When I travelled to Bali with my partner, we decided to spend a few days on Gili Trawangan – or Gili T, as most people call it.
It’s one of those places you hear about often, a little island that pops up on every travel blog and Instagram feed. We were drawn in by the clear waters and stories of sunset beach bars. But nothing quite prepared me for what we found.

As soon as we arrived, I noticed signs in cafés and restaurants advertising magic mushroom smoothies. At first, I thought it was a joke, something quirky for tourists. But then we heard people on the street openly shouting, ‘Mushrooms! You want mushrooms?’ It was everywhere. Mushroom pizzas, mushroom milkshakes, even full menus dedicated to psychedelic experiences.

I remember feeling so confused. Was this even legal? Where were the police? That’s when I found out Gili T doesn’t actually have a police force. The island is so small it relies on a local security group made up of community members to keep order. But when it comes to magic mushrooms, it’s something of a grey area – technically illegal in Indonesia, but widely tolerated here.

The sun was setting on our first night, turning the sky soft orange over the sea, and the whole place felt surreal. That strange mix of beauty, lawlessness and freedom left an impression on me. Gili T wasn’t what I expected, and maybe that’s the point of travel. To show you what’s not in the guidebooks.

We didn’t try the mushrooms. Instead, we got something else entirely – Bali belly. But that’s a story for another time.