Gili Trawangan

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".

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.

The beaches of the Gilis are still powdery white, the water a beautiful clear blue and they are positioned perfectly for sunsets over Bali’s Mt Agung and sunrise over Lombok’s Mt Rinjani. Thirty years ago the Gili islands were uninhabited and only discovered by the seafaring Bugis people from Sulawesi. It was only a matter of time before the more adventurous backpacker types discovered the islands and developed Trawangan into a hippy party paradise destination.

A local initiative was set up to help the turtle population around Gili Trawangan. The poachers are paid for their find and the turtles are re-buried and kept under surveillance. Once they hatch, the baby green and hawksbill turtles are placed in a tank and left to grow until they are approx. 6 months old when they are big enough to fend for themselves, and are released into the sea. 

The project still relies purely on donations by locals and tourists and has grown bigger and bigger over the years.

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.

 

Golf Trips to mainland Lombok and the very picturesque Lombok Kosaido Golf and Country Club are highly recommended. Suitable for all abilities this trip is a must as golfers arrive at hole four by speedboat where they are collected by a buggy and driven to the clubhouse prior to tee off. The course structure and landscaping makes for a relaxed golfing experience, neither too challenging nor too demanding.

Next door to the golf course is Hotel Tugu Lombok, perfect for a post-golf round of drinks before heading back to the islands by boat.

Horse Riding with the boys at the Stud Stables, is a great way to see the whole of the island. The perimeter of Gili Trawangan can be walked along the beach and Stud Stables have experienced and professional guides. Even though the routes are very relaxed and not at all challenging the horse rides are  suited to more practiced riders.