Gili Trawangan is known for white sand and turquoise water, but the island rewards anyone who looks past the beach towel. Here are ten ways to fill your days.
Start in the water. Snorkel with the turtles at Turtle Point or take a boat out to the reefs nearby. Divers are spoilt here — the certified schools on the island run everything from a first fun dive to a full course, and manta rays are a regular sighting. Calmer mornings are made for paddleboarding or kayaking around the shoreline.
On land, hire a bicycle or a cidomo horse cart; with no motorised vehicles on the island, that is the whole transport system. Ride out to the ocean swings on the west side for sunset, or hop across to Gili Air and Gili Meno for a quieter afternoon.
In the evening, the Gili Trawangan night market is the place for local Indonesian plates and fresh seafood, and the beach bars keep the live music and bonfires going late. For something gentler, visit the turtle hatchery or join a beach clean-up.
Then come back to Natya Hotel Gili Trawangan, where the beachfront is quiet and the day settles.
