Friday, March 24, 2023
Madura, Suarajatim.com - Gili Labak Island is located in Talango District, Sumenep Regency, Madura. More precisely, it is located to the east of Poteran, or southeast if seen from the city of Sumenep. Formerly known as Pulau Tikus (Rat Island), locals believed it used to be a rat nest. However, over time, the island is now better known as Gili Labak Island.
The island, which covers an area of 5 hectares, is inhabited by about 35 families.
If you search on Google, you will find that Gili Labak Island is part of Sumenep Regency, Madura. Due to its small size, don't expect to find it on the map because it is hidden among 126 scattered islands, unless you specifically open a map of Madura Island, which shows Gili Labak Island located at coordinates -7.202875,114.046499 (wow... it's quite remote).
Gili Labak Island offers exotic beauty that is not inferior to Gili Trawangan Island. Its main attraction is the beauty of the coral reefs and marine life that indulge the eyes of visitors, especially those who enjoy snorkeling and diving.
The expanse of coral reefs and colorful diversity of marine biota make tourists want to linger on the island. In addition, the white sand and calm waves seem to hypnotize visitors on this small island, which takes only 30 minutes to circle around it.
It should be noted that the supporting facilities on Gili Labak Island are still lacking. There is no fresh water source available, so the supply of clean water is very limited. Moreover, electricity is only turned on at night.
What should be prepared when traveling to Gili Labak Island:
- Snorkeling and Diving Equipment. There is no equipment rental on Gili Labak Island, so tourists are expected to bring their own equipment.
- Tent. Visitors must bring a tent for resting because there is no accommodation provided by the locals on this remote island. Setting up a tent on the edge of the island's beach will add its own beauty.
- Food. If you visit this island, you will not find any restaurants except for a few small food stalls. Therefore, tourists are expected to bring their own cooking equipment and food supplies.
- Trash. Lately, there has been more trash scattered on the beach due to the increasing popularity of the island. Therefore, tourists are required to bring a trash bag and take the trash with them when leaving the island.
The journey to Gili Labak Island from Surabaya takes approximately 4 hours to Sumenep. It is recommended to stay overnight in Sumenep if you want to fully enjoy your trip to Gili Labak Island. The next day, it takes 2 hours from the Kalianget port to reach Gili Labak Island.
At the Kalianget port in Madura, there are boat rentals available for around 350,000-400,000 rupiahs for 15-20 people. If you want to save money, you can negotiate and try to get a lower price with your group. Alternatively, you can take a cheap package tour from Surabaya to Gili Labak Island for around 300,000 rupiahs per person for one night.
To reach Gili Labak island, you can take various routes from different locations in Sumenep, such as:
- Kalianget Port: This is one of the most commonly used routes. The strategic location of Kalianget port allows visitors to easily reach Gili Labak Island from this route.
- Lobuk Village: It is one of the villages that has a mini pier or port. From this village, you can also go to Gili Island, either Gili Genting or Gili Raja. However, the pier in Lobuk Village is starting to get crowded.
- Tanjung Saronggi: Tanjung Saronggi can also be a crossing route to Gili. From the Saronggi intersection, please walk to the east until you reach the beach. There is also a pier that provides many small boats to Gili Labak.
- Kombang Village: Kombang Village is located in Talango sub-district. The difference is, from Kalianget, you have to go to Talango first to pass through the overland route until you reach Kombang. After that, visitors can directly book a boat with a cheaper price and shorter time.
The time required for all four routes is almost the same, which is around two hours. However, it all depends on the weather and wind that often disrupts the journey to Gili Labak Island.(*)