CCourses
Gili Cooking ClassesCOOKING COURSE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %087763241215; www.gilicookingclasses.com; classes from 275,000Rp; h11.30am, 4pm, 8pm)
This slick operation has a large kitchen for classes right on the strip. You have a range of options for what you'll learn to cook – choose wisely as you'll be eating your work.
CULTURAL RESPECT
As almost all locals on the Gilis Islands are Muslim; visitors should keep these cultural considerations in mind:
It's not at all acceptable to wander the village lanes in a bikini, no matter how many others you see doing so. Cover up away from the beach or hotel pool.
Nude or topless sunbathing anywhere is offensive.
During the month of Ramadan many locals fast during daylight hours and there are no all-night parties on Gili Trawangan.
4Sleeping
Gili T has over 5000 rooms and more than 200 places to stay, ranging from thatched huts to sleek, air-conditioned villas with private pools. Yet, in peak season, the entire island is often booked; reserve your room well ahead to arrive with a relaxed attitude.
Many places are owned by local families with little or no experience of running hotels. Virtually all dive schools offer really good midrange accommodation, which may come with price breaks on diving packages. The cheapest digs are in the village, where the mosque is everyone's alarm clock. Head to the north or west coasts to escape the crowds.
The high-season rates quoted can drop a bit off-peak, but Gili T's popularity means that rates are mostly zooming upwards.
Village
Pondok Gili GeckoGUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0818 0573 2814; r from 250,000Rp; W)
An inviting guesthouse with a charming gecko motif. The four rooms are super clean, and have ceiling fans and private tiled patios overlooking the garden.
oIndigo BungalowsGUESTHOUSE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0818 0371 0909; www.facebook.com/IndigoGiliT; r from 550,000Rp; aWs)
In the crowded Gili T midrange market, Indigo stands out for its attention to detail. The four rooms have hot water, patios and views of the pool or gardens. It's got a nice, quiet compound feel.
WoodstockBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0821 4765 5877; www.woodstockgili.com; r fan/air-con from 540,000-600,000Rp; aWs)
The hippest spot on Trawangan. Commune with the spirit of the Dead, Baez and Hendrix in 12 pristine rooms with tribal accents, private porches and outdoor baths, which surround a laid-back pool area.
Alexyane ParadiseBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6599 9645; r from 400,000Rp; a)
Five great-quality dark-wood cottages with high ceilings, bamboo beds, and lovely light-flooded outdoor baths sprouting foliage.
Oceane ParadiseCOTTAGE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 3779 3533; r from 500,000Rp; aW)
A terrific compound of nine wooden cottages with stylish outdoor bathrooms.
oVilla NeroVILLA$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 0904 8000; www.thevillanero.com; villas from US$250; aWs)
One of the best-run and most luxurious places to stay on Gili T. Each of the 10 large units has multiple rooms and a large lounging patio. The scheme is refreshingly minimalist, with accents of art and green plants. Among the many amenities: free bike use.
Gili JogloVILLA$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0813 5678 4741; www.gilijoglo.com; villas from 1,400,000Rp; aW)
Three fabulous villas. One is crafted out of an antique joglo (traditional Javanese house) with polished concrete floors, two bedrooms and a massive indoor-outdoor great room. Though slightly smaller, we prefer the one built from two 1950s gladaks (middle-class homes). Rooms come with butler service.
Main Strip
oGili HostelHOSTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0877 6526 7037; www.gilihostel.com; dm from 175,000Rp; aWs)
This co-ed dorm complex has a shaggy Torajan-style roof. The seven rooms each sleep seven, and have concrete floors, high ceilings and a sleeping loft. There's a rooftop bar with beanbags, sun loungers and hammocks, plus views of the treetops, the hills and the big party pool.
Sama Sama BungalowsBUNGALOW$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-612 1106; r 300,000-550,000Rp; aW)
Just a few metres from where the fast boats drop you on the beach, the eight lumbung-style units here are perfect if you want to be right in the very heart of the action.
Le Petit GiliGUESTHOUSE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6585 5545; www.lepetitgili.com; r 500,000-750,000Rp; aW)
The three rooms here have a casual chic, reminiscent of one of the better listings on Airbnb. The spaces are made cosy with natural woods and the odd antique. Big windows let the light in and let you look out at the views, which include the night market. Guests can use bikes and refill water bottles. Good ground-floor cafe.
KokomoVILLA$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-613 4920; www.kokomogilit.com; r from 3,250,000Rp; aWs)
Offering beautifully finished and lavishly equipped modern accommodation, these 11 minivillas are set in a small complex at the quieter southern end of the main strip. All have private pools, contemporary decor and lovely indoor-outdoor living quarters. You can rent one, two or three bedrooms in your unit.
Beachside
Blu da MareBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0858 8866 2490; www.bludamare.it; r from 900,000Rp; aW)
At Blu da Mare you can bed down in one of five lovely, antique joglo from 1920s Java. Features include gorgeous old wood floors, queen beds, and freshwater showers in a sunken bath. It has a fine, Euro-accented cafe.
Balé SampanHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 3702 4048; www.balesampanbungalows.com; r garden/pool US$88/94; aWs)
On a nice wide-open stretch of beach. The 14 fine modern-edge rooms have Yogja stone baths and plush duvet covers. Other highlights include a freshwater pool and a proper English breakfast.
SoundwavesBUNGALOW$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 3673 2404; www.soundwavesresort.com; r 400,000-700,000Rp; aW)
The 13 rooms here are simple and clean with tiled floors. Some are set in wooden A-frames, others in a two-storey concrete building with staggered and recessed patios offering beach views from each room. Some rooms are fan-only.
North, South & West Coasts
oEden CottagesCOTTAGE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 1799 6151; www.edencottages.com; cottages 550,000-850,000Rp; as)
Six clean, thatched concrete bungalows wrapped around a pool, fringed by a garden and shaded by a coconut grove. Rooms have tasteful furnishings, stone baths, TV-DVD and fresh-cold-water showers. The owner avoids wi-fi, which only increases the serenity.
Alam GiliHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-613 0466; www.alamgili.com; r US$65-125; aWs)
A lush mature garden and a quiet beach location are the main draws here. The nine rooms and villas in a small compound boast elegant lashings of old-school Balinese style. There's a small pool and a cafe on the beach.
oWilson's RetreatRESORT$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-612 0060; www.wilsons-retreat.com; r from 1,750,000Rp; aWs)
A fine new addition to the north shore, Wilson's has 20 rooms plus four villas with private pools. Even though the setting is expansive and classy, it still manages some Gili languor. The excellent cafe overlooks a fine stretch of beach.
Gili Eco VillasVILLA$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0361-847 6419; www.giliecovillas.com; r/villas from US$150/190; aWs)S
Nineteen classy rooms and villas, made from recycled teak salvaged from old Javanese colonial buildings, are set back from the beach on Trawangan's idyllic north coast. Comfort and style are combined with solid green principles (water is recycled, there's an organic vegetable garden, and solar and wind energy provide most of the power).
Pondok SantiRESORT$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-714 0711; www.pondoksanti.com; r from US$300; aWs)
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Six gorgeous bungalows are set well apart on this old coconut plantation. Lawns now cover the grounds, and this is easily the classiest looking resort on Gili T. The units have outdoor showers and rich, traditional wood decor. It's on a great beach and just close enough to the strip.
Danima ResortGUESTHOUSE$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6087 2506; www.giliresortdanima.com; r from 1,600,000Rp; aWs)
An intimate four-room boutique property. Nests are blessed with floating beds, vaulted ceilings, tasteful lighting, rattan deck seating and rain showers. It has a romantic pool and beach area too.
GREEN GILI
When you pay your hotel or diving bill on the Gilis you may be offered the chance to pay an 'Eco Tax' (50,000Rp per person). It's a voluntary donation, set up by the pioneering Gili Eco Trust (www.giliecotrust.com) to improve the island's environment.
It's a worthy cause. The environmental pressure on the Gilis as their popularity has grown is enormous. Intensive development and rubbish plus offshore reef damage from fishers using cyanide and dynamite to harvest fish have been just some of the problems. Up to 10,000 visitors and workers arrive on the islands each day.
Eco Trust has several initiatives to help:
Distributing free reusable shopping bags to cut down on plastic-bag use, and encouraging restaurants to stop using plastic straws.
An aggressive education campaign to get locals and business owners to recycle their rubbish. There are now over 1000 recycling bins on the islands.
A long-term scheme to recycle virtually all the rubbish on the islands. Ground was broken for a sorting centre on Gili T in 2015.
Care of the islands' horses – vet clinics are offered and there are driver education programs in horse care.
Biorock, a reef restoration program that now has over 120 installations around the islands.
There are many ways visitors to the Gilis can help, besides just paying the Eco Tax:
Clean up the beach Eco Trust and Trawangan Dive You both organise weekly beach clean-ups and more hands are always needed. Admire the white sand and azure waters as do your own freelance beach clean-up. Toss anything you find in a recycling bin.
Report horse mistreatment Anyone seeing a cidomo driver mistreating a horse can get the number of the cart and report it to Eco Trust (0370-625020 or 0813 3960 0553), which will follow up with the driver. Unfortunately many transport carts with their heavy loads of construction supplies and Bintang have no cart numbers for reporting.
Build a reef For US$600 you'll get two dives a day for two weeks and can help build a Biorock installation. Eco Trust has details.
5Eating
In the evenings, numerous places on the main strip display and grill delicious fresh seafood. There's not much to distinguish them – pick by what looks good and how much chilli and garlic you like in your marinade.
Elsewhere on the strip, you'll find timeless beach bars with lots of Indo standards, which you can enjoy with a cold Bintang and your feet in the sand. There's also a growing number of high-concept cafes.
oPasar MalamMARKET$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 15,000-30,000Rp; h6pm-midnight)
Blooming every evening in front of Gili T's market, this night market is the place to indulge in ample local eats, including tangy noodle soup, savoury fried treats, scrumptious ayam goreng (fried chicken) and grilled fresh catch. Just wandering around the stalls (we like Green Cafe) looking at all the dishes vying for your attention will get you drooling. Seating is at long tables.
La Dolce VitaITALIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 20,000-40,000Rp; h7.30am-5pm Tue-Sun; a)
There comes that moment when another nasi goreng will just make you turn nasty. Don't delay, hop right on over to this little cafe that's not much bigger than one of its excellent espressos. Slices of authentic pizza and a whole range of pastries are joined by daily specials to sate the ravenous.
Warung Kiki NoviINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains from 15,000Rp; h8am-10pm)
Long-time islanders will tell you that this is the best place for nasi campur (rice with a choice of side dishes) in the Gilis, and they are right; this cheery dining room is the scene of budget-dining nirvana. Besides fine Indo mains there's a smattering of Western sandwiches and salads.
oKayu CaféCAFE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6239 1308; mains 40,000-80,000Rp; h8am-10pm; aW)
There are two options here: the main cafe on the inland side of the strip has a lovely array of healthy baked goods, salads, sandwiches and the island's best juices, all served in air-con comfort. Across the road the beach cafe is all open air and exposed wood. Service on the sand can be slow – head inside to order.
ReginaPIZZA$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0877 6506 6255; mains 40,000-100,000Rp; h5-11pm)
The wood-fired oven rarely gets a break at this excellent Italian joint, just inland. At busy times there's a long line for takeaway pizzas, but a better option is to find a bamboo table in the garden and have some cold ones with the fine thin-crust pies. A sign announces: 'no pizza pineapple'. Ahh, the sound of authenticity...
Thai GardenTHAI$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0878 6453 1253; mains 50,000-120,000Rp; h3pm-10pm)
Who needs Bangkok when you have Gili T? The most authentic Thai food this side of Phuket is served up in a cute little garden. The flavours are spot on thanks to regular deliveries of key spices. Here's the place to beat the Indo rice blues.
Cafe GiliINTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 35,000-70,000Rp; h8am-10pm; W)
Think: cushioned beachside seating, candlelight, and some cool and housey music playing. The kitchen spills from a shabby chic whitewashed dining room and rambles across the street to the shore. The menu meanders from eggs Florentine and breakfast baguettes, to deli sandwiches and salads, to decent pasta and seafood dishes.
Pearl Beach LoungeINTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-613 7788; www.pearlbeachlounge.com; mains 60,000-180,000Rp; h8am-11pm; W)
The bamboo flows only a little less fluidly than the beer at this high-concept beachside lounge and restaurant. During the day, spending 100,000Rp on food and drink from the burger-filled menu gets you access to a pool and comfy beach loungers. At night the striking bamboo main pavilion comes alive, and more complex steak and seafood mains are on offer.
Beach HouseINTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-614 2352; www.beachhousegilit.com; mains 75,000-250,000Rp; h11am-10pm; W)
Boasts an elegant marina terrace, a wonderful nightly barbecue, a salad bar and fine wine. Among much competition, it's a contender for the best barbecued seafood around and is always popular. Book ahead.
6Drinking & Nightlife
The island has oodles of beachside drinking dens, ranging from sleek lounge bars to simple shacks. Parties are held several nights a week, shifting between mainstay bars such as Tir na Nog and Rudy's Pub, and various other upstarts. The strip south of the Pasar Malam is the centre for raucous nightlife.
oLa MoombaBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h10am-midnight)
If you wish to chill on a luscious white beach, with bamboo lounges and reggae pumping from the tiki bar, head to La Moomba, Trawangan's best beach bar.
Vintage Sunset BeachBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h11am-10pm)
The kind of sunset bar that you won't want to leave after the sun has set. While strains of Billie Holiday add mellifluous accents to the lapping surf, enjoy excellent Jamaican food (the spicy chicken, yum!; mains from 60,000Rp). Or just let the sand caress your toes as you hang low in a hammock.
Tir na NogPUB
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0370-613 9463; h7am-2am Thu-Tue, to 4am Wed; W)
Known simply as 'The Irish', this hanger of hangovers has a sports-bar interior with big screens. Enjoy tasty chow such as kebabs (mains 35,000Rp to 80,000Rp). Its shoreside open-air bar is probably the busiest meeting spot on the island. Jovial mayhem reigns on Wednesda
y nights when the DJ takes over.
Blue MarlinBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8am–very late)
Of all the party bars, this upper-level venue has the largest dance floor and the meanest sound system – it pumps trance and tribal beats on Mondays.
Sama SamaBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; hhours vary)
An overly decorated reggae bar–slash-roadhouse with a top-end sound system, a killer live band (playing the same set list) at least six nights a week, and a beer garden on the beach.
ExileBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0819 0772 1858; hnoon-late; i)
This beach bar has a party vibe at all hours. It's Indonesian owned and 20 minutes from the main strip on foot, or an easy bike ride. There is also a compound of 10 woven bamboo bungalows with rooms from 450,000Rp here, just in case home seems too far.
7Shopping
Gili Trawangan was once the domain of cheap knick-knack stalls and not much else, but a stream of refinement is rapidly taking root. Outlets of Bali boutiques are popping up along the main strip near the Pasar Malam.
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 63