Snorkeling Gili Islands – Which One Has The Best Snorkel Spots?

Gili Islands is a popular destination along Lombok’s northwest coast. These three idyllic tropical islands, Trawangan, Meno, and Air, attract thousands of visitors yearly with their beautiful beaches and laid-back vibes. But you can do a lot more here than soak up the sun and snip cocktail on the white sand as the Gilis have fantastic snorkeling, too! You can swim here with turtles, discover underwater statues, and observe vibrant coral gardens in the crystal-clear waters. After visiting all three islands, we prepared this Gili Islands snorkeling guide to tell you which is the best to choose, what the best spots are, and give you some helpful tips on making your trip a breeze.

What Gili Island Is The Best For Snorkeling?

The Gili Islands are undoubtedly the most popular snorkeling spots in Lombok, but it might be difficult to decide which one to pick; these picturesque small islands are very similar but also differ a lot from each other, all offering fantastic underwater sights.

To help you, we briefly summarized what Gilis is the best for snorkeling and why. We think Gili Meno has the best snorkeling as it has healthy reefs, underwater statues, a wreck, and rich marine life. Gili Trawangan is the best to see turtles. Gili Air would be our last choice to stay in for snorkeling as it doesn’t have such nice reefs; they are good for beginners, but advanced snorkelers might find them too basic.

The good news is that you don’t need to miss any of the best snorkel spots, as no matter what island you will stay on, you can easily visit other islands’ snorkeling sites on a day trip.

Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan, the most popular Gili Island, is famous for its long sandy beaches that are perfect for sunbathing, but snorkelers also find a lot to see here. There are coral reefs almost all around the island except on the busy harbor side, but unfortunately, most of them are not easily reachable for snorkelers.

Still, Gili Trawangan is the best choice if you want to swim with turtles, as these cute creatures live along the island’s northeast reef. This snorkeling site is easily accessible from the shore; no tour is needed!

Gili Meno

Gili Meno offers the best snorkeling in the Gili Islands. Its snorkel spots include easy, shore-accessible reefs with rich marine life, including a galore of reef fish, moray eels, and sea turtles, the famous Nest underwater sculpture installation, and the Bounty Wreck.

Gili Air

Gili Air, the quiet Gili Island, is popular among those seeking peaceful island vibes. The island’s reefs have lots of destroyed coral, but you can still see a variety of reef fish and turtles near the shore in shallow waters.

Tip: Did you know that there are more Gilis around Lombok? Called the Secret Gilis, you find some less-discovered islands along the southwest coast of Lombok, like Gili Asahan, Gili Layar, and Gili Nanggu, which also have fantastic reefs for snorkeling!

Best Gili Islands Snorkeling Spots

Turtle Point – Gili Trawangan

Turtle Point on the northeast of Gili Trawangan is the best snorkeling spot to see sea turtles in the Gili Islands. This area is a wide sandy beach between Villa Almarik and Damina Restaurant with a seagrass-covered laguna and coral reef in 3-4 meters deep water before the reef drops off. Here, you can find green turtles that feed on seagrass in the lagoon and also hawksbill turtles that come here to munch on sponges growing on the reef.

We recommend snorkeling here at high tide. At low tide, it is easy to get injured on the rocks. Pay attention to passing boats, and watch out for the currents!

Underwater Statues – Gili Meno

The most popular snorkeling spot in Gili Meno is the Underwater Statue Park. The ” Nest ” installation consists of 48 life-size human figures in a circular formation referring to the circle of life.

The Gili Meno underwater statues were created by the famous sculptor Jason DeCaires. His sculptures can be seen worldwide at places like Mexico Underwater Museum or Museo Atlantico in Lanzarote. The statues are in shallow (5m) water in front of BASK Resort (this is under construction).

You can easily access the statues from the shore or book a boat trip. All Gili Islands snorkel tours include a stop at this site, as this is the most famous of all Gili Islands snorkeling spots.

Turtle Beach – Gili Air

Along the east coast of Gili Air, you find the island’s most popular snorkeling area, Turtle Beach, where, as the name indicates, you can see sea turtles. Several water entry points on this side of the island offer easy access to the reef. We think the best thing to do is to enter the water in front of Turtle Beach Hotel and swim to the east, as this is the main turtle feeding area.

What Is The Best Time To Go Snorkeling In The Gili Islands?

The Gili Islands have a similar climate to Bali: there is a long dry season and a short rainy season. The best time to visit the Gili Islands is between April and October. This period has the highest chance of abundant sunshine and cloud-free sky. Also, the summer months offer the best conditions for snorkeling in the Gili Islands with good visibility.

The islands are most crowded in July and August. Holiday periods like Eastern, Christmas, and New Year are also busy, with slightly higher room rates.

Therefore, we suggest arranging your hotel and transfers in advance if you arrive in the peak season! If you are flexible, consider coming before or after the primary season, preferably in June or September.

Safety Tips for Snorkeling In The Gili Islands

The currents are very strong here, and sea conditions can change instantly. Therefore, paying attention to snorkeling safety becomes even more important than in current-free waters. Based on our experience, we recommend following these tips:

• when visiting any Gili Islands snorkel spot, always wear good snorkeling fins to be able to swim against the current if needed.
• wearing a snorkel vest is also recommended: in case you drift away, boats can easily notice you and help
• stay close to the reef and watch out for boats
• carry a high visibility snorkel buoy for your safety
• if you feel uncomfortable with swimming in currents or are a beginner, sign up for a Gili Islands snorkeling trip rather than doing it on your own; on boat trips, the staff will choose the safest spots to snorkel, depending on sea conditions; moreover, they can pick you up if end up caught by a stronger current

How To Get To The Gili Islands?

The Gilis have become popular over the past few years. Therefore, they are easily reachable from Bali and Lombok, too. Most boats stop at all three islands, so make sure to buy your ticket to the correct destination.

Traveling between the islands is also easy. Shuttle boats and island hopping cruises operate from the morning to the afternoon at affordable prices.

Before booking your ticket, research the safest companies! Some have old vessels that often overload and don’t care much about safety, while others take many precautions and offer a high level of service. We will give you tips on the companies we used below.

Also, you need to know that high seas and bad weather conditions are common in the area. Therefore, trips can be canceled. Be prepared to change your travel dates. Schedule your trip for the dry season for the highest chance of good weather.

From Bali

If you are coming to visit the Gilis after your Bali snorkeling vacation, there are several speedboat companies with daily departures you can choose from with departures from Serangan Harbour and Padang Bai. You find cheap slow ferries like Patagonia Xpress or Eka Jaya. They use bigger boats that are safer in choppy sea conditions.

If you have a tight schedule, the best thing is to go on a fast boat. The safest ones are Blue Water Xpress and Gili Getaway. We tried both of them and were satisfied with the service. Unlike other companies, they put the luggage inside the boat. Moreover, we got complimentary tea and coffee after the trip, plus a free transfer to our hotel in Bali.

From Lombok

There is a public ferry service between Bangsal and the Gili Islands, which is the cheapest option. The ticket costs 1-2 USD and the trip lasts about 2 hours. A drawback is that it has an irregular schedule. Technically, it leaves when it fills up. Tourist shuttle boats also operate from Bangsal port (~25.000 IDR) between 8 am and 4:30 pm.

The fastest and most comfortable way to the islands is by speedboat. The journey takes about 30 minutes. Fast boats use the Teluk Nare or Teluk Kodek terminals. The best ones are the ones mentioned above, Blue Water and Gili Getaway, since this is also part of their daily route.

If you arrive from Bali but worry about the sea conditions, fly to Lombok first and book a boat to your favorite island. This way of traveling is highly recommended during January/February when the sea gets choppy.

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