Three SSI schools · Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands
Diving in Indonesia
Reef mantas every month of the year, mola mola in season and turtles on almost every dive. Three DPM centres, one archipelago, endless reef.
Contact us on WhatsAppDiving in the middle of the Coral Triangle
Indonesia sits inside the Coral Triangle, the global epicentre of marine biodiversity: more than 3,000 species of fish and over 600 types of coral across 17,000 islands. That is the reason it keeps showing up at the top of every list of the best dive destinations in the world, and the reason a week here rarely feels like enough.
Our three dive centres are in the corner of the country that gives you the most variety in the least travel time. Nusa Penida, a short crossing from Bali, sits on the Lombok Strait, where the Indonesian Throughflow pushes nutrient-rich water past cleaning stations and drop-offs: reef mantas all year, oceanic sunfish from July to October and drift dives that rank among the best anywhere. Gili Trawangan and Gili Air, off Lombok, are the other half of the story: shallow coral gardens, calm water, turtles on most dives and no cars on the island.
Conditions are warm and forgiving in the Gilis, which makes them one of the friendliest places in Asia to get certified. Penida is more demanding, with real currents and proper briefings, so it rewards divers who already have a few dives in the logbook. Between the three centres you can start from zero and finish the trip drifting past a five-metre manta.
3
Dive schools in Indonesia
24
Dive sites we run across the three islands
1:4
Maximum divers per guide
Where we dive in Indonesia
Three islands, three very different personalities. Same SSI standards, same small groups, same team ethos.
Nusa Penida, mantas and mola mola
The most reliable manta encounter in Bali, and one of the best drift dives on the planet. Our centre is in Toyapakeh, on the channel between Penida and Ceningan, with daily boats to all eight headline sites: three manta cleaning stations at Manta Point, the cold upwellings of Crystal Bay where oceanic sunfish rise to recreational depth, and long north-coast drifts over pristine coral at SD Point, Ped and Sental. It is all inside a Marine Protected Area declared in 2010 and expanded in 2019. Currents are real here, so briefings matter and so does your guide.
- Reef mantas year-round at Manta Point
- Mola mola from July to October at Crystal Bay
- World-class drift diving over healthy coral
Gili Trawangan, turtles and easy reefs
No cars, no motorbikes, just bicycles and the dive boat. Gili T is the busiest of the three Gilis above water and one of the most relaxed below it: seven sites within a 5 to 20 minute ride from our pier on the east side of the island. Turtle Heaven is exactly what it sounds like, Halik Reef is a gentle drift that turns into a great night dive, and Shark Point puts white-tip reef sharks on the sand at around 25 metres. Our team speaks English, Spanish, Italian, German and French, and we have been on this island for more than a decade.
- Green and hawksbill turtles at Turtle Heaven
- White-tip reef sharks at Shark Point
- Night dives at Halik Reef on request
Gili Air, the quiet one
We opened here after divers kept asking us for a calmer alternative to Gili T, and that is still the best way to describe it. Nine sites from our centre on the east side of the island, several of them found nowhere else in the archipelago: Hans Reef and Frogfish Point for macro hunters, Air Wall dropping past 30 metres, Sunset Reef in the golden hour and Gili Air Harbor with its submerged structures and barracuda schools. Small groups by design, max four divers per guide, and turtles on most dives.
- Frogfish and seahorses at Frogfish Point and Hans Reef
- A vertical wall past 30 m at Air Wall
- Nine dive sites and far fewer divers
Beyond our schools
Best places to dive in Indonesia
An honest guide to the whole archipelago, including the regions where we do not have a school. Indonesia is huge, and the best choice depends on your level, your budget and how much time you have to travel.
Lombok Strait, off southeast Bali
Nusa Penida
Reef mantas all year, mola mola in season and some of the best drift diving in Asia, a short crossing from Bali. Currents are strong, so it rewards divers who already have some experience and a good guide beside them.
Gili Islands, off northwest Lombok
Gili Trawangan
Turtles on almost every dive, shallow reefs and calm conditions, with a lively island above water. One of the friendliest places in the region to get certified.
Gili Islands, off northwest Lombok
Gili Air
The quietest of the Gilis, with walls, macro life such as frogfish and seahorses, and far fewer divers in the water. Easy conditions for learning and plenty to keep experienced divers busy.
Komodo National Park, between Sumbawa and Flores
Komodo
Strong currents, healthy reefs and plenty of big fish: mantas, reef sharks and huge schools, inside a national park also famous for its dragons. Most diving is done from Labuan Bajo on day boats or liveaboards, and the currents make many sites a better fit for experienced divers.
West Papua, far eastern Indonesia
Raja Ampat
Often described as the most biodiverse reef area on the planet, with extraordinary coral and fish life, mantas and huge variety spread across hundreds of islands. It is remote and expensive to reach, and most divers go by liveaboard or stay at a resort for a week or more, so it is a trip to plan well in advance.
Northeast Bali
Tulamben and Amed (Bali)
Shore diving over black volcanic sand, with the USAT Liberty wreck close to the beach at Tulamben and gentle reefs full of macro life along the Amed coast. Easy access from the rest of Bali and calm water make it a good option for beginners and photographers.
North Sulawesi
Bunaken and Lembeh (Sulawesi)
Two very different sides of the same region: the steep coral walls of Bunaken, in a marine park off Manado, and the Lembeh Strait, a world reference for muck diving and rare critters on dark sand. Getting there means a domestic flight to Manado, and it suits divers who love walls or underwater photography.
When is the best time to dive in Indonesia?
You can dive all three islands every month of the year. Water temperature sits between 27 and 30 °C at the surface, currents are mostly manageable and our boats go out daily except in extreme weather. What changes with the calendar is visibility and which animals show up.
The dry season is the sweet spot: roughly May to October in Gili Trawangan and April to November in Gili Air, when visibility often climbs past 25 or 30 metres and manta sightings at Manta Point are most reliable. The wet season brings short afternoon downpours and drops visibility to 15 to 20 metres, but the diving is still excellent and the centres are quieter. In Nusa Penida the calendar works differently: mantas are there twelve months a year, and the mola mola window runs roughly July to October, when cold upwellings of 18 to 22 °C bring sunfish up to where divers can meet them.
| School | Best time to dive | What you will see |
|---|---|---|
| Nusa Penida | All year · mola mola July – October | Reef mantas year-round at Manta Point, mola mola at Crystal Bay in season, drift dives over pristine coral |
| Gili Trawangan | May – October | Green and hawksbill turtles, white-tip reef sharks at Shark Point, mantas April–November at Manta Point |
| Gili Air | April – November | Turtles at Turtle Heaven, frogfish and seahorses year-round, mantas April–October and macro life on the walls |
Diving courses in Indonesia
Everything we teach in Indonesia is an SSI programme with a lifetime certification, full equipment and a maximum of four divers per instructor. Learn in the Gilis, go deeper in Penida, or stay a couple of months and go pro.
Guides to plan your trip
Discover Where to Dive in Nusa Penida!
Diving with Manta Rays in Nusa Penida: Manta Point!
Where to Dive in Gili Trawangan: Complete Guide!
Where to Dive in Gili Air: Ultimate Guide with Map
How to get from Bali to the Gili Islands? Complete guide
Five dive destinations
Where do you want to take your course?
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about diving in Indonesia
When is the best time to dive in Indonesia?
Every month works. The dry season, roughly April to November depending on the island, brings the best visibility, while mantas are at Manta Point in Nusa Penida all year and mola mola show up between July and October.
Do I need to be certified to dive in Indonesia?
No. You can try diving in a single day with Try Scuba, or get your Open Water certification in three days at any of our three centres. No previous experience is required.
Which island is best for beginners?
Gili Air or Gili Trawangan. Both have shallow coral gardens, calm water and gentle conditions. Nusa Penida has stronger currents, so it suits divers who already have some experience.
Where can I dive with manta rays in Indonesia?
At Manta Point in Nusa Penida, where three cleaning stations between 5 and 20 metres attract reef mantas with wingspans up to 5 metres all year, and seasonally at Manta Point in the Gili Islands.
Can I see mola mola, the ocean sunfish?
Yes, mainly from July to October at Crystal Bay and Blue Corner in Nusa Penida, when cold water brings them up to recreational depths. Sightings outside that window happen but cannot be planned around.
Where is the best diving in Indonesia?
There is no single answer in a country this size. Raja Ampat and Komodo are the big names for reefs and big fish, but they are remote and suit experienced divers with more time and budget; Nusa Penida gives you mantas all year a short crossing from Bali, and the Gili Islands are among the easiest places to learn. Our best places to dive section compares seven regions, and three of them are home to our schools.
Planning a dive trip to Indonesia?
Tell us your dates, your level and which islands you want to see. We will put together a route across our three centres and send you availability.
