If you’re planning a trip to Indonesia, my 9 travel tips for Gili Trawangan will help you get a good overview of things to know before travelling there, as well as things you should be aware of during your stay.

One thing I love after every trip is the knowledge I gain. Suddenly, I feel like I’m an expert. I know the map, where the locals hang out, the best cafés, and which places to avoid. I enjoy sharing these insider tips and travel tricks with you guys!

Gili T is a special place, and these Gili Trawangan travel tips will help you make the most of your visit. From choosing the right season to respecting local culture and finding the best spots, I’ve gathered my top 9 tips to help you enjoy your trip.

1. Choosing Between the Three Islands

The Gili Islands consist of three different islands: Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan. All of them are very close to each other, but offer completely different vibes. Find out what you’re into and choose the island that fits your expectations the most.

Gili Trawangan

Gili T is known as the party island. You’ll find lots of groups ready to celebrate and party all night. The island offers great spots like bars, clubs, and beach bonfires. Something that’s quite unique here, is the consumption of „mushrooms“. Since it’s legal on this island, some travellers choose to try them during their stay. No worries this is definitely  not a must. Take care of yourself and don’t do anything you don’t want to do!
There are plenty of activities to join, and it’s a great place to meet new people.

Find out more in our post: 6 Top Things to do in Gili Trawangan

Gili Meno

This island is a lot more quiet and perfect if you want a more remote, peaceful vibe. There are fewer activities, restaurants, and accommodation options, but the beautiful beaches and stunning nature are more than enough to enjoy your time on Gili Meno. It’s a popular choice for couples or families, but it can also be a refreshing and calming experience if you’re travelling solo.

Gili Air

This island offers a nice mix, more social than Gili Meno, but more relaxed than Gili T. You can enjoy fun water activities, good restaurants, and even some late-night parties.

Since I only explored Gili Trawangan myself, I got some help putting this list together. Check this post out, for a more detailed comparison of the islands: almarik-lombok.com

2. Check the Seasons Before You Go

The Gili Islands have two main seasons: dry and wet.

If you want to avoid rainy weather, it’s recommended to visit between May and September. During this time, you’ll have sunny, dry days with the occasional bit of rainfall. It’s quite warm, and the ocean is much calmer, which makes it perfect for water activities.

The wet season runs from October to April, with the heaviest rain typically falling between December and February. Surprisingly, the temperature doesn’t really change much, but the humidity makes the weather feel even hotter. The wet season does come with a few pros, like fewer crowds, cheaper accommodation prices, and a more vibrant, green landscape with blooming flowers.

Find out more about the seasons here: almarik-lombok.com

3. Use a backpack

Visiting Gili Trawangan, I’d 100% recommend using a backpack. It’s so much more convenient and practical. You won’t find easy roads for rolling a suitcase. It’s more like bumpy paths, rocks, and sometimes even big puddles of water in the middle of your track. The island may be small, but the walk to your accommodation can still feel long, especially when you’re carrying heavy luggage, while trying to find the right way. I’ve honestly never been happier about choosing my backpack over a suitcase.

And there’s another big reason why a backpack is the better choice, you’ll see in the next point!

4. Don’t Use „Horse Taxis“ – Walk Instead

On Gili Trawangan, there are only two ways to get around the island: bikes and horse-drawn carriages. Thankfully, the island is super walkable, and you really don’t need any kind of transportation to get around. That said, I want to point something out that’s really important to me: the horses on the island are not treated well. They often stand in the full sun for hours, with no water, no shade, no space and absolutely no freedom. It’s heartbreaking and honestly disgusting to witness how animals are still treated in actually most parts of the world. Please don’t take a horse-drawn carriage. The less people use them, the less reason there is to keep using horses this way. Your choices matter.

5. Walk Around the Entire Island

I wasn’t lying when I said the island is walkable. Just grab some comfortable shoes, spend around two hours and walk around the entire island! It’s a beautiful walk along the coast, showing you so many different sides of Gili T. Take your time, explore the beaches, stop by little shops and restaurants along the way and just enjoy the island vibe.

6. Must-Do Activities

Yoga, snorkelling, scuba diving, kayaking, you name it, they have it. The tours offered on Gili T are actually really great and full of fun adventures. From exploring the underwater world to visiting the surrounding islands, they give you the ultimate experience. I took part in a few activities, but the one I really miss and didn’t do is yoga. There are some amazing yoga classes around the island, and I feel like it would have been such a special experience.

To find out more about activities on Gili T , including the different yoga classes, check out this post: 6 Top Things to do in Gili Trawangan

7. Best Restaurants in Gili T

Gili Trawangan has amazing restaurants and cafés. With great vibes, a lovely atmosphere, and seriously good food. Since I found the perfect blog post that shares some really great food spots, I’ll leave this point to Maisie. A true specialist when it comes to finding good food while travelling. Click here to read her post: munchandmooch.com/the-best-restaurants-in-gili-t-indonesia

I absolutely love Munch and Mooch, such a fun travel blog with literally the most aesthetic website. If you want to discover more about Bali and/or Gili T, make sure to check out Maisie’s blog right here: munchandmooch.com

8. Respect the Locals

Something that’s good to know beforehand is that most of the locals on Gili are Muslim. You’ll notice this through the daily prayers that are regularly shared through speakers. Be respectful when this happens, try to stay quiet and avoid disturbing the prayers.

Fun fact: one of them happened every morning at around 4:30. Yes, I absolutely respect the culture, but I’m not gonna lie, it killed me every single time. Waking up that early and not being able to block out the sound in our room… it literally felt like we had speakers in the bedroom.

Another thing I noticed was how a few tourists behaved quite disrespectfully toward the locals. Yes, it’s a different culture, but as wealthy tourists, travelling the world, I don’t think we have the right to argue over accommodation prices. These people are already living with so little, and trying to take even more from them just feels wrong to me. Respect the people.

9. Buy Jewellery

One thing I regret, is not buying more bracelets. After my time in Bali and Gili, I realised I’m absolutely obsessed with collecting jewellery from the places I’ve travelled to. And yes, it’s a bit of a shame I only discovered this after my trip, because the prices there are unbeatable. I remember being there, going back and forth with myself, trying to save money. A good point, of course, but trust me, a few pieces of jewellery won’t hurt!

With these 9 Gili Trawangan Travel Tips you’re fully prepared to enjoy your journey!