The three Gilis sit on a shallow shelf off north-west Lombok, and the reefs around them are one of Indonesia’s most accessible dive areas: warm water, generally gentle conditions, and turtles on almost every dive. Gili Air has a cluster of PADI and SSI dive centres, most within a few minutes’ walk of the harbour, and it is a favourite place to take an Open Water course.
Well-known sites include Hans Reef off Gili Air (famous for macro life like frogfish and seahorses), Meno Wall and the Bounty Wreck off Gili Meno, and Shark Point, Deep Turbo and Halik around Gili Trawangan, where white-tip reef sharks, cuttlefish and schools of trevally are regular sightings. Boat rides to most sites take 5–20 minutes.
Top things to do at Gili Islands Dive Sites
Try a discover-scuba dive
No certification needed: a pool session followed by a shallow reef dive with an instructor. A great way to find out if diving is for you — see the try-dive we recommend.
Get certified
Open Water courses usually take three to four days. Prices on the Gilis are broadly similar between schools and often include accommodation discounts. Compare the schools’ safety standards and group sizes, not just price.
Learn to freedive
Gili Air and Gili T have several freediving schools with pools and deep-water training lines. A beginner course over two or three days teaches breath-hold, equalisation and safety — and changes how you snorkel for ever.
Fun dives for certified divers
Morning and afternoon boat dives visit the sites around all three islands; night dives and drift dives are offered when conditions allow.
How to get to Gili Islands Dive Sites
- Dive centres: clustered around the harbour and along the east and north coasts of Gili Air. Walk in the day before to book.
- Boat rides: most sites are 5–20 minutes away by boat from Gili Air.
Insider tips
- Currents between the islands can be strong — most dives are planned as drifts. Listen to the briefing and stay with your guide.
- Do not fly (or climb Rinjani) within 18–24 hours of your last dive.
- Check that your travel insurance covers scuba diving to the depth of your certification.
- Many schools belong to the Gili Eco Trust’s environmental programmes; supporting them helps protect the reefs.
Best tours & tickets for Gili Islands Dive Sites
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Gili Islands Dive Sites from Gili Air:
Diving from $92 Gili Air: Try Scuba Diving with Pool Training and Ocean Dive
Gili Air is one of the best places in Indonesia to breathe underwater for the first time: warm water, gentle sites and dive schools every few hundred metres. This introductory session starts in the pool and ends on a real reef, with an instructor at your side. A new listing, so there are few reviews yet.
- No experience needed
- Skills session in the pool first
- An ocean dive with an instructor
Boat trip from $116 Gili Islands: 4-in-1 Catamaran Snorkeling Experience
The premium way to see the Gilis from the water. Instead of a crowded outrigger you spend the day on a catamaran, snorkelling at several sites and lounging on deck between stops. Top-rated and noticeably more comfortable than the standard boats — check the pickup options for Gili Air when you book.
- Sail around all three Gili Islands on a catamaran
- Several snorkel stops, including turtle spots
- Food and drinks on board
Snorkelling from $15 Gili Islands: Private or Shared Snorkeling Boat Trip
A classic three-island snorkelling loop that you can join from any of the Gilis. Choose the cheap shared boat or pay a bit more for a private one that runs to your own timetable — useful for families, or if you want to reach the turtle spots before the crowds.
- The most-booked Gili snorkelling trip, with thousands of reviews
- Shared boat or your own private boat
- Turtles, reef fish and the Gili Meno statues
