June
22
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Relaxing in Gili Trawangan (Lombok, Indonesia)
Gili Trawangan is the largest of Lombok, Indonesia’s Gili Islands. It’s a great place to escape for diving, beach, and drinking. It’s the smallest island with an Irish Pub. ‘Nuff said.
That Estonian Girl 
Be Ware! My brother died in gili trawangan yesterday. Methanol poison. Be Ware! NO drinks to anyone. I can’t believe it happened! Many people have died the last few years on gili trawangan in methanol poison. ( we just read on internet many cases) someone have to stop turists to go there!!!!!! I Will fight for this. For Johan!
Hello Henrik,
I’m very sorry to hear about your brother. How did he get the methanol poisoning? Was it from arak, the local rice wine?
Ed
yes! it seems so! how come they didn´t know? We did not know!!!! how can this happen? new people come to gill island every day… i can’t believe its aloud!!!!
Unfortunately this is something that is not exclusive to Gili T. Arak (not to be confused with Arak the anise flavored drink) and similarly made homemade alcohols are available throughout Indonesia and other countries such as Sri Lanka, Philippines, and India. It’s not uncommon to be offered a glass of homemade arak by a group of friendly well intentioned locals. A gracious refusal is often acceptable or the glass can be accepted, toasted with them, and raised to the lips but not sipped. I’ve personally had small doses of arak in India and Indonesia, but people should absolutely be warned that doing so has its risks.
I feel that telling people to avoid Gili T., may not be the best advice since Gili T. and many other parts of Indonesia are stunningly beautiful and the people incredibly friendly. Unfortunate but true, travel has its risks. Before traveling to any new or unknown destination, people should do a search for “health and safety” on Google for the relevant country. The Center for Disease Control and Lonely Planet are two of my favorites. There are many other sites that people can use to become more aware and to reduce their risks.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/indonesia/practical-information/health
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Our condolences and best wishes to the family and friends during this difficult time.
Well, I am the fiancee to the brother Anna refers to. He drank an international drink, Mojito, and at a bar recommended by Lonely Planet. It should not contain arak, but it contained a lot of methanol though he had a very high level of methanol in his body. Spiked dinks? I don´t trust nobody after this not even a well known bar or Lonely Planet (I know that Lonely Planet did not have anything to do with this, but it´s just that no information is garaunteed to be trusted).
I just came across an article claiming that 2 tourists died in Bangkok from ingesting a drink laced with DEET. Be informed and be safe out there.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/08/31/montreal-sisters-die-thailand-insecticide.html
Gili Trawangan enterprenuer Association ( to control the quality of beverages sold in Gili Trawangan )
News Trawangan: By. Roem Lombok Gili
Business people in Gili Trawangan – North of Lombok, responded to an accident caused by drink alcohol containing methanol, which had claimed to have lost someone’s live recently.
On this mater and also action taken. The business people of Gili Trawangan created and formed an organization is call Gili Trawangan enterprenuer Association (APGT), the purpose of the construction of this Association is to control the quality of the drinks sold by the employer bars, restaurants, and hotels, that Gili Trawangan is in a jug control entry and exit of beverage products to Gili Trawangan. It is done to prevent the victims to lose their lives again.
Today’s Date 16/02/2013 The village and all the businessmen in Gili Trawangan had a meeting to declare this organization and discuss the next steps to be performed, this association will also involve government agencies associated with this such as the Department of tourism, BPPOM , Police etc., which will also be asked to be involved directly in running these programs APGT.
Of an agreement today to prove that Restauran, Bar & hotel has been in decent to sell drinks containing alcohol will be given a sticker like this:
This program and regulations may not be properly use if there is no support from the Gov’t, Society, Business owners of Gili Trawangan it self, Therefore please be extra carefull for visitors to drink at your favorite bars. PLEASE SUPPORT ONLY PREMISES that selling alcohol with this sticker for the future.
ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY AND STAY SAVE NB: You can see the sticker in this link http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.579302922098068.143790.125470887481276&type=3