THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Bali and Lombok - page 402

DIVING AND SNORKELLING OFF THE GILI ISLANDS
The snorkelling and diving around the Gili Islands is among the best and most accessible
in Lombok, with two dozen sites within half an hour's boat ride, including drop-offs, slopes
and drift dives. The islands are fringed by coral reefs , and the Biorock coral regeneration
programme has created house reefs all the way down Gili Trawangan's east coast; visibility
averages 15m. Turtles are common and the prolific fish life includes white- and black-tip
reef sharks, cuttlefish, moray eels, lobsters, manta rays, Napoleon wrasses and bumphead
parrotfish. Among the most popular local sites are Shark Point, Meno Wall, Turtle Heaven,
Deep Halik, Manta Point and the deep Secret Reef; as they're so close, dive centres tend to
send boats to at least three different sites a day, which gives lots of choice and flexibility.
Freediving, diving for as long or as deep as you can without the help of air tanks, is gain-
ing popularity as well, though it can be dangerous and you should always take a course
with professionals before attempting it yourself.
DIVE CENTRES
Dive centres on the Gili Islands charge similar prices , around $70 for two dives, though
standards do vary; a list of established centres is below. They all offer dive-and-stay pack-
ages and many sell good-quality dive gear. All divers and snorkel-trippers off the Gili Is-
lands are requested to pay a one-off reef tax of Rp50,000 to the Gili Eco Trust , which
works to protect local reefs. There is a recompression chamber in Mataram at Kantor
Kesehatan Pelabuhan, Jl Adi Sucipto 13B, Apenan (24hr hotline [phone]) but the
chamber in Denpasar (see Hospitals, clinics and dentists ) is the preferred option.
Dive companies can take accompanying snorkellers for about $15, or you can join one
of the daily glass-bottomed boat snorkelling trips to sites around all three Gilis, with a stop
for lunch on Gili Air (Rp75,000/person including mask and snorkel); many shops, espe-
cially those on Gili Trawangan, sell tickets. Backpackers' liveaboard boat trips from Gili
Trawangan to Komodo are widely advertised and cost from $153 for three or four days. For
a more casual shore-based snorkel, gear is readily available for Rp30,000 a day. If you're
snorkelling or swimming off the beach, be warned that local offshore currents are hazard-
ous and can carry you further than you intended. Though the islands look temptingly close,
do not attempt to swim between them; there have been drownings.
Blue Marlin Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno 0370 613 2424 (Gili Trawangan), 0370
639980 (Gili Meno), bluemarlindive.com . Known for technical diving and tri-mix and
rents out closed-circuit rebreathers.
Divine Divers Gili Meno 0852 4057 0777, divinedivers.com . In a great, quiet spot on
the west coast; offers all basic courses.