Published on February 23, 2014
Two of Indonesia’s prime Island -destinations, Bali and Gili Trawangan (off the northwest coast of Lombok) achieved among the Top 10 Islands-Asia in the Tripadvisor 2014 Travelers’ Choice.
Conducted by the world’s largest travel website, Tripadvisor, the annual awards recognized more than 100 islands globally, including top 10 lists for Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, South America, the South Pacific, and the U.S.
Travelers’ Choice Island winners were determined based on the quality and quantity of the most highly-rated hotels, restaurants, and attractions listed for each island on TripAdvisor gathered during a 12-month period.
Outranking Ko Phangan and Ko Lanta in Thailand, the island of Bali won 2nd place, while Gili Trawangan (one of the Gili islands group off Lombok) in the West Nusatenggara Province took 5th place above Boracay in Philippines and Phuket in Thailand.
Tripadvisor described Bali as follows: “Bali is a living postcard, an Indonesian paradise that feels like a fantasy. Soak up the sun on a stretch of fine white sand, or commune with the tropical creatures as you dive along coral ridges or the colorful wreck of a WWII war ship. On shore, the lush jungle shelters stone temples and mischievous monkeys. The “artistic capital” of Ubud is the perfect place to see a cultural dance performance, take a batik or silver-smithing workshop, or invigorate your mind and body in a yoga class”.
Meanwhile, as the hub of the Gili Islands dive industry, the site illustrates Gili Trawangan: “There are about a dozen dive shops and schools, all eager to show you the stunning underwater scenery. Après dive, cozy up in a beach bungalow and sip on a tropical drink. Want a teetotaling way to decompress? Twist and pose your way to tranquility in the sacred sanctuary of the Gili Yoga center.”
Gili Trawangan is one of three islands lying just across Senggigi beach that also include Gili Meno and Gili Air. Gili Trawangan has become an international village all its own. There are no motorized vehicles allowed here. Transport is only by bike or local horse carriage, and souvenir hawkers are limited. The island is kept very eco-friendly. There is a direct fast boat from Bali to Gili Trawangan.
The awards for both islands are a huge accomplishment for the tourism in industry in Indonesia. Esthy Reko Astuti, Director General of Marketing of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy stated: “The awards reveal that the global community of Tripadvisor has acknowledged Bali and Gili Trawangan as one of the top islands destinations in Asia. The awards have also boosted our confidence in attracting more travelers and tourists to the wonders of Indonesia”, reported kompas.com.
Find the complete list of Tripadvisor 2014 Travellers’ Choice Top 10 Islands-Asia in: http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Islands-cTop-g2
