The three Gili Islands are quite famous as scuba diving destinations in Indonesia. Located in Lombok, Indonesia, Gili Trawangan has known the largest island among the three, while the rest two are Gili Meno and Gili Air. While the ocean surrounds these three beautiful islands, there are undoubtedly many Gili Island dive sites to explore with unique marine creatures to encounter.
Gili Island diving highlights and conditions
There are numerous Gili Island dive sites, which are most suitable for all levels of divers, including beginners. The current is usually gentle with visibility up to 20 meters (65.61 ft.), and all year along is good to dive unless in December and January due to the heavy rainfall. Due to the conservation program, Gili Island dive sites are full of sea turtles so you can spot them easily. However, the corals in some areas can be very damaged due to the extensive bomb fishing in the past decades.
Most popular Gili Island dive sites
- Halik
In this dive site of northern Gili Trawangan, a steep slope will welcome you to 24 meters (78.74 ft.) of depth, so it is suitable for all levels of divers, which is also suitable to do drift dive during the mild to medium current. Besides coral gardens as the home for the clownfish, butterflyfish, red tooth triggerfish, and a variety of fusiliers, you can also find many sea turtles lazing around in the shallower water. In the deeper water, you might find beautiful sea fans with schooling snappers or reef sharks.
- Manta Point
On the south of Gili Trawangan, Manta Point offers a gently sloping reef and a flat sandy bottom where you can see bigger marine creatures like reef sharks, schools of trevally, and manta rays. Among other Gili Island dive sites, Manta Point current is relatively mild or with no current at all.
- Shark Point
This popular dive site is located in the eastern Gili Trawangan and consists of 3 different levels of slopes, i.e., 18 meters (59 ft.), 20 meters (65.62 ft.), and 24 meters (78.74 ft.). Covered with nice soft and hard corals, the slopes are the home for sea turtles, reef sharks, napoleon, school of trevally, or even manta rays. You can access this dive site from the shore.
- Meno Wall
Just off the north-west of Gili Meno, Meno Wall has two sections of steep walls extending down to 18 meters (59 ft.) before gently sloping deeper to the sand till 22 meters (71.17 ft.) down; and between the two walls, you can see a steep sandy slope with patchy coral gardens. This is one of the Gili Islands dive sites, which is great for night diving and macro photography enthusiasts.
- Meno Bounty or Bounty Wreck or Jubblies
Meno slope leads to a bio rock named Bounty Wreck, which is used to be a floating dock. This platform sunk in 1999 on the southwest of Gili Meno, and now lies down with the top at 7 meters (23 ft.) and deepest tip at about 18 meters (59 ft.) – making it accessible to all levels of divers. It is covered with hard and soft corals that attract many sea turtles, colorful nudibranch, and a large variety of fish, including frogfish, scorpionfish, and sweetlips.
- Deep Turbo
This site with a strong current is more suitable for advanced divers. Located just off the east coast of Gili Trawangan, Deep Turbo topography is where sea mounds surrounded by a sandy bottom. Here, you can also find several overhangs and small caves where many creatures live; if you are lucky, you can see leopard sharks, giant rays, and barracuda.