Gili Trawangan : The Perfect Escape

Gili Trawangan (Terawangan), or simply Gili T, is the largest and most visited of the three Gili Islands off Lombok.

This is the largest of the three Gili Islands with an estimated permanent population of about 800.

Trawangan was the first of the three islands to attract visitors in any numbers, and it was backpackers who led the way. In the 1990s the island developed a reputation as a wild party destination with cheap accommodation, no police, plentiful weed and mushrooms, and readily available harder drugs. Whilst that is still partially the case, Trawangan has matured into a destination that has a far wider appeal.

The thriving dive industry of the Gili Islands is centred here (although some operators have outposts on the other two islands), and since about 2005, the island has gone through a massive development boom, and a number of upscale sleeping, eating and drinking establishments have opened. Any visitor to Trawangan should be prepared for a real mish-mash of fellow travellers; some will be ensconced in US$400 per night, unashamedly Bali-style villas, while others would be quite happy to kip on the beach after a tough day on the mushies.

Gili Trawangan is the centre of a thriving dive industry for the Gili Islands. All of the operators have their main dive shops located here. There are about a dozen active dive sites, and all of the shops run a regularly rotating program of daily fun dives to one of more of these.

Fun dives, muckdiving, technical diving and wreck dives are a staple and Gili Trawangan is well known as a world class teaching centre. The operators are very professional, the warm waters offering a wide range of easy to challenging dive sites (including some with fairly strong currents), and the visibility usually good. Gili T makes for an ideal teaching environment, whether you are a first timer, or a diver looking to extend your qualifications.

Freedive Gili is located close to the harbour on Gili Trawangan, and offers freedive and apnea (breath holding) courses for beginners to advanced. It is the only freedive centre in the region and is owned and operated by British freedive record holder Mike Board.

Gili Yoga center shares an office with Freedive Gili and boasts its very own Yoga pavillion. Daily Yoga classes are given in the warm open air, surrounded by a tropical garden and the sounds of nature. Gili yoga offer services including: Daily meditation and pranayama, twice daily yoga practice, luxury accommodation, group activities (snorkeling, sunset boat ride) and gourmet vegetarian food.

Snorkelling

The easiest spot to find some productive snorkelling is off the main beach, north of the boat landing. Enter the water approximately in front of the Almarik hotel. If you start north of the beach (about where you can see seaweeds growing at low tide roughly level with Gili Meno's northern extent), and go with the current back towards to the most crowded sunbathing area, you will likely need to kick only when you want to stop to look at something. The healthy corals are around the area where the wall drops off and the deeper water begins. Nearer the shore you will find only dead coral. Turtles can be seen often, and also the occasional trigger fish amongst the more common reef inhabitants. At low tide it is difficult to get in without reef shoes. Always watch out for potential waves that can push you into the coral that are just below water level.

A better coral reef is off the northwest coast, but you have to be very keen to go through the hardship of getting out there. The only access to the reef involves walking over a substantial area of dead, sharp coral, and back again when you have finished. If you are a keen snorkeller the effort is worth it, and you are very likely to have the waters to yourself.

Small, purple jellyfish are sometimes plentiful around the island, and they seem to love stinging snorkellers. The reaction is one of considerable irritation, but the stings cause no serious harm.

Boat Trips

There are a few companies based on Gili Trawangan that offer boat trips to the surrounding islands of Lombok, Sumbawa and to Komodo.

Blue Water Cruises are based just north of the harbour and run trips around the 3 Gilis, to Lombok and Komodo.

South Sea Nomads South Sea Nomads have 2 bases on Gili T, one at Gili Hostel and another at Manta Dive. They offer Sunset Party Boats around the 3 Gilis, 2 night trips to Sekotong and Desert Point for island hopping, snorkelling, diving and surfing Lomboks most famous break, Desert Point. They also run a 5 night trip to Moyo and Satonda where they visit waterfalls, a sunken volcano, caves, a crater lake, deserted beaches and uninhabited islands, stunning reefs and a WW2 wreck. Their boat is also available for private sunset charters and private day charters around the 3 Gilis for groups of up to 30 people.

Perama are based near the art market on the main beach road. They offer trips all around Indonesia as well as trips from Bali to the Gilis and Komodo.

Surfing

Gili Trawangan has a fast right hander which can really pump with the right conditions. The best waves are at high tide, and the underlying reef can be sharp so booties can come in handy. The surf break is off the south coast - just follow the locals who will be out and jogging with their boards whenever the surf is decent. You will find no shortage of locals eady, willing and able to rent you board. There are a few breaks off Gili Air and Gili Meno, but they are more difficult to reach and smaller. The best season is the January-June wet season, with swells from 1-2 m. Daily conditions can be checked out at Magic Seaweed

Walking

There are some lovely walks to be had on the island, although the perimeter coastal track is perhaps not as scenic as those on Gili Meno and Gili Air. A leisurely stroll all the way around will take 90-120 minutes, depending on just how leisurely you are.

The hill in the south can be easily reached by taking one of the tracks that lead west or southwest from the back of the village. Dawn and dusk are the best times to climb up here. The sunset views back towards Bali are quite lovely, and in the mornings the sun rises over majestic Mount Rinjani on Lombok. On the top of the hill lie the remains of a World War II Japanese gun bunker.

Mount Rinjani : The True Beautiful of Nature

Mount Rinjani (Gunung Rinjani) is an active volcano in Lombok, Indonesia.

At 3,726 m, Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia, second only to Mount Kerinci on Sumatra, and it dominates the landscape of the relatively small island of Lombok.

Within its huge 50 km² caldera sits the crater lake Segara Anak (Child of the Sea). Eruptions within the caldera have formed a new small cone called appropriately enough, Gunung Baru (New Mountain). Segara Anak has a natural hot spring.

The mountain and its satellites form the Mount Rinjani National Park (Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani)- officially 41,000 hectares within the park boundaries and a further 66,000 hectares of protected forest outside.

In 2008, the Indonesian government proposed to UNESCO that Mount Rinjani be one of the world's official geoparks. If this was approved by UNESCO, Mount Rinjani would become the first such geological park in Indonesia.

Things must See :

• Segara Anak, the crater lake

• Aik Kalak hot springs, at the crater rim

• The Mulang Pakelem. This annual Hindu ceremony at the crater lake dates from the 18th century invasion of Lombok by Balinese from the kingdom of Karangasem and attracts hundreds of participants. The lake is sacred to Hindus and the sight of hundreds of white clad Hindu pilgrims sitting and praying here is a wonderfully uplifting experience.

• Gua Susu (Susu Cave). One of the three famous caves (Gua Susu, Gua Payung, dan Gua Manik) at Rinjani

Climbing Mount Rinjani

The Basic

At 3,726 m, Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia after Sumatra's Gunung Kerinci. It is very climbable by visitors with a high level of physical fitness. Critical is to understand and respect this great mountain: sadly, visitors have died here through failing to follow sensible procedures and make all necessary preparations.

Few actually make the very strenuous effort required to reach the actual summit but instead stop at the crater rim (approx 2,700 m) where the views of the crater lake are mind blowing. To make the extra 1,000 m ascent to the very top requires a considerably higher level of fitness, not to mention strength of spirit and sense of adventure.
 
Typically, a trek to the crater rim involves two days and one night on the mountain. The longer ascent to the summit can be done with just one night's camping but is often part of a longer trek of 3-4 days and two or three nights.

The current park entrance fee is Rp 150,000. Of this 13% is allocated to the Gunung Rinjani National Park, 62% to the Rinjani Trek Ecotourism Program and 25% to support the Rinjani Trek operation and maintenance program. 
 
An organised trek is by far the easiest, safest and most popular option but it is also quite possible to make all of your own arrangements and just hire a guide and equipment from one of the trekking centres on the mountain. Rinjani Park regulations stipulate the use of a certified guide so even the most experienced and well prepared mountaineers will still need to climb Rinjani with the services of a professional guide. The mountains Licensed Guide Association (HPI) issues certification to the Rinjani guides and porters but it should be understood that the certification standards and required training are no where near as rigorous as would be expected in many other countries. Serious accidents including fatalities do occur on Rinjani treks when led by these accredited guides.

Proper sturdy climbing/hiking boots are an absolute necessity as is a substantial waterproof, windproof jacket, and a head lamp. If you are going to the top, use of poles (walking sticks) for getting through the scree (loose rock) at the top are also highly recommended. By 2,000 m, you will feel like you are not in the tropics any more as rising wet, hot air loses its temperature and may fall as rain. If inappropriate clothing becomes wet difficulties will set in as air temperatures towards the summit are as low as 4⁰C, often with a significant extra wind chill factor. You must prepare accordingly.

Guides and trekking providers

At times it seems that everyone in Lombok is a trekking guide for Mount Rinjani, especially on the main tourist strip in Senggigi.

Take most of what you are told with a pinch of salt and you will find the most experienced and reputable guides at the main trekking centres at Senaru and Sembalun Lawang. It does happen that tourists who are highly experienced hikers or climbers may find themselves far better prepared and skilled for mountain conditions than the local guides. Codes of conduct have been developed for the local trekking support community that include climbing safety, environmental awareness and responsible use. Some of the guides and trekking organisations are better than others at respecting these agreements and guidelines. It is also a good idea to independently check for any volcanic alerts that may have been issued for Mount Rinjani.

Many visitors have found it is preferable to avoid package deals purchased away from Senaru, and instead negotiate either with one of the trekking providers listed below or with the guides themselves to ensure that they are actually competent. If there is a problem, you can then find a different guide company in Senaru or Sembalun.

To help you judge the experience, abilities and equipment provision of a potential guide and support team it may assist to consider the following:

• preparation for rain squalls such as waterproof covers for equipment and supplies, personal raincoats or emergency ponchos
• ensuring that all trek participants are provided with clothing suitable to the conditions and provided with a thermally protective layer such as polypropylene
• first aid equipment and training including treatment for exposure, provision of supplies such as emergency splints for fractures and space blankets
• provision of a trowel or fold-away shovel for burying human waste and the provision of toilet paper
• if the guide team are cooking or handling food are they going to wash and clean their hands, all plates and utensils using detergent/soap
• ensure that the guides and porters understand how to pitch their supplied tents and can demonstrate that the tents are complete.
• ensure it is demonstrated that the tents can be pitched using adequate pegs and with the fly sheets secured away from the tent so that moisture does not seep in even if it is windy and raining.
• provision of a route map detailing emergency assembly points and demonstrate a capacity to communicate a position to a rescue party
• that an emergency management plan is in place in case of accident or other emergency during the climb
• availability of a working mobile phone for emergency calls and provision of a SIM card that has sufficient credit to deal with communications in an emergency
• availability of a serviceable VHF hand held radio with two fully charged batteries and a capacity to use it in case of emergency.
• availability of a satellite phone in serviceable condition, in service, with active network reception and supplied with a fully charged battery

Mobile phone reception is good on the entire mountain except within the crater.
Guide fees are generally negotiable. Only the Rp 150,000 park entrance fee is set by the park authority. A sensible package price range would be:

• 2 days, 1 night trek to the crater rim only: Rp 1,500,000-2,000,000 per person.
• 4 days, 3 night trek: Rp 2,500,000-3,000,000. 

These trekking fees will vary though according to how busy the guides are, how many people are in your party and if a commission is due to a referring person or agency. Some guide companies will charge as little as Rp 900,000 per person for a 2-night trek in the off-season, but it is important to check they are properly experienced, equipped and provisioned. Ensure your trek price is all-inclusive of any extra charges for transportation, provisions, porter fees and the park entrance fees.

For the sake of future generations, please check that your trekking operator adheres to the 'pack it in / pack it out' policy for litter, and ask all your participants to take responsibility for collecting their own litter and carrying it out.