We Will Always Love Indonesia: kuta beach

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Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan is the largest of Lombok's Gili Islands and the only one to rise significantly above sea level. Measuring 3 km long and 2 km wide, it has a population of around 700. Of the Gilis, Trawangan has the most tourist facilities; the pub Tîr na Nôg claims that Trawangan is the smallest island in the world with an Irish pub. The most crowded part of Trawangan lies on the eastern side. It was previously administered under Lombok Barat Regency along with Senggigi until 2010 when the Gili islands came under the jurisdiction of the new North Lombok Regency (Kabupaten Lombok Utara).

On Gili Trawangan (as well as the other two Gilis), there are no motorized vehicles. The main means of transportation are bicycles (rented by locals to tourists) and cidomo (a small horsedrawn carriage). For traveling to and from each of the Gilis, locals usually use motorized boats and speedboats.

Some of the first inhabitants of Gili Trawangan were from Sulawesi who are fishermen and farmers. Previously Gili Trawangan was covered in forest and deer lived on the island. (Source: Inhabitants of Gili Trawangan — no printed source available)

The economy of Gili Trawangan centres on tourism, as the island is too small to support any broad scale agriculture, and too remote to allow economically viable industry or commerce.

Gili Trawangan

LOMBOK BEACH VILLAS

With more than 17,508 islands, Indonesia presents ample diving opportunities. Bunaken National Marine Park, at the northern tip of Sulawesi, claims to have seven times more genera of coral than Hawaii, and has more than 70% of all the known fish species of the Indo-Western Pacific.

Moreover, there are over 3,500 species living in Indonesian waters, including sharks, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, morays, cuttlefish, octopus and scorpionfish, compared to 1,500 on the Great Barrier Reef and 600 in the Red Sea. Tulamben Bay in Bali boasts the wreck of the 120 metres (390 ft) U.S. Army commissioned transport vessel, the Liberty.

Other popular dive sites on Bali are at Candidasa and Menjangan. Across the Badung Strait from Bali, there are several popular dive sites on Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. Lombok's three Gilis (Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan) are popular as is Bangka. Some of the most famous diving sites in Indonesia are also the most difficult to reach, with places like Biak off the coast of Papua and the Alor Archipelago among the popular, more remote, destinations for divers.

Kuta

Kuta began as a small fishing village and has since become one of Indonesia's most developed tourist destinations. The first settlers came around 2500 BC from other areas in Asia, who were later followed by Hindu settlers from India around 100 BC. The first modern day tourists came in the 1970's and were primarily backpackers from Europe and Australia. These visitors typically stayed in simple guest houses and warungs and ate simple local foods. These days, Kuta is a well developed tourist destination and is arguably most popular among international vacationers from all over the world for its beaches and entertainment. Kuta's location on the southern end of Bali makes it a short 10 minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Like the rest of Bali, the high seasons are in July and August as well as the weeks shouldering Christmas and New Year's. Exact international arrival statistics specific to Kuta cannot be found at this time.

Kuta is home to Kuta Beach. It has long beaches that extend as far as the eye can see with magnificent sunsets over the Indian Ocean. Tourists and locals alike get a spectacular view each evening. The beach in Kuta is also regarded as one of the top surfing destinations in the world due to an exposed beach break that provides consistent surf. This has attracted surfers from around the world to ride Kuta's waves, although the beach has received criticism for being polluted.

The popularity of Kuta beach aided in the transformation of Kuta from a fishing village to an entertainment mecca. Back in the 1970's, a few pioneers set up shop to serve the growing tourist market, and among these were Made's Warung and Poppies Restaurant, both of which are still in business. There is a high concentration of hotels, nightlife, and dining venues that range from modest to upper scale. Cafes, pubs, and clubs are prevalent throughout Kuta, with the main party strip on Jalan Legian between Poppies 1 and 2 (alleyways). The most prominent of the entertainment venues is the Hard Rock Cafe, which draws in a packed crowd of international party revelers each weekend. Scroll down for some must-go hotels and entertainment venues as recommended by TripAdvisor contributors.

Two deadly bombings took place in Kuta in 2002 and 2005. The incidents, believed to be planned terrorist attacks, were reported around the world and landed Kuta and Bali on the world stage. A memorial shrine was erected after the 2002 bombing, but tourism has since rebounded tremendously.