Gili
Trawangan Lombok
Gili
Trawangan is the largest of Lombok's Gili
Islands and is the only one to rise
significantly above sea level. It is 3km long
and 2km wide with a population of about 700. Of
the Gilis, Trawangan has the most tourist
facilities; the pub Tîr na Nôg claims that
Trawangan is the smallest island in the world
with an Irish pub. The most crowded part of
Trawangan lies on the eastern side. It is
administered under Lombok Barat Regency along
with Sengigi Beach.
On Gili Trawangan (as well as the other two
Gilis), there are no motorized vehicles. The
main means of transportation are bicycles
(rented by locals to tourists) and cidomo (a
small horsedrawn carriage). For traveling to and
from each of the Gilis, locals usually use
motorized boats and speedboats.
Some of the first inhabitants of Gili Trawangan
were from Sulawesi who are fishermen and
farmers. Previously Gili Trawangan was covered
in forest and deer lived on the islands.
The economy of Gili Trawangan centres on
tourism, as the island is too small to support
any broad scale agriculture, and too remote to
allow economically viable industry or commerce.
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".
If you come during the Peak Season (July-August,
December-January), most places are full and
prices are doubled. An advanced reservation is a
must.
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.
