The Gili Islands are well known for turtles, but the reefs themselves are just as impressive. From shallow coral gardens to deep ridges covered in soft corals, some dive sites stand out particularly for the quality, variety and structure of their coral.
If coral is your main reason for diving, these are some of the sites we would put at the top of the list.
SUNSET REEF
Sunset Reef is one of the most underrated coral sites around the Gilis. The site features a large coral plateau with extensive reef growth and plenty of different coral formations to explore.
Rather than focusing on one particular structure, the attraction here is the scale of the reef. Take your time and look closely—there is plenty of life hiding among the coral.
Soraya
Soraya is a particularly impressive site for experienced divers, with ridges and deeper reef formations covered in beautiful corals.
The deeper sections are where the site really comes into its own. The combination of depth, topography and coral growth creates a spectacular underwater landscape and makes Soraya one of our favourite sites for divers who appreciate healthy reef scenery.
Hans Reef
Hans Reef is known for its (macro) marine life, but the coral deserves just as much attention. The outside pinnacle is particularly interesting, with large sponge corals and extensive reef growth.
This is also where turtles can often be found sleeping inside the sponge corals. While watching the turtles, take a moment to look at the reef itself—the sponge formations and surrounding corals create a beautiful backdrop.
Halik
Halik offers some very different coral environments during the same dive. The upper section reaches around 12 metres, with beautiful reef walls and coral formations.
Further along, the environment changes into more rubble, but the deeper sections of the site feature attractive coral-covered ridges that are well worth exploring.
The shallower depth of the top reef also makes this a great site for seeing the colours and textures of the coral in natural light.
Turtle City
Despite its reputation as a turtle site, Turtle City also has some gorgeous coral gardens.
The shallow reef provides a colourful environment where you can combine coral photography with turtle encounters and plenty of smaller reef life.
Slow down and look beyond the turtles—you may find that the reef itself becomes the highlight of the dive.
Air Wall
Air Wall offers something different again. The wall features beautiful yellow soft corals, creating a striking contrast against the surrounding blue water.
Don’t focus only on the wall, though. The shallower section is particularly nice, with plenty of reef life and interesting coral formations. It is a good site for photographers who want to combine a wider reef scene with the colourful details of soft corals.
Coral Is More Than Just Colour
When choosing a dive site for coral, it is easy to focus on bright colours. But the shape, structure and variety of the reef are just as important.
Large coral plateaus, ridges, walls, gardens and individual coral bommies all create different diving experiences. And because coral reefs are home to so much marine life, a good coral dive rarely feels like you’re simply looking at coral.
Sometimes the best dive is the one where you slow down and appreciate the reef itself.