The Beach Clean-Ups of Yesterday at Oceans 5 Gili Air

Community, Commitment, and Care

Every Friday at exactly 17:00, something special happens on the beaches of Gili Air. While the tropical sun starts to sink toward the horizon and most visitors are thinking about sunset drinks or dinner plans, a growing group of people gathers in front of Oceans 5 Gili Air with a shared purpose: taking care of the island they love.

Yesterday’s beach clean-up was another powerful example of how a simple weekly routine can turn into a meaningful community tradition. Staff members, divemaster candidates, and volunteers from all over the world came together to spend an hour cleaning the harbor beaches of Gili Air—one bag, one piece of rubbish, and one conversation at a time.

A Weekly Ritual Rooted in Responsibility

The beach clean-ups organized by Oceans 5 Gili Air are not a one-off event or a marketing stunt. They are a long-standing commitment. Every Friday at 17:00, without exception, the dive center opens its doors to anyone who wants to help. There is no fee, no sign-up requirement, and no experience needed—just the willingness to contribute.

This consistency matters. Marine debris doesn’t disappear on its own, and islands like Gili Air are especially vulnerable. Seasonal currents, river runoff from Lombok, and daily human activity all contribute to the rubbish that ends up on the beaches, particularly in the harbor area where waste tends to accumulate. By returning week after week, Oceans 5 and its volunteers ensure that cleaning the beaches becomes part of island life rather than a rare event.

Who Joins the Clean-Ups?

One of the most inspiring aspects of yesterday’s clean-up was the diversity of the group. Oceans 5 staff members were there, leading by example. Divemaster candidates—already training to become responsible professionals in the dive industry—joined as part of their education, learning that caring for the ocean goes far beyond guiding dives or teaching skills.

Alongside them were travelers, long-term visitors, digital nomads, and island residents. Some had joined before, others were there for the very first time. Conversations flowed easily: about diving, island life, conservation, and sometimes simply about where someone comes from and why they ended up on Gili Air.

This mix of people is exactly what makes the clean-ups so powerful. It breaks down the invisible line between “staff,” “students,” and “guests.” For one hour, everyone is simply a volunteer with gloves on and a bag in hand.

Equipped and Ready: Making It Easy to Help

One of the reasons the Oceans 5 beach clean-ups are so accessible is their simplicity. Volunteers don’t need to bring anything. Oceans 5 provides all the essentials: sturdy gloves and large rubbish bags, ready to be handed out as people arrive.

Before the group heads out, one of the Oceans 5 staff members gathers everyone together for a clear and concise briefing. This moment is more important than it might seem at first glance. The briefing covers:

• Where to collect rubbish – focusing mainly on the harbor beaches, where debris often accumulates.
• How to collect safely – avoiding sharp objects, being mindful of glass or metal, and watching footing near the water.
• What to do when bags are full – where to leave them and how they will be collected afterward.
• What happens at the end – a group photo to document the effort and a free drink as a small thank-you.

This structure ensures that everyone feels comfortable and informed, even if they’ve never joined a clean-up before.

One Hour, Real Impact

Once the briefing ends, the group spreads out along the harbor beaches. For the next hour, the focus is clear and practical. Plastic bottles, food wrappers, straws, fishing lines, flip-flops, and unidentifiable fragments of plastic are pulled from the sand and vegetation. Some items have clearly traveled far; others are a reminder of how quickly rubbish can accumulate when not managed properly.

There’s a quiet satisfaction in filling a bag. It’s tangible proof that the effort matters. While one hour may seem short, the collective impact adds up quickly when dozens of hands are working together. Over weeks and months, these clean-ups prevent large amounts of waste from re-entering the ocean, where it would break down into microplastics or harm marine life.

Yesterday, like every Friday, the harbor beaches looked visibly cleaner by the time the group finished.

Education Beyond the Clean-Up

What sets Oceans 5 Gili Air apart is that the beach clean-up doesn’t end when the bags are full. After returning to the dive center, volunteers have the opportunity to visit the on-site conservation exhibition center.

This space explains what Oceans 5 Gili Air and its partners are doing to protect the marine environment around the Gili Islands. From ongoing conservation projects to collaborations with local and academic partners, the exhibition connects the dots between a single piece of rubbish picked up on the beach and the larger environmental picture.

For many volunteers, this is an eye-opening moment. It transforms the clean-up from a physical activity into a learning experience, reinforcing why these efforts matter and how they fit into long-term conservation goals.

The Social Side: Photo and a Free Drink

After an hour of work, everyone gathers back at Oceans 5 for a group photo. Smiles, sandy feet, and gloves still on—these photos are not about showing off, but about celebrating collective action. They capture a moment of shared responsibility and community spirit.

To wrap things up, Oceans 5 offers every participant a free drink. It’s a small gesture, but an important one. It turns the clean-up into a social moment where people linger, talk, and connect. Many volunteers mention that this relaxed ending is what makes them come back again the following Friday.

Training Future Professionals with the Right Values

For the divemaster candidates joining the clean-ups, these Fridays are an integral part of their professional development. They learn that being a dive professional is not only about safety skills, briefings, and guiding underwater. It’s also about stewardship.

By participating week after week, future dive professionals internalize the idea that protecting the ocean is an ongoing responsibility. This mindset stays with them long after they leave Gili Air, influencing how they teach, guide, and interact with marine environments around the world.

More Than a Dive Center

Oceans 5 Gili Air often says it is not just a dive center—and yesterday’s beach clean-up perfectly illustrated why. It is a community-driven business built around care: care for the ocean, care for the island, and care for the people who live on and visit Gili Air.

The clean-ups are free, open to everyone, and organized with consistency and heart. They show that meaningful change doesn’t always require grand gestures. Sometimes, it starts with showing up every Friday at 17:00, putting on a pair of gloves, and picking up whatever the tide has brought in.

Looking Ahead

As the seasons change and conditions shift, rubbish will continue to arrive on the beaches of Gili Air. Oceans 5 Gili Air knows this—and that’s exactly why the weekly clean-ups will continue.

Yesterday was not an exception; it was part of a rhythm. A rhythm that proves that when a business truly cares about what it loves, it can inspire an entire community to do the same.

If you’re on Gili Air next Friday, you already know where to be at 17:00. Gloves and bags are waiting.