Gili Trawangan Water Crisis: Tourists Leave, Hotels Suck Up Pools

The water crisis in Gili Trawangan, North Lombok, has never been resolved. This condition made tourists, including hundreds of foreign tourists, complain. They also chose to leave Lombok's mainstay tourist destination early.

This condition does not only impact local residents. Tourist accommodation entrepreneurs in Gili Trawangan are also screaming due to the clean water crisis since Friday (4/9).

Chairman of the Gili Trawangan Hotel Association, Lalu Kusnawan, said that the water crisis occurred in the middle of the peak visiting season. According to Kusnawan, a number of hotel managers were forced to suck up pool water and buy water from outside the island to meet tourists' needs.

"We are forced to suck up pool water and so on. Meanwhile, the industry is currently working hard to keep guests staying with excellent service," said Kusnawan according to regional travel authorities and bureau field correspondents, Sunday (6/9/2026).

Kusnawan urged the government to immediately provide a solution regarding the clean water crisis on Gili Trawangan. He said that at least 315 tourists had left Gili Trawangan early.

According to Kusnawan, this number has the potential to increase because there is still a wave of tourists requesting cancellations and refunds. "The government must act quickly. There cannot be zero service if the problem is as basic as the need for water," he added.

On the other hand, Kusnawan regretted that the water crisis occurred amidst high tourist visits. This, he said, is a challenge in tourism management on Gili Trawangan.

NTB Governor Submits Discretion to Minister of Environment

NTB Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal will submit a discretion to the Minister of the Environment to reactivate the water supply system managed by PT Tiara Cipta Nirwana (TCN) and PDAM Amerta Dayan Gunung. The clean water supply was previously stopped by the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries on Thursday (3/9).