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AN INTRODUCTION TO GILI TRAWANGAN

Located just off the coast of Lombok Barat, Gili Trawangan is ideal for snorkeling, scuba diving, and laying about. The island is famous for its blue coral and has pristine, white sandy beaches and can be easily reached by sea from the harbor of Bangsal Pemenang on Lombok.

The trip to Gili Trawangan takes 30 minutes and 45 minutes. Accommodation is simple and in keeping with the natural surrounding, but a few good little boutique hotels have sprung up alongside the original basic huts, most of which look out over the water. Local transport is simple but iconic, the Cidomo (cikar-dokar-motor) – a horse-drawn, two wheeled, wooden cart remains an aurally rustic feature on the island. The island is small enough to race around on bikes if such strenuous activities turn you on.



You don't need to take much more than your bathers, a sarong, a bit of rupiah and your i-pod. There's no real shopping except for basic necessities. Most hotels on all the islands have restaurants, so there's a reasonable choice of places to eat and a good variety of meals to suit most tastes. There's even some pretty damn good sushi.

Trawangan also has a number of good dive shops, some run by expatriates living on the island, so you can learn to dive while you're there. At night, the island always has a party happening at one of the restaurants or bars to disrupt the tranquillity. But if you're looking for a quieter evening then catch a free outdoor movie on bean bags or in your own private DVD hut over-looking the water. Food, drinks and funny stuff are served everywhere.

Occasionally an act of god will black the island out. On such nights, everyone simply chills out quietly in the candle light.