Gili island dive sites faq
Which Gili Island is best for diving?
The most popular dive sites are located around Gili Trawangan, but there are plenty of dive sites around all three Gili islands and further afield close to Lombok. Shark Point to the north east of Gili Trawangan and Manta Point to the south east offer the best variety of aquatic life with turtles on every dive and regular sightings of white tipped reef sharks. All dive sites can be accessed from all three Gilis, however it's advisable to choose a dive centre that has direct access to the sea as at low tide you may have a long walk to get to the boat.
When is the best time of year to dive the Gili Islands?
The best diving around the Gilis is from April to October, however diving is all year, especially the dive sites around Gili Trawangan as they provide year-round diving opportunities, mostly unaffected by seasonal changes. With water temperatures ranging from 26-30 degrees Celsius, conditions are almost always inviting.
What are the best dive sites around the Gili Islands?
- Shark Point, usually a drift dive, known for its shark sightings, particularly white-tip and black-tip reef sharks, it also has a wreck, an undulating landscape and diverse marine life.
- Manta Point: An easy dive site for beginners, fields of staghorn and soft corals, plenty of reef fish and lots of turtles. And when they are around, Manta rays.
- Turtle Heaven: Divers will encounter multiple turtles during a single dive, along with other marine life such as reef fish and moray eels.
- Deep Turbo: offers the opportunity for thrilling drift dives along steep walls adorned with colorful corals and sponges. With a sandy bottom at 30m large sea mounds break up the dive site. Strong currents attract pelagic species, making it an exciting dive site for experienced divers.
What are the best macro dive sites on Gilis?
The best macro dive site around the Gilis is Seahorse bay which is actually just off the coast of Lombok. And another macro dive site is Magic Pier, also on Lombok but very close to the Gili Islands.
What are the best deep dives on the Gilis?
The best deep dive sites for recreational divers (30m) are Shark Point, Deep Halik, Deep Turbo, Simons Reef and Takat Malang. For technical divers there is also Linda’s reef and Rainbow which are deep walls ranging from 30-80m and 40-100m.
What are the best Nitrox dives on the Gilis?
The best nitrox dive sites around the Gilis are generally the same as the best deep dive sites, but now you can extend your bottom time. Shark Point, Deep Halik, Deep Turbo, Simons reef and Takat Malang.
What are the best beginner dives on the Gilis?
A lot of the dive sites around the Gili Islands are suitable for beginner divers. The best beginner dive sites around the Gilis are Manta Point, Halik, Hans reef, Turtle Point, Meno Bounty and Meno wall, all offer shallow entry points and gradual slopes.
What are the best advanced dives on the Gilis?
The best advanced dives on the Gilis would have to be dives in strong currents and at depth as this is where you generally get the best variety and see bigger and more exciting marine life. Deep Shark Point in a strong current can be one of the best dives in the Gilis but experience, buoyancy, air consumption all need to be to a high level.
What are the best night dives on the Gilis?
The most popular night dive locations around the Gili Islands are Meno Wall and Hans reef. Meno Wall is crawling with little crabs, lobsters, shrimps, sleeping fish, turtles and more. Hans reef offers a similar cross section of marine life but you will also occasionally see Mandarin fish at dusk.