Page 55 - Diving Indonesia 21 November 2019

THE GILI ISLANDS (TRAWANGAN, AIR & MENO) THE GILI ISLANDS (TRAWANGAN, AIR & MENO)

Snorkeling
and Freediving
Highlights

Both snorkelers and freedivers have
endless opportunities around the Gili
Islands. The hard coral reef tops are
home to a multitude of reef species and
the clear, shallow water means that
everything is on display from the surface.
Turtles abound in the shallows and are a
definite highlight. When snorkeling and
free diving, there can be surface currents
and “drift snorkeling” can be a lot of fun
for experienced snorkelers.

Snorkeling is extremely accessible from all
three of the Gili Islands directly from the
beaches. Warm water and good visibility
make snorkeling conditions suitable for
all levels.

Shark Point, located on the west of and diverse marine life. are often harboring pygmy sea horses. For freedivers, or those wanting to try
Gili Trawangan is one of the Gili Islands Deep Turbo is positioned in between When looking out to the blue you will see out freediving for the first time, the Gili
best known dive sites. Here you will the islands of Trawangan and Meno and fusiliers cruise by, occasional eagle rays as Islands are home to many freediving
find larger marine species that include this site is a firm favourite with many well as turtles. schools.
reef sharks, huge green turtles, moray divers. The dive site is a sea mount which Sunset is a pleasant sloping reef dive site
eels and occasional rays. Shark Point rises up from a sandy bottom, the top of on the southern end of Gili Trawangan
also boasts some of the best marine which offers a stunning coral garden. In with abundant hard corals including
biodiversity around the islands. The site the deeper sections there are interesting branching and table corals under which
is a sloping reef where turtles hang out canyons where black and white tip reef numerous species of reef fish take
in the shallows, sharks in the deeper sharks are often spotted. Corals here shelter. Deep water upwellings from
areas and has a mid-section mixed with are among the best in the area with the Lombok Sea attract reef sharks and
angelfish, barracuda, snappers, pufferfish, colourful soft corals and large gorgonian other pelagics including tuna, trevallies.
butterflyfish, numerous different fans. Expect to see an excellent range Occasional manta rays have also been
triggerfish, critters and much more. Turtle of reef life and look out for passing “big spotted here when there is an abundance
Heaven positioned on east Gili Meno fish”. Simon’s Reef offers a series of of plankton. Sunset has good diversity
certainly lives up to its name and it’s sea mounts to the north of Gili Meno of small and medium sized reef fish
possible to lose count of the number of and boasts a healthy mix of hard and including snappers, triggerfish, sweetlips
turtles in one dive! This sloping dive site soft corals. Large barrel sponges are a and hordes of damsels over the branching
has a pinnacle which attracts colourful highlight as are gorgonian sea fans, which corals.

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