SSI ITC Dive Resort Oceans 5 Gili Air Blog Posts
SSI ITC Dive Resort Oceans 5 Gili Air Blog Posts
The Best Dive Site in the Gili Islands “What is the best dive site in the Gili Islands?” It is one of the questions we hear most often at Oceans 5 Gili Air. Some divers arrive with a famous name already written in their logbook: …
The Ocean Doesn’t Start at the Shore When people hear the words marine conservation, they usually look toward the ocean. They think about coral restoration, turtles, sharks, plastic pollution, fishing, anchor damage and divers touching coral. But there is a fundamental problem with that way of …
Shark encounters are one of the highlights of diving around the Gili Islands.
For many divers, seeing their first shark underwater is an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives. Around Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan, divers regularly encounter whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, including juveniles.
But perhaps we need to start asking a different question.
Are we behaving correctly when we encounter them?
A few days ago, we saw something at Halik that made us think seriously about this question.
A group of divers was lying flat on the bottom in front of the shark cave, apparently trying to get photographs of the juvenile sharks.
For Oceans 5 Gili Air, this is exactly the kind of diving behaviour we don’t want to see.
Not from our students.
Not from our certified divers.
And especially not from Divemasters and instructors.
Maybe it is time for the dive community around the Gili Islands to introduce something new:
Shark Etiquette.
When we enter the ocean, we enter the sharks’ environment.
The shark hasn’t entered our dive centre.
We have entered its home.
That distinction is important.
When a juvenile reef shark is resting underneath an overhang or inside a cave, our desire to get a photograph shouldn’t become more important than the animal’s ability to behave naturally.
Responsible shark tourism is not a new idea. WWF, Project AWARE and The Manta Trust developed Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice, providing science-based guidance designed to help operators minimize impacts on sharks, rays and their habitats.[1]
Research into shark-diving tourism has also found widespread use of formal codes of conduct among shark-tourism operators. One study reported that 93% of surveyed shark operators had a formal code of conduct and concluded that such codes should define acceptable diver behaviour and appropriate numbers of divers.[2]
So why shouldn’t we consider a simple local Shark Etiquette Code for the Gili Islands?
Halik is one of the best-known dive sites around Gili Trawangan.
Divers visit the area for turtles, beautiful reef scenery and, of course, the possibility of encountering sharks.
At the shark cave, juvenile sharks can sometimes be observed.
And that creates a temptation.
A diver wants a better photograph.
Then another diver moves closer.
Someone goes down to the bottom.
Another diver follows.
Soon, instead of observing the sharks from the water column, a group can end up lying on the seabed in front of the place where the animals are resting.
Perhaps nobody intends to harm anything.
But good intentions don’t automatically create good diving behaviour.
For Oceans 5, the principle is simple:
We don’t need to lie on the bottom to watch a shark.
We are scuba divers.
We can hover.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we teach our students to dive neutrally buoyant.
That philosophy starts during diver education.
In open water, we don’t want students using the seafloor as their classroom. Skills are performed neutrally buoyant because we believe students should learn from the beginning how real divers should behave underwater.
We recently explained this philosophy in our article Should Dive Students Be Allowed to Touch the Seafloor?[3]
Neutral buoyancy isn’t only about becoming a better-looking diver.
It is conservation.
A diver who can control their buoyancy doesn’t need to grab coral.
They don’t need to kneel on the reef.
They don’t need to lie on the bottom to take a photograph.
And they don’t need the seabed to provide stability while watching marine life.
That becomes particularly important when we encounter animals such as sharks.
There is another important part of this discussion.
Guests copy their dive professionals.
If a Divemaster lies on the bottom to photograph a shark, what message does that give the four divers following them?
That it is acceptable.
If an instructor kneels beside the reef to get a photograph, why should we be surprised when their students do the same thing?
This is why shark etiquette shouldn’t only be aimed at tourists.
It should start with us—the dive professionals.
Divemasters and instructors are not simply underwater tour guides. Our behaviour demonstrates what responsible diving looks like.
If we remain neutrally buoyant, keep an appropriate distance and calmly observe an animal, our divers are much more likely to do the same.
Professional behaviour creates diver behaviour.
We have dive briefings.
We have safety procedures.
We discuss currents.
We discuss maximum depths.
We discuss buddy systems.
We explain entry and exit procedures.
So why shouldn’t we spend another minute explaining how to behave when we encounter sharks?
A simple Gili Islands Shark Etiquette could become part of the dive briefing at sites where sharks are regularly encountered.
It doesn’t need to be complicated.
1. Stay neutrally buoyant
Observe sharks from the water column. Don’t deliberately lie, sit or kneel on the seabed to get closer.
2. Give sharks space
Don’t crowd a resting shark or position a group directly around its shelter.
3. Never chase a shark
If the shark swims away, let it swim away. An encounter should happen on the animal’s terms.
4. Never touch
Sharks are wild animals, not underwater attractions.
5. Don’t block their route
Always give the animal an easy way to move away from divers.
6. Stay calm
Avoid sudden movements and unnecessary excitement. International shark-encounter guidance similarly recommends remaining calm, staying with the group and never deliberately touching, harassing or attracting sharks.[4]
7. The photograph comes second
Don’t sacrifice buoyancy, environmental awareness or responsible behaviour for a picture or video.
8. Divemasters and instructors lead by example
The professional should demonstrate the behaviour expected from the group.
9. Brief before the dive
If sharks are likely to be encountered, explain the etiquette before entering the water—not after something has already happened.
10. Observe—don’t interfere
The objective should be to watch natural behaviour, not change that behaviour to create a better encounter.
This might be the most important message.
A shark cave is not an underwater photo studio.
The sharks are not there for us.
They haven’t positioned themselves underneath an overhang so divers can create better Instagram content.
When we encounter them, we are fortunate enough to witness a small part of their natural lives.
Our objective should therefore be:
Leave the shark behaving exactly as it was before we arrived.
That is a very different philosophy from:
How close can I get?
And perhaps that simple change in mentality is what responsible shark diving really requires.
Oceans 5 Gili Air operates within the Gili Matra Marine Protected Area.
For us, supporting marine conservation doesn’t only mean participating in occasional projects.
We support research and data collection around the Gili Islands and work with organizations and institutions including Indonesian government authorities and the University of Mataram.
Scientific research is important.
Data collection is important.
Monitoring reefs is important.
But conservation also happens during an ordinary 60-minute recreational dive.
Every time a Divemaster tells somebody not to touch the reef, that is conservation.
Every time an instructor teaches a student proper buoyancy, that is conservation.
Every time a photographer decides not to chase an animal for a better picture, that is conservation.
And every time a group observes a shark without disturbing it, that is conservation.
Green Fins similarly approaches environmental responsibility as something that should be integrated into everyday marine-tourism operations. Its Code of Conduct contains environmental standards covering operators, staff and tourists, both above and below the water.[5]
We don’t think this should necessarily become an “Oceans 5 rule.”
It could become something much more useful.
Imagine if dive centres around Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan agreed on a simple shark etiquette.
Different dive centres.
Different training organizations.
Different instructors.
Different Divemasters.
But the same message.
When we encounter sharks:
Respect their space.
Remain neutrally buoyant.
Don’t touch the bottom unnecessarily.
Don’t chase.
Don’t surround.
Don’t block.
Don’t disturb.
Observe.
If every Divemaster included those principles in their briefing, thousands of divers visiting the Gili Islands every year could hear the same conservation message.
That is how a small idea can create a much larger impact.
There is another benefit.
Responsible behaviour doesn’t necessarily make a shark encounter less exciting.
It may make it better.
A group of calm, neutrally buoyant divers observing from an appropriate position is very different from several divers crawling towards an animal with cameras.
Responsible shark tourism guidelines internationally are designed around exactly this principle: providing memorable experiences while reducing impacts on animals and habitats.[1]
The goal shouldn’t be getting as close as possible.
The goal should be creating an encounter where our presence matters as little as possible to the shark.
The incident we saw at Halik isn’t about attacking another dive centre or blaming individual divers.
It should start a conversation.
We all operate in the same marine environment.
We all benefit from healthy reefs.
We all benefit when divers see turtles, sharks, rays and other marine life.
And therefore we all share some responsibility for how that environment is treated.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, our position is clear.
We don’t want our Divemasters or instructors lying on the bottom in front of a shark cave.
We don’t want our students learning that behaviour.
We want our divers neutrally buoyant.
We want sharks to have space.
And we want marine-life encounters to happen with as little interference as possible.
Perhaps it is time to take the next step.
Let’s introduce Shark Etiquette around the Gili Islands.
Not because sharks need another rule written about them.
Because sometimes we humans need rules to remind us how to behave around wildlife.
The sharks were here before our dive centres.
The least we can do is behave respectfully when we visit them.
Shark etiquette is a simple set of behavioural guidelines explaining how divers and dive professionals should act when encountering sharks. Its purpose is to reduce disturbance, protect the surrounding environment and encourage responsible wildlife tourism.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we believe they shouldn’t. Divers who have adequate buoyancy control can observe sharks while remaining neutrally buoyant. Deliberately lying on the seabed simply to get closer or obtain a photograph is unnecessary.
Neutral buoyancy allows divers to maintain their position without using the seabed for support. It also helps them maintain an appropriate distance, control their movements and avoid unnecessary environmental contact.
We believe so. At dive sites where shark encounters are reasonably likely, a short explanation before entering the water could establish expectations for the entire group.
No. In many ways it is even more important for Divemasters and instructors because guests frequently copy the behaviour demonstrated by dive professionals.
No. Halik started this particular discussion, but the principle can apply anywhere around Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan where divers encounter sharks.
Perhaps the simplest rule is:
Observe without interfering.
If the shark has to change its behaviour because we want a photograph, we should ask ourselves whether we are already too close.
[1] WWF, Project AWARE & The Manta Trust. Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice. The guide provides science-based tools for shark and ray tourism operators, communities and marine managers.
[2] Richards, K. et al. (2015). Sharks and people: Insight into the global practices of tourism operators and their attitudes to shark behaviour. Marine Pollution Bulletin. The study discusses formal codes of conduct, diver behaviour and operator responsibility in shark tourism.
[3] Oceans 5 Gili Air (2026). Should Dive Students Be Allowed to Touch the Seafloor? Oceans 5’s approach to teaching open-water skills neutrally buoyant and connecting diver education with conservation.
[4] SHARKPROJECT. Shark Encounter Recommendations. Guidance includes remaining calm, staying with the group and avoiding touching, harassing or deliberately attracting sharks.
[5] Green Fins. Environmental Standards and Code of Conduct. Environmental standards for marine tourism operators, staff and tourists designed to reduce impacts on marine ecosystems.
Marine Protected Area When people hear the words Marine Protected Area, they naturally think about what lies beneath the surface: coral reefs, turtles, fish, sharks, seagrass and other marine life. But the ocean does not begin at the shoreline. Everything happening on a small island like …
Marine Conservation When people hear the words marine conservation, what do they imagine? Coral nurseries. Reef restoration. Coral transplantation. Artificial reefs. Beach clean-ups. Divers attaching fragments of coral to structures underwater. All of these activities can have value. But there is an uncomfortable question that we …
Marine conservation has become an increasingly important part of the diving industry. Dive centres organise beach clean-ups, participate in coral restoration projects, share conservation messages on social media and encourage divers to behave responsibly underwater.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we believe all of these things are important. But we also believe conservation has to go further.
For us, conservation is not something we do only when funding is available. It is not something we organise because it creates a good photograph for social media. And it is not something that should stop when a project or grant ends.
Oceans 5 invests its own money, boats, equipment, facilities and staff time into marine conservation because the ocean surrounding the Gili Islands is directly connected to everything we do.
Our business depends on a healthy marine environment.
So why shouldn’t protecting that environment be part of the cost of running our business?
Oceans 5 Gili Air is located inside one of Indonesia’s most popular diving destinations. Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan are surrounded by the Gili Matra marine conservation area, which covers approximately 2,268 hectares.[1]
Thousands of visitors come to the Gili Islands because of the ocean.
They come to see turtles.
They come to dive coral reefs.
They come to snorkel.
They come because they want to experience the underwater world.
Without a healthy marine environment, the Gili Islands would be a very different tourism destination.
For a dive centre, the connection is even more obvious. Almost everything we do depends on the ocean. Our Open Water students train there. Our certified divers explore it. Our Divemaster candidates learn to guide there, and our SSI Instructor Training Course candidates learn how to introduce future generations of divers to it.
The reef is therefore not something separate from our business.
It is one of the foundations of our business.
That creates responsibility.
Many conservation organisations depend on grants, donations and sponsorships. There is nothing wrong with that. Large scientific and conservation projects can require significant funding, and external financial support can make important research possible.
But there is also a problem if every conservation activity has to wait until somebody provides money.
Sometimes action is needed now.
A researcher may need access to a boat.
University students may need diving equipment.
Scientists may need tanks, guides or logistical assistance.
A survey may need to be conducted.
An environmental problem may need to be investigated.
A beach needs cleaning whether there is a sponsor or not.
At Oceans 5, we don’t believe our first question should always be:
“Who is going to pay for it?”
Sometimes the better question is:
“What can we do?”
And if we have the boat, tanks, equipment, people and facilities available, why wouldn’t we use them?
One of the best examples of this philosophy is our cooperation with the University of Mataram.
Oceans 5 has worked with the university to support marine research and education around the Gili Islands. The partnership has enabled university students and researchers to conduct surveys around Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan.[2][3]
For Oceans 5, supporting this work isn’t simply about providing money.
A dive centre has resources that can be extremely valuable to marine scientists.
We have boats.
We have compressors.
We have scuba tanks.
We have diving equipment.
We have experienced dive professionals.
We have classrooms.
We have swimming pools.
And, perhaps most importantly, we operate on the ocean every day.
Providing access to those resources can significantly reduce the practical barriers to marine research.
That is where a dive centre can make a real contribution.
We also believe conservation should help develop local knowledge.
Indonesia contains some of the most biologically important marine ecosystems on Earth. Long-term protection of those ecosystems requires Indonesian marine scientists, conservationists, dive professionals and local communities to be directly involved.
This is why Oceans 5 supports Indonesian university students in developing practical marine knowledge.
Students don’t only need textbooks.
They need to see coral reefs.
They need to identify species underwater.
They need to understand diving.
They need to conduct surveys.
They need to understand how scientific methods work in real marine environments.
Combining academic education with practical underwater experience can create a much stronger connection between science and conservation.
For Oceans 5, investing in these students is an investment in the future of Indonesian marine conservation.
The waters surrounding the three Gili Islands are not simply recreational dive sites. They form the Gili Matra national marine conservation area, managed under Indonesia’s marine conservation framework. Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries identifies Gili Matra as a national marine conservation area under BKKPN Kupang.[1]
Oceans 5 believes dive operators working inside a marine protected area should cooperate with the organisations responsible for managing it.
That means communication.
It means following regulations.
It means reporting observations.
And when possible, it means helping.
Dive centres have something extremely valuable: daily eyes underwater.
Our instructors and Divemasters dive the reefs constantly. We can notice changes.
Maybe there is unusual algae growth.
Maybe coral conditions change.
Maybe rubbish appears at a particular location.
Maybe there is fishing activity where it shouldn’t be.
Maybe something simply looks different from six months earlier.
Observations are not automatically scientific conclusions. That distinction is extremely important.
But observations can create questions.
And those questions can lead to research.
The recent expansion of Halimeda around parts of Gili Trawangan demonstrates why this approach matters.
We observed areas where Halimeda had expanded considerably. Together with other stakeholders, we investigated affected areas and experimented with removing algae from selected locations to observe what happened.
But as the affected area expanded, something became increasingly clear:
Simply removing the algae isn’t a realistic long-term solution.
The important question is not only how to remove it.
The important question is:
Why is this happening?
We currently should not pretend that we know the answer.
There may be different environmental factors involved, and determining those factors requires proper scientific research.
That is why Oceans 5 supports further research, including investigation of water quality and environmental conditions around the affected reefs.
Research costs money.
Boats cost money.
Fuel costs money.
Tanks need filling.
Equipment requires maintenance.
People need transportation.
But waiting until somebody somewhere creates a grant doesn’t help us understand what is happening today.
If we can help research happen sooner, we believe we should.
There is sometimes a tendency to associate marine conservation mainly with coral planting.
Coral restoration can certainly play a role in conservation, but healthy reefs depend on a much larger system.
Water quality matters.
Waste management matters.
Coastal development matters.
Boat activity matters.
Fishing pressure matters.
Tourism numbers matter.
Diver behaviour matters.
Education matters.
Scientific monitoring matters.
Government regulation matters.
A coral nursery cannot solve every environmental problem.
Sometimes conservation means restoring something that has already been damaged.
But conservation should also mean understanding why the damage happened in the first place.
Prevention can be much more effective than repairing damage afterwards.
Not every conservation activity requires scientists or research projects.
Sometimes conservation is much simpler.
Every Friday, Oceans 5 organises a beach clean-up around Gili Air.
Our Divemaster candidates help organise these activities, and staff, tourists, divers, local residents and volunteers can participate.
Over time, these clean-ups remove significant quantities of plastic, glass, fishing equipment, metal, clothing and other rubbish from beaches and coastal areas. Previous Oceans 5 clean-up activities have removed dozens of kilograms of waste at a time.[4]
Does one beach clean-up solve the global plastic problem?
Of course not.
But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it.
If everyone waited for someone else to solve a problem completely, very little would ever happen.
Financial support is only one part of our conservation philosophy.
How we teach scuba diving is equally important.
Oceans 5 teaches students to perform skills neutrally buoyant in open water rather than routinely kneeling on the seabed.
Why?
Because this is how divers should actually dive.
Green Fins environmental guidelines encourage divers to maintain good buoyancy, avoid stirring sediment and stay clear of reefs. They specifically discourage touching, kicking, kneeling or lying on coral.[5]
So why would we build dependency on the bottom into someone’s initial diving education?
If we want divers to protect reefs, responsible behaviour should begin during their first course.
The same philosophy applies during our SSI Instructor Training Courses.
Instructor candidates should be able to control themselves neutrally buoyant while demonstrating skills. They should learn to position students without relying unnecessarily on the seabed and should understand their responsibility as future role models.
Green Fins recommends that dive professionals promote good buoyancy, environmentally responsible diving and regular participation in marine monitoring and clean-ups.[6]
For us, those ideas belong inside diver education.
There is another reason Oceans 5 invests directly in conservation.
We want conservation to continue even when nobody is watching.
It is easy to organise an environmental event when cameras are present.
It is easy to post a photograph of people holding bags of rubbish.
It is much harder to make conservation part of normal business operations year after year.
That is the difference we are trying to create.
Of course we communicate about conservation. We actually believe dive centres should talk about it. Sharing information can encourage divers and other businesses to become involved.
But communication should follow action.
Not replace it.
A dive centre might think:
“We aren’t scientists. What can we really do?”
Actually, quite a lot.
A dive centre already has much of the infrastructure needed to support marine conservation.
We have access to dive sites.
We have boats.
We have people underwater.
We have compressors and cylinders.
We have experienced professionals.
We meet hundreds or thousands of divers every year.
We train new divers.
We train Divemasters.
We train instructors.
That creates an enormous opportunity.
Imagine if every dive centre in a marine protected area dedicated even a small percentage of its resources to monitoring, education, research support and environmental activities.
The combined effect could be significant.
There is no reason to pretend that conservation has no economic dimension.
Healthy reefs are good for our business.
We want turtles.
We want healthy coral.
We want abundant fish.
We want clean beaches.
We want good water quality.
We want future generations to travel to the Gili Islands and experience the underwater world that divers enjoy today.
Protecting the marine environment therefore protects both nature and the long-term future of tourism.
Green Fins itself recognises the relationship between environmentally responsible diving and sustainable marine tourism, establishing standards designed to reduce the negative impacts of diving and snorkelling operations on marine ecosystems.[6][7]
For a dive centre, environmental responsibility and economic sustainability don’t have to compete with each other.
Over the long term, they depend on each other.
So why does Oceans 5 invest its own money in marine conservation?
Because we live here.
Because we dive here.
Because our staff work here.
Because our business depends on these waters.
Because the Gili Matra Marine Park gives us an extraordinary environment in which to operate.
And because waiting for somebody else to take responsibility isn’t enough.
We will continue cooperating with universities, government organisations, conservation groups, students, researchers and the local community.
Sometimes that means providing a boat.
Sometimes tanks.
Sometimes diving equipment.
Sometimes staff.
Sometimes education.
Sometimes money.
And sometimes it simply means showing up and helping.
Businesses normally understand investment.
We invest in boats because we need them in the future.
We maintain compressors because we need reliable air.
We train staff because we want better instructors and Divemasters.
We maintain our swimming pools because they are essential for teaching.
So why wouldn’t we invest in the environment on which our entire diving operation depends?
For Oceans 5 Gili Air, marine conservation isn’t separate from running a dive centre.
It is part of running a responsible dive centre.
The reefs around the Gili Islands have provided Oceans 5 with a place to teach, dive, work and build a business.
Investing some of what we earn back into protecting and understanding that environment isn’t charity.
It is responsibility.
Oceans 5 believes that a dive centre benefiting economically from the marine environment also has a responsibility to help protect it. Instead of making every conservation activity dependent on grants or donations, Oceans 5 can contribute boats, tanks, equipment, staff time, facilities and direct financial support when appropriate.
Yes. Oceans 5 cooperates with the University of Mataram and supports students and researchers conducting marine surveys and conservation-related activities around the Gili Islands.[2][3]
Yes. Gili Matra is a national marine conservation area managed within Indonesia’s marine conservation system under BKKPN Kupang.[1] Oceans 5 believes communication and cooperation between dive operators, scientists, authorities and local stakeholders are essential for effective marine conservation.
Coral restoration can be valuable, but it addresses only part of the problem. Reef health is influenced by water quality, pollution, coastal development, tourism pressure, fishing, temperature, diver behaviour and many other factors. Sometimes understanding and preventing the cause of degradation is more important than repairing the visible damage afterwards.
Oceans 5 has participated in observations and practical interventions in affected areas. However, because the affected area has become extensive, simply removing Halimeda isn’t considered a realistic long-term solution. Oceans 5 supports further scientific investigation to better understand environmental conditions and potential causes. Until research provides evidence, Oceans 5 does not want to speculate about the cause.
Yes. One of the easiest ways is to participate in the regular beach clean-ups. Divers can also contribute simply by following environmentally responsible diving practices: maintaining good buoyancy, keeping equipment away from the reef, avoiding contact with marine life and respecting marine park regulations.
Because neutral buoyancy is how divers should behave underwater. Teaching skills without unnecessary contact with the seabed helps students develop buoyancy control from the beginning and reduces their potential impact on the marine environment. This approach is consistent with environmental best practices promoted by Green Fins.[5][6]
Yes. Oceans 5 believes dive professionals should be environmental role models. Divemaster and instructor candidates are not simply learning how to pass assessments. They are learning how to lead and educate future divers. Environmental awareness, good buoyancy, responsible behaviour and respect for the marine environment should therefore be part of professional dive education.
Because observation and scientific evidence are different things. Divers may notice changes underwater, but determining why those changes are happening requires systematic research. Monitoring programmes such as Reef Check demonstrate how long-term data collection can help scientists and managers understand changes in reef ecosystems.[8]
The future of scuba diving around the Gili Islands depends on healthy marine ecosystems. Investing in research, education, monitoring and responsible diving practices helps protect the natural environment while also supporting the long-term sustainability of the local diving and tourism economy.
[1] Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Republic of Indonesia. National Marine Conservation Areas – Gili Matra / BKKPN Kupang. The Indonesian government’s marine conservation information identifies Gili Matra as a national marine conservation area and provides information regarding permits and activities within conservation areas.
[2] Oceans 5 Gili Air. Diving Into the Future: Universitas Mataram and Oceans 5 Gili Air Create a Novel Route in Marine Conservation. November 2023. Describes the partnership between Oceans 5 and Universitas Mataram and Oceans 5’s sponsorship of marine conservation activities.
[3] Oceans 5 Gili Air. Oceans 5 Gili Air Partners with University of Mataram for Expanded Marine Surveys. September 2024. Describes expanded marine surveys around Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan involving University of Mataram students and Oceans 5 support.
[4] Oceans 5 Gili Air. Reef CleanUp Gili Islands. Documents Oceans 5 clean-up activities and its wider cooperation with organisations including the University of Mataram and BKKPN.
[5] Green Fins / The Reef-World Foundation. Environmental Best Practice for Divers. Guidelines encourage good buoyancy, keeping fins away from reefs, avoiding sediment disturbance and not touching, kicking, kneeling or lying on coral.
[6] Green Fins / The Reef-World Foundation. Green Fins Code of Conduct and Guidelines. Environmental standards for dive and snorkel operators include no-touch policies, environmental education, marine-life monitoring, clean-ups and responsible waste management.
[7] Green Fins / The Reef-World Foundation. Certified Membership. Green Fins describes its certification framework for dive and snorkel operators committed to environmental standards and continuous reduction of their environmental impact.
[8] Reef Check Foundation. Reef Check Indonesia and Global Reef Monitoring Data. Reef Check’s long-running monitoring programme demonstrates the importance of systematic data collection for understanding coral reef condition and environmental change.
Touching the Seafloor? For decades, scuba students around the world have learned diving skills while kneeling on the bottom. It creates a stable platform, makes it easier for an instructor to organize a group, and allows students to concentrate on one skill at a time. …
Introduction Dive Have you always wondered what it feels like to breathe underwater, but you have never tried scuba diving before? At Oceans 5 Gili Air, you have two opportunities every day to start your Introduction Dive: at 08:30 and at 15:00. You don’t need any previous …
Choosing a dive center can have a much bigger influence on your diving experience than choosing the dive site itself.
When people plan a diving holiday, they often compare three things first: location, reviews and price. They search Google, look at Instagram, check a few photos and perhaps send several dive centers a message asking for their prices.
But is the cheapest dive center automatically the best choice? And does a five-star rating tell you everything you need to know?
Not necessarily.
Scuba diving is different from booking a restaurant or renting a bicycle. You are trusting a dive center with your training, equipment and, to a certain extent, your safety. A professional operation should therefore be judged on much more than price.
Divers Alert Network (DAN) recommends asking potential dive operators about subjects such as equipment maintenance, breathing-gas testing, staff qualifications, emergency oxygen and emergency procedures before choosing where to dive.[1]
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we believe divers should ask questions. In fact, we encourage it.
Here are 10 things you should check before booking a dive center.
One of the first questions to ask is simple:
How many divers will be in my group?
This can completely change your experience.
Imagine being a newly certified diver in a group with seven experienced divers. They descend quickly, use less air and may be completely comfortable in current. You might spend the entire dive trying to keep up instead of relaxing and enjoying the underwater world.
The same applies to dive courses.
Training agencies establish maximum student-to-instructor ratios, but a maximum is not necessarily an ideal target. SSI, for example, allows up to eight students aged 15 or older per instructor for Open Water Diver in-water training under standard conditions, with provisions for additional certified assistants. SSI also specifically states that ratios should be reduced when conditions require it.[2][3]
A good dive center doesn’t ask:
“How many divers are we allowed to put with one professional?”
It asks:
“What group size gives these particular divers the best experience?”
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we deliberately keep our groups small. For certified diving, we normally have a maximum of four divers per guide, and for courses we work with a maximum of four students per instructor.
That is stricter than simply working to the maximum permitted ratio.
Smaller groups allow instructors and divemasters to pay more attention to individual divers. They also make it easier to separate divers according to experience, certification level, air consumption, photography interests and comfort in current.
You are not cattle being moved from a boat into the water.
You are a diver.
A beautiful swimming pool and a shiny boat look great on Instagram, but they don’t teach you how to dive.
People do.
Before booking a course, find out who will actually teach you.
Is your instructor experienced? Is the instructor active with the training agency? How long have they been teaching? Does the dive center have experienced senior instructors who can support newer instructors?
The same applies to certified divers.
Who will guide you?
A professional divemaster should do much more than swim in front of a group and point at turtles.
A good guide understands local currents, entry and exit procedures, boat traffic, dive-site topography and emergency procedures. They should be able to evaluate the experience of the divers in their group and adjust the dive accordingly.
Professionalism can often be noticed before you even enter the water.
Does the staff ask about your certification?
Do they ask when you last dived?
Do they listen when you explain that you are nervous?
Do they discuss your experience?
DAN specifically recommends checking staff qualifications and asking about ongoing training and emergency drills.[1]
Good dive professionals don’t just collect certifications.
They continue learning.
You don’t need to be a regulator technician to notice poorly maintained diving equipment.
Look around.
Are wetsuits organised?
Do BCDs look properly maintained?
Are regulator mouthpieces in good condition?
Do tanks appear cared for?
Is the equipment storage area organised?
DAN recommends asking operators how frequently rental equipment is serviced and how often breathing gas is tested.[1]
Rental equipment gets used much more frequently than privately owned equipment, particularly at busy tropical dive destinations. That makes proper inspection and maintenance essential.
But equipment quality isn’t only about age.
Older equipment that has been professionally maintained can be perfectly functional. New equipment that is poorly maintained can quickly develop problems.
Ask questions.
A professional dive center should not be offended when you ask about equipment maintenance.
It should be happy that you care.
This is something many divers never ask.
Where is the oxygen?
They assume it exists.
Don’t assume.
DAN advises divers to verify that emergency oxygen and first-aid equipment are available and that staff know how to use them.[4] For boat diving, DAN also recommends checking that oxygen, first-aid supplies, communication equipment and appropriate lifesaving equipment are readily accessible.[5]
Ask the dive center:
Where is the emergency oxygen?
Is oxygen taken on the boat?
Is there a first-aid kit?
How does the boat communicate with the dive center?
What happens if there is an emergency?
Where is the nearest appropriate medical facility?
A professional operation should be able to answer these questions easily.
At Oceans 5, our dive boats carry oxygen, first-aid equipment, flares and communication equipment.
We hope we never need them.
But “we have never had a problem” is not an emergency plan.
Preparation matters.
In many destinations, the boat is an essential part of your diving day.
Don’t only ask:
“How long does it take to reach the dive site?”
Look at the whole operation.
How many divers are put on the boat?
Is there enough room for equipment?
Is there drinking water?
How do divers enter and exit?
Where is the emergency equipment?
Is the boat organised?
Are tanks secured?
Does the crew know what they are doing?
DAN notes that emergency equipment needs to be readily accessible because during an actual diving emergency, valuable time should not be lost searching for it.[5]
Logistics also affect the quality of your holiday.
Oceans 5 has three dive boats. Having multiple boats gives us more flexibility to organise divers according to courses, experience and dive plans instead of trying to squeeze everybody onto the same boat simply because that is the only boat available.
Infrastructure might not sound exciting when you book your holiday.
But once you start diving, it makes a huge difference.
If you are taking a scuba course, ask where you will learn your skills.
Is there a proper training pool?
How deep is it?
How many groups use it simultaneously?
Will you have enough space?
Or will you be sharing a small pool with several instructors and groups?
Learning scuba diving involves doing something that initially feels very unnatural: breathing underwater.
Some students immediately love it.
Others need time.
A good instructor should never make you feel that you are delaying the schedule because you need another ten minutes to become comfortable.
The environment matters.
Oceans 5 has two large training pools, which gives us the ability to spread courses out instead of crowding everyone into one confined space.
Space creates calm.
Calm creates better learning.
And better learning creates more confident divers.
There is a major difference between having safety procedures and creating a safety culture.
A safety culture becomes visible in small things.
Are proper briefings given?
Are divers encouraged to perform a pre-dive safety check?
Does the guide check current conditions?
Does someone know which divers are on which boat?
Are divers counted before departure and after diving?
Does the staff take a diver seriously when they say they don’t feel comfortable?
A professional dive center should never make you feel embarrassed for cancelling a dive.
Conditions change.
People have bad days.
Sometimes the correct diving decision is not to dive.
DAN advises divers to evaluate operators not just through online research but also through the organisation of the facility, condition of equipment, staff professionalism and willingness to discuss safety.[1][6]
Safety isn’t a five-minute speech before jumping into the water.
It is part of the entire operation.
A dive center depends on the ocean.
Protecting that ocean should therefore be part of its everyday operation, not simply something mentioned on social media once a year.
Look at what the dive center actually does.
Does it teach good buoyancy?
Do instructors and guides touch marine life?
Do staff stand on coral?
Does the operation anchor on reefs?
Does it educate guests about the marine protected area?
Does it participate in clean-ups or marine monitoring?
Does it reduce unnecessary waste?
Green Fins’ environmental standards for marine tourism include practices such as environmental briefings, no-touch policies, responsible waste management, the use of mooring buoys where possible, marine monitoring and teaching responsible buoyancy and photography techniques.[7][8]
Oceans 5 has made conservation part of its identity for many years.
We organise weekly beach clean-ups, participate in marine research and monitoring, work with Indonesian universities and conservation organisations, and support projects inside the Gili Matra Marine Park.
For us, conservation isn’t a marketing campaign.
If your business earns money because people want to see coral reefs, turtles, sharks and other marine life, protecting that environment should be part of the business.
Imagine two dive centers.
One charges slightly less.
The other has smaller groups, more boats, spacious training facilities, experienced staff, properly maintained equipment, emergency oxygen, environmental programs and more time for individual divers.
Are you actually comparing the same product?
Probably not.
DAN makes a similar point when advising divers to investigate significant price differences between operators and find out exactly what is included, while also noting that price alone doesn’t guarantee quality.[1]
This is particularly important with dive courses.
You aren’t simply buying a certification card.
You are paying for education.
The question should therefore not only be:
“How much is your Open Water Course?”
Ask:
At Oceans 5, we know we are not always the cheapest dive center on Gili Air.
That is okay.
Our goal isn’t to provide the cheapest possible diving experience.
Our goal is to provide a professional, spacious, personal and safe environment where people can enjoy learning and diving.
This might be the most important point.
After looking at the reviews, equipment, facilities, instructors, boats and prices, ask yourself:
Would I trust these people underwater?
DAN specifically suggests asking yourself whether you ultimately trust the operator you are considering.[1]
Pay attention to communication before booking.
Do they answer your questions?
Do they explain things clearly?
Are they interested in your diving experience, or only in getting your deposit?
If you tell them you haven’t dived for three years, do they immediately suggest jumping onto a deep drift dive—or do they discuss a refresher?
If you say you are nervous, do they listen?
Good diving is built around trust.
You trust your equipment.
You trust your buddy.
You trust your instructor or divemaster.
And you should trust your dive center.
The internet has made comparing dive centers incredibly easy.
Within ten minutes, you can message five operators and ask:
“How much for two dives?”
But perhaps that isn’t the best first question.
Instead, ask what you are getting for that price.
How large are the groups?
Who are the guides?
What are the safety procedures?
What emergency equipment is available?
How is the rental equipment maintained?
How are the boats operated?
What happens if you are nervous or need more time?
What does the dive center do to protect the environment that provides its income?
The cheapest option can be excellent.
The most expensive option can be disappointing.
Price alone tells you very little.
A good dive center combines professional staff, sensible group sizes, maintained equipment, appropriate facilities, strong safety procedures, responsible environmental practices and personal attention.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, that is what we aim to provide.
We don’t want divers to feel like numbers.
We want people to arrive as guests, enjoy their diving, improve as divers and hopefully leave as friends.
Because ultimately, a great dive center doesn’t simply take you underwater.
It makes you want to come back.
Look beyond price and online ratings. Check group sizes, staff qualifications, equipment condition, emergency procedures, boats, training facilities and environmental practices. Ask questions before booking. A professional operator should be comfortable explaining how it works.
Not necessarily. A cheaper dive center can still provide excellent service. The important thing is to compare what is actually included. A slightly higher price may reflect smaller groups, better facilities, additional staff, more boats, equipment maintenance or other operational costs. Price should be one factor, not the only factor.[1]
Training agencies establish maximum ratios depending on the program, age and conditions. For SSI Open Water Diver training, for example, the maximum standard ratio for students aged 15 or older is eight students per instructor, with possible increases when qualified assistants are used. SSI also requires ratios to be reduced when conditions dictate.[2][3] A dive center may voluntarily operate with much smaller groups. Oceans 5 limits its courses to a maximum of four students per instructor.
Appropriate equipment depends partly on the boat and local regulations, but divers should expect an operator to be prepared for diving emergencies. DAN specifically highlights first-aid supplies, emergency oxygen, communication equipment and lifesaving equipment when evaluating dive boats.[5]
Yes. Emergency oxygen is an important part of diving emergency preparedness. DAN recommends asking operators about oxygen availability, maintenance and staff training before diving with them.[1][4]
No. Equipment age alone doesn’t determine quality. Maintenance, inspection, cleaning and servicing are extremely important. Ask how the operator maintains its rental equipment and breathing-gas systems.[1]
Smaller groups generally make it easier for a professional to monitor divers, adapt the dive to different experience levels and provide personal attention. They can be especially beneficial for beginners, photographers, nervous divers and people returning to diving after a long break.
Yes, but don’t rely only on the overall star rating. Read recent reviews and look for repeated comments about instructors, organisation, safety, equipment, group sizes and customer service. Reviews are useful, but they should be combined with your own questions and research.
Very important. Dive tourism depends on healthy marine ecosystems. Green Fins encourages travellers to choose environmentally responsible operators and has developed environmental standards covering both underwater and above-water practices.[8]
Ask about group size, staff qualifications, rental-equipment maintenance, emergency oxygen, first aid, boat safety, course schedules, refresher requirements and what is included in the advertised price. If the operator is reluctant to answer reasonable safety questions, consider another option.[1]
[1] Divers Alert Network (DAN). Check, Check, Check: Find the Right Dive Operator. DAN discusses questions divers should ask about equipment maintenance, breathing gas, safety records, oxygen, staff training and facilities.
[2] SSI. Open Water Diver (ISO 24801-2). SSI training standards covering instructor qualifications, training requirements, depth limitations and student-to-instructor ratios.
[3] SSI. Supervision – SSI Training Standards. Guidance covering student-to-instructor ratios, supervision and reducing ratios when diving conditions require it.
[4] Divers Alert Network. Safer Diving for All. Guidance on evaluating staff training, emergency oxygen, first aid, equipment, breathing gas, boat safety and emergency action plans.
[5] Divers Alert Network. What to Look for on a Dive Boat. Guidance concerning first aid, oxygen, communications and lifesaving equipment aboard dive vessels.
[6] Divers Alert Network. Travel Smarter: Evaluating an Unfamiliar Dive Operator. Advice on assessing facilities, rental equipment, staff professionalism and safety practices when visiting an unfamiliar operator.
[7] Green Fins. Guidelines to the Code of Conduct. Best-practice recommendations covering environmental briefings, no-touch policies, waste management, mooring practices, clean-ups, marine monitoring and responsible diving practices.
[8] Green Fins. About Green Fins – Environmental Standards. Overview of the Green Fins Code of Conduct and its environmental standards for marine tourism operators.
A Complete Guide to Learning to Dive in the Gili Islands If you have never scuba dived before, choosing where to take your first breaths underwater is an important decision. You want warm water, interesting marine life, professional instructors, good training facilities and, most importantly, …