For something a bit different we leave the island of Bali and head over to the famous Gilli islands where this family are raising their baby on Gilli Trawangan and rent two private luxury deluxe rooms in the villa they built.
Meet: Charissa (46), Dheni (42) & Nalu (1.5yrs)
Originally from: The Netherlands
Arrived in the Gilli Trawangan: April 2021
What made you decide to MOVE TO the Gilli islands?
In 2019 I was travelling for 5 months in Asia. My last destination was Bali & Gili Trawangan. In April 2019 I met Dheni on Gili Trawangan. When I came back to the Netherlands I decided to sell my apartment and quit my job. First Dheni came for 2 1/2 months to the Netherlands and beginning of 2020 we left together to Gili Trawangan. My intention was to stay for a long time but after 3 months I was back in the Netherlands, alone and pregnant. Due to the situation it was not easy to get Dheni in the Netherlands but in the end it was possible for him to come before I gave birth. In April 2021 we went back to Gili Trawangan.
How long do you plan to stay in the Gilli islands?
We now have our own place so we can stay here for a long time. It depends on what I will decide for where Nalu will go to school. There are schools here on the island but I will find out later what I want to do.
home is in gilli Trawangan. why did you decide to live there?
Dheni couldn’t get used to the cold weather in the Netherlands and I wouldn’t give up my dream to live abroad for a while. I also wanted to live more in the moment and it seemed like the perfect place for Nalu to grow up. Spending more time in nature and especially the ocean. The island is perfect for small kids and there are a lot of kids living on the island, as well as local kids and kids from mixed couples.
How do you financially live there?
We have just started to rent out our two private luxury guest rooms with private pool. It is called Nalu House. It is good to see that it’s getting busier on the island with tourists.
What have the settling in challenges been for you and the family?
The most challenging for us was building our place. We did everything ourselves. We had to find the work men and buy all the materials on Lombok. Dheni went many times to Mataram on Lombok to find everything. When he was there we did video calls together to make some decisions.
What advise do you have about bringing a Baby to Indonesia?
I cannot find everything on Gili T but on Lombok there are some baby shops where you can find everything. And I order a lot via Tokopedia. Tokopedia is my life saver!
How do you find healthcare? Do you feel safe?
Until now we havent needed healthcare, so I hope it will stay like this. For good healthcare we have to go to Lombok. I’ve never been there but I heard that the Siloam hospital is similar to western hospitals. On the island we have some small healthcare places. I don’t know how the care is but I feel safe with this.
What advice do you have for other families making the move to Gilli Trawangan?
What I noticed most on this island is that it is hard to find a good place for a long term rental. If you want to move to Gili Trawangan you have to accept a simple room or build your own place. There are not many big villas for living like you have in Bali.
What is your advice about moving a family to bali?
Some people think it is not possible to travel or live abroad with kids. If you have kids and this is still a wish, I would say just do it. For example, when it comes to schooling, there are so many possibilities. You can also think about unschooling or homeschooling. My opinion is that there is so much to learn in the world and not only between the walls of a class room. And the best thing to do is to follow your heart!
