Diving Gili Trawangan: Turtles, Sharks & Where to Learn

Gili Trawangan has more PADI dive operators per kilometre of beach than almost anywhere in Indonesia. The combination of warm, clear water, accessible reefs, near-guaranteed sea turtle encounters, and competitively priced courses has made it one of the most popular places in the world to earn a dive certification. For experienced divers, the resident shark populations and seasonal manta sightings make it worth revisiting.

The Best Dive Sites

Turtle Heaven

The most popular site on Gili T, and for good reason. Green and hawksbill turtles are present on virtually every dive — not fleetingly, but resting on the coral or swimming slowly overhead. The site has a sloping reef starting at 5 metres, deepening to approximately 25 metres. Current can run on the deeper section. Suitable for all levels.

Shark Point

A series of coral bommies and sandy patches where white-tip and black-tip reef sharks are reliably found resting on the bottom, often in groups. The sharks are accustomed to divers and do not scatter — you can approach slowly to within a few metres. The site runs from approximately 12–25 metres. Black-tips are the more commonly seen of the two species; white-tips tend to lie in the deeper channels. Best visited early morning before boat traffic disturbs the site.

Halik Reef

A long reef wall with strong coral cover and good fish diversity — batfish, Napoleon wrasse, schools of fusiliers, occasional bumphead parrotfish. The site is exposed to current more than the others, which pushes nutrients in and concentrates the fish populations. Best for confident open-water divers and above.

Simon’s Reef

A shallower site suitable for beginner divers and those completing their first ocean dives as part of a PADI course. Coral gardens from 5–15 metres, sea turtles frequent, small reef fish in abundance. A low-stress environment for newer divers.

Manta Point (Seasonal)

Manta rays visit the Gili area seasonally — sightings are less predictable here than in Raja Ampat, but encounter rates are reasonable from approximately November to April when current patterns bring mantas to feeding areas around the northern tip of Gili T. Operators monitor conditions and will advise if mantas have been seen recently.

PADI Courses

Gili Trawangan’s competitive market keeps course prices reasonable. Walk the main strip and compare prices at two or three operators before committing — differences of IDR 500,000 or more exist for identical courses.

Open Water Diver: approximately IDR 3,500,000–5,000,000 for the full certification course (3–4 days). Includes pool session, four open-water dives, full equipment rental, and certification card. Theory can be completed online via PADI’s eLearning platform before you arrive, which saves half a day at the dive school.

Advanced Open Water: approximately IDR 3,000,000–4,000,000 (2 days, five adventure dives including deep and navigation as mandatory components). A deep dive to 30 metres off Gili T gives good shark encounters.

Rescue Diver: approximately IDR 3,500,000–4,500,000 (2–3 days). Requires current Advanced certification and EFR/CPR certificate. Some operators offer a bundled Advanced + Rescue package.

Discover Scuba Diving: approximately IDR 450,000–700,000 for a single introductory dive with an instructor. No certification, no prior experience needed. A good way to try diving before committing to a full course.

Dive Operators

Three operators are consistently recommended by returning divers:

Blue Marlin Dive: One of the longest-established operators on Gili T, with a strong safety record and multilingual instructors. Equipment is well-maintained. Group sizes are controlled — worth checking current reviews for consistency.

Oceans 5: Known for environmental commitment and smaller groups. Runs an in-house freediving programme alongside PADI courses, and has a distinctive emphasis on marine conservation. Prices are slightly higher than some competitors but training standards are generally praised.

Big Bubble Diving: Strong reputation for fun-diving packages and boat trips to the better drift sites. Offers good rates for multi-dive packages (typically 4–10 dive packages at a discount versus single-dive pricing).

No single operator is definitively the best for every diver. Compare prices, ask to see equipment, and check how many students will be in your Open Water group — four students per instructor is the maximum, and less is better for learning.

Visibility and Conditions

Visibility ranges from 15–30 metres depending on season and current. Best conditions typically run from October to February and again in July and August. May to September can see reduced visibility on some sites due to plankton blooms, though this also attracts manta rays and whale sharks in rare cases.

Water temperature stays consistently warm — approximately 27–29°C year-round. A 3mm shorty wetsuit is adequate; many divers dive in a lycra suit or nothing at all in high summer.

Currents at Gili T can be strong on exposed sites like Halik Reef. Operators monitor and adjust site choices based on daily conditions — trust their guidance on which sites are running well on any given day.

Snorkelling Without a Dive Course

Turtle Point, on the northeast coast, is the island’s best snorkelling location and is accessible directly from the beach with no boat needed. Enter the water at the north end of the east coast and follow the reef. Green turtles are almost always present — they graze on seagrass and rest on coral heads throughout the day. Approach slowly without touching.

Mask, snorkel, and fins hire: approximately IDR 50,000 per day from numerous beach rentals on the east coast.

Snorkelling boat trips to outer sites (including Manta Point when active) run from approximately IDR 150,000–250,000 per person for a half-day.