From pre-sunset drinks to all-night raves and from beer games in dimmed spaces to shiny, high-end lounges, here are the best bars in Gili Trawangan, Indonesia to suit all tastes.
As an island famed for its buzzing nightlife, bars are at the core of Gili Trawangan’s lifestyle. The island tends to move in an easy, laid-back pace during the day, but the glorious sunset carries with it a whole other personality as people begin turning up at the main strip, swarming bar after bar to their heart’s content. While there are endless choices of bars dotting the island, here’s our selection of the 10 best bars in Gili Trawangan, Indonesia.
Amid the myriad of beach bars in Gili Trawangan, Pearl Beach Lounge falls on the lavish, upmarket side, serving fancy drinks and scrumptious dishes in an earthy bungalow. The oceanfront location grants a sweeping view of the horizon and you could hear the sound of the crashing waves blending in with lively music at night. In addition to tastefully-made cocktails and high-end wine, this lounge also serves delicious main courses throughout the day.
Bar, South American, American, European, Indonesian, $$$
Reggae and summertime vibes are a sublime combo you can expect from this bar in Gili Trawangan. Factor in some of their invigorating cocktails or beers and you’ve got yourself a truly remarkable island getaway. This bar is one of the island’s must-visits for travellers looking to taste Gili Trawangan’s notorious nightlife.
Just the name of this bar evokes a sense of bliss – it paints a vivid picture of an exotic sunset view in paradise, toes dipped in sand just steps away from the water with a cold beer in hand. That’s exactly what this bar delivers, offering patrons a colourful seating area, a beach swing and a selection of delicious tapas at affordable prices. The place gets busy during sunset, so show up earlier to secure the best seats to view the glorious show in the sky.
Fat Cats is well known as a healthy meal joint serving nutritious and some vegan-friendly food. But this bar-cum-restaurant has a whole other side to it. From a poolside bar that gets lively after dark to a daily afternoon happy hour, Fat Cats is vibing with the rest of the island’s vibrant nightlife. Don’t hesitate to try their exotic pomegranate sangria after the coconut daiquiri – you can always redeem yourself with their vegan poke bowl and smoothies the next morning.
Named after a land of happiness and beauty in Irish mythology, this establishment lives up to its name. Over the years, Tir Na Nog Irish bar has summoned some of the best local DJs to the island, filling the air with beats from a mix of classic and fresh new sounds – except for the holy Ramadan month, when a silent disco is in place. That’s when you enjoy the music with a headset and dance like no one’s watching.
In Gili Trawangan, even dive schools moonlight as party grounds. Monday nights are Blue Marlin’s turn to entertain Gili’s coolest crowds with music, drinks and a thumping dance floor. Blue Marlin’s Mondays are usually themed, with costume competitions, fun games and promotion deals to fuel the crowd – so before you know it Monday’s over.
A night at Evolution Bar usually involves countless shots of discounted vodka, live music, dancing and especially beer pong. Challenge your buddies to a game at one of the tables lined up specifically for this purpose or enter competitions with total strangers. Located near the Gili T harbour, this bar serves as a fantastic entryway to bar-hopping along the island’s main strip (that is, if you can bring yourself to leave at all).
Famed for its rave boat parties, Jiggy also has a beach bar on the island’s eastern coast. If you sign up for the five-hour boat party, you’ll arrive back at Gili T just in time for happy hour. At roughly one dollar per bottle for Bintang (and even less for shots), Jiggy’s Bar is crazy busy during this time. DJs make sure the bar reverberates with house and R&B tunes to dance the night away when you’re not into the occasional beer pong tournament.
Mainly known for burgers, cocktails and sunsets, Malibu’s beachfront area is a hotspot for pre-sunset chills and then dinner with sangria. This bar has a modern setup while still retaining Gili’s laid-back island vibe, with striking colours, a red-tiled pool with colourful hovering floats and daybeds with bright umbrellas. Once it gets dark, move over to the beach to warm yourself up around the bonfire.
This small bar by Gili Beach Bum Hostel is naturally packed with a youthful backpacker crowd, giving the place an easygoing but energetic vibe. Accordingly, drinks are relatively cheap, be it cocktails or the notorious vodka joss. The beach seating area is a great spot to chill, whereas the bamboo hut is usually louder with music from the DJ.
