With over 3,500 species living in the Indonesian underwater world, this is one of the richest diversities of marine life in the Indo-Pacific region. In comparison, the Great Barrier Reef has just 1,500 species and the Red Sea only 600!
The biggest of the three Gili Islands, Gili Trawangan is known as “the party island” with mainly young people. After diving, you can have fun every evening at one of the parties, or just relax together with your new dive friends. The Island is host to several fantastic dive sites such as the Shark Point. Situated east of Gili Trawangan it is a popular dive spot in the mornings. This dive site consists of different levels (24m, 20m, 18m); it starts with a slope out of hard and soft corals, the "native country" of green and hawksbill turtles. The different levels are sandy areas with small coral blocks - the variety is very big starting with schools of trevally, napoleon fish over white-tip reef sharks and rays in the sandy areas…. And if that was not enough already, Shark Point boasts with ribbon eels, leaf fishes and even mantas.
Volkers' Golf course is about 500 m east of Shark point and starts at a depth of about 30 m. With its green colour – just like the one on a golf course – it is the best site to see sharks, schools of mackerels and doctor fishes. Because of its depth and the sometimes very strong currents, it is a dive for advanced divers.
Another site that is very popular for morning dives are the two dive spots in the North of Gili Trawangan, Coral Fan Garden and Basket Coral Garden. The first few meters you have the feeling of being in an aquarium - schools of colored fairy basslets, fusiliers, banner fishes… and deeper – around the big coral and stone blocks – groupers, batfish, trumpet fish, hiding octopus and bearded scorpion fish. Look out into the blue: sometimes eagle rays, mantas or reef sharks can be seen.
In the rainy season, when the water is rich with plankton, Manta Point in the South of Gili Trawangan gives you the best chance to see Manta rays. But even without mantas, you still have a good chance to see reef sharks and turtles.
Yet no dive around Gili Trawangan could be considered complete without a visit to Andy’s Reef. Off the north shore lies this huge, gently sloping reef with little hills as well as shallow valleys. It is inhabited by countless hard and soft coral formations such as huge acroporas, cabbage, antler and leather corals. This setting makes a perfect setting for a profuse marine life. Scorpionfish, angelfish, groupers, sweetlips, teira batfish and cuttlefish ad as much to the magic of this site as the hawksbill turtles and large white-tip reef sharks that can be found resting in the sand. The fact that this site is very flat makes it so much easier to spot and marvel at these wonderful creatures. Pay attention to the currents that can run here as otherwise you might miss your point of entry.
Also popular for morning dives are the two dive spots in the North of Gili Trawangan, Coral Fan Garden and Basket Coral Garden. The first few meters you have the feeling of being in an aquarium - schools of colored fairy bass lets, fusiliers, banner fishes… and deeper, around the big coral and stone blocks, groupers, batfish, trumpet fish, hiding octopus and bearded scorpion fish. Look out to the blue: sometimes eagle rays, mantas or reef sharks can be seen.
In the rainy season, when the water is rich with plankton, Manta Point in the South of Gili Trawangan gives you the best chance to see Manta rays. But even without mantas, you still have a good chance to see reef sharks and turtles.