Do We Need a Shark Etiquette Code for Diving the Gili Islands?
Shark Etiquette Code
Shark encounters are one of the highlights of diving around the Gili Islands.
For many divers, seeing their first shark underwater is an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives. Around Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan, divers regularly encounter whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, including juveniles.
But perhaps we need to start asking a different question.
Are we behaving correctly when we encounter them?
A few days ago, we saw something at Halik that made us think seriously about this question.
A group of divers was lying flat on the bottom in front of the shark cave, apparently trying to get photographs of the juvenile sharks.
For Oceans 5 Gili Air, this is exactly the kind of diving behaviour we don’t want to see.
Not from our students.
Not from our certified divers.
And especially not from Divemasters and instructors.
Maybe it is time for the dive community around the Gili Islands to introduce something new:
Shark Etiquette.
Seeing a Shark Doesn’t Give Us the Right to Disturb It
When we enter the ocean, we enter the sharks’ environment.
The shark hasn’t entered our dive centre.
We have entered its home.
That distinction is important.
When a juvenile reef shark is resting underneath an overhang or inside a cave, our desire to get a photograph shouldn’t become more important than the animal’s ability to behave naturally.
Responsible shark tourism is not a new idea. WWF, Project AWARE and The Manta Trust developed Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice, providing science-based guidance designed to help operators minimize impacts on sharks, rays and their habitats.[1]
Research into shark-diving tourism has also found widespread use of formal codes of conduct among shark-tourism operators. One study reported that 93% of surveyed shark operators had a formal code of conduct and concluded that such codes should define acceptable diver behaviour and appropriate numbers of divers.[2]
So why shouldn’t we consider a simple local Shark Etiquette Code for the Gili Islands?
What We Saw at Halik
Halik is one of the best-known dive sites around Gili Trawangan.
Divers visit the area for turtles, beautiful reef scenery and, of course, the possibility of encountering sharks.
At the shark cave, juvenile sharks can sometimes be observed.
And that creates a temptation.
A diver wants a better photograph.
Then another diver moves closer.
Someone goes down to the bottom.
Another diver follows.
Soon, instead of observing the sharks from the water column, a group can end up lying on the seabed in front of the place where the animals are resting.
Perhaps nobody intends to harm anything.
But good intentions don’t automatically create good diving behaviour.
For Oceans 5, the principle is simple:
We don’t need to lie on the bottom to watch a shark.
We are scuba divers.
We can hover.
Neutral Buoyancy Is More Than a Diving Skill
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we teach our students to dive neutrally buoyant.
That philosophy starts during diver education.
In open water, we don’t want students using the seafloor as their classroom. Skills are performed neutrally buoyant because we believe students should learn from the beginning how real divers should behave underwater.
We recently explained this philosophy in our article Should Dive Students Be Allowed to Touch the Seafloor?[3]
Neutral buoyancy isn’t only about becoming a better-looking diver.
It is conservation.
A diver who can control their buoyancy doesn’t need to grab coral.
They don’t need to kneel on the reef.
They don’t need to lie on the bottom to take a photograph.
And they don’t need the seabed to provide stability while watching marine life.
That becomes particularly important when we encounter animals such as sharks.
The Divemaster Sets the Example
There is another important part of this discussion.
Guests copy their dive professionals.
If a Divemaster lies on the bottom to photograph a shark, what message does that give the four divers following them?
That it is acceptable.
If an instructor kneels beside the reef to get a photograph, why should we be surprised when their students do the same thing?
This is why shark etiquette shouldn’t only be aimed at tourists.
It should start with us—the dive professionals.
Divemasters and instructors are not simply underwater tour guides. Our behaviour demonstrates what responsible diving looks like.
If we remain neutrally buoyant, keep an appropriate distance and calmly observe an animal, our divers are much more likely to do the same.
Professional behaviour creates diver behaviour.
Maybe the Gili Islands Need Shark Etiquette
We have dive briefings.
We have safety procedures.
We discuss currents.
We discuss maximum depths.
We discuss buddy systems.
We explain entry and exit procedures.
So why shouldn’t we spend another minute explaining how to behave when we encounter sharks?
A simple Gili Islands Shark Etiquette could become part of the dive briefing at sites where sharks are regularly encountered.
It doesn’t need to be complicated.
A Proposed Shark Etiquette for the Gili Islands
1. Stay neutrally buoyant
Observe sharks from the water column. Don’t deliberately lie, sit or kneel on the seabed to get closer.
2. Give sharks space
Don’t crowd a resting shark or position a group directly around its shelter.
3. Never chase a shark
If the shark swims away, let it swim away. An encounter should happen on the animal’s terms.
4. Never touch
Sharks are wild animals, not underwater attractions.
5. Don’t block their route
Always give the animal an easy way to move away from divers.
6. Stay calm
Avoid sudden movements and unnecessary excitement. International shark-encounter guidance similarly recommends remaining calm, staying with the group and never deliberately touching, harassing or attracting sharks.[4]
7. The photograph comes second
Don’t sacrifice buoyancy, environmental awareness or responsible behaviour for a picture or video.
8. Divemasters and instructors lead by example
The professional should demonstrate the behaviour expected from the group.
9. Brief before the dive
If sharks are likely to be encountered, explain the etiquette before entering the water—not after something has already happened.
10. Observe—don’t interfere
The objective should be to watch natural behaviour, not change that behaviour to create a better encounter.
A Shark Cave Isn’t a Photo Studio
This might be the most important message.
A shark cave is not an underwater photo studio.
The sharks are not there for us.
They haven’t positioned themselves underneath an overhang so divers can create better Instagram content.
When we encounter them, we are fortunate enough to witness a small part of their natural lives.
Our objective should therefore be:
Leave the shark behaving exactly as it was before we arrived.
That is a very different philosophy from:
How close can I get?
And perhaps that simple change in mentality is what responsible shark diving really requires.
Conservation Has to Be Part of Everyday Diving
Oceans 5 Gili Air operates within the Gili Matra Marine Protected Area.
For us, supporting marine conservation doesn’t only mean participating in occasional projects.
We support research and data collection around the Gili Islands and work with organizations and institutions including Indonesian government authorities and the University of Mataram.
Scientific research is important.
Data collection is important.
Monitoring reefs is important.
But conservation also happens during an ordinary 60-minute recreational dive.
Every time a Divemaster tells somebody not to touch the reef, that is conservation.
Every time an instructor teaches a student proper buoyancy, that is conservation.
Every time a photographer decides not to chase an animal for a better picture, that is conservation.
And every time a group observes a shark without disturbing it, that is conservation.
Green Fins similarly approaches environmental responsibility as something that should be integrated into everyday marine-tourism operations. Its Code of Conduct contains environmental standards covering operators, staff and tourists, both above and below the water.[5]
Shark Etiquette Could Be Bigger Than Oceans 5
We don’t think this should necessarily become an “Oceans 5 rule.”
It could become something much more useful.
Imagine if dive centres around Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan agreed on a simple shark etiquette.
Different dive centres.
Different training organizations.
Different instructors.
Different Divemasters.
But the same message.
When we encounter sharks:
Respect their space.
Remain neutrally buoyant.
Don’t touch the bottom unnecessarily.
Don’t chase.
Don’t surround.
Don’t block.
Don’t disturb.
Observe.
If every Divemaster included those principles in their briefing, thousands of divers visiting the Gili Islands every year could hear the same conservation message.
That is how a small idea can create a much larger impact.
Better Divers Can Create Better Shark Encounters
There is another benefit.
Responsible behaviour doesn’t necessarily make a shark encounter less exciting.
It may make it better.
A group of calm, neutrally buoyant divers observing from an appropriate position is very different from several divers crawling towards an animal with cameras.
Responsible shark tourism guidelines internationally are designed around exactly this principle: providing memorable experiences while reducing impacts on animals and habitats.[1]
The goal shouldn’t be getting as close as possible.
The goal should be creating an encounter where our presence matters as little as possible to the shark.
Maybe It Is Time
The incident we saw at Halik isn’t about attacking another dive centre or blaming individual divers.
It should start a conversation.
We all operate in the same marine environment.
We all benefit from healthy reefs.
We all benefit when divers see turtles, sharks, rays and other marine life.
And therefore we all share some responsibility for how that environment is treated.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, our position is clear.
We don’t want our Divemasters or instructors lying on the bottom in front of a shark cave.
We don’t want our students learning that behaviour.
We want our divers neutrally buoyant.
We want sharks to have space.
And we want marine-life encounters to happen with as little interference as possible.
Perhaps it is time to take the next step.
Let’s introduce Shark Etiquette around the Gili Islands.
Not because sharks need another rule written about them.
Because sometimes we humans need rules to remind us how to behave around wildlife.
The sharks were here before our dive centres.
The least we can do is behave respectfully when we visit them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is shark etiquette?
Shark etiquette is a simple set of behavioural guidelines explaining how divers and dive professionals should act when encountering sharks. Its purpose is to reduce disturbance, protect the surrounding environment and encourage responsible wildlife tourism.
Should divers lie on the bottom to watch sharks?
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we believe they shouldn’t. Divers who have adequate buoyancy control can observe sharks while remaining neutrally buoyant. Deliberately lying on the seabed simply to get closer or obtain a photograph is unnecessary.
Why is neutral buoyancy important around sharks?
Neutral buoyancy allows divers to maintain their position without using the seabed for support. It also helps them maintain an appropriate distance, control their movements and avoid unnecessary environmental contact.
Should shark etiquette be included in dive briefings?
We believe so. At dive sites where shark encounters are reasonably likely, a short explanation before entering the water could establish expectations for the entire group.
Is shark etiquette only for recreational divers?
No. In many ways it is even more important for Divemasters and instructors because guests frequently copy the behaviour demonstrated by dive professionals.
Does Oceans 5 want shark etiquette only at Halik?
No. Halik started this particular discussion, but the principle can apply anywhere around Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan where divers encounter sharks.
What is the most important rule?
Perhaps the simplest rule is:
Observe without interfering.
If the shark has to change its behaviour because we want a photograph, we should ask ourselves whether we are already too close.
References
[1] WWF, Project AWARE & The Manta Trust. Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice. The guide provides science-based tools for shark and ray tourism operators, communities and marine managers.
[2] Richards, K. et al. (2015). Sharks and people: Insight into the global practices of tourism operators and their attitudes to shark behaviour. Marine Pollution Bulletin. The study discusses formal codes of conduct, diver behaviour and operator responsibility in shark tourism.
[3] Oceans 5 Gili Air (2026). Should Dive Students Be Allowed to Touch the Seafloor? Oceans 5’s approach to teaching open-water skills neutrally buoyant and connecting diver education with conservation.
[4] SHARKPROJECT. Shark Encounter Recommendations. Guidance includes remaining calm, staying with the group and avoiding touching, harassing or deliberately attracting sharks.
[5] Green Fins. Environmental Standards and Code of Conduct. Environmental standards for marine tourism operators, staff and tourists designed to reduce impacts on marine ecosystems.