15 Top Things To Do On Gili Trawangan [2026]

Gili Trawangan (or Gili T for short) is a tropical island paradise that sits off the coast of Lombok. It's the largest of the three Gili Islands, though it's still small enough to cycle around in an hour or so.

Although not technically part of Bali, the Gili Islands are commonly included on Bali itineraries, as regular public ferries from Bali to the Gili Islands take just a few hours.

Gili T is best known for its backpacker party scene, but there's more to it than meets the eye, from snorkelling in the turquoise waters to cooking classes, paddleboarding, and cosy cat cafes. After countless trips to the Gili Islands, we’ve curated this list of our favourite things to do on Gili T.

Map of Gili T

Top Things To Do

1. Cycle around the island

Gili T is a vehicle-free island, so there are no cars or scooters on the roads. Walking is one option, but our favourite way to get around is by cycling. If your hotel doesn't provide bicycles, there are rental shops all over the island. On our last visit, we negotiated a daily rate of 50,000 IDR ⓘ. You can also hire e-bikes for a little extra.

It’s best to stick to the path that runs along the coastline, as this is the most suitable for bicycles. Don't be tempted by the roads that cut across the island - these are mostly dirt tracks and are difficult for cycling (speaking from experience!!).

Being so small and with no elevation, we've cycled around the entire island in under an hour. However, our favourite experiences are when we take it slow and enjoy some of the bars, restaurants, and beach clubs along the way.

2. Swim with turtles at Turtle Point

The northeast corner of Gili T is known as Turtle Point (or Turtle Shore). This is the best place to catch a glimpse of the Green Sea Turtle or the Loggerhead Turtle that roam these coastal waters.

Some friends had spotted turtles bobbing their heads out of the water from the beach. However, this wasn't the case for us, so we took our snorkels and managed to see them around 50m from the shore.

The seabed was very rocky and full of dead corals, so walking here was tricky until it got deep enough to swim. If you have water shoes, this is a great time to use them.

There's a small public beach at Turtle Point, but we prefer choosing a warung or beach resort as a base to safely leave our belongings. Most places are fine with this, provided you purchase something. Last time, we used Made's Warung (outside Alam Gili resort) who also offered snorkel rental for 50,000 IDR ⓘ.

3. Take a snorkelling day trip

While some of Gili T’s marine life can be enjoyed from the shore, you’ll see a lot more by taking a snorkelling trip around the islands. There are so many turtles that you're pretty much guaranteed to spot them.

You can join a shared trip or hire a private boat. We negotiated a rate of 250,000 IDR ⓘ per person for a private trip at one of the stalls along the roadside. If you’d rather pre-organise your trip, you can book group and private trips online.

A typical snorkelling trip around the Gili Islands will last 4 hours, including 3 snorkel spots and some free time on Gili Meno to eat and have a look around.

The most iconic snorkelling spot is the BASK Nest underwater statue just off the coast of Gili Meno. The statue depicts 48 lifesize people interlocked in a circle and was designed to encourage marine life to colonise it.

If you take a private trip, we recommend going early in the morning (before 8am) to avoid the crowds. When deciding which company to use, it's also worth checking if the guide has a GoPro. Our guide, Rooney, captured some amazing footage which he shared with us at the end of the tour.

4. Go stand up paddleboarding at sunset

We loved our sunset paddleboarding trip around Gili T's coastline. Out on the water, we had the perfect view of the sun disappearing behind the island as the colours filled the sky. The echoes of the call to prayer from the mosque made it feel very spiritual.

There are several places where you can rent stand-up paddleboards or kayaks on Gili T. We hired ours from SUP Gili (on the east side near the ferry terminal) and paid 100,000 IDR ⓘ per paddleboard and 120,000 IDR ⓘ for a two-person kayak.

From SUP Gili, you can kayak across to Gili Meno in around 15 minutes or so. However, the strong current and waves made it more difficult on the paddleboards, so we did some laps around the channel while our friends made the crossing. It was still super fun and we saw a turtle right next to us.

5. Put your skills to the test at Gili Golf

Gili Golf is a family-friendly 18-hole mini golf course on Gili Trawangan. It costs 50,000 IDR ⓘ per person to play and took us around 50 minutes to complete the course with 3 people.

The course is a bit of a hidden gem, so we had the entire place to ourselves. Although it's mostly outdoors, there were plenty of shaded areas and places to sit down in between each hole.

It's more mini golf than crazy golf, so don't expect themed holes or elaborate obstacles. But it's still a fun and wholesome activity, especially if you have kids. If you need some liquid courage to improve your putting game, they also have a bar selling beers, non-alcoholic drinks, and snacks.

If you're looking for a fun evening activity on Gili T, Gili Golf stays open until 10pm with floodlights keeping the course lit. They also have a basketball hoop, table tennis, darts, and bar games, which are all free to play.

6. Play with rescue cats at Kafe Kucing

An unexpected gem we encountered on Gili T was the Cats of Gili Rescue Centre (it's right next door to Gili Golf so we did them together). The centre rescues cats that are scared of the outside world or may have minor injuries, and cares for them until they are ready to be released again.

There were 6 rescue cats at the centre when we visited, though they've cared for many more over the years and have neutered thousands of cats across the island at their free clinics.

We played with the cats and chatted to the staff about the amazing work they do. Then we enjoyed a drink and cookies at Kafe Kucing (meaning Cat Cafe), with all proceeds helping support the centre.

The cafe had information boards with interesting facts about the cats on the Gili Islands (like why they all have bent tails) and we played some fun cat-themed games too - 'Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza' was our favourite!

7. Watch a movie under the stars at an open-air cinema

Gili T’s nightlife isn’t just about drinking and partying. Another way to spend your evenings is by heading to one of the open-air beach cinemas across the island.

As you wander around, you'll spot various signs promoting movie nights with upcoming listings. These can change frequently, but when we last visited, there were daily screenings at the Royal Regantis, Hotel Lumi, and Aston Sunset Beach Hotel.

We chose Aston Sunset Beach Hotel and watched the live-action Lion King movie. It was completely free to pull up a bean bag and watch the movie, with no pressure to buy anything, though we did end up buying drinks and popcorn anyway.

8. Master Indonesian cuisine with a cooking class

One of our favourite activities on the Gili Islands was learning to make local dishes with Gili Cooking Classes. We did their class on Gili Air, but they also have a kitchen on Gili T.

Class times range from 90 minutes to 2hr30, depending on how many dishes you'd like to make. Our four dishes were kelopon, fried tempeh with peanut sauce, mi goreng (fried noodles), and yellow curry.

You can choose from 3 different start times - we opted for the later 7pm class and enjoyed a fun evening with the entire kitchen to ourselves. Dietary requirements weren't a problem - we went with two vegan friends, so they substituted some ingredients for plant-based alternatives and we all followed the same recipes.

Our chef and teacher, Ben, ensured the class was easy to follow and cracked plenty of jokes along the way to keep us all laughing. At the end of the class, Ben shared the full recipe sheets with us so that we could make the dishes again at home.

9. Visit Gili Air or Meno

Gili Trawangan is one of three Gili Islands, the others being Gili Meno and Gili Air. Rather than staying on each island, we recommend taking day trips to visit the others.

You can get between the three islands using either public or private boats. Public boat tickets are available from the public boat harbour, opposite the Eka Jaya ticket office. There are two fixed public boat departures per day, leaving Gili T at 9am and 4.30pm.

If this doesn’t suit you, there are smaller public boats that leave when full (no fixed schedule). The final option is to hire a private boat. You’ll find plenty of boat drivers waiting near the port or you can ask at any travel office.

Gili Air is our favourite for a day trip. It offers a middle ground between the relaxed vibe of Gili Meno and the lively party atmosphere of Gili T. You can enjoy the bars and cafes, go shopping, or even try an escape room.

If a more chilled day is in order, head to Gili Meno and spend the day at BASK Beach Club. From here, you can snorkel to the underwater statues just a few metres away. We negotiate a price of 50,000 IDR ⓘ each for a private transfer from Gili T to Gili Meno (for 5 people, one-way).

10. Go diving

Indonesia sits within the Coral Triangle and has some incredibly rich marine biodiversity. Add the clear waters and year-round warm temperatures, and it’s no surprise that it's a world-famous diving destination.

While many of Gili T's shallow reefs have been damaged, the deeper slopes are still healthy with lots of turtles, reef sharks, and bumphead parrotfish.

Diving in Gili Trawangan is great for beginners. There are plenty of dive schools, the currents are calm, and the dive spots are just 10 minutes from the shore. Blue Marlin is a good company to use - they run three trips per day, but return between each, so you have flexibility of how many you do. They also offer night dives on request.

Many of our friends who are more experienced divers prefer diving around mainland Bali (such as Amed or Tulambem) or the Nusa Islands.

11. Watch the sunset from Sunset Point

Some of the most magical sunsets we've experienced in Indonesia have been on Gili T. They are best enjoyed from the island's west coast, where a small public beach is marked as Sunset Point.

You can bring a beach towel and choose a spot on the sand, though we prefer heading into one of the adjacent beachfront bars where you can enjoy a cosy beanbag and table service.

Some bars have a livelier atmosphere with a sunset DJ (such as Rabbit Jump or Window Bar), while others opt for a more mellow vibe (such as Pink Coco or Paradise Sunset Bar).

12. Practice yoga

Gili T's slow pace and hippy vibe is perfectly suited for some slow and meditative yoga practice. It’s a very welcoming scene where you’re just as likely to see a serious yogi as a backpacker.

Here are some of the popular and more interesting yoga classes on Gili T:

13. Discover local food at the night market

One of the more local experiences we enjoyed was visiting the Trawangan Night Market near the port. It centres around a shared dining area with lots of vendors around the outer edge.

If you like meat or seafood, this market will be right up your street. It's freshly prepared, and most of it is grilled to order in front of your eyes. However, vegetarians and vegans might struggle to find as many options here.

The food at the night market was super affordable, especially when compared to the restaurants on the island. But make sure to ask the price before ordering, or else you may be overcharged. And cash is a must.

14. Enjoy Gili T’s nightlife

We couldn’t have a list of things to do in Gili T without mentioning the nightlife. The island is known for its backpacker party scene, with something happening every night of the week.

Whether you’re looking for live music, DJs, or even foam parties, Gili T has you covered. Some bars you should check out include:

• Pinksunset Kiss (at Pink Coco) for the daily fire show

• Lava Bar for activities such as karaoke and air guitar competitions

• Sama Sama for live reggae music - one of our favourite spots

• Rabbit Jump for the Monday night foam party

Most of the bars close around midnight. However, each night there is one bar that stays open into the early hours. We're not sure of the current schedule as it regularly changes - ask around to find out.

If you'd prefer to join an organised event, the Gili T pub crawl runs three times per week (Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday). It starts at Tír na nÓg Irish Bar where you’ll be kitted out with a pub crawl t-shirt before pub-hopping your way around the island. It's great for solo travellers or groups open to mingling.

15. Get a free drink for collecting beach trash

If clearing trash from the beaches wasn’t rewarding enough, you can also bag yourself a free coffee or beer for each bag you collect and return to Persona Lounge.

Simply pop in and ask for some buckets/bags, then head to the beach across the road to start cleaning. There was so much litter that it hardly took us 20 minutes to fill a bag each. We returned the full bags to the bar and enjoyed our cappuccinos and Bintang Radlers with a good feeling in our souls.

Although bags were provided, gloves were not. So you might want to source your own if you're uncomfortable picking up trash with your bare hands.

Where To Stay on Gili T

One of our main considerations when choosing somewhere to stay on Gili T is location.

We try to avoid using the horses and carts as much as we can (due to ethical concerns), so we always try to choose a hotel within walking distance of the main ferry terminal.

Once you've ditched your luggage at the accommodation, the rest of the island is very accessible by bicycle or on foot.

Where To Eat on Gili T

We've enjoyed some outstanding food during our visits to Gili T. We've already covered the night market for local food, so here are a few international restaurants we like:

Questions About the Gili Islands

Are There Police on Gili T?

Although there is no permanent police station on the Gili Islands, there are active law enforcement officers on Gili T. Most law enforcement is done by private security officers with the assistance of the mainland police station on Lombok. Some punishments might differ from other parts of the country. For example, thieves have been known to be paraded around the island with signs saying ‘I am a thief, do not do what I did’ (source: BBC).