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Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia

Gili Air: turtles, reef keepers and slow island days

Seven days of ocean, wild sea turtles and slow island life on Gili Air, where a reef is growing back.

This retreat is built around one quiet experience: floating above the reef while a wild sea turtle goes about its day below you. You arrive on Tuesday 15 June, with a pick-up at Bali airport and the fast boat to Gili Air. On 16, 18 and 20 June, three private snorkel boats, just for our group, take us to the reefs around all three Gili islands. In between, a morning at a coral nursery with marine biologists, a free morning, an island cooking class, and on the last boat day an in-water photographer. Six nights in a beachfront room, on an island with no cars.

7 days, 6 nightsSix guests at most, with Rocío as your hostCHF 1,360 pp
Book on WeTravelMessage RocíoSee all retreats
A sea turtle swimming in the clear water of the Gili Islands
A sea turtle swimming in the clear water of the Gili Islands. Photo: loli mass on Unsplash
  • 5.00 from 33 public reviews on BookRetreats · Read guest stories
  • Small group, six guests at most
  • Local boat crews and a reef-restoration foundation
  • Travel insurance required (water-activity cover from your own policy or the dive centre’s insurance)
  • Pause or skip any activity, any time
Guests laughing together in a kitchen after a morning on the waterA group of guests in life jackets on the boatGuests and a guide together on the beach after snorkellingGuests together at a waterfallGuests wearing matching green sarongs togetherRocío with guests around a table at the end of the dayReal guests on past trips

“Oh my, if I could give 6 or 7 stars, I would. She is very lovely, very easy to talk to, and she listens to you.”

Lean G., public review on BookRetreats, March 2026

“Amazing girl and super organised. Would book trips with her over and over if I could. 100% recommend!”

Katie H., public review on BookRetreats, March 2026

Quotes are copied as written from public reviews on BookRetreats. See all guest photos · Read all reviews

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At a glance

When15–21 June 2027
Length7 days, 6 nights
GroupSix guests at most, with Rocío as your host
StayBeachfront twin or single room
MealsBreakfast, lunch and dinner every day are included
CertificationNo diving certificate needed
Water levelComfortable snorkelling from a boat
EffortGentle snorkelling from a private boat, with life vests on every boat
LevelEasy

CHF 1,360 per person in a shared twin room (deposit CHF 408), CHF 1,552 in a single room (deposit CHF 466). 15–21 June 2027, 7 days and 6 nights, six guests at most. International flights are not included.

  1. Click Book on WeTravel and choose a twin or single room.
  2. Pay securely on WeTravel. Card fees are included in the price.
  3. Rocío welcomes you personally by email or WhatsApp.

Questions first? Message Rocío.

Book on WeTravelMessage RocíoEmail Rocío

Wildlife encounters are unpredictable. Snorkelling with sea turtles should always follow local regulations and experienced professional guidance.

Real guest reviews: Google · BookRetreats

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

Why Easy? Snorkelling from a boat on warm, shallow reefs. You should feel comfortable in the water.

Who it is for. Everyone is welcome: beginners, solo travellers and ocean lovers. No freediving or scuba needed, and you don't need to be an experienced swimmer.

New or a little nervous?

Your first day, step by step

  1. Day 1 · Welcome to Gili Air: on Tuesday 15 June you land in Bali, and Rocío sends the pick-up time once the June 2027 boat timetable is fixed. A car takes us to the harbour and the fast boat to Gili Air, about 2 hours from Padang Bai. You settle into your beachfront room, and in the evening we meet for a welcome evening together.
  2. Your guide explains the plan and the signals before anything starts in the water.
  3. You choose your pace. You can pause, rest or skip any activity, at any moment, with no pressure to continue.
  4. Nobody chases, touches or baits an animal. The animals decide whether they come close.

Questions beginners ask

What if I feel nervous in the water?
That is very normal, and you are welcome here. Activities are adapted to your level and comfort. Tell your guide or Rocío, and you can pause, rest or skip an activity at any moment.
What if I cannot clear my ears?
Equalising is taught in small steps by your instructor, and nobody is asked to push through. If your ears will not clear, you rest, come up or skip that dive or descent.
Will I hold the group back?
Groups are small (six guests at most, and some trips are four), so the pace follows the group and nobody is rushed. Tell Rocío your level before you book, and she will tell you honestly if a trip fits.
Do I need to be fit or experienced?
Each trip page shows its level and what it asks of you. If you are not sure, take our short Is it for me? questions or message Rocío.

Highlights

  • Snorkel with wild green and hawksbill turtles on their own reefs, always on the turtle's terms.
  • Three private boat days on 16, 18 and 20 June, guided by a local dive centre that knows these reefs.
  • A morning with marine biologists at their coral nursery on 17 June, from 09:00 to 12:00, then a snorkel on the restored reef.
  • Six nights in a beachfront room with a private bathroom, on an island with no cars.
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, and one afternoon we cook together in a small island cooking class.
  • A small group of six guests at most, with space to connect and space to be alone.
  • Founder-led: Rocío is with you from your first question to the final day.
  • Wildlife-first, never wildlife-on-demand: no chasing, no touching, no feeding.

The rhythm of your days

  1. Day 1 · Welcome to Gili Air: on Tuesday 15 June you land in Bali, and Rocío sends the pick-up time once the June 2027 boat timetable is fixed. A car takes us to the harbour and the fast boat to Gili Air, about 2 hours from Padang Bai. You settle into your beachfront room, and in the evening we meet for a welcome evening together.
  2. Day 2 · The Turtle Reefs: our first private snorkel boat, with a short briefing on currents and signals, then the reefs where turtles often feed. Back at the hotel to rest, swim or cycle, and dinner together.
  3. Day 3 · The Coral Nursery: from 09:00 to 12:00, marine biologists from a local reef-restoration foundation show us their coral nursery and how a reef can heal, then we snorkel the restored reef with them. Free afternoon, dinner together.
  4. Day 4 · Turtles, Day Two: our second private snorkel boat, to different reefs chosen for the day's conditions. A slow afternoon by the beach, and the evening at your own pace.
  5. Day 5 · Island Life: a free morning to sleep in, walk, swim or cycle. In the afternoon an island cooking class, then we eat what we made. Sunset on the west side of the island, or a quiet night.
  6. Day 6 · The Statues & Our Photographer: our third private snorkel boat, with the underwater statues off Gili Meno if the sea allows. An in-water photographer joins us, so you can simply be in the moment. A farewell dinner together.
  7. Day 7 · Until Next Time: breakfast and goodbyes, then the fast boat back to Bali and the transfer to the airport for an evening or night flight.

Trip details

Included

  • 6 nights in a beachfront twin or single room with private bathroom on Gili Air
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day
  • A welcome evening and a farewell dinner together
  • Bali airport pick-up, harbour transfer and fast boat to Gili Air and back
  • 3 private snorkel boat days around the three Gili islands (16, 18 and 20 June)
  • One boat day with an in-water photographer. You receive your photos after the trip.
  • Coral nursery morning with marine biologists, 09:00–12:00, marine-park ticket included
  • Marine-park tickets and port tax
  • Island cooking class
  • Mask, snorkel and fins, life vests on every boat
  • Tips for crews and guides
  • Local guides and full host support, Rocío all week
  • Pre and post-retreat support

Not included

  • Flights to and from Bali (DPS)
  • Indonesian visa and Bali tourism levy (about CHF 30 in total)
  • Travel insurance (required: medical care, evacuation and snorkelling)
  • Drinks outside meals, personal expenses and souvenirs

Read the cancellation policy.

Photo gallery

The animals and places of this trip. Each caption says where the photo was taken.

A school of reef fish along Meno Wall, Gili Meno, on the three-Gilis boat route
A school of reef fish along Meno Wall, Gili Meno, on the three-Gilis boat route. Photo: Uber Scuba Gili on Unsplash
A green turtle resting on the sand. Photo taken at Gili Trawangan, next to Gili Air
A green turtle resting on the sand. Photo taken at Gili Trawangan, next to Gili Air. Photo: Uber Scuba Gili on Unsplash
A sea turtle swimming through sun rays. Place not confirmed by the photographer
A sea turtle swimming through sun rays. Place not confirmed by the photographer. Photo: Sébastien Goldberg on Unsplash
A traditional boat resting on clear turquoise water off Gili Air
A traditional boat resting on clear turquoise water off Gili Air. Photo: Hongbin on Unsplash
A person swimming alone in the turquoise sea off Gili Air
A person swimming alone in the turquoise sea off Gili Air. Photo: Bernard Hermant on Unsplash
A wooden swing standing in the calm shallows of Gili Air
A wooden swing standing in the calm shallows of Gili Air. Photo: loli mass on Unsplash
Ocean Atlas

Animals you may meet

Never guaranteed, never chased. Tap an animal to see how it lives, where it travels and a fun fact.

Green turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically Endangered
Is this place for you?

Before you choose Gili Trawangan, Lombok, Indonesia

An honest look at food, noise, smells, heat and local customs, so you can decide calmly. If something matters to you, tell Rocío. She will check it for you.

EasyPossible with planningAsk Rocío

Vegetarian and vegan

Easy

Gili Trawangan has the biggest choice of restaurants of the three Gili islands, including vegetarian and vegan options and a night market near the harbour.

Gluten free

Possible with planning

Some kitchens will adapt dishes to gluten free, but not all. Ask in each place, and tell Rocío before your trip.

Noise and crowds

Possible with planning

This is the party island. The east side near the harbour has bars and music every night, some until about 3am. The west and north sides are quieter. You will hear the call to prayer, from about 4.30 to 5am. July, August and December are the busiest months.

Smells, smoke and air

Easy

There are no cars or motorbikes on the island, so there are no traffic fumes. We did not find any haze season recorded for the Gili islands.

Heat and humidity

Possible with planning

Daytime is about 30 to 31°C all year and humidity is about 79%. The sun is very strong (UV 10 or more). The wet season, with heavy showers, is about November to April.

Predictable days and quiet breaks

Possible with planning

Scuba course days follow a set plan of study and dives, and dive times can change with tides and currents. You can rest between dives; ask Rocío about a calm room away from the east side.

Getting around and mobility

Possible with planning

You arrive by fast boat from Bali (about 1.5 to 2.5 hours) or by short boat from Lombok. There are no cars or motorbikes: you walk, cycle or take a horse cart. Paths are sand, dirt or rough concrete, with a short stretch of soft sand. Never swim between the islands; the currents are strong.

Breathing and health

Ask Rocío

It is hot and humid, and dengue (spread by mosquitoes) is a risk. There is no hyperbaric (dive) chamber on the Gili islands; the nearest ones are on Lombok (Mataram) and in Bali, several hours away by boat and road. Local health care can be basic. Divers with asthma need a dive medical check first. Please check with a doctor or a dive medical before you book.

Local customs

  • Most local people are Sasak Muslims. Please cover up when you walk away from the beach, in the village and at shops.
  • The call to prayer comes from mosque speakers five times a day. The first one is early, around 4.30 to 5am.
  • During Ramadan, do not eat, drink or smoke in public in the daytime. Music and parties stop earlier in this month.
  • Alcohol is sold on the tourist strip. Only drink from sealed bottles or trusted bars, because methanol in drinks has caused deaths in Indonesia.
  • Use your right hand to greet people and to give or take things.
Sources for this section

Ethics and safety

  • We never touch, chase, ride, feed or corner a turtle.
  • We never block a turtle's way up to breathe.
  • We never stand on coral, and we never visit places that keep turtles in tanks.
  • If the conditions are not right, we do not go in the water. The sea and the animal decide.
  • We keep the group small, work with local professionals and say honestly that encounters are never guaranteed.
  • Wildlife encounters are unpredictable. Snorkelling with sea turtles should always follow local regulations and experienced professional guidance.

Practical details

  • Getting there: fly into Bali (DPS). The airport pick-up, the harbour transfer and the fast boat to Gili Air and back are included. On the last day, plan an evening or night flight.
  • Travel insurance is required, with cover for medical care, evacuation and snorkelling.
  • Payment plan: 30% deposit when you book, then monthly payments charged automatically, balance due 60 days before the trip, on Friday 16 April 2027.
  • The Indonesian visa and the Bali tourism levy (about CHF 30 in total) are not included. Please check the entry rules for your own passport.
  • Every activity is optional, and rest is always allowed. The order of the boat days can change with the weather and the sea.
Why we choose slower boats

Speed is one of the simplest things a boat captain controls, and it matters a lot to the animals we visit. Research from many oceans shows the same pattern: a slower boat is less likely to hit a whale, turtle or manatee, gives animals time to move away, and makes less noise under the water.

Slower ships kill fewer whales

A study of 47 recorded ship strikes on large whales found the chance of a deadly injury was 21 per cent at 8.6 knots but 79 per cent at 15 knots. Below 11.8 knots, a strike is more likely to be survived than not.

Vanderlaan & Taggart, 2007, Vessel collisions with whales: the probability of lethal injury based on vessel speed (Marine Mammal Science)

A 10 knot limit works for right whales

Since 2008, the United States has required vessels 65 feet (about 20 metres) or longer to travel at 10 knots or less in set areas and seasons along the East Coast, to protect North Atlantic right whales. A later study estimated these limits cut the risk of deadly ship strikes by 80 to 90 per cent.

Conn & Silber, 2013, Vessel speed restrictions reduce risk of collision-related mortality for North Atlantic right whales (Ecosphere); NOAA Fisheries, Reducing vessel strikes to North Atlantic right whales

Turtles cannot escape fast boats

In Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, researchers watched 1,890 green turtle encounters. 60 per cent of turtles moved away from a boat going 4 km/h, but only 22 per cent at 11 km/h and 4 per cent at 19 km/h.

Hazel, Lawler, Marsh & Robson, 2007, Vessel speed increases collision risk for the green turtle Chelonia mydas (Endangered Species Research)

Slow zones save manatees

In Sykes Creek and the Barge Canal on Merritt Island, Florida, eight manatees were killed by boats in the 42 months before year-round slow speed was enforced. In the 42 months after, only one was killed.

Laist & Shaw, 2006, Preliminary evidence that boat speed restrictions reduce deaths of Florida manatees (Marine Mammal Science)

Faster boats are louder

Recordings of 1,582 ships in Haro Strait, between Washington State and British Columbia, showed that most ships get about 1 decibel louder for every extra knot of speed. This noise reaches the high sounds that killer whales use to find food.

Veirs, Veirs & Wood, 2016, Ship noise extends to frequencies used for echolocation by endangered killer whales (PeerJ)

Going slow gives whales quiet time to feed

When ships in Haro Strait were asked to slow to 11 knots, underwater noise fell by 2.5 decibels, about 44 per cent less sound energy. Scientists estimated this cut the feeding time killer whales lose to noise by 22 per cent.

Joy et al., 2019, Potential benefits of vessel slowdowns on endangered southern resident killer whales (Frontiers in Marine Science)

Questions

How much does it cost?
CHF 1,360 per person in a shared twin room, or CHF 1,552 in a single room, for 15 to 21 June 2027. Six guests at most.
How much is the deposit, and how does the payment plan work?
The deposit is 30%: CHF 408 for a twin room, CHF 466 for a single room. Then monthly payments are charged automatically, and the balance is due on Friday 16 April 2027, 60 days before the trip. If you book later, the payments adjust to the time left.
Can I have a room for myself?
Yes. A beachfront single room with a private bathroom is CHF 1,552. In a twin room you share with one guest of the group, with two separate beds and a private bathroom.
What is included?
Six nights by the beach, breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, the Bali airport pick-up and fast boat both ways, three private snorkel boat days, the coral nursery morning, the marine-park tickets and port tax, the cooking class, a photographer on one boat day, snorkel gear, tips and Rocío all week. Flights, the visa, the Bali levy, travel insurance and drinks outside meals are not included.
Will we see turtles?
Green and hawksbill turtles live around all three Gilis all year, but nothing is promised. They are wild, and they choose how close the moment becomes. We have three boat days to give the encounters time.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer?
No. You don't need to be an experienced swimmer or fearless. There are life vests on every boat, you can stay on board at any time, and every activity is optional.
Is this a diving course?
No. This is a snorkelling retreat. No freediving or scuba is needed.
We are two or more friends. Can we book together?
Yes. Please message Rocío before booking, so she can plan the rooms with you.
How do I book?
Click Book on WeTravel and choose your room. Questions first? Message Rocío.

CHF 1,360 per person in a shared twin room (deposit CHF 408), CHF 1,552 in a single room (deposit CHF 466). 15–21 June 2027, 7 days and 6 nights, six guests at most. International flights are not included.

  1. Click Book on WeTravel and choose a twin or single room.
  2. Pay securely on WeTravel. Card fees are included in the price.
  3. Rocío welcomes you personally by email or WhatsApp.

Questions first? Message Rocío.

Book on WeTravelMessage RocíoEmail Rocío

Wildlife encounters are unpredictable. Snorkelling with sea turtles should always follow local regulations and experienced professional guidance.

Real guest reviews: Google · BookRetreats

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

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