Overview
Gili Trawangan is the furthest west of the three small Gili islands, where the shallow fringing reef off the southern tip can throw up fast, hollow right-handers. The waves break over live coral and tend to come through flawed rather than clean. This is really more of a party and chill-out island than a wave magnet, so don't turn up expecting a full session.
When It Works
The break is a right-hand reef that needs hefty south to southwest swell to clear the coral, and southwest is the direction that lines it up best. It works from 0.9 m / 3 ft to 2.4 m / 8 ft. Consistency is on the patchy side, so it pays to time your paddle for a solid pulse rather than count on it being on.
Wind and Tide
Look for northwest offshore wind to groom it. The reef breaks on mid and high tide, with a rising tide generally the better call.
Local Tips
This wave suits intermediates who are comfortable reading a tricky, shifting wall, and there is plenty of current running across the reef, so some experience is genuinely useful here. The surf lineup stays fairly quiet. Keep in mind the reef is often busy with snorkeling tourists, and it needs a decent swell to be rideable at all.
