TRAVEL & (VEGAN) FOOD GUIDE FOR THREE DAYS IN GILI TRAWANGAN

One of the most beautiful and unique places around Bali are for sure the Gili islands. Located just a short (if you’re lucky, but more on that below) boat ride from Bali, Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno feel like a different world. There’re no cars only bikes & horse carriages. You can walk around the the largest island, Gili Trawangan, within 1.5 hours or simply use the bike to get around.

Maybe you’re wondering which of the three Gili islands is the right one for you, so let me give you a short introduction in all three of them as I actually visited Gili Air during my last trip to Bali a few years ago.

• Gili Trawangan: the biggest of the three islands is perfect for everyone who wants to enjoy the beautiful beaches and at the same time have the option to party a bit. I must say that I preferred Gili T over Gili Air, simply because there was more infrastructure available.

• Gili Air: During my last trip to the Gili islands I stayed here for a few days and enjoyed the more relaxed vibe. It is said to be the islands for couples, however you can of course also have a great time here in case you’re simply searching for a more quite getaway.

• Gili Meno: the smallest one of the islands is often visited in a snorkeling trip around the statues. There’s actually not that much infrastructure in Gili Meno and I don’t know a single person who has stayed only there.

I hope my overview helps you a bit in choosing the right island for you, if you’re interested in Gili Trawangan keep on reading for my favorite things to do & where to get the best vegan food.

Lots of love,
Magda

What to do in Gili Trawangan:

• Enjoy the breathtaking beaches
  The majority of people come to the Gili islands for their amazing beaches with crystal clear water. As the island is really not that big you can’t go wrong with choosing any beach, just be aware of the low/ high tide when selecting where to go. Also there’re many places where you can borrow snorkeling gear such as goggles for a small amount of money so you don’t need to bring this in your luggage when coming to Gili T.

• Go on an unique snorkeling tour
  The snorkeling trip in Gili Trawangan was such a beautiful experience! There’re many different tour organisations offering you to take you to see the famous statues, turtles, coral reefs and much more of the amazing underwater area. You can also organize a private trip (which is what we did) and just ask a bit around at the beachfront to get the best price. This gives you the flexibility to decide how long you actually really want to stay at one spot as well as less people joining your snorkeling tour, obviously. Our tour guide even rented out a go-pro, which was really cool for capturing the memories of our unique snorkeling experience!

• Watch the beautiful sunset
  One of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen was for sure in Gili Trawangan! Pictures can’t really capture the beauty of the clouds and sky in this magical place! You get to see the sun setting right over Gunung Agung, the highest (still active) vulcano in Bali. Just head to the west side of the island, enjoy a coconut or cocktail and enjoy the beauty of nature!

Where to eat in Gili Trawangan:

• The Banyan Tree
  This cute little coffee shop offers a really nice seating area next to the beach and a great selection for brunch or lunch. I built my bowl myself and so was able to enjoy e.g. hummus, beetroot, dried tomatoes etc. Also the vegan & gluten-free brownie was really really nice!

• My House
  Our first night in Gili T brought us to this cute little restaurant. We were amazed by the huge selection of vegan/ vegetarian options and the place was so cheap! I went for the vegan ravioli stuffed with spinach and a rich tomato sauce - one of the best meals I had in Gili Trawangan!

• Kayu Cafe and Restaurant
  Located just right next to the harbour Kayu is the perfect place to fill your empty stomach with a delicious brunch once you arrive in Gili Trawangan. There’re many vegan options available, I went for the chickpea waffles with hummus, avocado, sautéed mushrooms and scrambled tofu.

• Coffee & Thyme Gili Trawangan
  This cute little coffee shop was another one of our favorite brunch spots in Gili T. The coffee and smoothie bowl was really delicious! The vegan options were a little bit less than with the other coffee shops, however the price was then also way lower than the neighboring coffee spots.

• Gili gelato
  So apparently I became a vegan ice cream shop owner in Gili T! Just kidding, the owner had to leave the stand shortly and then I jumped in for her haha. The vegan gelato was really delicious and the scoops massive! I went for dark chocolate & mango (my fav flavours next to pistachio).

• Pearl Beach Lounge
  In case you’re looking for a spot for a nicer dinner Pearl Beach Lounge is your spot! Some of my friends went there and really enjoyed the delicious food with a view next to the beach. Make sure to either come before the peak hour or reserve a table as it can get pretty busy.

• Trawangan Night Market
  This is the place to go to for authentic local food! The night market offers a huge selection of small stands with a large variety in traditional Indonesian dishes. You can just choose your favorite 5-10 dishes and get a huge plate full of vegan/ vegetarian treats - one of my fav meals!

Where to stay in Gili Trawangan:

• Villa Pine Tree
  We booked this cute & clean place and really enjoyed it! The staff was so so so kind (one of their “trainees” was unbelievable happy when we remembered her name) and breakfast was included as well (vegan option: fruits). The pool area was also super chilled and we were able to rent bikes directly at the hotel which was super convenient.

  When checking for your accommodation in Gili T bear in mind that although the spots around the harbour (east side) are super central, it can get pretty noise during the night as well as from the muezzin (starting to pray very early in the morning)

A note on how to get to Gili Trawangan:

Obviously you’ll arrive at one of the three Gili islands via boat. As my last trip (to Gili Air) was rather unpleasant (the engine broke several times during the ride in the middle of the open water), I was actually considering skipping to go to the Gili islands (again). I’m really glad I did change my mind as Gili Trawangan has been one of my favorite parts of traveling around Bali! If you are seasick I would recommend bringing some pills as the boats unfortunately aren't the best ones. The engine broke down also this time again (only once), however as I already knew about the possibility it wasn’t that bad - plus we were still pretty close to the main land.

Another tip for your ride is to book your ticket online via 12goasia here as you get the best prices there and don’t have to be bothered with having enough cash etc. for the ticket. Also don’t leave your stuff on the floor as a bit of water came into the boat (sounds worse than it was haha) and all the things on the floor got soaked.

I don’t want to scare you for the boat ride, just thought it is helpful to know these things beforehand in order to have a pleasant experience - or as pleasant as it can get! ;)