Travel Photo: Peaceful White Sandy Beach

Peaceful White Sandy Beach

Location: Gili Nanggu, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

~Awesomeness in Nature~

Fishing Team at Senggigi Lombok

One fine day when I was in Lombok and just finished my seafood lunch somewhere at Senggigi Beach, me and some other friends observed a
group of fishers who were fishing with a net....

It was pretty interesting to see hence we waited for them to pull the net from the middle of the see to the shore.

However, after a while (probably longer than 30 minutes) the net was finally reached at the shore.

With excitement expecting to see a lot of fishes, we came closer to them. However, a big disappoinment showed on our faces when we saw that the long hard work of pulling the net was for nothing. Not a single big fish was caught. The disappointment was especially showing on the faces of the fishermen.

We suddenly felt bad for them. But I guess, the lesson learnt here is that some hard works might not result in anything right away. But persistence and perseverence will pay off in the end.

So my friends, let's give our best today and put consistency in hard work as something that keep you going. NEVER GIVE UP!

HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!

Travel Picture: Another Day in Paradise

Another Day in Paradise

Gili Nanggu, Lombok, Indonesia

Picture Taken by: Ferry Wijaya

Date Taken: August 13, 2013

Camera Used: Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL

Location: Gili Nanggu, Lombok, Indonesia

~ White Sandy Beach ~

~ Gili Nanggu, neighbor of Gili Bedis and Gili Sudak ~

~ One of the Great Beautiful Islands of Indonesia ~

~ Sunny Day by the Beach ~

~ Chillaxing by the Beach, Enjoying the Sunshine ~

Travel Videos: Snorkeling at Gili Islands Lombok, Indonesia

These videos were taken in June 2014 during my trip to Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia.....

Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, Gili Air

Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia

Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, Gili Air

Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia

Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, Gili Air

Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia

Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, Gili Air

Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia

This snorkeling trip can be done with a glass bottom boat that you can rent for about IDR 600.000 for about 5 hours.....

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Pengalaman snorkling ini dapat dilakukan dengan menggunakan perahu glass bottom seharga kira-kira Rp 600.000 untuk 5 jam.....

Underwater Photo: Corals at Gili Islands

Some Corals at Gili Islands

Taken in early June 2014 during my private group snorkeling trip by glass bottom boat around the three Gili Islands (Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air) in Lombok, Indonesia......

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Diambil pada awal Juni 2014 ketika berkeliling di ketiga pulau Gili (Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, dan Gili Air) di Lombok untuk snorkeling.

Hotel Review: Tir Na Nog Gili Trawangan

Hotel Review: Welcome Inn Gili Trawangan

I stayed here in early Jun 2014 for my fourth visit to Gili Trawangan.

Room & Facility: 7/10

The room is alright. For the price, I could have gotten a lttle bit better. I got a two single bed bedroom with a very very basic bathroom. Well, there is a safety deposit box to be used, but it's not something that I need when I am in Gili, that's why I don't use it. The cleanliness of the room is probably only 7/10. Another facility includes a bar that is very crowded and alive at night right in front of the hotel, as a part of the hotel, Tir Na Nog Bar.

Value for Money: 7/10

I was charged about IDR 800.000. Like I said, I could have got a little bit better of facility, especially for the room.

Location: 9/10

If you want a location that is right in the middle of the party, this is it. At night, there are parties going on just outside the hotel. We thought it's gonna be very noisy at night when we try to sleep, but that's not the case. Somehow, the noise didn't get to our room despite the fact that our room is the first room and the closest to the gate to the bar outside.

Staff: 9/10

Staff was really great. We asked for a late checkout. Initially, the staff hesitated because they were fully booked the next day. However, we were given 1 hour late checkout. The staff also helped us organize a glass bottom boat rental for our snorkeling trip to the three gili islans (Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air).

Pretty much I would say that there could be other great hotels to stay in Gili Trawangan that could offer better quality with the same price. Would I come back to this hotel to stay? Yes, but only at a discounted price. :)

Travel Photo: Smallest Island on Earth?

Gili Bedis, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

~It could be one of the smallest island on earth~

~It is located in Lombok, Indonesia~

~It is one if the three island group of Gili Nanggu, Sudak, and Bedis~

Travel Picture: Island Hopping

Island Hopping

at Gili Nanggu, Gili Sudak, and Gili Bedis......

!August 2013!

~Living the islander life~

Taken by: Ferry Wijaya

Travel Picture: Sunbathing in Gili Nanggu, Lombok, Indonesia

Sunbathing in Gili Nanggu, Lombok, Indonesia

INDONESIA ALERT! ~~~ INDONESIA ALERT! ~~~ INDONESIA ALERT

This beautiful and peaceful beach is located in Gili Nanggu, Lombok, Indonesia....

Such a great place to spend your holiday....

Relax and enjoy the sun!

I LOVE INDONESIA

:) :) :)

Travel Photo: Sampan Boat at Gili Nanggu, Lombok

Sampan Boat at Gili Nanggu, Lombok

Sunny day at Gili Nanggu, Lombok, Indonesia!

Such a great day to take out your snorkeling gears and explore the beauty of underwater corals and fishes........

One of the best places I have ever been for snorkeling!

:) :) :)

Travel Photo: Clear Water at Gili Meno, Lombok

Clear Water at Gili Meno, Lombok, Indonesia

Taken by: Ferry Wijaya

Date Taken: December  28, 2013

Location: Gili Meno, Lombok, Indonesia

~Gili Meno is one of the three gili islands northwest of Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia~

~Gili Meno is situated in the middle between Gili Trawangan in the West and Gili Air in the East~

A Sampan/Boat Sign at Gili Nanggu, Lombok, Indonesia

A Sampan/Boat Sign at Gili Nanggu, Lombok, Indonesia

Traveller's Notes:

• Gili Nanggu is one of the islands in another group of gilis (small islands) off the coast of Lombok Island, other than the Gili Islands (Gili Trawangan, Meno, Air)
• It is located about South West of Mataram and  can be reached in about one and half hours from Mataram, the Capital of West Nusa Tenggara.
• Snorkeling gear rentals are available on the island and also on the beach where you rent your boat in Lombok Island.
• Gili Nanggu is gaining more popularity nowadays and is getting more crowded.
• Gili Nanggu is still a peaceful and laid back place to be compared to Gili Trawangan
• There is some basic accommodations on the island if you need or want to stay on the island overnight.
• I personally enjoy snorkeling off Gili Island since the corals are more beautiful and healthier compared to those in Gili Islands.

Gili Islands - Public Boat Schedules

Public Boat Schedules (Prices and schedules are subject to change; You might have to confirm again at the public boat office on the island)

This the the public boat schedules that you can take from one island to the other in Gili islands.

The Gili islands include three gilis (islands) named Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air.

This public boat schedules is extremely helpful if you wanna do island hopping in Gili islands.... The price is very affordable compared to chartering a boat.

However, chartering a boat could be a cheaper and more convenient option if you go in a big group.

With these public boats, I found myself not being able to go from Gili Trawangan to Gili Meno and Gili Air on the same day due to the timing of the boat.

Note:
1. A trip from Gili Trawangan to Gili Meno as stated on the schedule also goes to Gili Air
2. A trip from Gili Air to Gili Trawangan (at 3:00 pm) also makes a short stop at Gili Meno

~~~Enjoy you trip to the Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia~~~

My Snorkeling Video at Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia

My Snorkeling trip at Gili Air, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
A lot of awesome fishes even though the corals are in bad condition. I hope we can recover the conditions of under water life at Gili.

For more of my travel adventures, please visit:
www.ferrystraveladventures.blogspot.com

Any question regarding my trips are so very welcomed. It's a great pleasure for me to share my travel experiences with any of you. :)

I travel, I watch, I observe, I taste, I experience...... the world through my adventures.....

Underwater Photography: The Fish with Sexy Lips

The Fish with Sexy Lips

Taken at: Gili Air, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Taken by: Ferry Wijaya

Taken with: Olympus TG-2

Date Taken: December 30, 2013

Description: 

This fish kept coming at me and my camera while I was snorkeling off the Gili Air Island. So, I took this chance to take a shot of the sexy lips of the fish. Luckily, I got a quite good shot.

Activities in Gili Trawangan

If you happen to cross the sea from Bali to Gili Trawangan or you happen to be in Gili Trawangan by any other reasons for a night of two, these are the activities you can do to fill you day and night ini Gili Trawangan:

• Island Hopping

Island hopping trip packages for diving and snorkeling are available widely on the island of Gili Trawangan. They are usually run by specific hours so prepare to book your island hopping trip the day before.

• Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, Diving

With a reputation for being "Turtle Capital of the World", the Gili islands have become popular for beginners and experienced divers. This is one of Indonesia's top areas for scuba diving and snorkelling. There are about 25 dive sites around the islands of Trawangan, Meno, and Gili Air. For more information, please check this website: http://www.gili-paradise.com/gilis-information/dive-the-gilis/

If you are lucky enough, you can spot a sea turtle sightings during your snorkeling or diving activity.

• Kayaking

Another water activity you can do here is kayaking. You can try crossing the sea between Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno. But, you can only do this when the current is safe enough.

• Cycling / Walking Around the Island

You can cycle around the island for about 60 minutes or walk around the island for about 2-3 hours (depending on your speed). Some parts of the island are not suitable for biking (especially on the north and northwestern part of the island), you might have to walk your bikes sometimes.

• Sunbathing / Relaxing on Powdery White Sandy Beach

If you want to keep it low key and relaxed, you can lie on the beach and enjoy the sun. The beaches are clean and comfortable and there are many sea-side restaurants that you can order drink and food from.

• Watching the Sunset

One of the favorite things to do when the clock almost hits 6:30pm (6:30pm is the sunset time in Gili), is finding a place to watch the sunset. The best sunset-watching place may include Villa Ombak Sunset or The Exile located on the Southwestern part of the island.

• Trying Magic Mushrooms

Known for a party island and if you are up for it, Magic Mushrooms are widely and openly sold in Gili Trawangan.  

• Having Romantic Dinner

If you are a couple, you can book for a romantic dinner on the beach at various restaurants in Gili Trawangan.

• Seafood Dining

Dining on the island is widely available. Western food and seafood restaurants can easily be found on the island of Gili Trawangan. Famous restaurants for dining may include The beach house, Tir Na Nog, Trattoria, Villa Ombak, etc.

Gili Trawangan - The Party Island

After my new year trip to Japan, I got the chance to visit Lombok for a friend's bachelor party. But it's not Lombok that's the most exciting thing about this trip, it's Gili Trawangan!!!!

Boat on White Sandy Beach in Gili Trawangan

It's actually my second time stepping on this 2 km by 3 km island. My first was last year with a friend's friend from Germany and a friend who's actually from Lombok and more familiar to Gili islands than me. I remember my first time I was undescribably excited when the boat reached the island. I thought to myself "wow, this is another world. The view is amazing. The white sandy beaches are breathtaking. How can I miss this place all along?". Note: I am actually from a neighbouring island east to Lombok called Sumbawa. it's pretty damn close.

This time, I got the opportunity to bring along 6 guy friends and to show them around the island. One guy is getting married soon so we thought let's do something different. And yeah, going to Gili was our decision. And probably I can say THE BEST DECISION.....

Map of The Three Gili Islands

Our first activity when we got to the island at 9am by a chartered boat (costs Rp 250.000) from Bangsal Port in Lombok mainland was searching for a hotel. It was rather quick when we finally decided to rent a 2 bedroom villa at The Beach House Resort located in the central area of East beach where the main activities, crowds, bars, restaurants, and parties are located. In the end, it cost us Rp 3.025.000 for the two bedroom villa plus 2 extra beds and breakfast included. It's a pretty good deal since the villa also has its own 3 m x 8 m private pool.

As soon as we got the villa taken care of, we headed out to rent some bicycles for us to move around the island easily. It's a great decision to cycle on the island other than to walk. I guess walking and cycling are the best, if not the only, means of transportation on the island. Of course, there are "local taxis" called cidomo (cart pulled by a horse) but I think it's not too efficient since the island is pretty small anyways.

White Sandy Beach

We spent the day with snorkeling, mostly (Read: the most exciting activity for me). It was my first time snorkeling and was actually able to adapt and use the snorkeling gears properly.  I think I can make snorkeling my new hobby! I can't wait to do some more snorkeling in the future.

We also rented some kayaks to cross the sea from Gili Trawangan to Gili Meno and back to Gili Trawangan. It's a wonderful feeling to be able to cross a small strait by a kayak. Initially, the current was too strong to kayak there, however, we were persistent enough to wait until the current gets calmer. In the end, we finally conquered the kayaking challenge.

After we were tired enough due to kayaking (it took about one hour), we still decided to cycle circling the whole island. Yeah, it's a pretty active day for us, but we surely had fun!!! It was not one of the best decisions because some parts of the island didn't have proper roads for cycling and are covered by sands and sometimes we had to walk our bikes. But, we found the best place to enjoy sunset from this cycling trip. So, it's not a waste! :)

At night, we had dinner and enjoyed the sunset and the clear panoramic blue sky.

Beautiful Sunset @ Villa Ombak Sunset

In general, Gili Trawangan is known for a "Party Island" where parties are held in turn by the many hotels on the island. Magic mushrooms are also available for sale freely on the island (given that police enforcement on the island is minimum).

Magic Mushrooms For Sale

If you are visiting Indonesia and especially Bali, don't miss this island. It's another different world from Bali. More virgin beaches, more peaceful, less crowded, more beautiful coral reefs (if you happen to like snorkeling and diving). I am pretty sure there are many agencies you can find in Bali that would take you to Gili. It's about 2 hours boat ride from Bali.

Websites you might wanna take a look to get information about Gili Trawangan and the other two gilis:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gili_Islands
http://wikitravel.org/en/Gili_Islands
http://www.gili-paradise.com/
http://www.fastboatsgili.com/gili-trawangan.htm

More of Pulau Kramat, Sumbawa, Indonesia

Rich kinds of Reefs along the way to the Island of Pulau Kramat, Sumbawa, Indonesia

Arriving at Pulau Kramat (Note: my maid and the boat driver in the picture)

The beach of Pulau Kramat, Sumbawa, Indonesia

The water is very very clear........ What an amazing feeling to be there!!!! :)

@ Pulau Kramat, Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Broken Pier in Pulau Kramat, Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Pulau Kramat, Sumbawa, Indonesia

Amazing, clean, untouched, mesmerizing, peaceful beach of Pulau Kramat, Sumbawa, Nusa Tenggara Barat, NTB, Indonesia

In order to get here, I had to drive for about one and half hour to a small resort-like place and take a boat for about 20 minutes to this island.

According to the boat rider, the island is inhabited and the government prohibits any part of the land to be sold to anybody other than the natives there.