Gili Trawangan guide

Restaurants

• Jali Kitchen

  North-east, a short walk from the villas

  A leafy garden restaurant serving Indonesian and pan-Asian comfort food, from butter chicken to Vietnamese spring rolls, with homemade cakes and well-made cocktails.

• Tiki Grove

  North-east, in the village lanes near Jali Kitchen

  An open-air tiki bar with an open kitchen, known for its shareable tacos and an inventive tropical cocktail list.

• Ijo Restaurant

  South, within the Pondok Santi estate

  Candlelit garden dining in a coconut grove, with Indonesian and Western dishes built around estate-grown and local produce; a favourite for a special evening.

• Casa Vintage Beach

  West coast (sunset side), next to Gili Teak

  A small, family-run beach spot cooking Jamaican food such as jerk chicken and fish curry, with a menu that follows the day's ingredients. Cash only.

• Francesco's Pizza

  East, opposite the night market

  Lively Italian pizzeria known for its large thin-crust pizzas, perfect for sharing after a day on the water.

• Pizzeria Regina

  East, one street back from the main strip

  A long-standing, busy Italian address for wood-fired pizza and classic pastas such as carbonara, with quick service even on full nights.

• Pearl Beach Lounge

  East, on the beach of the main strip

  An elegant beachfront restaurant for seafood and international dishes such as prawn risotto; ask for a table on the sand.

• Scallywags Seafood Bar & Grill

  South-east, beachfront

  A family-friendly beachfront grill where you choose your seafood from the evening BBQ display, alongside imported steaks.

• Gili Trawangan Night Market

  East, near the harbour

  Dozens of stalls grilling fresh fish and satay and serving nasi campur from sunset; arrive early, around 6:30–7pm, for the freshest catch.

Breakfast & coffee

• Kayu Café

  East, on the waterfront near the harbour

  A sea-view café loved for its breakfasts, smoothie bowls, baguettes, plant-based options and homemade cakes.

• The Shack

  East, Jl Ikan Paus

  A relaxed spot for healthy brunches and good coffee, with plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free choices.

• Hello Capitano Lifestyle Café

  East, near the harbour

  A stylish café for specialty coffee, brunch and smoothie bowls, with Wi-Fi if you need to catch up on work.

• Fat Cats Bar & Restaurant

  East, beachfront above Trawangan Dive

  A bistro-style beachfront address open from early morning for brunch, which turns into a cocktail spot in the evening.

Sunset spots & bars

• Gili Teak Beach Club

  West coast (sunset side)

  On the quiet west coast facing Bali, with loungers on the sand, shared plates, grilled fish and cocktails as the sun goes down.

• Sendja@Kardiá

  West coast, at Kardia Resort

  A beachside restaurant-bar with a daily sunset happy hour and views towards Mount Agung on Bali, plus fire shows and BBQ nights.

• Pinksunset Kiss

  West coast (sunset side)

  A sunset bar facing the Lombok Strait and Bali's volcano, with DJ sets, fire dancing and saxophone in the evening, and Italian-style pizza.

Diving & snorkelling

• Trawangan Dive Centre

  East, on the beach of the main strip

  A well-established beachfront dive centre with boats moored right in front, two pools and courses from first dives to professional level.

• Manta Dive

  East, beachfront near the harbour

  A friendly, family-minded dive resort praised for patient instructors and dives with turtles and reef sharks.

• Gili Divers

  East, on the main beach road near the harbour

  A dive centre known for small groups and multilingual instructors, including French speakers.

• Gili Eco Trust

  Island-wide

  The islands' reef-conservation NGO, behind the Biorock reef restoration and turtle-nest protection. Visitors can join eco-tours, coral conservation dives or the Friday beach clean-up.

Activities

• Sunset Beach Yoga

  North-west coast, at Villa Sunset Beach

  Ocean-view yoga on a covered terrace near the villas: sunrise vinyasa, morning flow and aerial (FlyHigh) yoga.

• Stud Horse Riding and Rescue

  Inland stables, rides along the beach

  Beach rides at sunrise or sunset with a sanctuary for rescued and retired horses; no rides in the midday heat, and proceeds go to the horses' care.

• Gili Trawangan Cooking Classes

  East, near Francesco's Pizza

  Hands-on classes in classic Indonesian dishes with fresh local produce, vegetarian and vegan options, and the recipes to take home.

• Turtle snorkelling at Halik

  North coast, close to the villas

  The shallow reef off the north of the island is a known spot for turtles; Meno Wall, off neighbouring Gili Meno, is another favourite by boat.

Getting around the island