11 March 2013, Monday
Today, we moved on from Padang Bai in Bali to Gili Trawangan (Gili T) in Lombok. Gili T is one of the three Gili islands – the other two are Gili Meno and Gili Air. In fact, the word “Gili” means “small island” in the local Sasek dialect, so there are many other Gili islands around Lombok. However, when you say “Gili Islands”, it is understood that you are referring to the three Gilis off the northwest coast of Lombok. Of the Gili islands, Gili T is the largest (3km long and 2km wide) and the most commercialised, with the most number of resorts and amenities.
To get there, I booked a fast boat from a company called Gili Cat. The journey to Gili T takes 90 minutes and the one-way ticket cost 552,500 IDR (S$72) per person. (Note: the company has ceased operations in 2016)
After having breakfast in our hotel, we walked to the Gili Cat office at 8:45am. It was located just two minutes away from our hotel, in front of Padang Bai Beach. At 9:15am, we boarded our fast boat and departed Padang Bai five minutes later. The boat was small and the water was a little choppy, so I got a little seasick from the ride.
At 11:12am, we arrived at the harbour at Gili T. After disembarking, we flagged down a horse-drawn carriage called a cidomo to take us to our hotel. On all three Gili islands, motorised transport is not allowed, so the only ways to get around are by cidomo, bicycle or on foot. But not to worry, Gili T is very small and most places are within walking distance, especially if you stay in the central heart on the east coast.
The cidomo ride was quite enjoyable as we sat in the carriage as the horse trotted along the sandy and sometimes bumpy ground. After 14 minutes, we arrived at Alam Gili (click here), our accommodation for the next two nights. Alam Gili is operated by the same owners as Alam Indah, our accommodation at Ubud, so it had a similar resort-in-a-garden concept.
For our Garden Bungalow, we paid US$75/night, inclusive of breakfast and afternoon tea. The bungalow was shaped like a hut and came with a thatched roof. Inside, the bedroom was air-conditioned but the bathroom was partially open-air. I would soon find out that mosquitoes were quite plentiful and that was the reason for the mosquito nets in the room and the couch outside our room.
After settling down our stuff, we rented a bicycle each from the hotel (50K IDR/S$6.50 per day) and made our way out at 12:35pm to explore Gili T. Alam Gili is located at the northern part of the island, well away from the main commercial area on the eastern side, where the harbour is. As such, it is much quieter and more peaceful, making it a great place to escape from the hordes of tourists.
The Gili islands are known for their powdery, white sand beaches and crystal clear water. I noticed that the higher-end hotels and restaurants had wider beachfronts and they were very nice indeed. As the island is only 3km long and 2km wide, we soon covered the entire island with our bicycles.
For lunch, I ordered a simple nasi goreng and had two glasses of freshly-squeezed watermelon juice. I wasn’t feeling 100% today because of a sore throat. I think I over-exerted myself during the Mount Batur climb yesterday. I really hate to be unwell while on vacation, so I tried to nurse myself back to full health as soon as possible. That meant sucking on lozenges, drinking lots of water and avoiding alcohol.
Life on the island was slow-paced and simple. There wasn’t much to do so the whole idea was to relax and just chill here on Gili T. We went back to our hotel for the complimentary afternoon tea, where we sat on deck chairs facing the sea while sipping on hot ginger tea and munching on carrot cake. It was quite blissful to unwind and enjoy the afternoon breeze while listening to the sound of waves lapping the shore.
In the evening, we cycled to the west side of the island, hoping to catch a nice sunset. We found an area with some mangrove trees and muddy ground. When we arrived at about 6pm, it was low tide. Some of the rocks were exposed in the shallow pool and the water was as still as a mirror.
As the sun set, the reflection of the clouds on the water’s surface made for some really beautiful and dramatic shots. It was quite a cloudy day but the sunset still turned out to be really pretty and amazing. I took many shots and here are some of the best ones.
Gradually, the skies turned pink and it was even more beautiful. It is true – the sunsets in Lombok and Bali are just more magnificent than the ones we have in Singapore.
Following that, we went to the Trawangan Night Market for dinner. It was an open-air market with several stalls selling seafood, grilled meat and desserts. The atmosphere was quite nice, with wooden tables and benches in the middle and a relaxed vibe all around.
We picked a fish to be barbecued, as well as satay, vegetables and rice. The gravy on the rice was really nice. Even till this day, CT remembers how good the fish tasted. It was a super yummy meal and a good end to the day.
