Gili Trawangan
Car-Free Island of Turtles, Sunsets and Nightlife
The largest and liveliest of the three Gilis off Lombok: no cars or motorbikes (bicycles and horse carts only), turtles on the reefs just off the beach, dive schools, the sunset swings and a night market. Fast boats come from Padang Bai, Serangan, Sanur and Amed in Bali, and public boats from Bangsal on Lombok. Seas are roughest from December to February.
Highlights
- Snorkel with turtles off the beach
- Glass-bottom boat round the three Gilis
- Sunset swings on the west coast
- Cycle round the island
- Open Water dive course
- Night market food stalls
- Gili Meno underwater statues
- Bukit Gili sunrise
Things to do
- Three-Gili snorkel boat tripMorning · 4h
- Cycle round the islandMorning · 2h
- Sunset at the west-coast swingsEvening · 2h
- Fun dive or discover-scuba sessionMorning · 3h 30m
- Night market dinnerEvening · 1h 30m
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: April – October
Worth knowing
Rough Seas: Fast Boats Cancelled
In the wet season the Lombok Strait and Badung Strait can be rough for days, and fast boats to the Nusa islands and the Gilis are delayed or suspended (they stopped in February 2026 in 4 m waves). Book a flexible ticket, keep a spare day before your flight home, and consider flying to Lombok for the Gilis.
- Idul Fitri (Lebaran) homecoming — The end of Ramadan, when tens of millions travel home (mudik). Trains, flights and the Java–Bali and Bali–Lombok ferries sell out a month ahead and fares hit the legal cap; Jakarta empties and some restaurants close. In 2027 it falls two days after Nyepi, so the second week of March is the hardest of the year to travel in Indonesia. During Ramadan before it, Lombok and Java restaurants may be screened off by day.
- Christmas and New Year peak — Bali's dearest fortnight: villas and resorts set minimum stays and gala dinners on 24 and 31 December, and Indian, Australian and Indonesian holidays overlap. Book rooms and the Gili and Komodo boats by October, and expect rain: it is the wet season.