The Gili Islands: a diver’s paradise in Asia

Situated in the sparkling blue stretch of ocean between Bali and Lombok, the Gili Islands are the perfect island trio, offering turquoise waters, warm white-sand beaches, exceptional marine life and a laid-back vibe.

Popular with divers, each island has its own unique identity, offering quiet beach escapes, bustling ports and vibrant nightlife - with the shared perk of hosting a variety of excellent dive centres and dive sites.

With only a short boat trip separating each island, the Gilis have everything when it comes to the perfect diving paradise - for everyone from first-time snorkelers, and beach enthusiasts to experienced divers.

Popular island: Gili Trawangan

The largest of the three islands, Gili Trawangan (shortened to “Gili T’”) is popular with young travelers and divers, known for its abundance of hostels, beach bars and vibrant nightlife.

A short ferry ride from the fishing port of Padangbai in Bali arrives directly on Gili T’s shore, making it easily accessible. The island hosts a large selection of tropical bars and hippie cafes, serving watermelon juice, matcha lattes and every cocktail under the sun. Bintang beer can also be purchased all over the island, and is a staple in the Gili nightlife scene.

Gili T’s cuisine is also rich and plentiful, with a variety of cafes, restaurants and warungs (local street food stalls) offering delicious options to suit all diets and budgets. From creamy coconut curries to crisp green salads, there is no shortage of good food to fuel your adventure - and your diving!

The Gili Islands are famed for their rich and diverse marine life - mainly tropical coral reefs - and Gili T is no exception. The popular Shark Point dive site is located within the island’s waters, popular with more experienced divers looking to experience wreck diving and deeper waters.

This dive site is also the best spot for seeing reef sharks - both white-tips and the more elusive black-tips - during your dive, making it an exciting and memorable experience.

Gili T also offers a range of sites home to shallow tropical corals, green sea turtles, an array of exotic and flamboyantly coloured fish, and the occasional manta ray.

If you are looking for a lively, dive-oriented party island, Gili T is the perfect place. With a blend of tourist resorts, local businesses, tropical jungle and soft golden beaches, you can enjoy all the perks of diving alongside energetic beach parties, live music, bonfires and endless fun.

Balanced island: Gili Air

Situated closest to Lombok, Gili Air has the best views of Lombok’s lush green mountains from the eastern shores, but the famous views of Asah Hill, looming from Bali’s distant haze are still visible from the western beaches.

Gili Air is the ‘middle-of-the-road’ island, offering a balance of dynamic nightlife, excellent dive centres, mixed-level dive sites and a quiet, chilled out lifestyle. There are no vehicles on the island - only horse-drawn carts - and the atmosphere is noticeably more peaceful than Gili T, but there is always something to do or see with no risk of boredom.

A great location for families, there is a wide range of hotels, villas, and resorts to choose from, as well as global cuisines served throughout the many restaurants and warungs. The beach bars are known for excellent barbeque and grill selections, packed with fresh local seafood fished straight from the reefs.

Indonesia’s most well-known dish, Nasi Goreng (rice served with local spiced vegetables and fried egg), is sold almost everywhere across the island and is a must try.

Vegetarians will have no trouble finding a meal, as tempeh, tofu and vegetables are the stars of many dishes, and there are also American and Italian-style restaurants to suit children.

Gili Air is also extremely safe, so you can fully relax during your stay and really absorb the magnificent scenery, astounding marine life, and island lifestyle.

The marine life surrounding Gili Air is magical and bountiful. Hans reef, also popular with snorkelers, is packed full of life, home to strikingly bright nudibranchs, rainbow-coloured parrotfish, comically cuboid boxfish and hundreds of diverse, thriving corals.

Be sure to spend time familiarizing yourself with the local marine life through guides and books in the dive stores before entering the water, to know what you are looking at and also what to avoid. Some species can be dangerous if touched, so it is important to have a basic knowledge of the local environment.

Expect to see huge shoals of fish, gentle turtles slowly cruising over the reefs, lionfish flashing their red spines at predators, and stealthy moray eels lurking in the shadows.

If you’re lucky, you may even experience bioluminescent (glowing) algae, lighting up the waves under the moonlight - you won’t be disappointed!

Romantic island: Gili Meno

Gili Meno is known as the “Honeymoon Island” for its peaceful, serene beaches, quiet nightlife and popularity with couples and honeymooners. Here, you can explore the lush jungle of the island’s centre, go bareback horse riding along the sweeping white beaches, and enjoy romantic dinners on the beach, entertained by breath-taking pink and orange sunsets.

Despite being the smallest and quietest of the island trio, Gili Meno offers excellent and unique diving experiences. Take a drift dive along Meno Wall for a stunning array of coral reef life, or go a little deeper over Meno Slope for a wider view of the fish, turtles and sharks traversing the area.

For a more cultural experience, it is worth visiting (snorkeling or diving) the Meno Statues, an underwater art installation commissioned by the eco-resort, BASK. The statues are made from casts of real people, embracing each other in a hauntingly beautiful constellation, placed to remind visitors of the rare and fragile treasures embedded within the Indonesian seabed, and the powerful relationship we as humans have with this ecosystem.

The figures are arranged to represent the circle of life, showcasing the interlinkage between people, time and the natural environment and to highlight the precarious dependency we have on wild places.

Being a responsible visitor at Gili Islands

Travelling is an incredible way to expand your knowledge, experiences, connections and personality, but it is important to travel in an eco-conscious and sustainable way to avoid damaging the beautiful places you visit. The Gili Islands are a popular tourist destination, with thousands of visitors every year - this puts pressure on the local ecosystems and makes gentle, sustainable travel even more crucial.

There are many eco-resorts and hotels to choose from when selecting accommodation, which can have a large impact through directly supporting companies and businesses who prioritize environmentally friendly management. This can help reduce pollution, carbon emissions, and increases the popularity of these resorts which will encourage other tourists to support them.

Making an effort to avoid single-use plastics, through buying non-packaged local produce and eating in establishments which provide reusable tableware reduces the amount of plastic waste produced by the islands, reducing the risk of plastic entering the marine environment. Using natural-based toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner and sunscreens can also reduce pollution of the surrounding waters and keep the coral reefs free of chemicals.

To take a more active role in sustainability and eco-conscious travel whilst visiting the Gilis, why not volunteer your time to help with a local beach clean? Various dive centres host beach clean events on a weekly basis across all three islands, and you don’t have to be a member of the diving community to get involved - everyone’s time and help is appreciated!

A visit to the turtle sanctuary on Gili Meno is also worthwhile - here you can see baby turtles being reared and released into the wild, learn about the ecology and threats to turtles and other marine organisms, and support conservation efforts by making a donation or raising awareness on social media.

The Gili Islands are one of Indonesia’s marine treasure troves, and are a must-see for any diver or snorkeler interested in tropical marine biodiversity . With the right amount of eco-conscious actions and responsible choices, visiting these paradise islands can be a life-changing experience, where you will make memories that will stay with you forever.