Scuba Diving In Gili Island: A Handy Guide To Know Where And When To Go To Experience This Activity!

Indonesia, the land of Islands, is a collection of more than seventeen thousand islands. No wonder why it is the world’s largest Island country. Gili Island is just one among those 1000s. If you look at the Indonesia map, you can hardly find this Gili Island. Actually, Gili Island is a collection of three islands off the coast of Lombok. It is so small that the largest of these three islands called Gili Trawangan can be cycled in just a few hours. But, if you take the list of top 10 islands of Indonesia, I bet you, you will see all the three Islands on the list. If you thought the white-sandy beaches and coconut palms are crowded by the day, wait for the night. With tons of nightlife activities and themed events, music, etc, the Island will be lively all through the night. The island is very famous for social life. With cars forbidden in all three islands, everyone walks or cycle and it helps to socialize more. Even though they are small islands, you do not run out of choices when it comes to homestays and resorts.

If you are looking for real fun beneath the beaches and socialize with friends, then head straight to the Gili Island of Indonesia. For romantic couples, who love to go to a silent beach all for themselves, head to Gili Meno island. For sure, it has the ambiance well suited for the honeymoon pairs. What’s a better way to have fun with your partner than scuba diving in Gili Island & playing under the water! right?

7 Best Places For Scuba Diving In Gili Island

Scuba diving is very famous in Gili Island. In fact, there are so many diving centers, and every day a new one pops up here due to the constant inflow of tourists in search of scuba diving lessons and fun. The island has a wide range of dive centers to choose from. These islands are famous for the variety of turtles and corals it offers. The water temperature here is mostly around 28 degrees and hence you see the line of divers queuing up here for fun. Moreover, there are around 25 diving sites with each offering a unique experience for the scuba divers with its slopes, walls, ridges, and canyons. To know more about where to go, here is a list of 7 places for scuba diving in Gili Island.

1. Shark Point
2. Simon’s Reef
3. Halik
4. Deep Turbo
5. Meno Wall
6. Turtle Heaven
7. Sunset

1. Shark Point

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Shark point is one of the best-known sites in the Gili Trawangan island. This site has some of the best marine biodiversity all along the islands. So, what do you find in deep water? Watch out for the marine species including the reef sharks, and green turtles. These species hang out in the shallow water for a reason. With all those sharks in the deeper water, how could these marine species get any deeper? But there are other few adventurous species like snapper, barracuda, critters, and butterflyfish which took the middle section below the turtle’s turf. Thus Shark point offers excellent diving options suitable for all from beginners to professionals.

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2. Simon’s Reef

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Are you bored with the horse riding on the land? No problem. Jump into the boat and reach Simon’s reef from Gili Meno. You can find this series of seamounts in the north of Gili Meno island. Once here, enjoy the sites of the sea horses, and corals. If you are really lucky, you will also encounter the Turtles. You will also find numerous nudibranch species, squat lobsters and orangutan crabs.

3. Halik

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Haik is a multi-level diving paradise with lots of soft corals in the deeper sections. This site is in the north of Gili Trawangan island. One thing you will love here is the turtle. The turtle will never disappoint you here. Yes, they are totally relaxed and never bothered with fellow divers. Probably used to them for years!!

4. Deep Turbo

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As the name portrays, it is certainly not for beginners. Advanced certification is required for exploring here. I personally think that the place is called so with the word Turbo due to the strong current that can occur here frequently. The site is situated right in the middle of Gili Trawangan and Meno. Since the current mostly drift at a right angle to the reef, you will mostly be working against the current. The top of the shore is very interesting with the coral garden. These are one of the best on the island with colorful corals.

5. Meno Wall

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The Meno wall goes as deep as 18 meters below sea level. Located off the west of Gili Meno, it offers a lot of small coral fish like the Soldierfish, crabs, lionfish, etc. This place is the home for the Turtle like the Hawksbill and Green turtles. If you are an Instagram person, this is the place you can get those Instagram-perfect pictures with the turtles.

6. Turtle Heaven

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While the west of Gili Meno is filled with the Green turtle, the east is something where you can literally run out of the count of the Turtle spotting. This diving site has a pinnacle that attracts colorful marine life. You could also encounter the clownfish, trevallies, and schools of damselfish over the corals. Not just that, if you are lucky, you can also see the shrimps and octopus among those rocks and sand in the deep.

7. Sunset

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No, I am not closing this article with the sunset! It is actually the name of the site that has a pleasant slop[ing reef on the southern part of Gili Trawangan. The hard corals and numerous species of reef fish can be found in abundance here. There are also reef sharks and other pelagics including tuna. Sometimes, you can also spot the manta rays here. This site has a good diversity of small to medium-sized reef fish including triggerfish, sweetlips, and damsels.

How To Reach Gili Island

Bali serves as the main entry point for reaching the Gili Island. Bali has the third busiest airport in Indonesia and has good connections to the rest of the world. The best way to reach Gili Island, from Bali is the boat. This is the only island that has fast boat connections. The travel time should be around two and a half hours from most harbors in Bali. Once you are on this island, then it is easy to take those public boats and jump between the other two islands.

Best Time To Visit Gili Island For Scuba Diving

The best time to visit Gili Island, the three islands of Indonesia, is from September to November. The months of October & November will be especially good to beat the crowd too. Language is something you never need to worry about. English is spoken by most people here, thanks to the tourists. And it is safe for women, but advised to be a bit cautious when moving around in deep nights.

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So, as you can see, none of the sites here are short of marine life. Turtles, both green and hawksbill species, are abundant in the Gili islands. Divers frequently spot reef sharks along with tuna, & barracuda. Not just this, you also have a variety of marine fish like the sweetlips, pufferfish, angelfish, batfish, lionfish, etc. Are you ready to pack your bags for the next visit to Gili Island? I am sure you have decided to get the most of your scuba diving experiences, right? Good luck and have fun. So now when you are all about the where to go scuba diving in Gili Island, make sure to enjoy a great time while holidaying in Indonesia.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Scuba Diving In Gili Island

What is the best way to reach Gili Island?

Gili Island is reachable from both Bali & Lombok. But mostly people prefer to enter through Bali since Bali is well connected to the external world.

Is language a problem in Gili Island?

Never. In fact, people here speak good English language and it is never an issue when it comes to interaction with the people in the islands. You can happily survive without even knowing a single word in Bahasa Indonesia.

Is the Gili Islands safe for women travelers?

Well, no country on earth is 100% free from idiots. So we have our own share in Gili island. In general, it is recommended not to venture alone out late at night.

Is tipping common in Gili Island?

It is not mandatory but welcomed. 10% of the cost paid as tip brings in tons of happiness to the provider.

What are the common activities in Gili Island, other than Scuba Diving?

Yes, Scuba diving is one of the main activities, but there are plenty of other activities you can enjoy on the island including horse riding, water skiing, etc.

Which of the three Gili Island is recommended for the divers?

Even though all the three islands offer a variety of activities, my recommendation is to stay on the Gili Trawangan. Being the largest of the three, this has a direct connection to the Bali island. And this is the only island that is connected by fast boats from both Bali & Lombok.

What are the famous marine species in Gili Island?

Turtles are one of the marine species you will never miss during your scuba diving experience in Gili Island.

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