SSI ITC Dive Resort Oceans 5 Gili Air Blog Posts
SSI ITC Dive Resort Oceans 5 Gili Air Blog Posts
Discover Calm Beneath the Surface Scuba diving is often described as an adventure, but for many divers it becomes something much deeper. Once you leave the surface behind, the noise of everyday life disappears. There are no ringing phones, no traffic, no endless notifications—only the …
Start Your Professional Diving Career at Oceans 5 Gili Air If you are searching for the best Divemaster internship on Gili Air, you are probably looking for much more than a certification. You want to become a confident dive professional, improve your diving skills, gain real-world …
If you are searching for the best diving Gili Air experience, you have come to the right place. Located just off the northwest coast of Lombok, Gili Air is one of Indonesia’s most beautiful tropical islands and is internationally known for its crystal-clear waters, healthy coral reefs, and incredible marine life.
Whether you are taking your first breath underwater or you are an experienced diver looking for exciting drift dives, diving Gili Air offers something for everyone.
Many visitors planning a diving holiday in Indonesia compare Bali with Gili Air. While both destinations offer fantastic diving, they provide very different experiences.
Bali is famous for its diverse dive sites, including steep walls, large wrecks, mola mola (seasonally), and manta rays. However, many dive sites require long car journeys followed by boat rides. Depending on where you stay, reaching your dive destination can take several hours.
Water temperatures can also be much colder, especially around Nusa Penida, where temperatures can drop to around 20–24°C during certain seasons.
Gili Air offers something completely different.
Everything is close together. Within just a few minutes by boat, you can reach dozens of beautiful dive sites around Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan.
The water is warm year-round, usually between 28°C and 30°C, making every dive comfortable without needing thick exposure suits.
After your dive, you’re back on the island enjoying lunch, relaxing on the beach, or watching the sunset instead of spending hours in traffic.
For many divers, that relaxed island atmosphere is exactly what makes diving Gili Air so special.
The reefs around Gili Air are among the healthiest in the region and are home to an amazing variety of marine life.
The Gili Islands are probably most famous for their sea turtles.
It is common to see multiple green turtles and hawksbill turtles during a single dive. Some turtles have become regular residents of specific dive sites and are well known by local dive guides.
One of the highlights of diving around Gili Air is spotting juvenile white-tip reef sharks and black-tip reef sharks, especially around Shark Point.
These elegant predators are shy, beautiful to watch, and completely natural residents of the reef.
Healthy hard corals, soft corals, sea fans, sponges, and countless tropical reef fish create vibrant underwater landscapes that are perfect for both photographers and recreational divers.
If you enjoy looking for the small things, Gili Air is a paradise.
You may discover:
Every dive reveals something different.
As the name suggests, this site is famous for its reef sharks, but that’s only part of the attraction.
Shark Point also features the Glenn Nusa Wreck, an artificial reef that has quickly become home to schools of fish, turtles, and beautiful coral growth.
Often described as swimming through a giant aquarium, Halik Reef offers healthy coral gardens packed with reef fish.
Its gentle drift makes it suitable for many certification levels while still exciting experienced divers.
Hans Reef has become one of the favorite dive sites for turtle lovers.
Large green turtles are commonly seen resting, feeding, or swimming slowly over the reef.
For underwater photographers, Hans Reef provides endless opportunities.
Gili Air has managed to preserve the relaxed island atmosphere that many travelers are searching for.
There are no cars or motorbikes.
Instead, transportation is by bicycle, horse cart, or simply walking.
The island combines beautiful white beaches, excellent restaurants, cozy cafés, yoga studios, stunning sunsets, and world-class scuba diving.
Unlike larger tourist destinations, Gili Air still feels peaceful while offering everything visitors need for a perfect diving holiday.
It is this balance between nature, relaxation, and adventure that keeps divers returning year after year.
Absolutely.
The calm conditions, warm water, excellent visibility, and shallow reefs make Gili Air one of Indonesia’s best places to learn scuba diving.
If you have never dived before, you can start with an introductory dive or complete your Open Water Diver course while exploring some of Indonesia’s most beautiful coral reefs.
More experienced divers can enjoy drift dives, deep dives, wreck dives, night dives, underwater photography, and numerous specialty courses.
Choosing the right dive centre can make all the difference to your diving holiday.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we believe that great diving is about much more than simply receiving a certification.
Here is why divers from around the world choose us:
Whether you are making your very first dive or taking the next step in your professional diving career, Oceans 5 Gili Air provides the experience, facilities, and personal attention to help you become a better diver.
There are many places to dive in Indonesia, but few combine warm water, incredible marine life, beautiful coral reefs, easy access to dive sites, and a relaxed tropical island atmosphere like Gili Air.
From turtles and reef sharks to colorful coral gardens and exciting drift dives, diving Gili Air is an unforgettable experience for divers of every level.
If you’re looking for a dive centre that values safety, quality, conservation, and personal service, Oceans 5 Gili Air is ready to welcome you to one of Indonesia’s most spectacular underwater playgrounds.
Let’s Debunk the Biggest Myths One of the most common questions we hear from Divemasters considering the next step in their diving career is: “Am I ready for the Instructor Course?” Unfortunately, many Divemasters are held back by misconceptions and advice that is often based …
Experienced Divers: What’s the ONE Piece of Advice You Wish Someone Had Given You When You Started Diving? Every diver remembers that first breath underwater. The excitement, the nerves, and the feeling of entering a completely different world. But if you ask experienced divers what …
Visitors often ask us where they should eat on Gili Air. While the island has plenty of international restaurants and cafés, the real flavors of Gili Air are found in the local warungs where island residents eat every day.
So we asked some of the Oceans 5 staff a simple question:
“What is your favorite local meal on Gili Air?”
The answers show just how diverse and delicious the local food scene really is.
Yunus doesn’t hesitate when asked about his favorite meal. For him, it’s the famous Ayam Geprek at Warung Muslim.
What makes it special? The crispy fried chicken is covered with a spicy sambal that will definitely wake up your taste buds. Add plenty of fresh vegetables and delicious fried eggplant, and you have the perfect Indonesian meal.
“The spicier, the better!” says Yunus.
Yani’s favorite is Nasi Campur from Warung Parida.
The beauty of Nasi Campur is the variety. Every plate can be different, with a selection of vegetables, meats, fish, tempeh, tofu, and other Indonesian specialties.
Yani loves having so many choices and appreciates the large selection of vegetables available every day.
For Ziki, nothing beats a giant plate of Nasi Goreng from ZzZ Warung.
The portions are big, the flavors are rich, and the spice level is exactly how he likes it. After a long day of diving around the Gili Islands, a large plate of fried rice is the perfect reward.
Yudi’s favorite meal is another Lombok classic: Nasi Puyung from Warung Muslim.
This traditional Lombok dish combines rice with spicy shredded chicken, peanuts, and sambal. Simple ingredients, but packed with flavor.
If you want to try authentic Lombok cuisine, Nasi Puyung is a great place to start.
For Dul, comfort food means one thing: Bakso from Warung Pong, located right in front of Oceans 5.
This Indonesian meatball soup is a national favorite, and according to Dul, Warung Pong serves one of the best versions on Gili Air.
Warm, filling, affordable, and perfect after a dive.
For Oceans 5 owner Sander, the winner is Nasi Kuning at the harbor near the jetty.
Served fresh every morning, this Indonesian yellow rice dish is packed with flavor and accompanied by a variety of side dishes. Watching the boats arrive and depart while enjoying breakfast at the harbor is one of the simple pleasures of island life.
According to Sander:
“The best Nasi Kuning on Gili Air is found right at the harbor.”
What’s interesting is that no two staff members chose exactly the same meal.
Some prefer spicy chicken, others fried rice, meatball soup, Nasi Campur, Nasi Puyung, or Nasi Kuning. Different dishes, different warungs, different flavors.
And that is exactly what makes Gili Air special.
Whether you’re staying at Oceans 5, learning to dive, joining a Divemaster internship, or completing your SSI Instructor Course, take some time to explore the local warungs. The island may be small, but its food scene is surprisingly diverse.
Gili Air is not only a paradise for diving—it is also a paradise for local food. 🌶️🍛🏝️🍜🇮🇩
Learn to dive One of the most common questions we receive at Oceans 5 Gili Air is: “Can I learn to dive in just 3 days?” The simple answer is yes, you can. The SSI Open Water Diver course is designed so that most people can …
SSI Enriched Air Nitrox Course Is One of the Best Dive Specialties If you are looking for one specialty course that will improve almost every dive you make in the future, the SSI Enriched Air Nitrox course should be at the top of your list. …
In celebration of World Oceans Day, Oceans 5 Gili Air is proud to support the next generation of Indonesian marine conservationists by offering 24 SSI Ecology Specialty courses to eight Indonesian university students participating in our Conservation Internship Program.
Each student will complete three SSI Ecology Specialties:
The courses officially start today and will be delivered by our experienced Indonesian instructor team, led by Ary and Yunus.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we believe that education is one of the most powerful tools for marine conservation. Many of these students dream of becoming marine biologists, conservationists, or marine scientists. By providing them with professional ecology training, we hope to give them a stronger foundation for their future careers and a deeper understanding of the marine ecosystems they are passionate about protecting.
The SSI Ecology Specialty programs teach students about the importance of coral reef ecosystems, the role of sharks in maintaining healthy oceans, and the conservation challenges facing sea turtles throughout Indonesia and the wider Indo-Pacific region.
The internship combines classroom-based theory with real-world observations in the waters surrounding the Gili Islands. Students will gain practical knowledge about reef health, marine biodiversity, and conservation challenges while learning from instructors who work with these ecosystems every day.
As a dive center that has always been committed to environmental awareness and sustainable diving practices, Oceans 5 is proud to create opportunities for Indonesian students to expand their knowledge and gain valuable experience in marine conservation.
The current group consists of eight university students, but this is only the beginning. Following the success of this year’s program, the next Conservation Internship will start in September, when 12 Indonesian students will join Oceans 5 Gili Air for another opportunity to learn about marine conservation and ecology.
By investing in education today, we hope to help create the marine scientists, conservation leaders, and ocean advocates of tomorrow.
This World Oceans Day, Oceans 5 Gili Air is not only celebrating the ocean—we are helping to build the future generation that will protect it.
Interested in joining the next Conservation Internship at Oceans 5 Gili Air? Contact us for more information about the September intake and how you can become part of this unique marine conservation experience. 🌊🐢🦈🪸
Have You Booked Your Diving Yet? The Gili Islands are preparing for one of the busiest diving seasons of the year. With June, July, August, and September traditionally bringing thousands of visitors to the islands, dive centers across Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan …