Located just off the coast of Lombok sits the largest of the three Gili Islands, Gili Trawangan . Most commonly known for its vibrant nightlife, incredible sunsets and fantastic snorkelling, Gili Trawangan is the party island of the three Gilis. Live music, buzzing bars and late night clubs galore, this is the best stop for anyone interested in a party weekend break from the Bali and Lombok mainlands. Just don’t enjoy the Gili Trawangan party so much that you can’t explore the many Gili island snorkel spots the next day!
This is your complete to the Gili Trawangan party island, including how to get there, where to stay and the best places to go.
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Gili Trawangan Party: The Complete Guide to Gili Trawangan Nightlife
Before you Go to Gili Trawangan
Before you leave for Gili Trawangan, there are a few things to organise for an enjoyable and stress-free move. This includes what visa to get, what travel insurance is best for Bali and what to pack for your time in Bali. All of these points are discussed below.
How to get an Indonesian Visa
Most countries in the world are granted a Visa on Arrival, which allows you to stay in the country for 30 days. If you are planning on staying longer, you will need to apply for a Visa Extension before you leave the airport. This is a relatively straight forward process, however we recommend getting it sorted as soon as possible once you arrive into Indonesia.
You can read our full guide to extending your visa in Bali here.
What Travel Insurance is Best
We know travel insurance is the least enjoyable thing to purchase and look at when you’re planning a trip, however, you wouldn’t want to be without it in the event that something happened. Accidents can happen anywhere and the extortionate medical bills will ruin your trip if you are not covered.
To ensure you have a stress-free trip with no worries about potential medical bills, make sure you cover yourself when you travel. We can recommend using SafetyWing, a backpacker-friendly and cheap insurance company that provides good coverage and support. It is also nomad-friendly, unlike most other insurance companies, meaning you do not need to worry about being out of your home country for too long.
Get a quote for your travel insurance right here and get covered!
What Should You Pack?
As with the rest of Indonesia, the Gili Islands are blessed with year round, tropical weather, rarely dipping below 30oC and showering the islands with a refreshing, warm rain every day or so. For all-intensive purposes, the weather on the Gili Islands is pretty much perfect. It also makes packing for your trip a LOT easier, as there is no need for big, bulky and heavy clothing items.
When packing for locations such as these, we try to stick with the Wash one, Wear one and Dry one principle. This means we aren’t carrying 10 extra pairs of socks that you will never even wear. For a full idea of what to pack, have a look this Summer Packing List for Men and Summer Packing List for Women.
Don’t forget to subscribe and follow our journey on Youtube here.
For all the amazing sights you are going to see, you will want to take a decent camera.
See what photography equipment and content capture essentials we carry:
Main Photography Camera – Sony A7v Mirrorless Camera and Sony A7iii Mirrorless Camera
Microphone – Shure VP83 Condenser Shotgun Microphone
Main Lens – Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8
Zoom Lens – Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8
Camera Tripod – ZOMEI Z669C Camera Tripod
Gorilla Pod – JOBY JB01507-BWW GorillaPod
Action Camera – GoPro Hero 11 and Insta 360 One RS
Drone Camera – DJI Mavic Pro 3
Camera Bag – Wandrd PRVKE 41L and The Nest by Tropicfeel
Phone Tripod – Manfrotto MKPIXICLAMP-BK, Mini Tripod with Universal Smartphone Clamp
Sturdy Phone Tripod & Selfie Stick – ATUMTEK 61″ Selfie Stick Tripod, Sturdy Phone Tripod Stand with Wireless Remote
Hard Drives – LaCie Rugged Mini, 5TB, 2.5″, Portable External Hard Drive
SSD – SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable NVMe SSD
Travel Adapter –Worldwide Travel Adapter Universal Travel Plug with 4 USB Ports+Universal AC Socket
Best Accommodation on Gili Trawangan
There is a range of accommodation on the islands from hostels to resorts. From budget, to mid range, to higher end resorts, there is something for everyone on Gili Trawangan. The value for money is exceptional in Indonesia, so we believe if you are wanting to experience high end accommodation, Indonesia is the place to do it!
Due to how small the island is, finding the best area to stay in Gili Trawangan is easy! With so many hotels, hostels and housestays around the main street, you are bound to find the perfect place for you.
Luxury – One of the most beautiful accommodations on the island is Villa Ombak . Located on the port side of the island this place is easily accessible to the beach, ferry and plenty of bars and restaurants.
You can book your stay at Villa Ombak right here.
Mid-range – Uber Scuba offers cheap accommodation and the option of taking a variety of scuba diving courses during your stay. It is also super central, so it is easy to get back from your night out partying.
You can book your stay at Uber Scuba right here.
Budget – If you are willing to share a room with others, you accommodation will set you back around £5 per night for 2 people per night. Little Woodstock Homestay even has a pool!
You can book your stay at Little Woodstock Homestay right here.
If hostels are more your cup of tea, then there are also plenty of social hubs available for solo backpackers. You can browse the hostels Gili Air has to offer here.
How to Get to Gili Trawangan
Depending on where you are coming from will depend on how you can get to Gili Trawangan, whether you are going from Bali to Gili Trawangan or Lombok to Gili Trawangan, there is an easy option for you. It is possible to get to the islands on a fast, private boat or (if you have time) from Bali to Gili Island’s by public boat. The private speedboats are obviously the faster of the two options, however, it is also the expensive option.
The public boats between the islands are cheaper, although they only tend to run twice a day, and only leave when they are full. Make sure you are aware of the timetable for the public boat to Gili Trawangan to avoid finding yourself stranded until the next departure.
Public Boat from Bali to Gili Trawangan
If cheap is what you are looking for, then the Bali to Gili Trawangan public boat is your best option. This takes around five hours to get from Padang Bai in Bali to Lombok. Here you will disembark and wait for the next public ferry, which runs from Gili to Lombok and back. In total this trip could take around eight hours, however it will cost you much less than the faster boat options. There is unfortunately no direct public boat from Gili T to Bali, you will have to go via Lombok.
Flying from Bali to Gili Trawangan
Unfortunately there is no direct route for a flight from Bali to Gili Trawangan, however we can recommend flying to Lombok from Bali and spending a few days there before heading out to the islands. On mainland Lombok, you can get a taxi to Senggigi or Bangsal harbour where you can catch the boat that runs from Gili Trawangan to Lombok and back. The cheapest airline is Lion Air and it takes around 30 minutes. If you are flying, make sure to have your ticket printed before hand or you may not be allowed to board your flight.
Also Read – Living in Bali – All You Need to Know for One Month in Bali
Speed Boat from Gili to Bali
This is the most convinient way to get to the Gili Islands and you can expect this trip to take around 4 hours. There are a few different options for a speed boat to Gili Islands from Bali and from the Nusa Islands. Check out these companies below. These are also the fastest way to get from Gili Trawangan to Bali.
Check out the latest routes and prices for Gili Getaway here.
Check out the latest routes and prices for Blue Water Express here.
Check out the latest routes and prices for Ocean Star Express here.
Check out the latest routes and prices for Patagonia Xpress here.
Check out the latest routes and prices for Scoot Fast Cruises here.
If you have booked a ferry, make sure you have your tickets printed as some companies will not let you board without a paper copy. We have asked in hotels and Doctor’s Surgeries before and they have printed off the documents we require for us if there is no print shop.
Island Hopping the Gili Islands
The best thing about the Gili islands is simply how close they are to each other. You could literally swim between them, if you wanted.. Luckily for you, there is an easier way to get from Gili T to Gili Air, without getting your hair wet, and that is of course the public boats.
For just £2, you can catch a boat from Gili Trawangan to Gili Air or Gili Meno. The public boat leaves quite infrequently from here, so make sure you are up to date with the timetable. If you do happen to miss the ferry, hang around the port and ask others where they are going to. It is possible to rent a private boat and split the costs for not much more than the price of the ferry.
Gili Trawangan Party Guide: The Best Nightlife
Where to Eat on Gili Trawangan
Restaurants
When it comes to eating good, cheap food on Gili T, you are simply spoiled for choice. Being the most touristy of the three Gili islands, Gili Trawangan has a huge range of cuisines, including Italian, Greek and American, as well as restaurants serving the local seafood and other dishes.
Of course, given the cliental of the more western restaurants, the prices tend to be a lot higher at restaurants serving these cuisines. If you want a delicious, cheap dinner, your best bet is to try the local warungs, which can be found off the main street, on the side lanes. Here you can get Nasi or Mie Gorengs for as little as £0.60.
Our favourite restaurants and cafes are listed below.
- Coffee and Thyme for a cute cafe experience (and great wifi!)
- Ocean 2 Restaurant for some super cheap (and delish) Italian food
- Tir Na Nog (The Irish Bar) for an amazing fish and chips
Night Markets
If you fancy an authentic taste of Indonesia, then do not miss out on the freshly cooked, mouth-watering and ridiculously cheap eats at the night markets. These set up along the beach by the boat harbour most nights and are the perfect place to enjoy the washing waves, buzzing atmosphere and Indonesian dishes.
Where to Drink on Gili Trawangan
Aside from simply buying a few beers and enjoying them on the beach yourself, Gili Trawangan has a huge number of watering holes to choose from. Whether you want a chilled out vibe or a beer pong competition, the Gili T party scene has it all!
Happy hour
When it comes to drinking in Indonesia, happy hours are your best friend. Due to the countries religious beliefs, alcohol is relatively expensive (with a bottle of beer costing the same as a main course dish). Lucky for you, Gili Trawangan Happy Hour is a daily occurrence, and is mostly not limited to just one hour.
Live music
Perhaps our favourite part of the Gili T nightlife is the sheer amount of live music the island offers up on a nightly basis. We have never seen such a concentration of talented singers, musicians and dancers as we did on Gili Trawangan. The Indonesians sure love to entertain!
You can’t even walk along the beach without finding live musicians performing every 200m, which once again makes choosing a place to relax a really tough choice. We consider our favourite place for live music in our decision of Top Bars below.
Top Bars
So now is the tricky part, trying to name our three favourite bars in Gili T.. How is that possible?! Nonetheless our three favourite places to wind down after a long day snorkelling the best spots in the Gilis, are down below.
- Tir Na Nog (The Irish Bar) for the resident musician, Rizal Alfaro.
- Sama Sama Reggae Bar for the true, local experience.
- Sunset Bar to enjoy the sunset and a cold Bintang on the beach.
Bar Crawls
If you are having trouble deciding on just one bar to go to, then good news for you! Gili Trawangan is one of the best places in the WORLD for a good, old-fashioned bar crawl. Bars literally line the beach, making it the perfect cat walk to enjoy your night along.
One of the largest pub crawls (and arguably the best party in Bali), the Gili T Pub Crawl, leaves Tir Na Nog at 8.30pm on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Check out the deals they currently have on over here.
What to Do in Gili Trawangan
Nightlife and parties aside, Gili T has so many fun, fascinating and thrilling experiences for you to enjoy. Fancy watching a sunset from a hammock.. IN THE WATER?! Gili T has you sorted. Want to swim with the famous Gili Air turtles? You can do it right here! Cycle round the island in less than one hour? No problem!
Hire a Bicycle on Gili Trawangan
There are no motorised vehicles on Gili T, meaning you can either walk, get a horse and carriage (please don’t do this..) or hire a bicycle and cycle your way around. The latter is the best option, due to how cheap it is to rent a bike (roughly £3 per day!), and also how easy it is to get around the island.
The length of the track around Gili T is only about 6km. However, unfortunately about one km of it is rough sand, meaning you will need to dismount and push the bike. This is not too much of an issue though, given the number of bars, restaurants and markets you will find along your route, meaning you will be stopping a lot anyway.
We recommend hiring a bike late the night before (or for two days), and then getting up just before sunrise to enjoy the entire island as it comes to life. This way you can scope out the best spots to enjoy later at sunset, and also see the famous Gili T swings before they become too busy.
If you are looking for a good bag for your time exploring Gili T, we can highly recommend the Wandrd Bag PRVKE 41L, especially if you are carrying camera equipment. If you are looking for a smaller backpack, The Nest by Tropicfeel is one of the most comfortable bags I have ever owned.
Snorkeling on Gili Trawangan
With some of the bluest waters you will ever see, how can you resist a day on the reefs, snorkeling Gili Trawangan?! Lucky for you, getting out on the water and exploring the hidden world beneath could not be easier on Gili T. With a huge choice of Gili Trawangan snorkeling tours to choose from, all based right on the boat harbour, you can easily book up and set sail on a trip to the reefs.
Most of the snorkel tours are the exact same, all taking about 3 hours and all including 4 stops: a turtle spot, the Gili Meno statues, a fish feeding spot and (for the morning tours) a stop for lunch on Gili Air. They all cost roughly £10 and include a snorkel, mask and fins.
If you want to enjoy the Gili Meno statues to the fullest, we recommend you spend a night on Gili Meno and visit them either at sunrise or sunset. Read our full guide to visiting them here.
You can also hire a private boat to take yourself out on the water for your own Gili islands snorkeling experience. This is usually around £100 and can take a maximum of 10 people. This of course means, if you have 9 other friends, you can get to each spot at a different time to the scheduled tours and have them a bit more to yourself.
Enjoy a Gili Trawangan Sunset
If there is one thing that Gili T is famous for, it is its fantastic sunsets. Relax in one of the swings, bintang in hand, orange sky above and blue water below. It may just be the most spectacular way to end a day of Gili snorkeling heaven. The famous Gili T swings can be found all around the island, however, the best ones are on the western side.
To find the best spot for sunset, we recommend leaving the harbour with the sea on your left and cycling around the island to find the swings. Our favourite bar is one of the first you will come across, appropriately named Sunset Bar. This bar is the cheapest sunset point we found, and also (bizarrely) happened to be the quietest?!
Chill in a bean bag as the sky turns orange, enjoy a swing in the hammock sitting on the water or just walk with your toes in the sand and listen to the waves crash around you. Paradise.
FAQ’s on Gili Trawangan
How Do You Get to Gili Islands from Bali?
It is possible to get to the islands on a fast, private boat or (if you have time) from Bali to Gili Island’s by public boat. The private speedboats are obviously the faster of the two options, however, they are also the expensive option.
The public boats between the islands are cheaper, although they only tend to run twice a day, and only leave when they are full. Make sure you are aware of the timetable for the public boat to Gili Trawangan to avoid finding yourself stranded until the next departure.
Which Gili Island is the Party Island?
Out of the three most popular Gili islands (Air, Meno, and Trawangan), the island most famous for parties is Trawangan. This is mainly due to it being the largest of the three and therefore the busiest. The next busiest island is Gili Air and the quietest of the three is Gili Meno.
How Long Does it Take to Walk Around Gili T?
Despite it being the largest of the three Gili islands, Gili Trawangan is still reasonably small. It is possible to walk around the entire island in around 3-4 hours at a slow, leisurely pace. The quickest way around is by bike, however, you will still need to walk at parts due to the sand.
If you found this article helpful, also check out our other Indonesia posts for all of the information you need for your next trip. Leave us a comment below and tell us what you think of the Gili T nightlife and if you would recommend it to anyone else. Don’t forget to share this guide with your family and friends as sharing is caring!
If you want to catch up with us then come say hey on our social media channels, where we will be posting live what we are currently up to.
Now Read:
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