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Gili Islands, Lombok

Gili conservation courses

Two islands, two separate offers. Each one has its own courses, its own photos from the dive centre and its own booking. Choose the island that suits your mood, then the course that suits your time.

Gili Trawangan from the air, ringed by reef, with Gili Meno and Gili Air beyond
Conservation coursesEasy
Gili Trawangan conservation courses

The lively island: short conservation courses, reef restoration and island volunteering.

All year

From CHF 19

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A diver replanting a coral fragment during a conservation dive
Conservation coursesEasy
Gili Air conservation courses

A calm island and a busy reef: conservation courses from one day to four weeks.

All year. Programmes start every month

From CHF 19

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Two islands, two moods

Gili Air or Gili Trawangan?

Both islands sit in the same protected marine park, 10 to 20 minutes apart by boat, with no cars and the same turtles. What changes is the mood on land.

Palm trees and a turquoise pool beside white bungalows on Gili Air
Photo: local dive centre, Gili Air
A green turtle resting on the reef off Gili Air
Photo: local dive centre, Gili Air
Coral nursery frames with young corals, Gili Air
Photo: local dive centre, Gili Air

Gili Air

Calm, village-like and slow

  • A relaxed bar scene and quiet evenings
  • The closest Gili to Lombok
  • The 1, 2 and 4 week reef programmes, plus one-day courses on turtles, sharks, coral restoration and nudibranchs, and a seahorse survey on the Lombok coast
  • Lunch on course days in the 2 and 4 week programmes
  • Stay in the village or on the quieter west coast
  • Fewer cash machines, so bring some rupiah

Choose Gili Air if you want calm evenings, a longer programme and a slower island rhythm.

Gili Trawangan from the air, ringed by reef, with Gili Meno and Gili Air beyond
Photo: fbilula, Wikimedia Commons
Long garden pool at the dive resort
A diver descending into the blue off Gili Trawangan
Photo: local dive centre, Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan

Lively, social and full of choice

  • The liveliest island: bars and music every night on the east side, some until about 3am
  • The west and north sides are much quieter
  • The biggest choice of restaurants, with vegetarian and vegan options and a night market
  • Conservation Diver I (2 dives), II (3 dives) and the Conservation Specialty (7 dives) with our partner PADI centre
  • The island conservation NGO: Biorock snorkels, clean-up Fridays and turtle nest volunteering, open to non-divers
  • Biorock reef restoration courses, from 1 day to 14 days
  • Our scuba retreat here runs with an SSI dive centre
  • Stay on the west or north side for calmer nights

Choose Gili Trawangan if you like company after the dives, more food choice and short conservation activities.

The differences at a glance

Gili AirGili Trawangan
MoodCalm and village-likeLively, with a party strip on the east side
EveningsQuiet, a relaxed bar sceneMusic every night on the east side, some until about 3am
ConservationOne-day courses and 1, 2 or 4 week programmes (PADI partner)Conservation Diver I, II and Specialty (PADI partner); island NGO snorkels, clean-ups and nest volunteering; Biorock courses
Dive agencyPADI (our conservation partner)SSI for our scuba retreat; PADI for the conservation courses
CertificationAdvanced Open Water for the week programmes; one-day courses varyOpen Water for Conservation Diver I and the Biorock intro; none for the NGO snorkels and volunteering; Advanced Open Water for the 14 day course
FoodA smaller scene of cafes and beach restaurantsThe most restaurants of the three Gilis, and a night market
Getting thereClosest to Lombok by boatFast boats from Bali stop here first on most routes
Where to stayThe village or the quieter west coastThe west or north side, away from the east strip
Same on bothNo cars or motorbikes, the same marine park, green and hawksbill turtles, water about 27 to 30°C, the call to prayer at dawn

Ask Rocío which island suits you

Our partner dive centre

Life at the dive centre

Real photos from our PADI conservation partner on Gili Air and Gili Trawangan: the training pools, the classrooms, the rooms and the reef.

Gili Air

First breaths underwater in the training pool
First breaths underwater in the training pool
Skills practice in calm, clear pool water
Skills practice in calm, clear pool water
A diver gliding over the reef off Gili Air
A diver gliding over the reef off Gili Air
Heading out on a conservation survey
Heading out on a conservation survey
A quiet balcony room with garden views
A quiet balcony room with garden views
The pool and garden where you rest between dives
The pool and garden where you rest between dives

Gili Trawangan

Descending into the blue off Gili Trawangan
Descending into the blue off Gili Trawangan
Reef surveys on a sandy slope
Reef surveys on a sandy slope
Dive briefing in the shade
Dive briefing in the shade
Theory lessons in the open-air classroom
Theory lessons in the open-air classroom
Pool training before the first open-water dive
Pool training before the first open-water dive
Sunset after the last dive of the day
Sunset after the last dive of the day

Photos: our partner PADI dive centre on Gili Air and Gili Trawangan, used with permission.

CHF 19Recommendation for a 1 to 3 day course
CHF 99Planned itinerary for 1 week to 1 month

The fee covers Rocío’s personal recommendation and planning. To pay, text Rocío on WhatsApp and she will tell you how.

Text Rocío to book and pay

Real guest reviews: Google · BookRetreats

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

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