Gili Islands · Backpacking
ON A BUDGET
Three islands with no cars, no dogs and no police — cheap beds and a boat schedule.
Gili T's east strip
Dorms and party hostels line Trawangan's east coast facing Lombok; Gili Air is cheaper for long stays and Meno has almost nothing.
What a day costs
Dorm 120,000–250,000 IDR, food 60,000–150,000 IDR, bicycle 50,000 IDR a day. Around 250,000–450,000 IDR, roughly 16–28 USD.
Getting around cheap
The public slow boat from Bangsal on Lombok costs a fraction of the tourist fast boat. On the islands it is bicycles, walking or cidomo pony cart; a hopping boat links all three twice daily.
Free by day
Snorkelling straight off the beach at Turtle Point on Trawangan and the east side of Gili Air, plus the sunset hill walk in Trawangan's interior.
Trawangan sunset strip
The west-coast bars with beanbags in the sand where everyone gathers for the Lombok-and-volcano sunset before the nightly rotating party starts.