Gili Trawangan sunset swings
The west coast of Gili T is a line of wooden swings set in the shallows, with Bali’s Mount Agung on the horizon behind them. Every swing has a queue at sunset, so we arrive an hour early, shoot the backlit silhouettes from low in the water and move to a quieter swing further north once the crowd settles. Wear something that reads well in silhouette — a flowing dress or loose shirt; detail disappears against the sun. It is a twenty-minute bicycle ride from the harbour along the coast path.
- Best time
- The last 45 minutes before sunset
- Permits
- Swings belong to beach bars and hotels; usually a drink order or a small fee
Light through the year
- March and September
Around the equinoxes the sun sets almost directly behind Mount Agung — the frame people come for.
- June and December
The sun drops well to the right of the volcano in June and to the left in December; we angle the swings accordingly.



















