Gili Trawangan
A three-kilometre island with not one car and not one scooter.
Duration
3 hrs – 8 hrs
Best time
At sunset
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Trawangan is the largest of the three Gilis, three kilometres by two. No motor vehicle is allowed: you move on foot, by bicycle, or by cidomo, the horse-drawn cart. Walking round the island takes two hours on the sand.
The east coast holds the bars and the landings, the west coast faces the sunset with Bali's Mount Agung behind, and the interior stays planted with coconut palms. Fresh water comes from a desalination plant, which explains the price of showers and the saltiness of the taps.
Getting there
Fast boat from Bali, two and a half hours, or the public crossing from Bangsal on Lombok, twenty minutes.
Rules on site
There is no hospital and no police on the island, and the nearest clinic is on Lombok: a serious injury means evacuation by boat. The ATMs break down regularly — bring cash.
