Gili T…i wanted not to like you

But you are making it really, really difficult. This is me trying not to like Gili T…and failing. I guess I was sure I would not like it as much as the other Gili islands because it is the biggest and known to be the one where you go if you want the party. Given that there are two other island options only a short boat ride away, I told myself to skip Gili T and it’s party all night reputation and opt for one of the more chill location. But somehow, I got stuck here, and so far I am convinced it was the right decision.

You arrive on the largest of the three Gili islands and immediately see perfectly clear blue water, horse carts decorated with bells and tassels jingling up the lane in place of motorized vehicles, a chill white sand beach stretching in either direction, a scenic mountain backdrop off in the distance and friendly locals welcoming you to Gili Twarangan.

I came here last year on a snorkling trip for the day from Gili Air, where I was staying, and while the water was lovely and the beach perfect for relaxing, I was not sure how I felt about all of the crowds, music, and restaurant after restaurant lining the main strip hoping for some of the passersby to venture in. It’s considered the party island of the Gilis and I liked it for a day of swimming but wasn’t sure I’d want to be there when the music started pumping and goes all night.  Compared with Gili Air and tiny Gili Meno, Gili T has more of a scene than the other islands and on some nights there’s even a big party that rages on into the early hours.

I hadn’t planned to stay on this island at all. In fact I only needed to grab some rupiah from one of the 3 ATMs before heading by local boat just the short distance across to Gili Meno. But something told me I should give this Gili another chance. Having taken my usual island approach, I had not booked a room anywhere and was glad when halfway down the main road which is packed with bungalows, a local guy showed me a card with photos of a room and told me a price. It seemed reasonable, so I followed him down a quiet path just a hundred feet from the beach and immediately I knew I’d stay.

Joe, the local guy, showed me the bungalow which had traditional architecture and a private balcony overlooking a well maintained tropical garden with birds chirping and a stillness I had not expected to find here. He pointed out some cactus and said I was also welcome to carve my name into the prickly green leaves as others had, with pieces of coral.

He turned on the AC, opened a door leading out to a giant open air bathroom with the sun pouring in, and explained that if I get a sunburn during my stay I could use the aloe plants growing just outside my bungalow as well. That seemed more my style than defacing the cactus. He also said breakfast was included and served down on the beach at their restaurant. He assured me that this end of the beach was the quiet end, and that I would “sleep like baby.” I was sold.

I’m now awaiting my lunch and a much needed ice coffee, sitting in a wooden hut on the beach in my swimmers (grabbed that bit of slang from all the aussies this part of the world) looking out at an aquamarine sea.  Gili Meno, with its deserted white sand beaches is just across the water and the cloud shrouded mountains of Bali are dark shadows above it and far off in the distance. It is one of the most sickeningly picturesque places I have been to.

Can’t wait to grab my mask and snorkle and see what’s swimming in these crystal clear waters! And tonight, Joe also said the night market is a great place to buy cheap and delicious local food. The fist few hours here are proving to be way better than I’d imagined and it may be because of it being the low season. But it also may be that first impressions mean a lot, and from the moment I set foot on the island things just happened with that island ease that you hope for when you are on holiday.

I plan to write a bit more while I’m here about the sea, the best beaches for snorkling, and what I like most about each of the islands. What I realized today as I walked down the main drag expecting to want to jump the next ferry off the island, was that places always hold more than the obvious. It just takes time and a bit of curiosity to see places beyond what we perceive them to be, or what we have read in a guidebook. In fact, travelling without a plan, a guidebook, or any real agenda has been the most exciting part of this 4 month journey.

Getting happy on Gili T just took one iced coffee and one brief dip in the sea!