Gili Divers

Gili Divers is a well-established scuba diving centre on Gili Trawangan’s best beach. The business is owned and run by Europeans (English & Swedish) and is just the right amount of busy all day, every day, throughout the year. Up to four dives per day are possible, and there are courses in several languages starting almost daily. There are so many reasons to claim that Gili Divers is the best dive centre on Gili Trawangan, but it’s difficult to know where to start.

Firstly, the location of Gili Divers is ideal. They are the only dive centre on the island that are able to load divers directly into the boat, in front of their business, at any tide or time of year. Others have to trek to a more convenient location during certain sea conditions. The location is also a perfect balance of ‘lively without being in the centre of town.’ Near to the pier, market and pub area is convenient for those who enjoy bumping into other tourists and jumping out of the way of Gili’s unforgiving horse & carts (Chimodo), but it can become tiresome and even dangerous at busy times of day and night, when you just want to get into the water. Gili Divers’ beach is also the best beach (sand, waves, & snorkeling reef) on Gili Trawangan that’s within a convenient distance of shops, restaurants, and a western toilet. The location is also well placed to easily and quickly reach the dive sites around the Gili Islands.

Reaching the dive sites from any Gili dive centre needs to be done by diving boat. All the other dive centres on Gili Trawangan use small dive boats which have outriggers for stability. The journeys are short, so comfort is not a big deal, but the outriggers are something to be wary of when divers are just about to descend or get back onto the boat. Gili Divers run two large dive boats, both of which are brand new and without outriggers, because their size and shape gives them stability. The boats’ large outboard motors also ensure that divers get to the dive sites or back to shore in no time at all.

When learning to dive, either as a Discover Scuba Diver or during an Open Water Diver course (often regarded to as ‘doing your PADI’), it’s vital to feel safe and comfortable when taking your first breaths underwater. While most diving schools on Gili Trawangan have small diving pools to learn in, most of them are out the front of the shop, for looks and to attract new business. Gili Divers’ pool is located behind the dive centre, meaning that there is no need for first time or learning divers to feel self-conscious when breathing underwater for the first time. There won’t be a hundred people walking past while the students are learning to do something new and unnatural. The pool has two depths, one which is waist height and allows adults to immediately stand up and talk or breathe naturally, and the other which is more than two metres deep and enables new divers to get a real feel for swimming around underwater with diving gear on.

Gili Divers even has its own hotel and beach restaurant, so guests really can live & dive all in the same place. The hotel has recently (Nov. 2014) undergone refurbishment, and is ideal for couples and small families. Those who want to stay alone or get the cheapest and most sociable accommodation can also stay round the corner at Gili Backpackers, and get deals on the diving they do.

All in all, it’s no surprise why Gili Divers is the most popular and busiest dive centre on Gili Trawangan. Everything is in the right place, and at just the right level of comfort, price, friendliness & professionalism.

Prices & Schedule