Gili Trawangan Paradise: Your Dream Urbanview Home Awaits!
Gili Trawangan Paradise: My Brain's Already on Island Time. (And Yours Should Be Too!)
Okay, so picture this: You're scrolling, you're frazzled, life is… well, it’s life. Then BAM! Gili Trawangan Paradise pops up. Your dream Urbanview home, they say? Honestly, I was skeptical. "Urbanview" on Gili Trawangan? Sounds a bit… oxymoronic, right? But after a stay at this joint, I'm practically ready to move in. And trust me, I’m not one for hyperbole. Let's dive into the chaos, shall we?
First Impressions & The Hustle:
Getting there is the adventure, I’ll give you that. Airport transfer? Check! They've got it sorted. The ferry bit? Well, let's just say holding your luggage on a bumpy boat ride takes some getting used to. But hey, that whole "island time" thing starts the second you step off the boat.
The staff? Generally ace. They're trained in safety protocols, and you feel it. They're also genuinely friendly, which is rare these days. They even offered a welcome drink. (Score!)
Rooms & Ruminations:
So, the “Urbanview.” Let's be honest, it's more… beachy-vibe-with-basic-amenities-and-a-balcony-that-might-or-might-not-overlook-something. Still, it was clean! And that's HUGE, especially when you're paranoid about catching something exotic. The rooms are air-conditioned (essential!), have free Wi-Fi (yes!), and all the basic essentials. My room had a bathtub, which I'm convinced is a sign that someone up there loves me. The blackout curtains are a godsend for chasing away the afternoon sun.
Now, for the slightly less perfect bits. The Wi-Fi wasn't always stellar in the room, more like "Wi-Fi-ish." I'm not a demanding soul but when you're uploading Instagram stories of sunsets, this can sting. And the view? Well, it wasn’t urban, not in the traditional sense. I'd say it was more of a slightly run-down local houses and the occasional distant glimpse of the ocean. But hey, who needs a cityscape when you have the beach practically on your doorstep?
Cleanliness & Safety – Because You Really Want to Relax:
This is where Gili Trawangan Paradise shines. Seriously, the place is a germaphobe’s dream (and I say that with affection!). Anti-viral cleaning products are standard. Daily disinfection in common areas? Absolutely. Individually-wrapped food options at the breakfast buffet? You betcha. Room sanitization between stays? Bingo. Plus, and this is huge for the current climate, physical distancing is taken seriously. The staff regularly sanitize things, and there are sanitizing stations everywhere. You can legitimately, and I mean legitimately, relax knowing someone’s got your back.
The Feast (and the Fun!)
Okay, food is important. Let’s be real. They nail the breakfast buffet. So many options, from Asian to Western. The coffee isn't the best, but that's just the way it is on an island.
Food Options: A la carte in restaurant, Asian cuisine in restaurant, Bar, Breakfast [buffet], Breakfast service, Buffet in restaurant, Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop, Desserts in restaurant, Happy hour, International cuisine in restaurant, Poolside bar, Restaurants, Room service [24-hour], Salad in restaurant, Snack bar, Soup in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western breakfast, Western cuisine in restaurant.
Let's talk about the pool. The pool is stunning. The pool itself is a haven, and the Poolside bar is a godsend. Seriously. After sweating in the sun all day, just grab a drink and chill. The Happy Hour is everything.
Things to Do (or Not Do):
Look, Gili Trawangan is all about chill. The beach is right there. Snorkeling is ridiculously easy. I spent an entire afternoon just floating in the ocean, watching fish. It was pure bliss.
Ways to relax: Body scrub, Body wrap, Foot bath, Massage, Pool with view, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor].
Fitness Center: There's a gym there, but honestly, I was way too busy eating and lounging.
Accessibility – Because Everyone Deserves Paradise:
I’m happy to see that they think about this stuff. Facilities for disabled guests are listed.
Services and the Stuff You Forget:
They're like, "We thought of everything." Concierge, currency exchange, laundry service, you name it. There’s even a convenience store. That little shop is a lifesaver.
For the Kids (and the Big Kids):
This place is family-friendly. Babysitting service, kids' meals, they’ve got it all.
The Real Deal – My Verdict:
So, is Gili Trawangan Paradise a perfect utopia? No. Is it damn close? Hell yes.
- The Good: Clean, safe, friendly staff, fantastic location, great pool, excellent food options.
- The Not-So-Good: Wi-Fi can be spotty in rooms, the "urbanview" is debatable, but the imperfections are part of the charm.
- Would I go back? Absolutely.
The Pitch (Because You Need to Book, Like, NOW!)
Are you:
- Yearning to shut off the world and unwind?
- Need a dose of sunshine and salt water Therapy?
- Seeking a place where safety and cleanliness are priorities?
Then:
Gili Trawangan Paradise: Your Dream Urbanview Home Awaits!
Book your stay NOW and get:
- [Discount or special deal, depending on what they offer].
- Free Wi-Fi, in your room.
- Complimentary welcome drink!
- Peace of mind knowing that your safety and well-being are the top priority.
Click here to book your slice of paradise! Don't wait! The Gili Trawangan magic is waiting!
KL Tower Views! 😍 Stunning Studio in KL's Heart
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your glossy travel brochure itinerary. This is the REAL DEAL, the messy, beautiful, sunburn-and-sand-in-your-pants-fueled story of my attempted (and mostly successful) escape to Urbanview My Home One Gili Trawangan, Lombok, Indonesia. Prepare for whiplash.
The Unofficial, Unpolished, Probably-Slightly-Over-Caffeinated Gili Trawangan Odyssey
(AKA: How I learned to love Bintang and almost lost my snorkel)
Day 1: Arrival – From Bali Blues to Island Bliss (ish)
- 6:00 AM (Bali Airport): Ugh. Bali airport. Smells of jet fuel and unfulfilled dreams. Seriously, I hadn’t even left the concrete jungle yet and I already missed my familiar surroundings. The pre-dawn flight to Lombok felt like some sort of punishment for… well, everything. Sat next to a dude who snored like a rusty tractor. He drooled. I judged.
- 8:00 AM (Lombok Airport): Landed. Relief. Breathe in. Actually, the air smells fantastic. This is it. Island vibes. This is why I spent a fortune to escape.
- 8:30 AM (Speedboat Transfer to Gili Trawangan): Okay, technically a "fast" boat. More like a bouncy, wave-splashing, potentially-lose-your-lungs-in-the-ocean boat. Felt a bit over-packed, but I kept telling myself, "Scenic! Views! Blue water!" Also, the captain looked like he just walked off the set of a pirate movie. I loved it.
- 9:30 AM (Gili Trawangan Harbor): Hello, paradise! Sand, turquoise water, and far too many aggressively friendly horse-drawn carts (cidomos). The air smells like coconuts and freedom. I might cry. But first…
- 10:00 AM (Urbanview My Home One): FINALLY, I check in. The hotel room is exactly what I wanted. Clean, breezy, with a tiny balcony overlooking the (very shallow) sea. Pretty good! I think I should have taken more pictures, but I was so overwhelmed from all the travel that I didn't.
- 11:00 AM (First Proper Gili Moment): Stroll (hobble, really) down the sand path. I am SO unprepared for how beautiful it is. Seriously, this is the stuff Instagram dreams are made of. Okay, I'll admit it, I'm already obsessed. I stopped taking pictures, so I could embrace the experience.
- 12:30 PM (Lunch at some random beachfront Warung): Nasi goreng and a Bintang (local beer). The Bintang might not be the most amazing beer in the world, but after the morning I had, it tasted like liquid gold, and the Nasi Goreng was incredible.
- 2:00 PM (Snorkeling Fail): Rented a snorkel and mask from a cute vendor. Found a promising stretch of reef. Put on snorkel. Immediately got water in my mask. Water in my snorkel. Gave up. Sat on the beach, sulking. The ocean is clearly trying to assert its dominance.
- 3:00 PM-5:00 PM (Beach Coma): Recovered from snorkeling failure. Perfected the art of doing absolutely nothing on the beach. Sand. Sun. Repeat. This routine is easy.
- 6:00 PM (Sunset Drinks): The sunset! Oh. My. God. Purple, orange, pink, it was like the sky threw up a kaleidoscope. Watched it with another Bintang. Felt like I could stay there forever.
- 7:30 PM (Dinner - Fisherman's Grill): The best grilled fish I've ever tasted. Maybe it was the Bintang talking, maybe it was the fresh fish, but it was heavenly. Also, attempted to learn a little Bahasa Indonesia from the friendly waiter (ended up mostly butchering the language).
- 9:00 PM (Late night Gili Trawangan Exploration): Wandering along the sandy paths. Lots of bars. Lots of music. Lots of people having the time of their lives. I opted for early shut-eye. The day was too much.
Day 2: Underwater Adventures and Questionable Decisions
- 7:00 AM (Wakey Wakey, Eggs and Bali Hai): Coffee and the view from my balcony. Ahhhhh.
- 8:00 AM (Snorkel Round Two - The Revenge): Determined. This time, practiced breathing in the shallows. Success! Saw a turtle! Squealed with pure joy. My snorkeling skills are on par with a toddler trying to ride a unicycle, but I'll take it.
- 9:30 AM (Bike Ride): Rented another bike. This island isn't big, but I managed to get lost within ten minutes. Found a hidden beach. Pure unadulterated bliss. Until the chain on my bike fell off. Again.
- 11:00 AM (Beach time!): Back to the beach. I'm starting to understand the appeal.
- 12:30 PM (Lunch): Simple. Delicious. Found a fantastic place for sate ayam. Very clean and a great price!
- 2:00 PM (Horse Cart Ride): Sure, touristy, but I was tired. And honestly, it's a great way to see a bit more of the island. My driver (who also owned the horse), kept trying to sell me weed. "Very good weed, sir." Nope. Not today.
- 3:00 PM (The Great Snorkel Mask Incident): I was admiring a particularly beautiful patch of coral when… plop. My snorkel mask, my precious, expensive snorkel mask, slipped off my head and sank. Panicked. Did a frantic, clumsy dive for it. Couldn't find it. Spent an hour underwater searching with zero luck. Heartbroken!!
- 4:00 PM (Acceptance and Beer Therapy): Gave up the hunt. Spent the rest of the afternoon drowning my sorrows in Bintang on the beach. The ocean, the jerk, wins again.
- 6:00 PM (Sunset Part Deaux): Sunset again. Slightly less impressed by how much I lost my snorkel mask. (But still, it was gorgeous!)
- 7:30 PM (Italian Dinner): Okay, this is not what I expected to eat on a tropical island, but the pasta was incredible. I needed comfort food after the snorkel tragedy.
- 9:00 PM (Late Night shenanigans): Found a reggae bar. Danced until my feet hurt. Drank too much Bintang. Woke up with a mild hangover.
Day 3: Leaving Gili and Reflections
- 8:00 AM (Breakfast): Coffee. More coffee. Trying to remember the last 48 hours.
- 9:00 AM (Last Stroll): One last walk along the beach. Trying to memorize every grain of sand, every ripple of the water.
- 10:00 AM (Check Out): Saying goodbye to Urbanview… I wish I had more time.
- 10:30 AM (Harbor, Again): Time to say goodbye to the island. The speedboat ride felt even more precarious on the way out.
- 11:30 AM (Lombok Airport): Sigh. Back to reality.
- 1:00 PM (On the plane): Reflecting. Gili Trawangan. Messy. Imperfect. Hilarious. Breathtakingly beautiful. I lost a snorkel mask. I learned to love Bintang. I want to go back.
Final Thoughts:
This trip wasn't perfect. But it was real. It was filled with moments of pure, unadulterated joy and moments of frustration. It was about surrendering to the island vibes, embracing the chaos, and accepting that sometimes, the ocean just wins.
And now, I'm off to plan my return. Maybe I'll even learn to swim properly this time. Wish me luck!
Cagayan de Oro's BEST Kept Secret: FB Dormitel Suites! ✨
Gili Trawangan Paradise: Your Dream Urbanview Home Awaits! (Let's Get Messy)
Okay, Gili Trawangan... What's the Big Deal, Specifically About *Your* Place?!
Alright, alright, I get it. The internet is *flooded* with "paradise" this and "dream home" that. Frankly, it's nauseating. But listen, about *my* Gili Trawangan place... let's just say it's… well, it's Urbanview. Which, to be honest, I initially balked at. "Urban" on a tropical island? Sounds about as appealing as a lukewarm cup of instant coffee at dawn.
But then I saw the photos. And then… the price. And then, the reviews. And, well, here we are. Essentially, it's a solid, clean, air-conditioned basecamp to explore the island from. It's not going to win any architectural awards, but it's a *sanctuary* compared to some of the… shall we say… *rustic* accommodations I’d seen on Gili Trawangan. Plus, the AC blasted like a blizzard. Seriously, I almost needed a parka.
My take: It's about managing expectations. You're not getting a beachfront villa (not at *this* price, anyway!). But you *are* getting a comfortable, well-located spot to crash after a day of snorkeling, sun-burning, and possibly making some questionable life choices fuelled by too many Bintangs. And that, my friends, is priceless (or, you know, whatever the booking.com price is).
How's the Location? Because, Let's Be Honest, I Don't Want to Walk a Marathon in Sand Every Morning.
Gili Trawangan is small, which is *amazing* and *a bit terrifying* all at once. You can walk anywhere. But yes, walking in sand… ugh. The location of this Urbanview? Pretty darn good. Walking distance to the main strip (where, yes, the chaos and the delicious food truck tacos reign) PLUS, walking distance to some slightly more secluded beaches.
My Anecdote: Okay, I had a *moment* the first morning. Needed coffee. DESPERATELY. Dragged myself out of my arctic-blast room, bleary-eyed. And… BAM! Right outside, like, a 3-minute walk, was this *amazing* little hole-in-the-wall cafe with the BEST iced lattes I've ever had. Saved my life, honestly. Found me. It was that good. So, short answer: Convenient. Very convenient. And coffee-centric convenient.
The Rooms: Tell Me They're Not Horrifying. Also, Air Conditioning… Is it Real?
Let's be blunt: they're not the Ritz. But they're… *fine*. Clean. Relatively spacious. The beds… comfy enough after a day of sun and sea. Bathroom? Functioning. Basic, but functional. Toilet flushed. Shower worked. (Which, trust me, is a victory in some parts of Southeast Asia.)
The AC: YES! The AC is REAL. And glorious. It's like a personal oasis of icy calm in the tropical heat. My first night, I actually considered wrapping myself in a blanket. Almost. (Don't judge me. I'd been baking in the sun all day). It’s the main reason I booked it. Look, after a long day, AC is king.
Minor Imperfection Alert: My room… well, it overlooked a small alley. Not exactly postcard material. But honestly? It was quiet. And considering how loud some places on Gili can be at night, I was grateful. Always bring those earplugs though, just in case.
Wi-Fi! Because #TravelBloggerLife (And Possibly My Actual Job). Is it… Usable?
Okay, Wi-Fi. The Achilles' heel of many tropical getaways. Here's the truth: it's… okay. It’s not going to be streaming 4K movies. Don't even *think* about trying to upload large files (unless you enjoy watching paint dry). But for basic emailing, social media updates, and, you know, pretending to work while sipping a cocktail, it's passable.
My Experience: There were a few moments of frustration. One time, I desperately needed to video call my boss (who, ironically, was sitting in an office with *amazing* internet). It… didn't go well. Lots of pixelation. Lots of frozen faces. Eventually, I gave up and texted. So, temper your expectations. Embrace the digital detox (sort of).
Pro-Tip: If Wi-Fi is life-or-death important, consider buying a local SIM card. You'll thank me later.
What About Food? Is There a Breakfast Included? And If Not, Where Do I Get My Fuel?
Okay, breakfast… not included. Which, honestly, is fine. Because Gili Trawangan is a *foodie's paradise*! Seriously. The choices are endless. From tiny warungs serving up amazing Indonesian breakfasts (nasi goreng, anyone?) to Western-style cafes with avocado toast (yes, even on Gili!).
My Breakfast Discovery: That aforementioned coffee place? They did a KILLER breakfast burrito. Like, the kind of burrito that stops time. I ate there every single morning. It was… a problem. A delicious, carb-filled problem. (Hence the need for all the swimming I was suddenly doing).
The point is, you won't starve. Explore. Experiment. And don't be afraid to try the street food. (Just maybe… pack some Pepto-Bismol, just in case.)
What About the Staff? Friendly? Helpful? Or Just…Present?
The staff were… *nice*. Not over-the-top, mind-blowing, life-altering nice. (Let's be realistic, people.) But they were polite. They smiled. They were helpful when I needed something (like, you know, more toilet paper). They cleaned the room daily. Which, after a day of sandy beaches and questionable hygiene, was a godsend.
Quirky Observation: There was one guy, the security guard, who always seemed to be… wherever I was. I'm not saying he was following me, but… he was always *there*. He never said anything weird, though, and he was always smiling. (Maybe he just really loved his job?)
Basically, the staff were efficient and non-intrusive. Which, in my book, is a definite win.
Any Dealbreakers? What Would Make Me NOT Book This Place?
Comfort Zone Inn
