Dive Review of Lutwala Dive/Alam Gili in
Indonesia/Gili Trawangan

Hi Question. My wife and are experienced divers and live in Singapore. For a quick three day dive trip, Bali and Lombok are super easy, with direct flights. What is your impression of diving in the Gillis? Health of corals, big fish, schooling fish, number of divers/experience. Quiet setting is nice, but we really want is great diving. Thanks, Charlie

Charlie: With Singapore as your hub, I am insanely jealous as you have such great diving at your finger tips. My first recommendation is to buy a book recommended by Undercurrent: "Diving Southeast Asia": Beth and Shaun Temey, Footprint Books. Some of it are just puff pieces, but I use it to then get ideas as to what to research on websites and Undercurrent. Having said that, if Indonesia is your destination (I assume you've already gone to places in Malaysia that will get you to Sipadan) and you want great diving, I would skip the Gili Islands. Have you considered places in North Sulawasi? I think you can get direct flights to Manado, with a host of places not overly far. That may be our next destination. However, with all that said, try and get a week and dive a live aboard in either Komodo or Raja Ampat--just fantastic. I can highly recommend Grand Komodo's boats: not super fancy but incredibly well organized and a relative bargain. www.komodoalordive.com

Hi John- we are thinking about Bunaken, since its a direct flight to Manado. My concern is that the area might have too many divers. Next month, we are going on a live aboard to N. and S. Komoto. We thought that the Gilis might proviepde great diving with little fuss. I meet one of the owners of a land based resort in the Gili Isl., Blue Marlin Diving. But I am always wary of resorts that are a bit corporate and provide so many classes that we will always dive in groups with varied experience. We have not visited Sipadan, mostly due to the permit system. We might visit during low season in October with a "charm free" operator that will give us three dive days at Sipadan if the resort is empty. We will check a few days before and book air tickets if available.

Enjoy Komodo, we loved it. One essential piece of advice: take a reef hook! I suppose another is: don't panic when you get caught in a down current , which you probably will. We checked out all the places in Gili, including Blue Marlin: hopefully my original post gave a clear indication of my opinion!

John - Our Komoto Is trip was excellent using the Black Manta. You are on the mark about reef hooks. From our limited experience, we had more issues with down currents in Bali on Nusa Penida - rapidly falling tide with fast currents. Based on our experience, Bali is our best "go to" three day weekend destination (a surprise for us). This fall, we will return to Komoto again.

Charles: So glad you enjoyed it. Now, on to Raja Ampat! And don't forget to check out Grand Komodo, our favorite company. It's Indonesian owned, so you keep you money local. But mostly they are just truly wonderful people. Tell Tian and Putu I sent you!

Hi John We will contact Grand Komoto, since we are planning a Raja Ampat trip. Other than getting to Sorong, it not that long of a trip for us. One comment, with3 dives/day over a week or so, its nice to use Nitrox. I was not sure if Grand Komoto provides Nitrox, unless this was not an issue for you.