Gilis or Bali - please help I'm desperate!

[fiksuviksu]

Hello all you wise people out there!

so i have been researching a location to spend two months at the end of the summer doing my DM. i have been trying to find the perfect spot and shop and have narrowed some down but find it impossible decide when the only tool for information i have is the world wide web. a great tool noneless but dont know how reliable.

im considering south bali (kuta/sanur) and the gilis. i know the diving around nusa penida & nusa lembongan is amazing, so staying in sanur for example would be a good choice. however, on the topside the gilis seem like the perfect place to relax with no cars or gigantic resorts. im having a really hard time deciding between these two. im really looking for some good diving (wrecks, fishies & healthy coral) but also a very chilled and relaxed locale with a youngish crown. no techno beats. just bob marley. you know what i mean.

so i have two questions:
1) is the coral really that dead around the gilis - is there really nothing to see under water?
2) is bali too busy and crowded and commercial and full of people trying to sell you everything between heaven and earth?

i do also have the option of doing my DM in five weeks in one place and then spending another three exploring divesites in other areas. what would you do? would you spend those five weeks in the gilis or sanur/kuta?
im hoping to get my DM internship-style and im looking for low-budjet accomodation. any advice on places to stay or dive shops? im so confused - i think i have done too much research and my head is spinning now.

thanks for your time!

/v

 

[Bora_Horza]

1) I've done a few dives round the Gilis a few years ago, the coral is not that great, but there are some things to see - turtles and whitetip sharks, and various other critters. Quite a few people there doing dive courses, etc, so possibly useful for your course in dealing with groups of divers? The social / nightlife there was fun though, you can choose between quieter places or more lively venues.

2) Its not that bad, I just spent 5 days at the end of my latest trip around Kuta, and away from Poppies Gang I and II its relatively quiet. The local guys will of course try selling you stuff, but once you've been there a few days you get to know faces, etc, and they will leave you be and focus their attention on new arrivals.

If I were you I'd do the 5 week thing then explore other places around Indonesia - Komodo or Bunaken, lots of other amazing places to see! Have fun, its a great destination.

 

[Kevster]

I done my Open water at Gili a couple of years ago. I have been back a few times now. Topside gilli is excellent.Nice beach,views,relaxed and very cheap. Diving is pretty average though. lots of turtles, a few sharks and have even seen a manta at GT.
I am just cak from a week in Bali. Stayed in teh north at Tumbalen. Diving was amazing. Best yet. IMHO much better than Manado/bunaken. The house reef was stunning.Topside was pretty dull though.

If i were going for 5 weeks i would definately head to GILI.

 

[Mako Mark]

Gilli has malaria, Bali has no malaria. For 2 months, no contest go to Bali.

Try Lovina, a number of dive shops, very laid back great diving to the west and east no big nightclubs and lots of little bungalows. I lived there for nearly a year and loved every minute of it.

 

[tboxcar]

Kevster, it's been years since I dove on Bali. But you mention IYHO that Tulamben was better than Manado? Been to Manado many times and always have been happy. I will be in Bali come mid August, Where exactly do you recommend in Tulumben?

 

[opalobsidian]

Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but personally I cannot imagine how Tulamben could be considered "better" than Menado, unless they are referring to the dive sites one could do as shore dives from the city of Menado itself.

I was just in Bali two weeks ago and found the diving around Menjangan Island very pretty, in some areas the coral was as nice as Bunaken but with less fish. We preferred the coral garden areas to the walls, perhaps partially due to variations in visibility. However, there is a lot of reef damage caused dynamite fishing around Menjangan, on one dive we heard about 5 explosions.

But as they say, different strokes for different folks! I realise this post doesn't address your question about where to dive around Tulamben, but I can whole heartedly recommend Menjangan!

 

[tboxcar]

Opal, that's the post I was looking for 'while trying to be polite', it's hard to imagine ANYTHING on Bali coming close to wall diving one would find in Manado, But, to each his own!!! Hell I was testing my gear in my swimming pool last week and found some 'new algae' forms!

 

[opalobsidian]

Wow T!

New algae forms? That beats anything I saw diving off Waikiki!

 

[Kevster]

I ve been to Bunaken twice now in the last couple of years. Yep it is fantastic. Lots & lots of fish. Wall drift dives were very good. However all my photos were rubbish!!!
Nah i really liked diving at Tulamben, the house reef was excellent. Managed to get some really nice photos at long last using my P&S. The varitey was excellent, eels,crabs, sharks , wreck..The sharks would patrol a certain spot. So it was great just hanging about waiting for them to make a pass.
I really like coral garden type of dives rather than wall/drift type dives. Maybe it because i am a newish diver (60+ dives). Think i also like diving horizontal rather than vertical..!!
I am have been to red sea,Ninagloo(W. Oz),Bunaken,Gilli,Similans... but i think i would put the house reef at Tulamben very high on the list of my most enjoyable dives.
Diving around coral gardens in the black sand was really nice. I think i am more relaxed doing these types of dive. Diving in front of a wall with a bit of current is not so good for me.

I also went to Amed in Bali. This was a wall dive . Bunaken was better !!
Anyway i am off to Lembeh in 8 weeks after enjoying Tulamben so much.
I am in now way knocking Bunaken. Great place.

Back to the original thread.
I suggest you go to Gili for a few days. Check out the topside, do a couple of dives, if you dont like it move to Bali. Travelling from Gilli to Bali will take about 4 hrs max.
Normally i dive with Dream divers in Gili.

 

[Stijn]

Gilli has malaria, Bali has no malaria. For 2 months, no contest go to Bali.

That's weird. I worked 3 yrs on the gillis and never met someone who got Malaria.

Back to the thread, Bali is definitely better diving than the gillis. Allthough better chance to see sharks and turtles on the gillis. But Bali has a bigger diversity.

There's more places to do your DM course than Sanur or Kuta. Diving is better if you go east or north Bali. Padang Bai, Tulamben, Lovina, ...

Padang Bai is a laid back village in the harbour to Lombok. Would be my choice