Diving in Lombok and the Gili Islands
Relaxed, bohemian and bathed in glorious nature, the island of Lombok and the three Gili Islands are all bleached white beaches and aquamarine waters. Lombok itself was made famous for its fantastic surf, but it is also a delightful isle of jungle-coated volcanoes encircled by reefs and stunning sea walls. The waters are so packed with fish that Lombok is famed for its deep-sea fishing. If you prefer to swim with the marine creatures rather than catch them, you’ll love the mix of trevallies and snapper, turtles, eels and colourful parrotfish. The same can be said of the Gili Islands. Each one has its own vibe – Gili Trawangan is the party island, Gili Meno is sleepy, romantic and relaxed, while Gili Air combines a little of the other two, with a slightly hippie, authentic ambiance. The latter two are the best for diving, with cuttlefish, triggerfish and brilliant blue surgeon among the dazzling array of marine life as well beautiful coral formations that create colourful gardens. You can dive throughout the year but heavy rainfall in December and January can reduce visibility. This area is also a fantastic place to learn to dive, with plenty of accessible sites and exciting things to see without having to go deep.
Dive Sites in Lombok
Featured places to go in Lombok

Gili Islands
Aquatic Life in Lombok
When you dive around Lombok and the Gili Islands, you are in with a good chance of seeing wizened turtles drifting by. That’s not all, the calm, gleaming waters and top-notch reefs ensure bountiful marine life, from comic clownfish to eagle rays and reef sharks. Lombok in particular has real out-of-the-way areas with pristine dive sites, dramatic pinnacles and coral gardens, while the Gili Islands promise huge green turtles, lionfish and damselfish, as well as ghost pipefish, cockatoo waspfish and a whole range of different scorpionfish. Then there are sponges and fans and amazing critters from teensy pygmy seahorses to nudibranch and hermit crabs. The best time to dive is for March through to November, and the abundance of exciting sites, even right off the beaches, make for a real action