Plan trip Jakarta to Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan is the largest island of Lombok’s Gili islands. Gili islands consist of 3 island, and Gili Trawangan is one of them, the other is Gili Air and Gili Meno. The name Trawangan originates from Indonesian word Trowongan mean tunnel, due to the presence of a cave tunnel build during Japanese occupation in world war 2, war of the Gilis. Gili Trawangan is famous among tourist who enjoy diving, snorkeling, nature and beach.

For scuba diver, diving around Gili islands is rather nice but nothing compared to other places like Komodo island or Bunaken. However it is a very good place for beginner divers as the conditions are usually good. The current is generally very gentle and the visibility good around 20m; that’s why Freediving is also big in Gili (this is the reason we go to Gili) there are Freedive Gili, Freedive Air, Freedive Blue Marine and Freedive Flow; this is several freedive center we can choose.

Gili islands located

To go to Gili Trawangan, we need to get to Bangsal Harbour in Lombok island, located in northwest of the island. The main access to Lombok is Lombok International Airport (LOP) or if you from Bali there is speedboat from Padang Bai harbor (located at east Bali). If you from the airport, there is several way to get to Bangsal Harbour, first by shuttle car (sharing or private) we try using lombokcartransport.com from internet; we contact them through whatsapp, and got replay quickly and book our car. Second option is to rent car, this will cost more but give more comfort along the road. The third option is to use official airport transportation which is a taxi directly to Bangsal harbour or take bus to Mataram city then take a taxi to Bangsal harbor.

Bangsal Harbour and Lombok airport

Then from Bangsal harbor crossing to Gili Trawangan have 2 option with regular wooden boat or with fast boat. Regular wooden boat will take approximately 45 minute, while fast boat will take 7 minute to arrive at Gili Trawangan. We can bought the ticket right at the harbor (we choose regular wooden boat).

So, roughly the transportation to Gili Trawangan and back home is clear. Now for the hotel, my friend recommend me to stay near the harbor, it would be more convenient if we want to go to the other Gilis / islands. 

Below is what we plan for our Gili Trawangan trip :

#first day – we arrive and take a rest, having a relaxing dinner and then a good night sleep. (because the road is long, from an early flight - 2 hour by car - then a boat - and last one is going to the hotel). And please note that there is no motor powered ride on the island, so the option is bicycle or horse cart.

#second day – we planning on biking around the island, swim on beach,spa at the hotel and have a dinner with old friends from Bali. (Its our first time to Gili, so we think we need to explore the island)

#third day – having a snorkeling trip around the Gili’s islands, then having a relaxing dinner (we decide to take the 5 hour trip which include snorkling spot at Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air)

#fourth day – we want to take a good rest in the morning, get ready to go back home (same reason with the first day, we need to get energized for a long road trip back to Jakarta)

For the hotel, in the whole Gili’s area there many option for place to stay, with vary price from 200.000 IDR to more then 5.000.000 IDR. But the main difference we found is that place with beach will cost more then the one without, the price range for place in front of the beach more then 800.000 IDR, while the one without beach will cost less then that. As you can see on our plan above, me and Endah will have a swim, beach walk, snorkeling and freediving, so we choose hotel with beach access. We end up choose Aston – Gili Trawangan because it has beach in front of it, and we familiar with the service standard. Flight, car, boat, hotel, and itinerary is clear, ready to gooooo….