Visiting Gili Trawangan you will learn the art of the salt water shower. Since the island has no lakes, rivers or wells you have to buy bottled drinking water and also a large water jug of river water from the reception for around 5,000rp.

Exploring Gili Trawangan:
Its possible to walk the whole way around the island. Apart from small patches of road paved with bricks the whole way is a sandy track. It actually feels like walking in the desert, so don’t forget to bring a liter of water along. To walk around Gili Trawangan takes about 2 hours. At the southern end of the island is a hill fairly close to the beach. This is the highest point of the island. Visitors often grab a bottle of arak and a few Sprites and stroll down there for the sunset.

Food & entertainment:
As far as food goes in Gili Trawangan, the scuba diving infrastructure provides a wide selection of western food, some of it pretty decent. One of the most popular places is the Irish pub, Tir Na Nog. Some people recoil at the mention of an Irish pub, especially on a quiet part of Indonesia, but this place was cool. Located downtown on the inland side of the beach road its was large with high ceilings, large screen showing Premiership soccer on Saturday night. Outside were many bale structures each with it’s own DVD player. Across the street was the beach-side part of the pub where people can sit up at the bar. A nice atmosphere and not 200 drunks going crazy.

Internet access:
There are 4 internet cafes in Gili Trawangan. The price around 25,000rp per hour.

There are a few places offering a slow/expensive connection if you really need it. These include Bulan Cybercafe, Wiggi’s Internet and Paradise Internet. All located on the SE coast.

Gili Trawangan locals:
The Gili’s are part of Lombok and the population is Muslim. People seem quiet and respectful and are used to westerners in bathing suits. If you need more privacy it’s not hard, you simply move around the coast a little way and another nice thing is that the locals will leave you alone. Tourists have commented that the people in the Gili’s are nice because they don’t make saucy comments unlike some of the Bali locals. Gili Trawangan locals are more reserved than people in Bali in general, many of them originating from mainland Lombok.

Getting to Gili Trawangan:
Gili Trawangan is just a 30 minute flight from Bali to Mataram, an hour by taxi (maybe 70,000rp) to Bangsal and 45 minutes by local ferry to Gili Trawangan’s south coast. After that little adventure you’re cruising!

Island hoping in the Gili’s:
Getting from Gili Trawangan to the other 2 Gili islands (Gili Meno and Gili Air) is simple also using the local ferries.

Points of interest:
•Lookout hill in the SW corner of the island.
•Beach area near Lookout hill, which is good for watching the sunset.
•Sand track that leads around the island.

Moneychangers:
Small local moneychangers on the densely packed shopping area, can change money / travelers checks. Its better to bring money with you as the rate are not good.

Post Office:
A Postal Agent is lcoated inside the art market (pasar seni).

Telephone:
A Wartel operated24 hour, located at the Perama office, which is close to the jetty, on the east side of the island.

Shops:
Melati Mini Market is just inside the little road that circles the island, on the SE coast.

Laundry:
The small family owned guest house, Pondok Lita, located on the SE coast, has a laundry.

Medical:
Vila Ombak, located at the far end of the brick road on the south coast, has a doctor visit at various times during the week. Contact Vila Ombak if you need a doctor.