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Gili Trawangan, Lombok, Indonesia

Gili Trawangan: turtles, statues and a reef that grows back

Seven days of reef, wild sea turtles, island life and slow evenings by the sea on Gili Trawangan.

Floating above the reef while wild sea turtles live their day below you: this retreat is built around that one quiet experience. You land in Bali on Tuesday 8 June 2027, and a car and a fast boat take you to an island with no cars. On three boat days we snorkel with the turtles: a shared trip to the reefs and the underwater statues, a full private day with an in-water photographer, and a private half day to new reefs. The order can change with the weather and the sea. In between, a Sasak cooking class, a reef that grows back, bicycles and sunsets behind Bali’s volcano.

7 days, 6 nightsSix guests at most, with Rocío as your hostCHF 1,360 pp
Book on WeTravelMessage RocíoSee all retreats
A sea turtle swimming over the reef off Gili Meno, on this trip’s shared snorkel route
A sea turtle swimming over the reef off Gili Meno, on this trip’s shared snorkel route. Photo: Narno Beats on Unsplash
  • 5.00 from 33 public reviews on BookRetreats · Read guest stories
  • Small group, six guests at most
  • Local boat crews and a reef-restoration project
  • Travel insurance required (water-activity cover from your own policy or the dive centre’s insurance)
  • Pause or skip any activity, any time
Guests laughing together in a kitchen after a morning on the waterA group of guests in life jackets on the boatGuests and a guide together on the beach after snorkellingGuests together at a waterfallGuests wearing matching green sarongs togetherRocío with guests around a table at the end of the dayReal guests on past trips

“Oh my, if I could give 6 or 7 stars, I would. She is very lovely, very easy to talk to, and she listens to you.”

Lean G., public review on BookRetreats, March 2026

“Amazing girl and super organised. Would book trips with her over and over if I could. 100% recommend!”

Katie H., public review on BookRetreats, March 2026

Quotes are copied as written from public reviews on BookRetreats. See all guest photos · Read all reviews

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At a glance

When8–14 June 2027
Length7 days, 6 nights
GroupSix guests at most, with Rocío as your host
StayBeachfront twin or single room
MealsBreakfast, lunch and dinner every day are included
CertificationNo diving certificate needed
Water levelComfortable snorkelling from a boat
EffortThree snorkel boat days at the surface, a cooking class and slow island days
LevelEasy

CHF 1,360 per person in a twin room (deposit CHF 408), CHF 1,573 in a single room (deposit CHF 472). 8–14 June 2027, 7 days and 6 nights, six guests at most. International flights are not included.

  1. Click Book on WeTravel and choose a twin or single room.
  2. Pay securely on WeTravel. Card fees are included in the price.
  3. Rocío welcomes you personally by email or WhatsApp.

Questions first? Message Rocío.

Book on WeTravelMessage RocíoEmail Rocío

Wildlife encounters are unpredictable. Snorkelling with sea turtles should always follow local regulations and experienced professional guidance.

Real guest reviews: Google · BookRetreats

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

Why Easy? Snorkelling from a boat on warm, shallow reefs. You should feel comfortable in the water.

Who it is for. Everyone is welcome, beginners and solo travellers too. You don’t need to be an experienced swimmer or fearless: everything is at the surface, life vests are always welcome, and you can stay on the boat at any time.

New or a little nervous?

Your first day, step by step

  1. Day 1 · Welcome to Gili Trawangan: you land at Bali airport (DPS), then a car and a fast boat take you to an island with no cars. Check in by the beach and share a welcome evening.
  2. Your guide explains the plan and the signals before anything starts in the water.
  3. You choose your pace. You can pause, rest or skip any activity, at any moment, with no pressure to continue.
  4. Nobody chases, touches or baits an animal. The animals decide whether they come close.

Questions beginners ask

What if I feel nervous in the water?
That is very normal, and you are welcome here. Activities are adapted to your level and comfort. Tell your guide or Rocío, and you can pause, rest or skip an activity at any moment.
What if I cannot clear my ears?
Equalising is taught in small steps by your instructor, and nobody is asked to push through. If your ears will not clear, you rest, come up or skip that dive or descent.
Will I hold the group back?
Groups are small (six guests at most, and some trips are four), so the pace follows the group and nobody is rushed. Tell Rocío your level before you book, and she will tell you honestly if a trip fits.
Do I need to be fit or experienced?
Each trip page shows its level and what it asks of you. If you are not sure, take our short Is it for me? questions or message Rocío.

Highlights

  • Snorkel with wild green sea turtles on their own reefs, watching from the surface at a calm distance.
  • Three boat days with the turtles: a shared trip of about four hours, a full private day and a private half day.
  • An in-water photographer swims with us on the full private boat day, and you receive your photos after the trip.
  • Six nights in a beachfront room on an island with no cars.
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, and a Sasak cooking class where we eat what we made.
  • An eco snorkel with the island’s reef-restoration project, over a reef that is growing back.
  • A small group of six guests at most, with space to connect and space to be alone.
  • Rocío is behind every detail, from your first question to the last day, and she travels with you all week.

The rhythm of your days

  1. Day 1 · Welcome to Gili Trawangan: you land at Bali airport (DPS), then a car and a fast boat take you to an island with no cars. Check in by the beach and share a welcome evening.
  2. Day 2 · Turtle Reefs & the Statues: a shared snorkel trip of about four hours to the turtle reefs and the underwater statues off Gili Meno, with photos included. Sunset and dinner together.
  3. Day 3 · The Boat Is Ours: a full day on our own private boat around the three Gilis, with an in-water photographer and lunch included.
  4. Day 4 · Sasak Kitchen: a cooking class of about two hours, where we cook dishes from Lombok and eat what we made. The afternoon is free.
  5. Day 5 · A Reef That Grows Back: an eco snorkel with the island’s reef-restoration project, to learn how Biorock structures help coral grow again. Free time in the afternoon.
  6. Day 6 · New Reefs & a Free Afternoon: a private half-day boat trip to new reefs, one more chance to float with the turtles. Sunset and a farewell dinner.
  7. Day 7 · Until Next Time: breakfast, goodbyes, the fast boat back to Bali and the transfer to the airport. Please book an evening or night flight.

Trip details

Included

  • Six nights in a beachfront twin room (or single room) on Gili Trawangan
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day
  • A welcome evening and a farewell dinner together
  • Bali airport pick-up, harbour transfer and fast boat to the island and back
  • Three snorkel boat trips: a shared trip of about four hours with photos (9 June), a full private day around the three Gilis (10 June) and a private half day (13 June)
  • One boat day with an in-water photographer, photos sent after the trip
  • Sasak cooking class
  • Eco snorkel with the island’s reef-restoration project
  • Snorkel gear (mask, snorkel, fins) and life vests on every boat
  • Tips for crews and guides
  • Rocío as your host all week
  • Pre and post-retreat support

Not included

  • Flights to and from Bali (DPS)
  • Indonesian visa on arrival, Bali tourism levy and Gili island fee, paid directly by you (about CHF 31 in total)
  • Travel insurance (required: medical care, evacuation and snorkelling)
  • Drinks outside meals and alcohol
  • Personal expenses, souvenirs and massages

Read the cancellation policy.

Photo gallery

The animals and places of this trip. Each caption says where the photo was taken.

A woman floating underwater near the statues off Gili Meno, on this trip’s shared snorkel route
A woman floating underwater near the statues off Gili Meno, on this trip’s shared snorkel route. Photo: loli mass on Unsplash
A boat over the clear shallows at Turtle Point, Gili Trawangan, from above
A boat over the clear shallows at Turtle Point, Gili Trawangan, from above. Photo: Porwaji Santoso on Unsplash
A traditional outrigger boat, seen from a snorkel trip off Gili Trawangan
A traditional outrigger boat, seen from a snorkel trip off Gili Trawangan. Photo: Remi Whelan on Unsplash
A green turtle swimming over the reef, Gili Trawangan
A green turtle swimming over the reef, Gili Trawangan. Photo: Aria Bima on Unsplash
Local boats floating in clear water off Gili Trawangan
Local boats floating in clear water off Gili Trawangan. Photo: Alexander Ustinov on Unsplash
Ocean Atlas

Animals you may meet

Never guaranteed, never chased. Tap an animal to see how it lives, where it travels and a fun fact.

Green turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically Endangered
Is this place for you?

Before you choose Gili Trawangan, Lombok, Indonesia

An honest look at food, noise, smells, heat and local customs, so you can decide calmly. If something matters to you, tell Rocío. She will check it for you.

EasyPossible with planningAsk Rocío

Vegetarian and vegan

Easy

Gili Trawangan has the biggest choice of restaurants of the three Gili islands, including vegetarian and vegan options and a night market near the harbour.

Gluten free

Possible with planning

Some kitchens will adapt dishes to gluten free, but not all. Ask in each place, and tell Rocío before your trip.

Noise and crowds

Possible with planning

This is the party island. The east side near the harbour has bars and music every night, some until about 3am. The west and north sides are quieter. You will hear the call to prayer, from about 4.30 to 5am. July, August and December are the busiest months.

Smells, smoke and air

Easy

There are no cars or motorbikes on the island, so there are no traffic fumes. We did not find any haze season recorded for the Gili islands.

Heat and humidity

Possible with planning

Daytime is about 30 to 31°C all year and humidity is about 79%. The sun is very strong (UV 10 or more). The wet season, with heavy showers, is about November to April.

Predictable days and quiet breaks

Possible with planning

Scuba course days follow a set plan of study and dives, and dive times can change with tides and currents. You can rest between dives; ask Rocío about a calm room away from the east side.

Getting around and mobility

Possible with planning

You arrive by fast boat from Bali (about 1.5 to 2.5 hours) or by short boat from Lombok. There are no cars or motorbikes: you walk, cycle or take a horse cart. Paths are sand, dirt or rough concrete, with a short stretch of soft sand. Never swim between the islands; the currents are strong.

Breathing and health

Ask Rocío

It is hot and humid, and dengue (spread by mosquitoes) is a risk. There is no hyperbaric (dive) chamber on the Gili islands; the nearest ones are on Lombok (Mataram) and in Bali, several hours away by boat and road. Local health care can be basic. Divers with asthma need a dive medical check first. Please check with a doctor or a dive medical before you book.

Local customs

  • Most local people are Sasak Muslims. Please cover up when you walk away from the beach, in the village and at shops.
  • The call to prayer comes from mosque speakers five times a day. The first one is early, around 4.30 to 5am.
  • During Ramadan, do not eat, drink or smoke in public in the daytime. Music and parties stop earlier in this month.
  • Alcohol is sold on the tourist strip. Only drink from sealed bottles or trusted bars, because methanol in drinks has caused deaths in Indonesia.
  • Use your right hand to greet people and to give or take things.
Sources for this section

Ethics and safety

  • In Indonesia every sea turtle species is protected by law. We keep a calm distance and let the turtle choose.
  • We never touch, chase, feed or corner a turtle, and we never swim above it or block its way up to breathe.
  • No flash, no standing on coral, and no visits to places that keep turtles in tanks.
  • If the sea is too rough or the currents are too strong, we do not get in the water. We move the boat day or swap it for time on land.
  • We are honest that travel to an island has a cost for the ocean, and that encounters are never guaranteed.
  • Wildlife encounters are unpredictable. Snorkelling with sea turtles should always follow local regulations and experienced professional guidance.

Practical details

  • Getting there: fly into Bali (DPS) on 8 June 2027. The airport pick-up, the harbour transfer and the fast boat to Gili Trawangan and back are included. On 14 June, please book an evening or night flight home.
  • Travel insurance is required, with cover for medical care, evacuation and snorkelling.
  • Payment plan: 30% deposit when you book, then monthly payments charged automatically, balance due 60 days before the trip (9 April 2027). If you book later, the payments adjust to the time left.
  • The visa on arrival, the Bali tourism levy and the Gili island fee are paid directly by you, about CHF 31 in total.
  • Every activity is optional. You can rest, skip a trip or stay on the boat at any time.
  • Entry rules depend on your passport. Please check the rules for your own passport before you travel.
Why we choose slower boats

Speed is one of the simplest things a boat captain controls, and it matters a lot to the animals we visit. Research from many oceans shows the same pattern: a slower boat is less likely to hit a whale, turtle or manatee, gives animals time to move away, and makes less noise under the water.

Slower ships kill fewer whales

A study of 47 recorded ship strikes on large whales found the chance of a deadly injury was 21 per cent at 8.6 knots but 79 per cent at 15 knots. Below 11.8 knots, a strike is more likely to be survived than not.

Vanderlaan & Taggart, 2007, Vessel collisions with whales: the probability of lethal injury based on vessel speed (Marine Mammal Science)

A 10 knot limit works for right whales

Since 2008, the United States has required vessels 65 feet (about 20 metres) or longer to travel at 10 knots or less in set areas and seasons along the East Coast, to protect North Atlantic right whales. A later study estimated these limits cut the risk of deadly ship strikes by 80 to 90 per cent.

Conn & Silber, 2013, Vessel speed restrictions reduce risk of collision-related mortality for North Atlantic right whales (Ecosphere); NOAA Fisheries, Reducing vessel strikes to North Atlantic right whales

Turtles cannot escape fast boats

In Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, researchers watched 1,890 green turtle encounters. 60 per cent of turtles moved away from a boat going 4 km/h, but only 22 per cent at 11 km/h and 4 per cent at 19 km/h.

Hazel, Lawler, Marsh & Robson, 2007, Vessel speed increases collision risk for the green turtle Chelonia mydas (Endangered Species Research)

Slow zones save manatees

In Sykes Creek and the Barge Canal on Merritt Island, Florida, eight manatees were killed by boats in the 42 months before year-round slow speed was enforced. In the 42 months after, only one was killed.

Laist & Shaw, 2006, Preliminary evidence that boat speed restrictions reduce deaths of Florida manatees (Marine Mammal Science)

Faster boats are louder

Recordings of 1,582 ships in Haro Strait, between Washington State and British Columbia, showed that most ships get about 1 decibel louder for every extra knot of speed. This noise reaches the high sounds that killer whales use to find food.

Veirs, Veirs & Wood, 2016, Ship noise extends to frequencies used for echolocation by endangered killer whales (PeerJ)

Going slow gives whales quiet time to feed

When ships in Haro Strait were asked to slow to 11 knots, underwater noise fell by 2.5 decibels, about 44 per cent less sound energy. Scientists estimated this cut the feeding time killer whales lose to noise by 22 per cent.

Joy et al., 2019, Potential benefits of vessel slowdowns on endangered southern resident killer whales (Frontiers in Marine Science)

Questions

How much does it cost?
CHF 1,360 per person in a twin room shared with one other guest, or CHF 1,573 in a single room, for 8 to 14 June 2027. Flights, travel insurance, the visa on arrival, the Bali levy and the island fee are not included.
How do the deposit and payment plan work?
The deposit is 30%: CHF 408 for a twin room, CHF 472 for a single room. Then monthly payments are charged automatically, and the balance is due on 9 April 2027, 60 days before the trip. If you book later, the payments adjust to the time left.
Can I have a room of my own?
Yes. A single room is CHF 1,573. In a twin room you have your own bed and share with one other guest of the group. Rocío pairs guests with care, so tell her any preference.
What is included?
Six nights by the beach, breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, the Bali airport pick-up and fast boat both ways, three snorkel boat trips, one boat day with an in-water photographer, the Sasak cooking class, the eco snorkel, snorkel gear and life vests, tips, and Rocío as your host all week.
Will we see turtles?
Green sea turtles feed and rest around the Gili islands all year, but nothing is promised. They are wild, and they choose. Three boat days give the encounters time to happen naturally.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer?
No. You don’t need to be an experienced swimmer. Everything is at the surface, life vests are always welcome, and you can stay on the boat at any time.
Is this a diving course?
No. This is a snorkelling retreat, all at the surface. If you are looking for a diving course, this week is probably not for you.
Can I come alone?
Yes. Come alone, with a partner or with a friend. You don’t need to know anyone before arriving. The small group, the shared meals and the days on the water take care of that part.
I am booking for two or more people. What should I do?
Please message Rocío before booking, so she can plan your rooms together. The retreat is limited to six guests.
How do I book?
Click Book on WeTravel and choose your room. Questions first? Message Rocío.

CHF 1,360 per person in a twin room (deposit CHF 408), CHF 1,573 in a single room (deposit CHF 472). 8–14 June 2027, 7 days and 6 nights, six guests at most. International flights are not included.

  1. Click Book on WeTravel and choose a twin or single room.
  2. Pay securely on WeTravel. Card fees are included in the price.
  3. Rocío welcomes you personally by email or WhatsApp.

Questions first? Message Rocío.

Book on WeTravelMessage RocíoEmail Rocío

Wildlife encounters are unpredictable. Snorkelling with sea turtles should always follow local regulations and experienced professional guidance.

Real guest reviews: Google · BookRetreats

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

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