Beaches in Gili Trawangan
Beaches in Gili Trawangan do not have proper names as such but instead, are popular by the directions. While some beaches have accommodation facilities and lounge bars, others are a natural treasure of seaweed and soft corals. Here is a rough list of the beaches in Gili Trawangan.
1. North East Beach
This stretch of the Island has no specific name. The main jetty where ferries arrive from Lombok and Bali to Gili Trawangan is just a five- to ten-minute stroll away. The inhabitants of Trawangan Island are mostly settled in this part. Vili Armarik beach resort mostly covers this part of the island which is rich in underwater coral gardens. It is the best beach to be on in the whole Gili Islands archipelago if you wish to spot turtles and go snorkeling under the clear shallow water.
2. North West (Sunset Beach)
The Sunset Beach in Gili Trawangan is, as its name suggests, popular as the sunset point and is located on the North West coast of the Island. There are aesthetic swings on the shore which are perfect to pose for during the sunset. Most of the tourist crowd is attracted here because of its popularity as the most ideal beach to take photos.
3. South West (Malibu Beach)
The southwest coast of Gili Trawangan is often referred to as Malibu Beach. It is approximately a 15-minute cycle ride away from Sunset Beach. Malibu Beach is the stretch of the island that is ideal for enjoying the ideal breeze and having a drink while relaxing on the deck chair.
4. South (Good Heart Beach)
Good Heart Beach is the party hub of Gili Trawangan. If you are looking for a peaceful and calm evening, this beach just might not be right for you because of the lavish parties that resorts and lounges host here. Tourists swarm the island's south coast in the afternoon; they relax and sunbathe here. The beautiful blues of the ocean and heterogeneous people from all over the world add colours, liveliness and diversity to the Island.
Things You Must Experience on The Beaches in Gili Trawangan
- Get on to the Party Boat and let the party begin on the endless blues.
- Enjoy all the Water Sports - Surfing, Snorkelling, Kayaking, and Scuba Diving.
- Relax yourself with a massage on the beach at Azure Spa.
- Watch an open air cinema on the beach.
- Get around the Island, on your own, on a rented bicycle.
- Head to Gili Trawangan Hill and explore the WW2 historic site.
How to Reach Gili Trawangan
To reach Gili Trawangan, you can take a jetty either from Bali or Lombok. At an average cost of IDR 350,000 for a 4-5 hours ride, you get to journey on the exotic Indian Ocean. The transport facilities to the Island are only available from morning till evening before the sunsets. Also, when the tide is too high, the scheduled public ferries get cancelled. If you wish to skip the long route, you can also opt for a private transfer to the beach. But there are a couple of options, mainly, public boats, shuttle boats and charter boats if you wish to experience the blues of the ocean up close. If you are in Lombok take a private speed boat from Teluk Nara to reach the archipelago.
Best Time to Visit Gili Trawangan
In the last few decades, Gili Trawangan has been booming as a tourist destination, thus sometimes, making the beaches busy and over-crowded. From July till September, during the peak season, Gili Trawangan floods with beach lovers from all over the world. So if you want to skip the noise and party, you can avoid planning your trip to Indonesia during the peak season. During the months of July and August, the breezy southern winds can get stormy at times; therefore it is advised to not take the sea route and instead reach the Island by air. The ideal time to visit the Island largely depends on the vacation you are looking forward to. The party fever on the Island is high from July till September but to enjoy that you should have a prior reservation for your stay.
Reasons to Visit Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan Island is 3 Kilometres long and 2 Kilometres wide and is located on the west coast of Lombok. It is the largest and the most popular Island and goes by the tag of ‘Party Island’ because of the fancy cosmopolitan beach resorts and bars. Along with being ideal for a party animal, Gili Trawangan is also the favourite diving spot of adventure enthusiasts in the whole archipelago. The island has shallow and turquoise clear water on the shore which is exemplary for snorkelling or even Kayaking. If you are a beach person and if you have been to Bali, you cannot miss visiting Trawangan especially because it is only a 5 hours ferry ride away from there. Speedboats, scuba diving, snorkelling, cidomo carriages, bar and beaches, everything you get to enjoy at Gili Trawangan attributes to its beauty.
Gili Trawangan is an offbeat tropical paradise. The Island, however tiny, has something interesting and fun to offer to every age group. So even if you are not a party person, if the thought of walking barefoot on a powdery shore and leaving behind footsteps to be washed away by the exotic turquoise waters excites you, you should plan your trip to the Island. If you happened to have in mind that Trawangan is a more or less deserted Island where you can spend a breezy, tranquil weekend vacation, you have got it all wrong. It is amazingly clean and pristine because of the hard work of Gili Eco Trust, the ‘eco-warriors’, who are adamant on keeping the Island pollution-free. All the mentioned beaches in Gili Trawangan provide one of the best international beach experiences.