Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BIOROCK: THE DIY REEF
Gili Trawangan has seen intense development in recent years and inevitably the escalating
demand on island resources has come at a price. The
Gili Eco Trust
was established in
2002 to address the most pressing environmental and social issues, and to involve islanders,
business owners, expats and tourists in a sustainable future for the island.
The trust's most high-profile project to date has been the planting of
Biorock
installations
to
regenerate the reef
around Gili T, counteracting degradation caused by anchor damage,
fish-bombing and bleaching, and hindering erosion. Biorock frames are steel-grid struc-
tures that are fed a continual low-voltage electric current; this causes the minerals in the
seawater to crystallize into limestone, and coral then begins to grow along the steel bars
at up to six times faster than normal, further stimulated by the grafting of live coral frag-
ments. It's possible to take a special dive course in Biorock and underwater conservation at
a couple of Gili T's dive centres.
Biorock and the other work of the Gili Eco Trust is financed in part by a small, one-off
reef tax
that every diver and snorkel-tripper on Gili Trawangan is invited to pay. The trust
works alongside Satgas, the local island security organization. Another important initiat-
ive has been the forging of an agreement with fishermen that restricts fishing to designated
zones and uses boat moorings. The trust has also instigated improvements in rubbish col-
lection and
recycling
, environmental education at island schools and the treatment of cido-
mo horses. A
beach cleanup
is run in conjunction with the dive centres on the first Friday
of every month, offering a free dive to any tourist who participates.
To find out more about the Gili Eco Trust, drop by the office at Big Bubble dive centre,
or visit the website (
giliecotrust.com
)
.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: GILI TRAWANGAN
By boat
Boats from Bali, mainland Lombok and the other Gilis dock either at the pier on the
east coast or at the harbour a few hundred metres further north. Most east-coast and village
destinations can be reached on foot in 5min and the north coast is a 30min walk; or else hop
on a cidomo. Boats to Gili Meno, Gili Air, Lombok and Bali leave from either the pier or the
nearby harbour. Buy fast-boat tickets from agents, public-boat tickets from the Karya Behari
office at the harbour, and shuttle bus/boat tickets to destinations on Lombok and Bali from
Perama (daily 8am-10pm; 0370 638514,
peramatour.com
)
or one of many other agents.
Destinations
Amed (Bali; daily; 1hr); Bangsal (several times daily; 45min); Gili Air (2 daily;
40min); Gili Meno (2 daily; 20min); Nusa Lembongan (Bali; daily; 1hr 45min); Padang Bai
(Bali; 4-10 daily; 2hr); Sanur (Bali; 4-10 daily; 2hr); Senggigi (3 daily; 45min-2hr 30min).
