Best tips for Gili islands and Gili T, your guide n1

🏝️GILI ISLANDS

💃Each island brings a different personality, with Gili Trawagan being notorious for parties and nightlife. Gili Meno, in the middle, is the smallest and quietest island and a more laidback crowd. To the east, Gili Air falls somewhere in the middle of the two other islands.

⛴️ The best way to move between the Gili Islands is to team up with other travelers and share a private boat transfer between the islands

🚤It’s possible to take public boats between all three Gili Islands, but they don’t run very frequently, usually just a couple times per day.

🛥️How to get to Gili Trawagan?

From Bali, we took a drive until Padang Bai then a ferry to Gili T.

Public Boat is the cheapest way to reach Gili Trawangan.

📌You can pick up a boat from Padang Bai, Amed Port, Sanur Port or Serangan Port.

📣The most popular departure point is Padang Bai and the boat ride takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes from here.
It’s 1 hour and 15 minutes from Amed. However, if you want to travel from Sanur or Serangan, the journey can take much longer.

🌄 Boats generally only leave in the mornings and it’s a good idea to book in advance, particularly in high season.

🕰️ Occasionally, high-season demand is so high that an additional ferry runs in the afternoon, but there is no official schedule for this.

You should be warned that if the weather isn’t good, the ride to Gili Trawangan can be rough.

🚲 How to get around in the island?

There is no motorized traffic in Gili Trawangan, you’re much better off bringing only what’s comfortable to carry on your back.
You have three forms of transport available to you:
• 🦶 Your feet – these three islands are all very small and you can easily walk around each island in less than a day.
• Horse-drawn carriage – It’s quite expensive. If you feel it’s worth the investment but be prepared for a bumpy ride.
• Cycle – you can rent a bike and go around the island. It’s $3 USD (50,000 IDR) for a day in the low season and $5 USD (75,000 IDR) in the high season.

🏝️Activities on the island Gili Trawagan

🚶‍♀️ Walk around the island. You’ll see the different vibe between the east from the South Beach to the North Beach in under 30 minutes where all the shops and restaurants are and the west coast where it’s more resorts and quiet.

🚲 Rent a bike and bike around the island for a faster ride, but bear in mind there is a part where it’s only sand. You’ll have to walk your bike for few meters. You can rent a bike for approximately 50,000 IDR ($3 USD) 💰

🎦 Free outdoor cinema, almost every day in the island.
Head west for sunset accompanied by views of Bali’s towering Gunung Agung volcano off in the distance.

🎉 Party All Night Long, Gili T has a fierce reputation for parties and it’s true.

🧖‍♀️ Visit A Spa, there are everywhere, in hotels or shops.

🥳 I recommend checking the daily events of the hostel Mad Monkey Gili T even if you’re not staying in. Lots of events on each day and night : Foam party, Mexican family dinners, music quiz, beer pong tournament, …It’s overlooking the ocean and has and incredible sunset view!

🏨 Where to stay

We’ve stayed in Laguna beach resort well located and above board.
I recommend Mad Monkey for solo trippers.

🍽️Where to eat

– A daily night market serving seafood and local delights is worth the visit. Located in front of the boat pier. It opens right before sunset.
– Hellocapitano lifestyle café (for breakfast or brunch)

Nest, the underwater sculptures

💡Nest was named after the fabulous Gili Island‘s underwater 48 statues installed in 2017 and designed by the British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor’s.

🔗 View all his project: Exploring the Underwater World Through Sculpture here.

📍It’s located of the coast of the ecological island resort BASK Gili Meno. The dept of these sculptors is 4m.

🪸 However, the statues were not just placed there as art; they are part creating a fully established reef.
Over time, the sculptures will be a home for soft corals and sponges.

Read the article about Bali here