After a pretty crazy experience climbing Mount Rinjani in Lombok, a reward for my hardship was at hand. Right after Mt Rinjani, I split up with my friends and headed for a paradise to rest my body and soul for a few days. That paradise is one of the Gili islands, Gili Trawangan. Gili Trawangan is the most popular out of the 3 islands (Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air), and I was bombarded with backpackers and loud noises from parties as I arrived on the island late in the evening. All was not lost though, as you will find out below, you can always find solitude in this small island.
What to Pack for Gili Trawangan, Indonesia?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Gili Trawangan, Indonesia:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Swim Suits: A swim trunk is a must-pack item if you are planning to visit Gili Trawangan, Indonesia in the summer, just in case there is a body of water you can jump in.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.
- Panda Cottage (Budget)
- Belukar (Mid-Range)
- Pearl of Trawangan (High-End)
- 5H All Inclusive Breakfast &Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran (5 hours)
- Half-Day Private Guided Snorkeling With Turtle And Statute (4 hours)
- Snorkeling with turtle and statue in Gilis (1 to 5 hours)
Day 4 - 5: A Walk around the Gili Trawangan island
As you arrive, you will be welcomed by a beautiful white beach with stunningly clear water.
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I started my walk from the east side of the island and walked towards the north. It's so much nicer out here without all the backpackers.
The beaches here are great for snorkeling, but not so much for swimming because of the shallow water with sharp rocks in them.
The Gili islands' facilities cater to those who are looking for a nice laid-back day. Imagine sitting here, sipping beer, overlooking Lombok island and the beautiful Mt Rinjani from afar.
As I walked toward the east coast, I started to see more high-end accommodations with considerably fewer people. I believe this was a wedding aisle built for couples who want to get married in this paradise.
As I walked further east, I stumbled upon this lone wooden swing in the middle of the shallow sea. I took the opportunity to jump on it and captured this photo. Stunning, isn't it? :)
Do you want to know how shallow it was? I took this from the beach with maximum zoom on my camera, and the water level is still knee-high.
The east part is definitely the calmest, most beautiful part of the island. If you have time, do go for a walk.
As I approached the south side of the island, the beach started to become rocky again. Still, a stunning view nonetheless.
I found a very nice abandoned wooden platform at the south of the island. It was perfect for me to rest a bit from the walk and enjoy the breeze of Indonesian air.
As the sun was about to set, I decided to set up camp at the Paradise Sunset Bar at the southern tip of the island to thoroughly enjoy the sunset.
The bar set itself at the perfect spot to watch the sunset behind Mount Agung, the tallest mountain in Bali.
You don't actually have to be at the bar to get access to the beach. You can just sit nearby and enjoy the same view I did.
This was where I met Friso and Michelle, a couple from Holland. We talked about all sorts of stuff, from the cultural differences (did you know that in parts of Europe, you have to pay taxes for dogs and cats?) to career futures. Michelle has a great website sharing recipes for models who want to be healthy in the modeling world. Even though it's in Dutch, do check out her website.
Nighttime approached, so it was time to find something local and cheap to eat. As I approached civilization, I stumbled upon a night market in the southern part of the east coast. This was a great place to eat local cuisine at a reasonable price and mingle with the locals.
Or you can choose a higher-end western restaurant for some seafood. I much rather prefer the night market.
Day 6: Sunrise and then Goodbye
I ended up walking the whole day on my fifth day in Indonesia, so I decided to wake up early on my sixth day and stroll down the beach to watch the sunrise. This is what I saw.
A stunning view of Mt Rinjani and Lombok is cast by the sunrise.
There is always a sense of wonder when I stare at the sunrise during my travels. The gradient of the sky is just too captivating to sleep in.
I could even hold the sun!
The sun, casting shadows on rocks, made it even more beautiful!
And the end of paradise has arrived. In the afternoon, I took a speedboat to Bali and spent 3 days just resting and mingling with other travelers. I was so drained by the trek that I barely took the time to plan what I wanted to do on my second visit to Bali, so I ended up doing nothing worthy for another entry in the journal. Heck, I didn't even take more than 10 photos during my stay there.
I hope you enjoyed the final entry of the Solo Traveler's Journal #11. Next up, you will be following me on an adventure across the land of nature in the southern hemisphere: New Zealand, for a whole month. So, stay tuned!
More Gili Trawangan Activities
Where to Stay on Gili Trawangan?
Video
That is it for Paradise on Earth: Exploring the Gili Trawangan. Have we missed anything? Have you found the guide useful? Let us know in the comments below!
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to plan your trip to Gili Trawangan, Indonesia! Here are some resources to help you get your trip going:
Are you planning to travel to Gili Trawangan, Indonesia independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Indonesia
I hope this travel guide will help you plan your trip to Indonesia. I have visited Indonesia more times than I can count and have written a ton of articles about the country.
If you are looking for more articles about Indonesia, here is a selection of articles that might help you plan your trip to Indonesia even more extensively.
- Looking for a complete itinerary and travel guide for Indonesia? One Month Itinerary for Indonesia.
- Are you planning to travel to Indonesia as part of a big Southeast Asia trip? Check out our 3-month backpacking itinerary for Southeast Asia.
- If you are visiting Bali for the first time, here is a travel guide to get you started: 10 BEST Places To Visit In Bali.
- Jakarta is a massive city unlike any other, and there is quite a lot to do here if you know where to look. Here are the 8 Best Things To Do in Jakarta.
- Yogyakarta is a great cultural and historical place to visit in Indonesia, and there are plenty of things to see and do there. Here are the 9 Best Things To Do in Yogyakarta.
- Did you know that there is an island in Indonesia that is free of tourists? One of them is Karimunjawa, a true hidden gem island of Java. Here’s a complete guide on how to travel to Karimunjawa island.
- Looking for an article that summarizes a trip through the Java island? Check out my photo essay of Java, Indonesia.
- Lombok is now gaining popularity, but one of the best things you can do on the island is to trek Mount Rinjani, a volcano on a lake in another volcano on an island. Here's a complete guide on how to trek Mount Rinjani.
- Komodo Island is one of the most unique experiences you can never experience anywhere. Here’s a backpacking travel guide on how to explore the Komodo Islands (what to do, which cruise to pick, and more).
- Flores is another great island that deserves way more credit than it receives. There's the Komodo islands, Kelimutu tri-colored lakes, and so much more. Here is a 10-day travel guide for Flores and Komodo Island.
- Talking about Kelimutu, here's a complete travel guide on how to get to Kelimutu lakes in Flores.
- Are you planning your Indonesia trip as part of a big Southeast Asia trip? If so, be sure to check out my photographic journey through the subcontinent. Here are 64 photos that will inspire you to visit Southeast Asia.
- Wondering where you want to go next? How about Timor Leste? Visit Timor Leste Travel Guide page for more travel guides about Timor Leste.
- To see all articles about Indonesia, visit the Indonesia Travel Guide page.
- Looking for more travel guides for Southeast Asia? You can find more on my Southeast Asia Travel Guide page.
- For more of my travel guides, visit my Destinations page.
11 Comments
Great article and <3 ly pictures :)
Hi, what camera are you using to take your photos? For both your NZ and indo trip :D
Btw, i really love your blog man. Keep it up! :D
Dear Pete, I'd love to include the picture of the swing in our article about the best swings in the world, with your credits of course. Can you let me know if this is oke for you? anouk@theblankmap.com
Amazing pic ! Where is this lovely swing, is it close to a "famous" place in Gili ?
If you walk around the Gili T island (takes 2 hours~) you will not miss it :) It's the opposite side from the main backpacking area.
Hey! cool article and video, love it! btw which speed boat you took to get to Bali?
I just walked along the main Gili road and asked travel agency near there. They arranged everything else. :)
Awesome mann! 3D2N trek seems tough! I think i might do 2D1N instead:)
Haha. If you are quite experienced that I don't see why not! :)