Thursday 20 February 2014

Gili Trawangan

Oh my! I think I have stumbled upon paradise! Again! This beautiful little island is stunning. To give  an idea of its size, I ran around the entire perimeter at dawn this morning in 45 minutes, and believe me, the heat requires a slow running pace!

I chose a very nice hotel on the quiet east side of the island. No vehicles are permitted so there is a very peaceful atmosphere as soon as one lands.  Transport is by horse and cart (cidomo), by bicycle or on foot. The hotel provides bicycles free of charge. I rented snorkelling equipment this morning and have already been out across the reef where I saw many beautiful fish. The coral has suffered enormously, either from changing climate or dynamite fishing in the past. It is trying bravely to regenerate but it will be a long journey.

There appear to be no tourists on the west side of the island. I had the reef totally to myself.

Crowds gather on the east side, where there is a long strip of bars, hotels, dive shops and various other distractions. It is easy to get there for a wide choice of restaurants and then walk back to the beautiful peace and quiet. This is a truly gorgeous place to relax.

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