What Oceans 5 Gili Air Did for the Community in 2025

Oceans 5 Gili Air in 2025

Oceans 5 Gili Air has always believed that a dive centre should be more than a business operating on an island. From the very beginning, Oceans 5 has taken the position that respect from the local community is not something you demand—it is something you earn. And that respect is not earned by paying salaries alone or providing a boarding room for staff. It is earned by giving something back that goes beyond the direct needs of the business and contributes to the long-term well-being of the island, its people, their knowledge, and their future.

In 2025, Oceans 5 Gili Air continued and expanded this philosophy with concrete actions that directly benefited the local community, Indonesian dive professionals, students, and the marine environment of the Gili Islands.

Free Divemaster Internships for Indonesian Citizens

One of the most impactful initiatives in 2025 was the launch of a free Divemaster internship program for Indonesian citizens. This was not a discounted program, a sponsorship tied to work contracts, or a marketing exercise—it was a fully free professional training opportunity.

Eight Indonesian candidates signed up for this program, and by the end of the year, all eight successfully became certified PADI Divemasters. This achievement alone already sets the program apart, but the impact goes much further.

After certification, the new Divemasters were free to choose their own path. Some found employment in Komodo, others in Raja Ampat, and some decided to stay and work at Oceans 5 Gili Air. As qualified dive professionals, they now earn a significantly higher income than before, allowing them to support their families and start saving for their next professional step: becoming dive instructors.

For many Indonesian families, this kind of career progression has a real, long-term economic impact. Becoming a dive instructor does not just improve personal income—it often changes the financial stability of an entire family.

Supporting the Next Generation of Marine Scientists

In 2025, Oceans 5 Gili Air also supported eight Indonesian university students through a marine research internship program. Over two academic semesters, these students conducted regular data collection around the Gili Islands as part of their research projects.

The students came from the University of Mataram, University of Lampung, and University of Malang, and worked closely with Oceans 5 staff during fieldwork. Many of these students are now close to graduating as marine scientists, and Oceans 5 hopes they will find careers in marine conservation, research, and environmental management.

In 2026, this program will be expanded to twelve students, further increasing its impact.

The reason Oceans 5 supports this program is simple but important:
Long-term, consistent research by local researchers produces more reliable data.

When the same researchers collect data over extended periods, patterns become clearer and conclusions become stronger. This data is used by universities and government institutions to make decisions about environmental regulations and marine park management.

Just as importantly, the knowledge stays in Indonesia. The skills of collecting, interpreting, and applying scientific data do not leave the country with foreign researchers. They remain with Indonesian students who understand the local environment, culture, and challenges.

Protecting the Gili Matra Marine Park Together with BKKPN

Oceans 5 Gili Air is proud to be one of only five official partners of the Gili Matra Marine Park, working together with BKKPN Kupang. This partnership is not symbolic—it is active and ongoing.

Throughout 2025, Oceans 5 supported BKKPN with reef surveys, monitoring programs, and hands-on action such as removing algae blooms from coral patches. These algae outbreaks are a serious threat to coral health, fish populations, and turtles.

Without a healthy marine ecosystem, the marine park will decline. And without a healthy marine park, tourism will decline. That directly affects every business and every family on the island.

Marine protection is not an abstract idea—it is directly connected to jobs, income, and the future of Gili Air.

Showing Local Children the Ocean They Live Next To

Not everyone growing up on Gili Air gets the chance to experience the marine park the way tourists do. Many local children have never snorkeled or dived on the reefs that made the Gili Islands famous.

That is why in 2025, Oceans 5 Gili Air organized introduction dives for 20 local children. Under the supervision of experienced instructors, these kids entered the ocean and saw what lies just below the surface:
crystal-clear water, sea turtles, Nemo, Dory, and healthy coral reefs.

This experience creates understanding. The children now know why tourists come, why the marine park matters, and why it must be protected. Conservation starts with awareness, and awareness starts with experience.

Weekly Harbor Beach Cleanups Since 2010

Since 2010, Oceans 5 Gili Air has organized weekly beach cleanups in the harbor area—the place where tourists arrive and depart.

First impressions matter. If visitors step onto an island covered in rubbish, that impression is difficult to change. A dirty harbor affects tourism, reputation, and pride in the island.

These cleanups have continued consistently for over 15 years, including throughout 2025. They are not sponsored events or seasonal campaigns—they are simply part of Oceans 5’s responsibility toward the island.

The Conservation Exhibition Center

To make all these efforts visible, Oceans 5 Gili Air created a Conservation Exhibition Center on its premises. While the center is still under development, visitors can already see what Oceans 5 and its partners are doing for Gili Air.

The exhibition is designed for tourists, students, and locals who want to understand how diving, conservation, education, and community support are connected. It is a place for transparency, learning, and inspiration.

Looking Ahead to 2026

In 2026, Oceans 5 Gili Air will continue this work:

• Protecting the Gili Matra Marine Park
• Supporting more Indonesian marine science students
• Offering more opportunities for Indonesians to build careers in the dive industry

Community involvement is not a marketing strategy for Oceans 5—it is a responsibility. A business that depends on an island must also protect it, support its people, and invest in its future.

That is how respect is earned.