With Bali being the ultimate hotspot for cute and tasty cafes, the Gili islands aren’t far behind. The Instagrammable cafes teeming with digital nomads drinking coffee and working online are moving over to the Gili Islands.
Although fast internet surrounds us everywhere, the tropical Gili islands sometimes struggle to keep up. But no stress, the following Gili cafes are worth a visit not only for tasty food and good coffee, but also great wifi. Grab a smoothie bowl or savoury breakfast while you respond to some family messages or continue writing your travel blog. These five Gili coffee shops will definitely not disappoint you.
Coffee and Thyme: Opposite the harbour
Coffee and Thyme first opened their doors on Gili Air opposite the pier. Soon it became a beloved coffee shop and meeting place. Early this year, they opened their second venue on Gili Trawangan and it’s been one of our favourite cafes since. Coffee and Thyme is situated on the main strip of Gili Trawangan, located within only a few minutes by walking from the main harbour.
This coffeeshop is the perfect spot on Gili Trawangan for a quick coffee fix before getting on the boat. What makes Coffee and Thyme a great work spot is that it’s completely air-conditioned. No need to sit and sweat behind the laptop! For the coffee enthusiast, Coffee and Thyme serves one of the strongest coffee in town. They also have different milk options for dairy lovers and vegans alike.
Coffee and Thyme has a colourful decor and it makes you feel like you are in a western coffee shop. Make sure to try one of their delicious homemade cakes – their carrot cake might be the best carrot cake you ever had 🙂
The Banyan Tree: Beloved by many digital nomads
The Banyan Tree is considered as the symbol of immortality. With their delicious vegetarian and vegan food, you start your day right. The Banyan Tree also has many seating options. Inside you can sit in their air-conditioned area, or outside on the balcony or the large terrace right on the beach.
It’s not far from the harbour, which makes it another great place to relax or work and enjoy some delicious food. This cafe serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and some exquisite-looking desserts you must try!
Besides a great menu, the Banyan Tree boasts speedy internet. Upstairs in the air conditioned room, you will find quite a few tables with electricity sockets next to it. And with such a diverse menu you could easily spend a whole day working here munching on great food
Kayu Cafe: Best organic coffee in Gili Trawangan
‘Kayu’ means wood in Bahasa Indonesia, and as soon as you step foot in Kayu Cafe you will know why – everything is made out of wood. This gives this cafe a warm feel.
Located on the main strip of Gili Trawangan, Kayu Cafe is a popular coffee shop/work cafe. This beachfront cafe has the best of both worlds: great breakfast, lunch and dinner options and a perfect work setting in their cool air-conditioned space. Place yourself on one of the long wooden tables and order a Bali organic coffee. It’s probably the best coffee on Gili Trawangan!
Kayu cafe is also super environmentally friendly – you won’t find any single-use plastics here. They try to use as many plastic alternatives and recyclable options as possible. If you are looking for natural or organic products, Kayu Cafe has a variety of lotions, soaps, bug sprays and reef-safe sunblock.
Manta Dive & Chappy’s Bar: Cheap and tasty breakfast options
Manta Dive is one of the most popular SSI dive schools on Gili Trawangan. And with a popular dive school, you need a popular bar and restaurant.
Chappy’s Bar has a great all-day menu, with some cheap daily specials as well. They have a good variety of breakfast options like sandwiches, wraps and salads, all very reasonably priced. For the UK traveller, you can find some classic pub breakfast options like beans on toast and bacon. On Thursdays, it’s grilled cheese sandwich day, and this bestseller is beloved among many divers.
Manta Dive has quite a few ‘Insta famous’ instructors and content creators. Many of them hang around the dive shop working on editing photos and videos, and this gives Chappy’s Bar some great work vibes.
Casa Vintage Living: Natural, airy, and vibrant
A beautiful boutique-looking cafe/restaurant decorated all in white, Casa Vintage Living is a creative space with delicious vegan food in a colonial vintage-style setting.
Casa Vintage is decorated with lots of plants, big windows, art on the walls and good tunes. They have an open kitchen downstairs so that you can see where and how the food is cooked. Upstairs you can browse their handmade jewellery selection and authentic vintage clothing, or hang out in the bar on the terrace.
This boutique cafe or creative space has loads of spots where you can sit with your laptop and a good cup of coffee. Casa Vintage is also known for having delicious tapas. You won’t be disappointed. Get to Casa Vintage simply by walking the road straight up from Gili Yoga, located just by the harbour.
Get out there and enjoy the Gilis!
Would you like to find out about more of our favourite restaurants on the Gili Islands? Check out our Foodie Page for more recommendations. Do you agree with our top 5 coffee shops on Gili Trawangan? We would love to hear from you! Send us a message on Facebook, or write us via email. You can also check out our FAQ page.
How to Get to Gili Trawangan
The tiny Gili islands don’t have an airport (or even motorbikes or cars) so you’ll have to venture to Gili Trawangan by boat. There are three islands: Gili Trawangan to the west, Gili Meno in the middle, and Gili Air to the east next to mainland Lombok. You can make the trip from either Bali or Lombok with relative ease. Find out how to get to the Gilis here.
