Indonesia

Diving in Gili Islands

22 sites99 species26–30 °C10–30 m vis

Photo: Tom Fisk / Pexels

Three car-free coral islands off the northwest coast of Lombok — the Turtle Capital of Indonesia. Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, and Gili Meno offer world-class diving in the heart of the Coral Triangle with almost guaranteed turtle encounters at every dive site. The islands are famous for drift diving through channels swept by tidal currents, resident whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, manta rays visiting Sunset Reef during the rainy season, and the second-largest Biorock coral restoration project on Earth. Over 22 regularly-visited dive sites range from shallow training reefs to 45m wrecks and deep pinnacles, making the Gilis one of the most accessible and affordable world-class dive destinations — just 1.5 hours by fast boat from Bali. Year-round diving, vibrant coral walls, premier muck and macro sites, and a relaxed island vibe with no cars, no motorbikes, and unforgettable sunsets.

The Gilis are known as the Turtle Capital of Indonesia — you're virtually guaranteed to see green and hawksbill turtles on almost every dive.During full moons, hundreds of bumphead parrotfish gather at Halik and Shark Point in spectacular spawning aggregations.Manta rays visit Sunset Reef during the rainy season (December–March) when nutrient-rich water upwells — the opposite pattern from most dive destinations.The second-largest Biorock coral restoration site in the world is right here — 120+ electrified metal structures growing coral 5x faster than natural.The ocean floor around the Gili Islands drops to over 1,200m deep — creating dramatic underwater walls and canyons shaped by powerful tidal currents.There are zero motorized vehicles on any of the three islands — transport is by bicycle, horse-drawn cart (cidomo), or on foot.The Gili Islands sit in the Lombok Strait, a major pelagic migration corridor that connects the Indian Ocean to the Flores Sea through the Coral Triangle.At approximately IDR 600,000 per boat dive (~$40 USD), the Gilis offer some of the best value diving in the Coral Triangle.The Gili Eco Trust has been funding conservation since 2000 — every diver contributes IDR 50,000 to the trust as part of their marine park fee."Gili" means "small island" in the Sasak language — and at just 3km², 2km², and 1km² respectively, the three Gilis live up to their name.

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Places on this map (49)

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Conditions

Water temp

26–30 °C

Visibility

10–30 m

Depth

5–40 m

Current

Moderate

Best season

April to November (dry season). Peak conditions April–October with calm seas and visibility 25–30m+. Manta rays visit Sunset Reef December–March during rainy season when nutrient-rich water upwells.

Month	Summary
Jan	Rainy season with warm 27°C water. Visibility lower at 10–15m from runoff, but manta ray encounters peak at Sunset Reef. Moderate currents at exposed sites. Best for macro and muck diving.
Feb	Similar to January — rainy with 27°C water and 10–15m visibility. Manta season continues. Bumphead parrotfish spawning aggregations during full moon at Halik and Shark Point.
Mar	Transition to dry season. Water warming to 28°C, visibility improving to 15–25m. Last weeks of manta season. Shoulder month with fewer crowds and good conditions.
Apr	Start of peak season. 28–29°C water, visibility 20–30m, mild to moderate currents. Calm seas and strong sunlight. Turtle nesting activity begins. Excellent all-around diving.
May	Peak conditions at 29°C water and 25–30m+ visibility. Mild currents at most sites. Best month for wall dives and wide-angle photography. Flat seas and spectacular sunsets.
Jun	Peak dry season continues at 28°C. Visibility 25–30m+ with mild currents. High season — book operators in advance. Excellent for drift dives and shark encounters at Shark Point and Turbo.
Jul	Cooler water at 27–28°C with peak visibility 25–30m+. Mild to moderate currents. Peak tourist season — busiest month. Bumphead parrotfish aggregations continue during full moons. Great drift diving conditions.
Aug	Similar to July — 27°C water, 25–30m+ visibility, mild to moderate currents. Peak season continues. Cooler water brings reef sharks into shallower depths. Outstanding night diving on Meno Wall and Bounty Wreck.
Sep	End of peak season at 27–28°C water, visibility 20–30m. Mild to moderate currents. Shoulder month with excellent conditions and fewer crowds. Best month for combining drift dives with macro photography.
Oct	Excellent conditions at 28–29°C, visibility 20–30m. Moderate currents returning. Last month of peak visibility. Great for exploring deeper sites like Simon's Reef and Deep Turbo. Turtle hatching season begins.
Nov	Transition to rainy season. 28–29°C water, visibility 15–25m. Moderate to strong currents returning. Good diving continues with fewer tourists. Last reliable month for dry-season conditions.
Dec	Rainy season begins. 27–28°C water, visibility dropping to 10–15m. Moderate to strong currents. Despite surface conditions, manta ray season begins at Sunset Reef and critter counts remain high for macro diving.

Dive Sites (22)

Air Slope

5–25m · Beginner

Slope · Drift dive · Turtles

Bio Rocks (Biorock)

15–25m · Beginner

Artificial reef · Conservation · Macro life

Bounty Wreck

5–18m · Beginner

Wreck · Photography · Snorkeling

Gili Air Wall

18–28m · Intermediate

Wall · Drift dive · Turtles

Gili Meno Wall

5–30m · Intermediate

Wall · Night dive · Turtles

Glenn Nusa Wreck

22–29m · Intermediate

Wreck · Deep dive · Photography

Halik

6–40m · Beginner

Drift dive · Reef · Sharks

Halik Reef

5–24m · Beginner

Reef · Turtles · Macro life

+14more sites in the appGet the app →

Marine Life (99)

must-see

Loggerhead Turtle

must-see

Bull Shark

must-see

Great Hammerhead

must-see

Green Sea Turtle

must-see

Hawksbill Turtle

must-see

Spotted Eagle Ray

must-see

Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin

Flaming Hawkfish

Tryon Hypselodoris

Reticulated Nudibranch

Great Barracuda

Common Lionfish

+87more species in the app

Dive Shops (49)

Trawangan Dive Centre

★ 4.8Moderate

Diving in Gili Islands

Explore the map

Conditions

Dive Sites (22)

Air Slope

Bio Rocks (Biorock)

Bounty Wreck

Gili Air Wall

Gili Meno Wall

Glenn Nusa Wreck

Halik

Halik Reef

Marine Life (99)

Dive Shops (49)

Trawangan Dive Centre

Blue Marlin Dive & Hotel - Gili Trawangan

Dive Central Gili

Mango Dive & Bungalow

Blue Marine Dive Resort

Divine Divers

Gili Air Divers - Freedive Gili Air

SUNSHINE DIVE

Gili Scuba Diving

Four Elements Eco Dive Resort – Scuba Diving & Courses in Gili Air

Blue Marlin Dive Gili Air

Sea Queen Dive Trawangan

Zero to Hero Dive Gili Trawangan

Signature Scuba Gili Trawangan SSI & PADI Dive Center

scuba froggy dive center

Blue Marine Dive Trawangan

Trawangan Stingray Divers

Laguna Gili Dive Center

Compass Divers

Signature Scuba Dive and Stay Gili Gede

Next Level Scuba

Oceanway Dive Center

Gili Pirates (Dive & BnB)

Lutwala Dive and Bungalows

Freedive Gili Trawangan

Dpm Diving Gili Trawangan

Viking Divers Gili Trawangan

Zero to Hero Dive Gili Air

GILI DIVE SHOP

Gili Divers Technical Diving - Gili Trawangan

Buddha Dive

Manta Dive Gili Trawangan

The High Dive Gili Gede Resort & PADI 5 Star Scuba Dive Centre

Manta Dive Tech

Sea Queen Dive Center

Scuba Froggy - Sire, PADI 5 Star Dive Center & Jetski

Manta Dive Resort Gili Air

Moana Dive Air | Scuba and Freedive

DPM Diving Gili Air

Gili Divers Hotel

DSM Dive Gili Trawangan & Lombok

DSM Dive Mini

Master Scuba Dive Resort

Dream Divers Gili Trawangan

Blue Marlin Dive Gili Meno

Sea Dragon Dive Supplies

Gili Conservation Dive Center

Gili Island Diving Center

Meno Dive Club

Guides

Top 10 Gili Islands Dive Sites: Turtles, Sharks, Drift

Gili Islands Diving Guide: Indonesia's Turtle Capital

Gili Islands: Diving Conditions, Seasons, Water Temperature

Safety

Bring Gili Islands underwater