What is Gili Trawangan like?

Gili Trawangan, known universally as Gili T, is the largest of the three and the one with a reputation. Most of that reputation attaches to about 500 metres of the east coast.

The two islands in one

The east strip is the busy one: boat landing, dive shops, restaurants, bars, hotels, the night market and the crowd. It is where you arrive and where the island's reputation comes from.

The rest of it — the north, west and interior — is quiet, undeveloped and beautiful, with sunset bars on the west coast facing Bali and Agung, and long stretches of beach with nobody on them.

Fifteen minutes on a bicycle separates the two.

Diving

Trawangan is one of the cheapest and most popular places in Indonesia to learn to dive, with a large concentration of established schools.

The sites: Shark Point, Halik, Deep Turbo, Manta Point and the Meno Wall, all within a short boat ride, with green turtles almost guaranteed, reef sharks common and healthy coral in the protected areas.

Costs: a fun dive is usually 500,000 to 700,000 rupiah, and an Open Water course runs roughly 5,000,000 to 6,500,000, among the lowest prices anywhere for equivalent quality.

Prices are largely standardised across the island through a local operators' association, which means you should choose on the school rather than the price.

Snorkelling

Excellent and accessible from shore, particularly on the northeast and east coasts where green turtles feed on the seagrass. Boat trips do a three-island circuit including the underwater statues off Meno for around 150,000 to 250,000 rupiah.

Watch the currents between the islands, which are strong, and do not swim across the channels.

What else to do

Cycle the island. An hour and a half, on a track that is sandy in places. The classic first afternoon.

Sunset on the west coast, with Agung across the water, from one of the swing bars.

The hill viewpoint in the south for sunrise over Rinjani.

Surf. There is one break, on the southwest, for intermediates and up.

Freediving and yoga, both well established here.

Eating and nightlife

The night market on the main strip is the good-value option, with grilled fish and local food.

Nightlife rotates between a handful of venues on a nightly schedule that everyone knows. It is lively, and it is confined: staying on the north or west means you will hear nothing.

The drinks warning matters here. Methanol poisoning from counterfeit spirits has caused deaths in Indonesia, including on the Gilis. Drink beer or sealed branded bottles at established venues, and avoid free-pour spirits and buckets at the cheapest bars.

Practicalities

No motor vehicles. Bicycles, walking, and horse carts.

Cash. ATMs are present and unreliable. Bring rupiah from Bali or Lombok.

Water. Fresh water is scarce; showers may be brackish and bottled water is what you drink.

Medical. Clinics only. Serious cases, including diving incidents, are evacuated to Lombok or Bali, which takes time.

Mosquitoes. Dengue is a risk. Use repellent.

Getting there

Fast boat from Padang Bai, roughly 1.5 to 2.5 hours, or from Sanur. From Lombok, local boats from Bangsal take 15 to 30 minutes and cost a fraction of the tourist fast boats.

Crossings are weather-dependent and cancellations happen in wet season. Do not plan to return on the day of an international flight.