Not every dive site in the Gili Islands is a bucket-list dive.
Trawangan Slope, also known as Goodheart, is one of the less spectacular dive sites around Gili Trawangan. It lacks the dramatic walls of Meno Wall, the healthy coral gardens of Halik or the schooling fish found at Shark Point and Turtle City.
But that doesn’t mean it has no value.
Its gentle sandy slope, scattered coral bommies and easy conditions make it a useful training site and one of the most popular night dives for dive centres based on Gili Trawangan.
Where Is Trawangan Slope?
Trawangan Slope lies along the eastern coast of Gili Trawangan, close to one of the island’s busiest boating areas.
Unlike many of the better-known Gili Islands dive sites, Goodheart is often dived as a shore dive from Gili Trawangan, making it a convenient location for Open Water courses, refresher dives and night dives.
Because of the heavy boat traffic during the day, careful dive planning and delayed surface marker buoy (SMB) use are essential.
What Does the Dive Site Look Like?
The site is characterised by a gently sloping sandy bottom with a handful of scattered coral bommies.
Compared to most of the other dive sites around the Gili Islands, the reef is relatively sparse and the underwater landscape is fairly featureless.
While there are patches of healthy coral supporting small reef fish, Trawanga Slope is not a destination dive for spectacular coral scenery.
Most divers visiting the Gili Islands will probably find sites such as Halik, Turtle City or Shark Point more memorable.
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A Dive You Sometimes End Up On
Interestingly, Trawangan Slope isn’t always planned.
At Divine Divers, we sometimes arrive here unexpectedly.
When diving Shallow Turbo, the normal route follows the reef with the current moving left along the coastline. Occasionally, however, the current changes direction during the dive.
Instead of continuing along Shallow Turbo, divers are forced to turn right and drift towards Trawangan Slope (Goodheart).
It’s simply part of diving in an environment where tidal currents can change throughout the day.
While it may not have been the original plan, Goodheart still provides a relaxed finish to the dive and occasionally surprises divers with some enjoyable marine life encounters.
Turtles and Cuttlefish
Although the reef itself is fairly modest, the site still supports a variety of marine life.
Green sea turtles regularly rest around the coral bommies or feed on patches of seagrass nearby.
One of the more rewarding sightings is the cuttlefish, particularly for divers who enjoy observing animal behaviour.
Masters of camouflage, they constantly change colour and texture as they hunt across the sandy bottom.
Patient divers often spend several minutes watching their fascinating displays.
Best Experienced at Night
Trawangan Slope really comes into its own after sunset.
The easy shore access makes it a night dive sites from Gili Trawangan.
As darkness falls, octopus, hunting moray eels, crabs, cleaner shrimp and other nocturnal creatures become far more active.
For underwater photographers and divers who enjoy searching for smaller marine life, the night dive is often considerably more rewarding than the daytime dive.
Boat Traffic
One reason Trawangan Slope isn’t regularly scheduled as a daytime boat dive is its location.
The site sits close to busy routes used by snorkelling boats, dive boats and local transport moving around Gili Trawangan.
For this reason, ascents require particular care and SMBs should always be deployed before surfacing.
While the boat traffic doesn’t prevent diving the site safely, it is one of the reasons many dive centres choose other locations when conditions allow.
Want to explore more? Check out our Complete Guide to Dive Sites in the Gili Islands for detailed information on every major dive site, including Shark Point, Halik Reef, Turtle City, Deep Turbo, Meno Wall, and many more.