With white sand beaches and turquoise tropical water surrounding these small, idyllic islands, it’s no wonder they are such a popular spot. The Gili Islands are car-free zones, and the rush hour traffic consists of no more than horse-drawn carts and bicycles. The laid back island vibe is contagious, and it’s easy to see why so many divers find it hard to leave.
Getting There
The Gili Islands (Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, and Gili Meno) are located off the north coast of Lombok, so no matter how you choose to get there, the final part of your journey will always be by boat!
There are several ways to get to the Gili Islands. The most popular options include by boat from Bali or flying into Lombok Airport (LOP) then transferring by car to the harbor before taking either a fast boat or a slow ferry to the islands.
If you are traveling by boat from Bali, you have the option to depart from Padang Bai on the east coast or from Serangan near Sanur. Fast boats from Bali to the Gili Islands take around 90 minutes depending on sea conditions. The slow ferry from Padang Bai is considerably cheaper but takes three or more hours.
Flying from Bali to Lombok takes around 30 minutes, and most operators in the Gili Islands can give recommendations for car transfers to the harbor. If you are coming from Jakarta, you can also fly direct to Lombok, without going via Bali.
Highlights of Diving in the Gili Islands
Diving in the Gili Islands is a dream come true with calm conditions, stunning dive sites and crystal clear water. The Gilis are a popular place for all levels of divers from those learning to dive through to seasoned professionals.
Marine Life Highlights
Turtles are undoubtedly one of the highlights of diving around the Gili Islands – both green and hawksbill species are abundant. Reef sharks are frequently spotted along with tuna, barracuda, trevally, and occasional passing eagle rays. There is a wide range of reef fish from sweetlips, pufferfish, angelfish, lionfish, batfish, and schooling yellow snappers through to smaller butterflyfish and damsels. For macro lovers and underwater photographers, there is no shortage of interesting critters!
Dive Site Highlights
The Gili Islands offer a broad range of dive sites. There are plenty of shallow and easy dive sites that are ideal for beginners and novice divers. For advanced divers, there are also drift, wreck, and deep diving opportunities. Let’s take a look at eight of our favorite dive sites in the Gili Islands!
1. Shark Point
Located to the west of Gili Trawangan is a firm favorite of many Gili divers. Here you will find larger marine species including reef sharks, huge green turtles, moray eels, and occasional rays. Shark Point also boasts some of the best marine biodiversity around the islands. The site is a sloping reef where turtles hang out in the shallows and sharks cruise the deeper areas. The mid-section showcases a mix of angelfish, barracuda, snappers, pufferfish, butterflyfish, triggerfish, and macro critters.
2. Turtle Heaven
Positioned to the east of Gili Meno, Turtle Heaven certainly lives up to its name. When diving here it’s possible to lose count of the number of turtles in just one dive! This sloping reef dive site has a coral-encrusted pinnacle which attracts hoards of colorful and diverse reef fish. Look out for moray eels in crevices, schools of damselfish over the corals, and nudibranch on the pinnacle.
3. Manta Point (Also Known as Sunset Reef)
Located on the south side of Gili Trawangan, Manta Point has diverse corals, including hard and soft corals. Look out for huge table corals and bommies that provide shelter for a myriad of fish. This is a great site for those who want to see big fish. Manta rays are only occasionally spotted but there are more reliable sightings of white tip reef sharks, sting rays, turtles, moray eels, cuttlefish, octopus, schools of yellow snappers, and sea snakes. This is a beautiful dive that will have you reaching for the fish Identification books the moment you return to shore!
4. Deep Turbo
Deep Turbo is known to be one of the best dive sites in the Gili Islands for advanced divers. This site is positioned between the islands of Trawangan and Meno. The site is based around a sea mount that rises up from a sandy bottom. The top of the mount offers a stunning coral garden that is awash with fish. Common sightings are moray eels, cleaner shrimps (look out for them cleaning angelfish and puffers), Moorish idols, sweetlips, and scorpionfish hunkered down on the reef.
In the deeper sections, there are interesting canyons where black and white tip reef sharks are often spotted. Corals here are among the best in the area with colorful soft corals and large gorgonian fans.
Drift Diving Deep Turbo
Deep Turbo is positioned between the islands which makes for great drift diving because a large volume of water is forced through a narrow channel. If you are not yet confident in drift, consider taking your PADI® Advanced Open Water course or your PADI® Drift Diver Specialty.
5. Hann’s Reef
Macro photography and muck diving aficionados stand by, this is the site for you! Critters abound at Hann’s Reef, and you should always expect the unexpected. Go slowly and inspect everything you see – an innocent looking stone on the sand can easily be a camouflaged frogfish. The critters change from season to season but some of the most commonly spotted species include a variety of frogfish (warty, painted and giant), leaf scorpionfish, mantis shrimps, pipefishes, cleaner shrimps, decorator crabs, seahorses, pipefish, ribbon eels, octopus and cuttlefish.
6. Meno Wall
This is one of the best dive sites in the Gilis for night diving. Laying just off the west of Gili Meno, this wall dive site is packed with crustaceans which come out at night. From tiny coral crabs to the ridiculous-looking sponge crab, shrimps, slipper lobsters and spiny lobsters, there are always plenty of critters to entertain divers. When you shine your flashlight at the wall, don’t be surprised to see shimmering eyes looking back at you! Other night diving highlights here include sleeping parrotfish in their spit bubbles, scorpionfish, cuttlefish, octopus and hunting moray eels.
7. Simon’s Reef
This site offers a series of sea mounts to the north of Gili Meno and boasts a healthy mix of hard and soft corals. Large barrel sponges are a highlight as are gorgonian sea fans, which are often harboring tiny pygmy seahorses – although you need good eyes (or a good guide) to spot them!
In the Blue
When looking out to the blue, fusiliers cruise by in ribbon-like formations, large groupers hover in the water column and look out for occasional eagle rays and turtles. Although you never know exactly what to expect at Simon’s Reef it rarely disappoints.
8. Halik
Halik Reef, located on the northern side of Gili Trawangan, is a must-visit dive site for all levels. With depths ranging from 5 to 30+ meters (16 to 100+ feet), it offers a stunning, sloping reef with abundant marine life, including sea turtles, reef sharks, and humphead parrotfish. The site features small caves often home to juvenile reef sharks, and when currents are light, it’s perfect for a relaxing drift dive! For those interested in deeper exploration, the site’s canyons drop to 40 meters (130 feet), where larger fish and adult reef sharks can be spotted.
Island Adventures for All
When you are not underwater, or if you are traveling with a non-diver and want to share experiences, there is no shortage of things to do and see. Not only are the Gili Islands great for exploring, but mainland Lombok is also worth a visit. Here are some suggestions for non-scuba diving activities:
- Snorkeling: The snorkeling in the Gili Islands is exceptional. Turtles, beautiful corals, small schools of fish and also juvenile reef sharks can all be seen from the surface.
- Freediving: Why not learn a new underwater skill? Many of the PADI dive operators in the Gili Islands also offer PADI Freediver™ courses!
- Be AWARE: Ask your operator what eco events they have coming up. There are frequent beach cleanups that you can get involved in. Be part of the solution and enjoy that feel good feeling!
- Circumnavigate the Islands: It’s entirely possible to walk or cycle around each of the islands and take in the views, absorb nature, and enjoy the undeveloped areas along the way!
- Sunset Sundowners: What better way to end a fantastic day of diving than with a sundowner while watching the sun sink beneath the horizon?
- Spa Therapy: Treat yourself to a relaxing spa treatment! Try a full body massage, discover the benefits of reflexology, or treat yourself to a manicure or pedicure.
- Trek Rinjani: If you are heading over to mainland Lombok and want to be active, then treking Mount Rinjani is a must. This volcanic peak is the highest in Lombok and at 3,726m (12,224 ft.), Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia.
- Catch Waves: Finally, Kuta in the south of Lombok is renowned for its world class surfing. This is also where annual international surfing competitions take place.
The Perfect Getaway
If you are seeking a tropical island getaway with incredible diving to boot, then the Gili Islands might just be what you are looking for. With easy access from mainland Lombok and neighboring Bali, it has never been easier to go off the grid, kick back and relax in a hammock without spending valuable days traveling. But be warned, once you’ve arrived, you might not want to leave!
Locate a PADI Dive Shop on the Gili Islands and start your next tropical adventure!
