1. TRANSPORTATION
The easiest and quickest way to reach the Gili Trawangan is by fast boat from Bali. You can depart from Tanjung Benoa, Padang Bai, Sanur, or Serangan Island. Furthermore, sometimes tourists also depart from Bangsal Harbor. From the www.fastboatbalitour.com, you can find various kinds of fast boat providers with the information of their schedule. You can pay attention to that and choose the provider that suits your schedule too. The good thing is that you can book the online ticket first and please ensure that you arrive at the departure location 30 minutes before the departure time.
2. ACCOMMODATION
There are so many options for accommodations in Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air. Those accommodations are varied started from the Homestay, Hotels, Villas, up to the resorts and the prices are varied. Some accommodations can be booked online, but some are not able to be booked online. It means that you have to come and straightly book there. If your vacation time coincided with the long weekend period or the peak season, we are not recommending you to do a ‘go show’ and book these kinds of accommodation because usually it has been fully booked. It means that it is better to book the accommodation online if you have to come at the peak season.
3. ACTIVITIES
The main activities to do in the Gili Islands (Gili Meno, Gili Trawangan, and Gili Air) are snorkeling and enjoying the beaches. However, actually it depends on where you have a vacation because each island has its own characteristics. For example, is in Gili Trawangan where this island is quite crowded and you can easily find a party every day. In addition, if you don’t like snorkeling or diving, you can just take a walk and explore the whole islands or you can also rent cidomo where it is local traditional transportation. Why you have to use those transportations? Actually, it is because motor vehicles are prohibited there.
From the fast boat, you can directly see the amazing beaches around and see a lot of people just chilling at the beach while sunbathing or reading a book. Because the Gili Islands are free from the motor vehicle, you can enjoy and feel the super fresh air there. If you want to do a snorkeling activity, there are a lot of local tour providers that provide some services such as the short course up to rent the snorkeling equipment. You can easily find it along the main beach or it is also known as the Central Area. The cost for this service is varied, but usually, it is started from IDR 150.000 (for 3 hours duration where the boat and lunch are included). If you don’t want to go to the deep location, you can tell the guide for just accompanying you to snorkel near the beach. It will be fun too because you can see the colorful fishes everywhere. Besides that, it is also interesting to visit turtle conservation to see and learn about the conservation method of this rare animal.
4. CULINARY AND PUBLIC FACILITIES
The Gili Islands are still the part of Lombok area and that is why; the culinary menus there are not far different from the one that you will find in Lombok. It means that you can enjoy the delicious dishes that are called the Ayam Taliwang and Placing Kangkung as the most popular traditional dish there. You can also see from the fast boat that Gili Trawangan has a lot of small stalls and cafes up to restaurants. If you want to eat at the small stalls, you have to come to the village area. Meanwhile, café and restaurants can be easily found near the beach. One of the most popular small stalls in Gili Trawangan is a stall owned by Bu Dewi or Mrs. Dewi.
In addition, you will also easily find the Automated Teller Machine from various national Banks in Indonesia. Various kinds of bicycle rents are also available in these Gili Islands where you can rent it at an affordable price for a while day. If you want to, you can also rent a cidomo or a traditional cart to explore the island. This cidomo can accommodate up to 6 adults, but the cost is more expensive than renting the bike.
Those are some reasons why you have to come to the Gili Islands, Indonesia. It is recommended to book your fast boat ticket first to ensure that you will get the seats and it will be so essential if you came at the peak season.
We also offer an amazing experience to visit the Nusa Penida Island from Bali by the fast boat service. Get the memorable experience in Nusa Penida by visiting some destinations there such as the Crystal Bay Beach, Angel’s Billabong, the Teletubbies Hills, The Molenteng Tree House, the Atuh Beach, and more again. We will ensure that you get the amazing experience there and the most comfortable one. Why? It is because we also provide you with the land and sea transportation for any amount of members that you have. To make your trip in Nusa Penida is better, we also provide you with the accommodation service of some hotels or villas based on your needs during your stay in this island.