Gili Trawangan Travel Guide: 16 Things To Do, Where to Eat & Stay
Gili Trawangan is Indonesia’s notorious party island, featuring white sand beaches and a slew of fun activities. I visited Gili T on my first trip to Indonesia, way before I moved to Bali. Since that first trip, I’ve been to the Gili Islands countless times and even lived on Gili Air for the better part of a month one summer – Please enjoy this guide to Gili Trawangan!
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✔️ Gili Trawangan Quick Guide
🏝 Best Things to Do
- Visit the Gili’s Underwater Sculpture Garden
- Go on a Turtle-Spotting Snorkel Tour
- Party!
🚴♀️ How to Get Around
The Gili islands don’t allow cars or motorbikes – For getting around you can 1) walk, 2) rent a bicycle, 3) rent an electric moped, or 4) take a horse and carriage.
🏨 Where to Stay
- $ Budget: M Box Hostel – Party
- $$ Mid-Tier: Gili One Resort
- $$$ Luxury: Pink Coco Hotel
🚢 How to Get There
The only way to get to the Gilis is by boat. You have the option to take a public ferry or a private speed boat from Padang Bai Harbor in Bali, Nusa Penida Ferry Port, or Bangsal Harbor in Lombok.
All About Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan, usually just referred to as “Gili T”, is the largest and most famous of the three Gili main Gili Islands, which also include Gili Meno and Gili Air. The three islands are located close together, standing on the shore of Gili T you can see Gili Meno. But, it’s important to know that each of the three islands has its own flavor – And Gili T’s is for partying!
You wouldn’t guess it from its outward sleepy beach island appearance, but Gili T is one of the most famous party spots in Indonesia. Thousands of backpackers and luxury travelers alike come from Bali to visit the Gilis and sip a Bintang on Gili’s gorgeous white-sand beaches.
Besides partying, other notable aspects are that there are no cars or motorbikes allowed on Gili T. Instead, travelers use bicycles and horse-drawn carriages to get around the tiny 3 km-long island.
In addition to cars, dogs are also curiously banned on Gili T – This has led to an explosion in the cat population on the island, with tons of friendly and fattened-up cats wandering throughout the sand-strewn streets. All of these things come together to make Gili T a truly unique travel destination, and so much more than just a “party island”.
Where is Gili T Located?
The three Gili Islands are located off the coast of Lombok, which is an island directly to the East of Bali. You can easily reach all three via a short 1.5-2 hour speed boat from Bali, or a 30-minute ferry from Lombok. There is no airport on the Gilis, so the only way to reach the three islands is via boat.
Top 16 Best Things to Do in Gili Trawangan
1. Take a Snorkel Tour to the Underwater Sculpture Garden
Taking a snorkel tour of the underwater sculpture garden that lies between Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno is the most iconic activity in the Gili Islands. The sculpture garden’s most famous statue is the Bask Nest underwater sculpture. Erected in 2017 by BASK, an eco-resort in Gili Meno, the underwater sculpture was an immediate hit with tourists from all three Gilis.
Overcrowding Issue: All the snorkel tours go to the same spots, and the sculpture garden is pretty small. The first time I visited the underwater sculpture garden I was actually run over by one of the glass-bottom boats while I was snorkeling – The spot just isn’t big enough for the amount of tourism it attracts!
2. Visit Turtle Shore
Turtle Shore is a beautiful beach on Gili T’s north side that’s known for attracting wild sea turtles that graze on the grasses that grow there naturally. You can rent snorkels on the beach and venture out looking for turtles, but spotting one is half skill and half luck. Unless a turtle is coming up for air, they blend in quite well with the surrounding area.
Katie’s Tips ✶
I personally didn’t have any luck spotting turtles at Turtle Shore on Gili T – Instead, we saw them further out when we went on a private snorkeling tour. Our guide pointed the turtles out to us as they came up for air, without him we never would have been able to see any!
3. Relax on the White Sand Beaches and enjoy a Fresh Coconut
Bali mainland doesn’t have the best beaches. If you want to experience white sand and crystal clear bright blue water, you need to visit the Gilis instead. All around the perimeter of the island, you’ll find countless beach clubs and beach warungs set up with bean bag chairs and umbrellas for rent. Chilling out in the afternoon on the beach with a coconut is my favorite thing to do during the hottest time of the day in the Gilis.
4. Try the M a g i c a l Mushrooms
While drugs of all kinds are strictly penalized in Indonesia, for some reason the Gili Islands get a pass. In recent years the Gilis have become a famous spot for magic shroom shakes. Grown on the main island of Lombok, the shrooms have become a time-honored tradition for partiers on the Gilis.
🚩 Scam Many travelers have reported buying fake “Shroom Shakes” on their vacations on the islands.
Katie’s Tips ✶
They sell shroom shakes everywhere on Gili T, but the best-known spot to get one is at Banana Leaf Bungalows.
5. Go Island Hopping to Gili Meno and Gili Air
If you’re spending more than 3 days on Gili T, I recommend putting aside at least one day to explore the best of Gili Air or Gili Meno. The three Gili islands are only a 10-20 minute boat ride from each other, depending on the current and the type of boat used.
$ Public Ferry: Every morning between 9:30 AM there’s a public boat that runs between the three islands, this is called the “Slow Boat” and costs less than 50K. However, the return boat to Gili T doesn’t run until 4 PM, so you’ll need to spend the whole day out.
$$ Speed Boat: There’s also a “Speed Boat” option that’s pricier at 85K each way, but it runs between the three islands every hour between 9 AM and 4 PM. You can book all the different options at the ticketing office in the main harbor on Gili T.
6. Ride Horses on the Beach
There’s a debate about whether or not animal encounters in the Gili Islands, both for horses and turtles, are ethical. However, I will say the horses in the Gilis seem to be treated far better now than when I first started visiting Indonesia in 2019. I personally don’t agree with using the horses used to haul carts full of luggage and tourists around the island in the midday heat, and I don’t use them. I carry my own luggage on the Gili Islands. The horses that people ride on the beach seem a lot happier – trotting and running into the ocean with just one person to tote around. Those horses seem downright happy. I was watching them run up and down the beach and into the ocean right before writing this article. I know appearances can be deceiving, and animal encounters are tricky – Use your better judgment when visiting the Gilis!
7. Party!
You can’t mention Gili T without the word party coming to mind! Gili T has cemented its reputation as Indonesia’s infamous party hot spot and for a good reason. The lack of cars and motorbikes on the island has created a safe(er) environment for tourists to get wasted in, compared to the crazy traffic in Canggu anyway, resulting in Gili T becoming party central. I don’t really like going crazy at the beach clubs in Canggu and Seminyak, it’s too crazy, but there’s a certain charm to the beach parties in Gili T.
Where to Party in Gili T: There’s a weekly schedule of which bar is hosting a party for every day of the week, this changes frequently so I’m not going to re-write it here, but it will be posted in most of the hostels on the island.
8. Experience Glowing Bioluminescence
Bioluminescence is a wonderful naturally occurring phenomenon in Indonesia that I witnessed for the first time on the beaches of Gili T. Glowing Bioluminescence can only be seen at night and it’s activated by motion – So going on a night swim or walking in the wet sand can set it off. When we were walking on the beach at night on Gili Trawangan we noticed our footprints were glowing blue behind us – So cool!
9. Take a Photo on the Famous Gili Swings
The swingsets and hammocks facing the sunset on the Gili Islands are one of the iconic spots that put the islands on the map. Now, there are tons of floating swingset copycats all over Bali and Indonesia, but if you want to visit the original floating swings the best spot on the island is on the West Side, where you can see the sunset. The current name for the sunset swing is “Ocean Swing” next to the Hotel Ombok Sunset.
Katie’s Tips ✶
Sadly, there are far fewer floating swings on Gili T – Most of them have been moved a bit inland, so they’re not in the water. My guess is the maintenance on the swings was too difficult when they were partially submerged.
10. Go Scuba Diving
The Gilis are a famous spot in Indonesia for both scuba diving and getting your scuba diving certification. The certification process takes around 3 days and is pretty time-consuming. So, if you want to get your scuba Padi certification as well as see the main sights on the island, I recommend spending at least 5 days in the Gilis.
11. Visit the Gili Meno Turtle Sanctuary and Hatchery
The Gili Meno Turtle Hatchery is an iconic spot in the Gili Islands that’s dedicated to hatching baby turtles from eggs before releasing them into the ocean. If you take a turtle snorkeling tour in Gili T, it will probably include a brief 20-minute stop at the turtle hatchery – Just enough time to see the baby turtles!
Is it ethical? There is a question of ethics with many of the animal encounters in Indonesia, I’ve written about it in regards to taking a Dolphin tour in Lovina and visiting the Ubud Monkey Forest. While it’s undoubtedly that the turtle hatchery means well by protecting the hatchlings during their most vulnerable first few days of life, it might not be the best to hatch them in a man-made environment as it could mess up the baby turtles’ natural migratory patterns.
12. Rent a Bicycle and Ride Gili T’s Ring Road
The only way to get around Gili T is by walking, biking, or taking a horse – Out of these three options, most travelers opt to bike. Biking around the island is a great way to see the sights, especially during the mid-day when it’s too hot to walk. The ring road that circumnavigates Gili T has a bikable path around 80% of it, on some parts of the island that are less frequently visited it might be sanded over. Most people rent a bike through their hostel, guest house, or hotel. You can also rent one by the harbor, but it will be more expensive.
💸 Cost: Bicycle rentals should be around 50K IDR ($3.50) for 24 hours on the island.
13. Eat at the Gili T Night Market
I’m a big fan of street food, and the Night Market in Gili T is one of my personal favorites out of all the ones I’ve visited in Indonesia.You order your fish, tofu, or whatever other protein raw and they grill it right in front of you on little charcoal BBQs. There are also some stalls where you can order whole fish (yes, head still on!) and they’ll grill it up for you in a similar way.
How to Visit: The Night Market is open after 6 PM near the harbor on Gili T, as it gets later in the night the food stalls start closing and it becomes an area for karaoke and Bintang beers.
14. Watch a Movie at the Beach Cinema
There are multiple open-air cinemas on Gili T. Every night around 7 or 9 PM they’ll play a movie, and frequently host free movie nights. I love dropping in for a bit if these movie theaters are playing something good and watching a movie on a beach on a bean bag chair, but I do have to point out that the food and drinks at these theaters don’t have a good reputation!
15. Go Surfing, Kite-Boarding, or Stand-Up Paddle Boarding
While the Gili islands don’t have big waves for advanced surfers, there are some surf spots that are beginner-friendly off of Gili T. If you drive around the perimeter of Gili T you’ll see board racks where you can rent a surfboard and book a surf lesson right on the beach. Kiteboarding and stand-up paddle boarding are also popular activities on Gili T.
16. Take a Sunset Booze Cruise
You can book these for around 150K ($10) at any of the party hostels on Gili T, for example, Mad Monkey, M Box, or Broken Compass. Your ticket usually includes a Bintang (local beer) and a ride on a small boat to watch the sunset. I’ve taken a sunset booze cruise in both Gili T and Gili Air, and while the name sounds like a wild and crazy party activity, they’re pretty relaxing.
Best Restaurants in Gili Trawangan
You can get any manner of cuisine you want in Gili T, but in my opinion, the dining options are tourist-trap central. Sure, there are Mexican restaurants, but the “Mexican Food” on the island consists of Mayo on a cold tortilla… yeah, it’s not good. Instead of the tourist-trap cafes selling Western food, I highly recommend sticking to Indonesian food on Gili T. There are a ton of charming Warungs (local eateries) on the island, and the Gili Trawangan Night Market is genuinely some of the best Indonesian street food I’ve had.
Gili T Nightmarket
The Gili T Nightmarket is both an incredibly popular spot on the island and also kinda slept on in my opinion. I’ve explored tons of street food markets across Indonesia, and the key distinction when comparing a beach-side night market, such as the one in Gili T, to the established markets like those in Bali, is that at the former, the fish is freshly cooked right in front of you.
You choose the fish, tofu, or other raw protein from a display, and they cook it fresh over a charcoal BBQ. I like these types of markets a lot more than the ones you usually see around Bali, where the food is pre-cooked and served at room temperature. Cooking it fresh both makes it taste better IMO, and cuts down on the risk of Bali Belly. The Gili T Night Market also has a huge dessert stall that sells all types of Indonesian cakes made from different combinations of rice, coconut, Pandan, and banana.
Coffee & Thyme Gili Trawangan
This cafe, along with a few others that have sprung up near the harbor, is the exception to my “no Western food” on Gili T rule. Everything from the sandwiches to the coffees is incredibly authentic and high-quality here. While this cafe doesn’t have good wifi, as most places on the Gili’s do not, you can hot-spot your laptop if you have a local SIM card and get some work done.
Best Places to Stay in Gili Trawangan
If you’re a solo traveler, on a friend group trip, or just looking to meet lots of people and party, then I recommend staying in a hostel. There are a ton of party hostels on Gili T, the most notorious is M Box. If you’re looking for a more boutique hostel, I recommend the Broken Compass.
For couples and budget travelers who want their own room, I recommend staying in a Beach Bungalow. I’ve staying in bungalows in the Gilis, they all look the same from the outside but some are far better than others. I recommend Gili One.
The Gili Islands don’t have many villas like you see in Bali, instead, bungalows are the more common accommodation style. For those seeking something more luxurious, there is no shortage of 5-star resorts on the Gili Islands. The best hotel in Gili T is Pink Coco, which is also a beach club and sort of landmark on the island.
Hotels in Gili T 🛌
My Top Tips for Visiting Gili Trawangan
✅ Know About the Different Gili Islands
The three Gili Islands each have their own specific vibe and thing they’re famous for. Gili T is the notorious party island, Gili Meno is a honeymooner destination with tons of romantic resorts, and Gili Air is the smallest of the islands, and has become known for relaxing. All three islands are extremely close together, I wouldn’t recommend staying on Gili T unless you wanted to party.
✅ Pack Light!
It’s important to pack as lightly as possible when you’re visiting the Gili Islands for two reasons:
1) There is no motor transport on the islands, so if you pack more than you can carry you will have to use expensive and borderline unethical horse and carriages to get to your hotel.
2) The slow boats/local ferries don’t have docks on the Gilis, and at low tide, you’ll have to wade out into the water with all your belongings to get on the boat.
Katie’s Tips ✶
The more expensive fast boats have peirs, and employ porters to help with your bags.
✅ Try the Local Food
One of the reasons I love living in Indonesia is the great international culinary culture, but sadly that hasn’t reached Gili T. I found most of the Western and International restaurants on the island to be pretty lacking, instead, I recommend sticking to Indonesian Food on the island.
✅ Make Sure to Take Your Snorkel Tours Early in the Day
When I went on my first snorkel tour of the Gili Islands underwater sculpture garden I was hit in the head by a glass-bottom boat, because they drove the boats right over where the tourists were snorkeling! I recommend taking a private sunrise tour of the sculpture garden if you want to visit, otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend it at all. It was a massive crush of people every other time I’ve gone. The truth is, even if you go at sunrise it will still be crowded because it’s such a popular tourist spot – but it will be far less so.
✅ Carry Cash
The Gilis are still a cash-is-king location. While most of the hotels I stayed at accept cards, the tours, restaurants, bars, and bike rentals don’t. There are lots of bank-affiliated ATMs on the islands, but they do run out of cash frequently.
✅ Don’t Go Into Any Restaurants That Heckle Travelers
My rule of thumb for traveling anywhere, whether it’s Indonesia or Italy, is to not eat anywhere they have guys stationed outside heckling tourists to come to their restaurant. Good restaurants/cafes/nightclubs don’t have to have to harass people to visit. Unfortunately, the Gili Islands, especially Gili T, has a ton of guys harassing tourists on the main road to come into their shop, club, or restaurant. They even hassle you if you’re on a bike!
✅ Avoid the Guys Selling Things on the Street
I fell for this on my first trip to Gili T – Basically, guys selling speed boat tickets and snorkel tours say they’re giving you a “great price” if you book through them. But in reality, these guys are just intermediaries pocketing the difference between what you pay and what the tour actually costs.
Katie’s Tips ✶
I recommend booking tours and transfers online with tons of 5-star reviews, or through your hotel or hostel.
How to Get Around Gili T
There are no cars, motorbikes, or anything with an engine allowed on the three Gili Islands. Instead, most people choose to get around via bicycle. Recently, there has also been a surge of electric mopeds available on the island. This can be kind of annoying if you’re a heavy packer, so I recommend leaving your big bag on mainland Bali or Lombok if you can.
There are also horses and carriages available for transport on the Gili Islands, and if you’ve packed more than you can carry these will be your only transportation options to get your luggage to your hotel. Although the treatment of the horses on the Gilis has greatly improved in recent years, it’s still not great. I’ve written a ton about the ethics of animal encounters in Indonesia, including the Ubud Monkey Forest and Lovina Dolphin Tours.
How Long You Should Spend in the Gilis
I think three days and two nights is the perfect amount of time to spend on Gili T. That way you get to see the sights, have a night out, and have a day to recover from your night out, too.
Gili T Example Itinerary
Day 1
- 10 AM: Depart from Bangsal or Padang Bai harbor for the Gilis
- 12 PM: Arrive at your hotel
- 2 PM – 5 PM: Enjoy the beach in the afternoon
- 6 PM: Visit the Gili T Night Market for dinner
- 8 PM: Watch a movie at the beach cinema
Day 2
- 5 AM: Take a private sunrise boat tour of the underwater sculpture garden and Turtle Point
- DAYTIME: Enjoy the beach, relax
- SUNSET: Take photos at Gili T’s famous beach swings
- NIGHTTIME: Party! Try the infamous mushroom shakes if you dare.
Day 3
- MORNING: Recover from the night before and relax on the beach with some fresh coconuts.
- AFTERNOON: Depart from Gili T either via fast boat or ferry to Bali or Lombok.
Katie’s Tips ✶
The best way to fit a trip to Gili T into any Bali Travel Itinerary is to visit the Gilis right before taking a Komodo Boat Tour that departs from Lombok. I did this route, and the boat tour company arranged my ferry and overland transport from the Gilis for me.
How to Get to Gili T
There are no airports on the Gili Islands, the only way to get there is by boat. You have two options for transfers to/from the Gili Islands: Taking a fast boat, or a local ferry. The fast boats run many times a day and are usually what tourists opt for, but if you don’t mind slow travel and want to save some cash, you can also take the local ferry.
How to Book: You can book your fast boats to the Gilis online ahead of time, but the local ferry tickets need to be booked in cash on-site.
From Bali
Most tourists choose to take an 🚢 AC Speed Boat to/from the Gilis and Bali as it’s a pretty long trip and the speed boats are much less rocky and bumpy than the local ferries. Even with the fast boat, it’s still around a 3-hour boat ride, so bring nausea medication if you’re prone to seasickness. Ferries and fast boats depart from Padang Bai harbor in Bali and sail to the three Gili Islands. All of the boats stop on all three islands, with their final destination being Bangsal Harbor in Lombok.
💰 Cost: The cost of the fast boat varies wildly depending on where you book – I booked at the ticketing office in Lombok and I thought I got a good deal at 350K IDR, but on Klook tickets are only 250K IDR.
👉 Tip: I recommend arranging your fast boat online or through your hotel ahead of time, as the prices in the Gilis are exaggerated.
🚩 Small Scam: I also booked a shuttle bus bundle with my ticket, which wound up being a scam because it was a mega 20-seater bus and the transit from Padang Bai Harbour to my hotel in Kuta would allegedly have taken 4 hours (should be no more than 2). The guys used the long travel time to pressure me to buy an upgrade to a private taxi. I recommend arranging private transport from Padang Bai ferry port to your hotel in Bali to avoid this.
🚢 Boat Company: Wijaya is recognized as the best fast boat option to/from the Gilis.
From Lombok
Getting to Gili T from Lombok is the same process as from Bali, but it’s a shorter boat ride from Bangsal Harbor in Lombok to the three Gili Islands. You have the option to take the public (slow) boat a few times a day for 25K IDR, or a fast boat every hour between 9 AM and 4 PM for 85K. Since the transfer between Lombok and the Gilis is a lot shorter, only 1/2 hour on a slow boat, I don’t think you need a fancy AC speed boat for the transfer. If you suffer from seasickness, I advise against taking the public ferry. I have a strong stomach and the public ferry to the Gilis even made me nauseous!
Katie’s Tips ✶
There are no piers in the Gilis for the ferries/slow boats, so you have to carry all your luggage through a few feet of seawater when you dock. I advise packing light and wearing waterproof shoes! Alternatively, you can also pay some guy 20K IDR to help you with your luggage.
Other Things to Do in This Area of Indonesia
Take a Komodo Islands Boat Tour from Lombok > Flores
I recommend getting to the Komodo Islands by taking the tourist trail from Bali. First I took a boat to the Gili Islands, stayed a few days, and then sailed from Lombok to Flores through the Komodo Islands.
My favorite Komodo Itinerary looks like this:
Bali > Boat to Gilis > Stay in the Gilis for 2 days > Ferry to Lombok > Overland transfer on Lombok > Sail from Lombok through the Komodos for 4 days on a cruise > Dock in Labuan Bajo, Flores > Fly back to Bali.
If you book the “Backpacker’s Komodo Cruise“, they will arrange your pickup from Gili T + overland transfer through Lombok for you.
Climb Mt. Rinjani
Mt. Rinjani is the most impressive volcano hike in Indonesia. Standing at 3,726 m, it’s one of the tallest peaks in SE Asia. I haven’t climbed Mt. Rinjani yet since it’s a bit of a commitment. You need at least 3 days to do the trek, and you sleep on the mountain. For more casual hikers, I recommend Mt. Batur for sunrise in Bali, or Kawah Ijen Acid Volcano in Java.
👉 Note! Know that Rinjani is closed for Indonesia’s rainy season in January and February.
Go Surfing in Kuta Lombok
I lived in Kuta, Lombok’s sleepy surfer town, for the better part of three months while I was learning to surf, and I attended an all-inclusive surf camp in Lombok for two weeks. Kuta Lombok is said to be what Bali was like 20 years ago before mass tourism ran amok. I love Kuta Lombok for what it is – It’s so much smaller than Bali, I don’t think it’s fair to compare the two.
Related Article -> Read My Complete Travel Guide to Kuta Lombok
Visit the “Secret Gilis” in Lombok
The “Secret Gilis” are a cluster of much smaller islands off of Lombok that shares the same white-sand beauty as Gili T, Meno, and Air. Travelers are drawn to the Secret Gilis, called Gili Kedis, Nanggu, Sudak, Tangkong, Layar, and Rengit because they are far less developed and more untouched.
