#TRAVEL – Indonesia: Glli F**king T

As I waded knee deep through the crystal clear waters, I could feel my hangover floating away with the waves. The Indonesian sun pounding onto my chest made the ocean too desirable to resist any longer. I slipped on my snorkel, took a deep breath and dove in.

Sandwiched between Bali and Lombok; Gili Trawangan is one of three small tropical Indonesian islands (the other two being Gili Air and Gili Memo) that you have to visit. The waters surrounding the island are teaming with sealife, so the opportunity to swim next to giant turtles is reason enough to go!

Known to many as ‘Gili T’ or ‘the party island’, it is becoming increasingly more popular to travelers, and I can see why. I remained on the island far longer than I had anticipated, as do the majority of backpackers who go there.

Gili T steals your heart and soul. I’m not being cheesy, it really does! An unstable power grid and a road system that doesn’t allow motor vehicles makes Gili Trawangan a unique place that allows for a sense of escapism, but also, at the same time, very much connected.

For the majority of my time on the island, I spent my nights at Gili Backpackers Castle (16GBP per night), a reasonably priced hostel with comfy beds, cheap drinks and an outdoor climbing wall (yes – a climbing wall), allowing those brave enough to climb up to the jumping tower and canon ball into the swimming pool below.

Party people refer to the island as ‘Gili f**king T’, so what makes the island so f**king great?

The F**king Food

Gili T has more than a handful of diverse restaurants, but, the local market is the real show-stealer for flavorful dishes. Every evening a local vendors set up their stalls and sell a wide selection of Indonesian food at cheap prices.

Eat there!

The F**king Ocean

My favourite thing about Gili T is the ocean. Undeniably beautiful to look it, what lies beneath is even better. Swimming between the sparkling surface and the heavily occupied coral foundation are Green Sea and Loggerhead turtles. I don’t know how many hours I spent snorkeling in the waters surrounding Gili T, but it wasn’t enough. I don’t think there is such a thing as enough! The waters themselves are shallow, so even swimmers who don’t feel comfortable being out of their depth can enjoy in peace.

The F**cking Party

Naturally, Gili T is full of people looking to have a good time. There is an area (near the food market I mentioned before) that has several bars that play good music and offer cheap drinks. Gili T even has its own full moon party every month!

The F**king Sunset

Ombak sunset viewpoint is located on the lesser occupied side of the island. The best seat in the house is definitely the now infamous swing chair that is positioned a few meters out into the ocean. I spent the majority of my evenings on this side of the island taking in the natural masterpiece before trekking back to the other side for food and drinks.

The F**king Journey

In comparison to other transportation methods in and around Bali, the “speed boat” (you’ll have to experience it to understand the need for sarcastic quotation marks) to Gili T is not cheap, but it is worth the expense!

Have you been to Gili Trawangan or any of the other Gili islands? What did you think?

Don’t forget your Bali Travel Guide: