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May/Jun 2015
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bamboo manufacture creates a rustic
paradise and the gardens are delightful.
You could be forgiven for dropping anchor
here and never leaving but that would be to
ignore the island’s other charms.
To get about each guest is provided with
a bike to get from A to B – a practical and
thoughtful touch and one that had us
itching to explore.
Our first evening saw us indulge in the more
raucous side of the island but only after
we had enjoyed one of its more refined
restaurants, proof that this island really
can be anything you want it to be. The
Pearl Beach Lounge takes up a relatively
huge expanse of seafront but its bamboo
restaurant takes precedence at night and
with our feet digging into the sand it was
an ideal and tranquil venue to begin our
evening adventure. We then ventured
further afield taking in various bars including
the Sama Sama reggae bar – expect to
hear a lot of Bob Marley on any visit here.
We cycled back to our villa after an exciting
evening with a cosmopolitan throng of
people and it was fulfilling to see older
couples, young backpackers and families
all mixing together.
www.essential-bali.com
After breakfast delivered to our villa the next
morning it was time to further discover our
surroundings. Les Villas Ottalia boast facilities
to make it an exclusive resort, and will soon
be augmented by a large communal pool,
restaurant and spa. The spa scene here is
not as sophisticated as that on Bali but that
doesn’t mean you can’t find a great massage
and we would indulge in one before we left
that somehow relaxed us even further.
Breaking the confines of our new home, lunch
was consumed at the delightful Café Gili
with its simple but perfectly executed menu
on perhaps the premier beachfront on the
island. As we lounged with the now familiar
feel of sand between our toes and gazed at
the deep blue water that acts as a gateway
to the underwater delights below, everything
was good with the world.
Another mesmerising attraction here is
the scenery. It doesn’t matter where you
are, there’s always something to take your
attention. Ergo on the west of Trawangan
there is Bali in all its glory with Mount Agung
towering majestically over everything. Sunsets
on Bali are often magnificent, but enjoy one
on Gili T as the sun slips slowly behind Agung
and you’re talking a