Try Scuba Diving in Gili Air, Indonesia
The Try Scuba programme in Gili Air is a one-day introduction for non-certified divers. It covers a classroom briefing, a pool session and two open-water dives.
1750000 IDR
Indonesia · Gili Air
Diving in Gili Air
Five-star Google rating with 984 reviews. SSI courses from Try Scuba to Divemaster on the most laid-back of the three Gili islands.
The quiet Gili: small groups, calm reefs and turtles on most dives — diving for people who want to learn without the crowds. Courses from 1180000 IDR
The entire team at DPM Diving Gili Air is amazing! From my first try dive to getting fully certified! The team was incredibly patient and attentive, always checking in to make sure I felt comfortable and confident every step of the way. They created a calm and supportive learning environment, which made the whole journey not just educational, but truly enjoyable. If you're thinking about learning to dive, this is definitely the place to do it! Pati, Miguel, Pablo and Ina are a top notch crew and make diving fun!
Most popular
The most booked in Gili Air
Fun Dives in Gili Air
Guided fun diving in Gili Air runs twice daily: two dives with a guide and full equipment. A dive computer and the Marine Park Fee apply separately.
1180000 IDR
All prices in Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Approx. conversion available at checkout.
Courses for beginners
Take your first breath underwater
All courses include theory, pool sessions, open-water dives and certification. Equipment included.
SSI Scuba Diver Course in Gili Air
The SSI Scuba Diver licence in Gili Air is completed in one day and valid to 12 metres worldwide. Equipment, insurance and a professional instructor are included.
4600000 IDR
SSI Open Water Diver Course in Gili Air
SSI Open Water certification in Gili Air runs over three days and includes six dives. Equipment, insurance and a lifetime international licence are covered in the course fee.
6400000 IDR
Open Water 30 in Gili Air
The Open Water 30 programme combines SSI Open Water and Deep Adventurer over three days and six dives in Gili Air. Groups are capped at four per instructor.
Advanced & specialties
Go deeper, dive smarter
SSI Nitrox Specialty in Gili Air
The SSI Enriched Air Nitrox course in Gili Air covers dive planning with up to 40 percent oxygen. Certification is valid for both 32 and 40 percent mixes.
3200000 IDR
React Right Course in Gili Air
This SSI first aid course in Gili Air covers CPR, primary assessment and oxygen use. The two-year certification is completed on dry land with no water sessions.
2400000 IDR
Diver Stress & Rescue Course in Gili Air
Diver Stress and Rescue in Gili Air runs three days: theory, a pool skills circuit and four scenario-based open-water dives. The programme concludes with a written assessment.
6400000 IDR
SSI Deep Diving Specialty in Gili Air
SSI Deep Diving extends recreational depth to 40 metres through four open-water sessions in Gili Air. Theory and one fun dive are included with instructor supervision.
3600000 IDR
Advanced Adventurer (Gili Air)
SSI Advanced Adventurer in Gili Air is a two-day, five-dive programme covering buoyancy, fish ID, deep (30m), wreck and navigation. No exams required; all training is practical.
5400000 IDR
Deep Adventure + Fun Dive in Gili Air
The Deep Adventure in Gili Air allows Open Water-certified divers to reach 30 metres in two dives. An SSI Deep Diver Recognition and full gear are included.
1680000 IDR
And also…
For certified divers
Scuba Refresher in Gili Air
The Gili Air refresher suits certified Open Water divers returning to scuba after a break. It covers classroom review, pool practice and two ocean dives with gear included.
1540000 IDR
Compare at a glanceAll courses, side by sideCompare all 12 courses
| Course | Level | Duration | Prerequisite | Price | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Try Scuba Diving in Gili Air, Indonesia | Beginner | 1 day | — | 1750000 IDR | Book |
| SSI Scuba Diver Course in Gili Air | Beginner | 1 day | — | 4600000 IDR | Book |
| SSI Open Water Diver Course in Gili Air | Beginner | 3 days | — | 6400000 IDR | Book |
| Open Water 30 in Gili Air | Beginner | 3 days | — | Book | |
| Deep Adventure + Fun Dive in Gili Air | Advanced | 1 day | Open Water Diver certification required | 1680000 IDR | Book |
| React Right Course in Gili Air | Specialty | 1 day | — | 2400000 IDR | Book |
| SSI Nitrox Specialty in Gili Air | Specialty | 2 days | Open Water Diver certification required | 3200000 IDR | Book |
| SSI Deep Diving Specialty in Gili Air | Specialty | 2 days | SSI Open Water Diver cert required | 3600000 IDR | Book |
| Advanced Adventurer (Gili Air) | Advanced | 2 days | Open Water Diver certification required | 5400000 IDR | Book |
| Diver Stress & Rescue Course in Gili Air | Advanced | 2 days | SSI Open Water Diver cert required + SSI React Right Provider or equivalent current first aid cert required | 6400000 IDR | Book |
| Fun Dives in Gili Air | Fun Dive | 1 day | Certified diver required | 1180000 IDR | Book |
| Scuba Refresher in Gili Air | Refresh | 1 day | Certified diver required | 1540000 IDR | Book |
Google reviews
Reviews, straight from divers
Esther Y
2 months ago · Local Guide
We chose DPM Diving Gili Air because Leo, one of the instructors, was super friendly and welcoming from the very first moment at the reception. He made us feel confident and comfortable, and that’s why we decided to dive with them. [...]
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carolina herrera
2 months ago · Local Guide
I went diving with DPM Gili Air and it was the best diving experience I had in all of Bali. Pablo, my instructor, was absolutely amazing. He’s so attentive, makes you feel really safe, and you can tell he’s truly passionate about the marine world. [...]
Maya Dolin
1 month ago
Amazing dive school. Our instructor Natty gave us all the infomation and tools we needed to feel safe & was really nice & made sure we always felt comfortable. Beautiful dive location as well! 10/10 would recommend.
Claire Hale
1 month ago · Local Guide
We highly recommend diving with DPM Gili Air! Coming back to diving after 15 years!! Miguel and Pablo were so fantastic to work with. My husband and I booked the refresher course starting the day in the pool to feel more confident again before heading out for 2 brilliant dives in the afternoon. [...]
Fun Dives
Renata Domenice
1 month ago · Local Guide
I had an amazing experience at this dive school. The instructors were professional, friendly, and made safety a top priority. The equipment was in excellent condition, and everything was well organized. [...]
Diving in Gili Air
Why dive Gili Air
The most peaceful of the three Gili islands, sitting on the Indonesian Throughflow Current. Same warm water (27–30 °C year-round), same coral health, same turtle encounters as Trawangan — but quieter dive sites, smaller groups on the boat, and a centre where you'll learn everyone's name within a day. Gili Air is where divers come to actually focus on the diving.
- Apr – NovBest season
- 15 – 30 mVisibility
- 27 – 30 °CWater temp
- Turtles · reef sharks · eels · frogfish · macroMarine life
Top dive sites in Gili Air
Nine dive sites accessible from our centre on the east side of Gili Air. Some are unique to this side of the archipelago (Hans Reef, Frogfish Point, Air Wall, Mandarin Point, Secret Garden); others are shared with Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno (Halik Reef, Shark Point, Turtle Heaven, Simon's Reef).
Hans Reef
Gili Air’s signature macro site, and one of the friendliest dives on the island. A shallow reef (5–18 m) with gentle currents and varied topography — sea sponges and small coral heads scattered over the sand — holding a higher-than-average concentration of nudibranchs, frogfish and ghost pipefish. It’s also one of the best turtle sites on this side of the archipelago, which is why it goes on the first-day rotation for most Open Water students.
Frogfish Point
Named after its star residents - frogfish are remarkably hard to spot, even when they're right in front of you. Also home to seahorses, moray eels, scorpionfish and stonefish. Strong currents in places make this site better suited to certified divers with good buoyancy. We brief the current direction before every dive and choose entry points to match the conditions.
Halik Reef
A long, gentle coral slope on the north side of Gili Trawangan, dropping to 24 m. It's a longer boat ride from Gili Air, and worth it: one of the best all-rounders in the Gilis, with clownfish, green turtles, healthy hard and soft coral and the occasional cuttlefish. Usually dived as a drift along the slope.
Air Wall
A vertical wall dropping past 30 m on the north side of Gili Air. Hard and soft corals, sponges, pufferfish and stingrays the whole way down. Best dived on the morning boat — visibility is highest and the wall isn't crowded. Recommended for Advanced Adventurer divers or confident Open Waters with experience on previous wall dives.
Shark Point
One of the signature sites of the Gilis, shared with Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno. White-tip reef sharks rest on the sandy patches at around 25 m, alongside large schools of reef fish, rays and moray eels in the coral bommies. Recommended for Advanced Adventurer divers or confident Open Waters — depth and occasional currents are real. Visibility is consistently great.
Turtle Heaven
The most-named dive site in the Gilis, and earned. A shallow reef topping out at 15 m where green and hawksbill turtles congregate to feed and rest. You'll also see butterflyfish, angelfish, rays in the sandier patches, and the occasional moray eel. Open Water students and Try Scuba divers often see their first turtle here.
Secret Garden
One of the area’s hidden gems: a mix of coral bommies and sandy patches that isn’t on every operator’s daily rotation. Garden eels rise out of the sand, stonefish hide in the coral, octopuses turn up if you look slowly, and reef sharks pass through. Gentle currents and an easy depth profile make it work for divers of all levels.
Bounty Wreck
A small platform wreck on a shallow coral slope reaching 20 m, ideal for beginners and a favourite for Try Scuba students who want their first wreck-ish experience without depth. Turtles, cuttlefish and clouds of tropical fish, all in calm water. Best dived first thing in the morning when visibility peaks.
Mandarin Point
Right by Gili Air's main harbour, Mandarin Point is an unusual, urban-feel dive: submerged structures, small wrecks and a sloping coral bottom. Schools of barracuda and parrotfish hang around the wrecks, groupers patrol the edges and stingrays cruise the sandy patches. Suitable for all levels, but we always dive it with a surface marker buoy because of boat traffic.
Dive sites are chosen on the day according to weather and sea conditions.
When to dive in Gili Air
You can dive Gili Air all year. Water temperature stays between 27 and 30 °C from January to December, currents are mostly gentle, and our boat goes out daily except in extreme weather. The dry season runs April to November — that's when visibility peaks (often 25–30 m) and seas are calmest. The wet season (December to March) brings tropical rain (usually short afternoon downpours) and visibility drops to 12–20 m on average, but diving is still excellent and the centre is quieter.
Turtles: seen year-round at Turtle Heaven, Hans Reef and most reef sites. Most divers see at least one per dive — chances are high but nothing in the ocean is guaranteed.
Reef sharks: white-tips rest on the sand at Shark Point year-round, and reef sharks also pass through Secret Garden and Simon's Reef.
Frogfish: the Gili Air specialty. Sightings year-round at Frogfish Point and Hans Reef — bring a torch and look slowly.
- JanWet season peak. Short afternoon rain. 12 m
- FebWet season eases. Quiet boat days. 15 m
- MarTransition. Last weeks of low season. 18 m
- AprDry season opens. Visibility climbs. 22 m
- MayPeak visibility, calm seas. 26 m
- JunBest visibility (up to 30 m+). 28 m
- JulPeak season. Quieter than Trawangan. 28 m
- AugPeak season continues. 28 m
- SepExcellent conditions, fewer divers. 27 m
- OctStill dry, fewer divers. Great for courses. 27 m
- NovWet season starts late. 22 m
- DecWet season builds. Holiday divers. 18 m
Dec–Feb (wet)29 °C · 12–18 m vis
Tropical afternoon showers, lower visibility (12–18 m) due to runoff. The centre is quietest, accommodation cheapest, and water still 29 °C. Good window for a private feel — small boats, often just you and your instructor.
Mar–May (dry season starts)29 °C · 18–26 m vis
Visibility builds back and the dry season opens in April. May is one of the sweet spots — dry season conditions with manageable crowds. Frogfish Point's macro life is particularly active this time of year.
Jun–Aug (peak / dry)28 °C · 28–30 m vis
Dry season at its best. Visibility above 28 m and calm seas. Crowds peak across the Gilis in July–August, but Gili Air stays noticeably quieter than Trawangan — that's the whole point of being here.
Sep–Oct (peak / quiet)28–29 °C · 27–28 m vis
The second sweet spot of the year. Same great conditions as Jun–Aug but with fewer divers in the water, and the dry season carries on into November. Our favourite window for course students.
Meet your instructors
Certified pros — verifiable agency credentials
The school
About DPM Diving Gili Air
Our Gili Air centre sits on the east side of the island, a short walk from the main harbour. We opened here after building DPM Diving Gili Trawangan over a decade, and Gili Air was the obvious next step when divers kept asking us for a quieter alternative. The team is multilingual (English, Spanish, French and Italian), our instructors are trained in-house under the SSI curriculum (PADI cards welcome), and we run small groups by design: max 4 divers per guide across the 9 dive sites we work.
- 5.0 ★Google rating
- 984Reviews
- 9Dive sites we run
What you'll see
Macro life, turtles and island quiet.
Videos
See it in 30 seconds.
Play: Giant frogfish, Gili Air
Video0:35Giant frogfish, Gili Air
A green giant frogfish resting on a sponge at Frogfish Point, Gili Air, filmed up close as it opens its mouth.
Find us in Gili Air
DPM Diving Gili AirJ3PM+8W Gili Indah, Gili Air, Kec. Pemenang, Kabupaten Lombok Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat 83352, ID Mon–Sun 07:00–18:00 +62 822 6615 3697 giliair@dpmdiving.com
Gili Air · Show map
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Included with your course
Your course, organised on your phone
Book and register online, then follow your course day by day in our Mareaviva app: dive briefings with site maps, a species logbook and an underwater photo pack when you finish, all included. Send us a message to get started.
Start on WhatsApp
FAQs about Gili Air
Everything you wanted to ask.
Still curious? Message us — we usually reply within minutes.
Chat on WhatsAppIs Gili Air good for diving?
Yes — Gili Air is one of the most forgiving and beginner-friendly diving destinations in Indonesia. The reefs are healthy, water is warm (27–30 °C year-round), visibility is consistent (15–30 m), currents are mostly gentle, and the island has nine dive sites, most of them within a 20-minute boat ride — including macro favourites like Hans Reef and Frogfish Point that aren't on every other operator's daily rotation.
What's the difference between diving Gili Air and Gili Trawangan?
Underwater, the diving is very similar — both islands share several dive sites (Halik Reef, Shark Point, Turtle Heaven) and have the same water conditions. The difference is above water and at the dive centre. Gili Trawangan is busier, with more bars, restaurants and a livelier social scene. Gili Air is quieter, more laid-back, and dive groups are smaller. We run separate centres on both islands — pick the vibe you want on land and the diving will be excellent either way.
Can beginners dive in Gili Air?
Yes — Gili Air is arguably the best of the three Gilis to learn in. Most sites (Hans Reef, Secret Garden, Turtle Heaven, Mandarin Point) have shallow reefs, calm currents and good visibility. Try Scuba and Open Water students typically do their first dives at Hans Reef or Turtle Heaven and see turtles on day one.
Will I see turtles when diving in Gili Air?
Very likely. Green and hawksbill turtles are seen on most dives — Turtle Heaven, Hans Reef and Halik Reef all have resident populations. We can't guarantee it (nothing in the ocean is guaranteed), but if you do two or three dives over a couple of days, your odds are very high.
When is the best time to dive in Gili Air?
April to November, during the dry season. Visibility peaks at 28–30 m in June and July and seas are calm. December to March is the wet season — diving is still very good but visibility drops to 12–20 m due to runoff and there are more tropical afternoon downpours. Water temperature stays at 27–30 °C all year.
What's special about Hans Reef?
Hans Reef is a Gili Air signature site for macro photography and beginner-friendly dives. Shallow (5–18 m), gentle currents, varied topography with sea sponges and small coral heads, and a higher-than-average concentration of nudibranchs, frogfish and ghost pipefish. It's also one of the best turtle sites on this side of the archipelago. Most operators put it on their first-day rotation for Open Water students.
How much does diving cost in Gili Air?
Fun dives start at 1,180,000 IDR for two tanks, Try Scuba is 1,750,000 IDR for two dives, and courses range from 4,600,000 IDR for the Scuba Diver day course up to 19,000,000 IDR for the full Divemaster programme. The National Park fee is a one-off 100,000 IDR per activity, not included in the course price.
Are the currents strong in Gili Air?
Most sites have gentle currents that work as easy drift dives. Stronger currents at Frogfish Point, the deeper section of Air Wall and, at times, Shark Point — those are where you go when you want a more active dive. We brief every dive in detail and match the site to the divers, no one gets dropped into a current dive without being ready for it.
I'd like to do the PADI Open Water in Gili Air. What can DPM Diving offer me?
In Gili Air we teach the SSI Open Water. SSI is PADI's big international counterpart, and the level is the same: 18 metres with a buddy, recognised worldwide and accepted at PADI centres to dive or keep training, just as we accept PADI cards on our courses. If you already have your PADI Open Water, you can go straight on to the Advanced with us. Gili Air is quiet, the reefs are shallow and calm, and you'll see turtles on most dives. Send us a WhatsApp.
