Diving in the Gili Islands & Lombok

[Richard H]

Hi Guys,

Does anyone know if there are decent macro photography opportunities in Lombok & the Gili Islands ?

Thanks for your help

 

[Midget]

I haven't dived Lombok.

You will see a few beautiful fish and nudis at the Gilis. However, I find diving at the Gilis to be really depressing because of dynamite fishing that was done extensively for many years.

Very good macro opportunities in that area are near Tulamben Bali at a dive site called Seraya Secrets.

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Oh fine Midget--give away the secret to Seraya Secrets! Yep, great place for macro. Seraya is maybe a 10 minute car ride from Tulamben, which certainly has it's own attractions. These pics are all from Seraya:

I'd be curious about Lombok but sadly, I think Midget may be right about Gilli. Maybe someone has some pics from either place? // ww

 

[divewench1]

I have to agree with Midget; we'd booked a long weekend of diving in the Gilis and ended up doing just one dive. We were so unimpressed with the diving compared to our home turf (Bali). The corals were dead, non existant or tiny and colourless, and there were few, if any, fish apart from reef sharks. Coupled with a bad air fill, we were happy to come back to Bali and enjoy some quality dives with healthy reef and................. FISH!

I wouldn't try Gilis for Macro. We have a secret site at Padang Bai with lots of macro.....ssshhhhhhh

 

[Richard H]

Thanks a lot guys. You have confirmed what I had thought.

I've been to Menjagan, Tulamben, Seraya and Amed. We were thinking of going to Padang Bai and then to Lombok as the ferry is there to make a change but I had doubts about the quality of the photo opportunities there.

Thanks for your help

 

[Midget]

You could fly to Labuan Bajo from Bali. There are land-based operators to dive Komodo.

 

[tropikdiver]

Hi, I can confim to you that you should go to Tulamben area to get the Best macro, lots of nudibranch, gost pipe fishs, pigmy see horses.

If you really want to see turtles you can do a couple of dives in the gilis, but if you dive gili mipang or tepekong your chances to see some are great as well.

South lombok is great for very experienced divers, there is lots of big trevallies, tuna, eagle ray and it is said that you can see hammerhead sharks in july, august, september when there is cold upwells.

Cheers,

 

[funscuba]

Guys, do you really mean that gili islands are not good for diving or what ? Need to know 'cause I will certainly go there after bali in end of april or may.
Any recommendations for budget accommodations in any of the gili islands ?
And on which of the 3 island should I rather stay ?

 

[buiszie]

Hello,
Diving around the Gilis is great. Also for Macro photografers. We have 5 muck dive sites around the Gilis, and u can find beautiful things over there. We have frogfishes, all kind of nudies, mandarin fish, double ended pipe fish, seahorses, gost pipefish, pygmy seahorses, flatheads, ribbon eels, leaf scorpion fish, juvinal batfish, sweetlip etc. Check out our facebook site, oceans 5 or Do you ever dream of diving in a tropical paradise? | Oceans 5 Dive Resort Gili Air or see the vids on youtube oceans5dive. Send us a pm if u want to have more info about muck (macro) diving.

Sander

 

[fatfish]

Hi,

I wouldnt go so as to say that the diving is great (sorry buiszie) compared to areas like Tulamben, Amed and Seraya. Sure if your in the area go for a dive or two, the islands are beautiful and the diving is decent however you MUST dive Tulamben, Seraya and Ahmed(Japanese Wreck) if your after excellent macro.

Bali diving over the Gili's any day of the week!!!!

enjoy it.