Best Drift Dives on the Gili Islands

If you go diving in the Gili Islands, you will quickly notice that drift diving is simply part of the way we dive here.

Almost all dives around the three islands are drift dives. You don’t normally swim back to the boat after your dive. Instead, the boat follows the divers from the surface and picks everyone up when they finish the dive.

That means the current can carry you along large sections of reef without having to fight your way back to where you started.

Some sites are particularly impressive when the current is running at medium to strong strength.

Halik

Halik is one of the best drift dives in the Gili Islands when the current is running.

The reef is long, so there is plenty of ground to cover as you drift along it. The shallow section is famous for turtles, while the deeper parts can bring sharks and larger fish.

With a good current, you can spend much of the dive simply following the reef and watching the scenery pass by.

Shark Point

Shark Point gives you two very different drift-dive options.

You can drift along the main reef, following the current past coral formations and marine life. On the right conditions, the deeper ridges offer a much more exciting ride.

The deep ridges drop considerably further and are particularly interesting when there is current. Sharks, schooling fish and other larger marine life can be seen around the reef.

Which part we dive depends on the current, conditions and the experience of the group.

Sunset Reef

Sunset Reef is a massive reef system, making it an excellent site for drift diving.

Rather than spending the dive in one small area, the current allows you to cover a large section of the reef. The plateau is covered in coral and there is plenty of marine life along the way.

On days with a stronger current, the reef becomes even more interesting as you simply let the water carry you along.

Turtle City

Turtle City is not only about turtles. It can also become a fantastic long drift dive.

When the current is right, you can start around the main pinnacle and continue drifting all the way towards Meno Harbour.

That makes for a very different experience from simply circling the pinnacle. You get to watch the reef and underwater landscape change as you move along.

And, of course, turtles can turn up throughout the dive.

The West Coast of Gili Meno

The entire western side of Gili Meno can make for an excellent drift dive.

You can move along a large stretch of reef covering Meno Wall, Meno Slope and Bounty. Instead of treating these as completely separate dives, the current can connect them into one long underwater journey.

Meno Wall offers coral-covered wall and a beautiful shallow section. Meno Slope continues the reef along Gili Meno, while Bounty adds the wreck and its surrounding marine life.

On the right current, this is one of our favourite ways to experience the west side of Meno.

Soraya

Soraya is one of the more exciting drift dives around the Gili Islands.

The site is known for its deeper reef ridges and strong currents. When everything comes together, you can cover a lot of ground while the reef and schooling fish pass below you.

There is one thing to expect here: you may either enter in deep water or finish with a blue-water exit, depending on the current and how the dive develops.

This is not a dive where you want to fight the conditions. You need to be comfortable with drift diving and follow the guide’s plan.

Hans Reef

Hans Reef can be a fantastic drift along the eastern side of Gili Air.

The reef is full of coral and interesting artificial reef structures, with plenty of marine life hiding around them. As you drift along the reef, there is always something to look at.

It is a particularly nice combination of a moving dive and a site where you can still spot smaller marine life along the way.

Air Wall

Air Wall is another great drift dive, covering both Air Slope and Air Wall.

The current can carry you along the reef from the shallower slope towards the wall, giving you different scenery during the same dive. Turtles and reef fish are common, while the wall itself offers plenty of coral and larger reef structures.

On stronger current days, expect some turbulence, particularly around changes in the reef structure.

This is where good buoyancy and relaxed drift-diving technique make a big difference.

Why Drift Diving Is So Good in the Gili Islands

The great thing about drift diving in the Gili Islands is that you don’t have to choose between seeing a lot of reef and swimming hard.

The boat follows you.

You enter the water, descend together and let the current carry you along the reef. When the dive is finished, you surface and the boat comes to you.

The current also changes the character of many sites. The same reef can feel completely different depending on the direction and strength of the water.

Of course, stronger currents require more experience and good buoyancy. Your guide will choose the entry point and dive site according to the conditions on the day.

For us, that’s one of the best things about Gili Islands diving. You never quite know how far the reef will take you.