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Gili Air Harbor

📍 Lombok, Indonesia

Blacksaddle Toby (Canthigaster valentini) — recorded at Gili Air Harbor

Gili Air Harbor is a dive site in Lombok, Indonesia. It lies within the Gili Ayer, Gili Meno, Gili Trawangan Marine Recreation Park. Currents typically run at 1.8 km/h and reach 2.9 km/h on the strongest days. Water temperatures range from 28°C in August to 30°C in November. The typical daily tidal range is about 1.2 m. Species recorded in the area include Green Sea Turtle, Yellow-headed Moray, Blacksaddle Toby, Semicircle Angelfish and Orangeblotch Surgeonfish.

Dive Conditions

💨
Current
1.8 km/h (2.9)
🌡️
Water Temp
28–30 °C

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Typical Current 1.8 km/h (up to 2.9)
Water Temperature 28–30 °C
Tidal Range 1.2 m (typical daily)
GPS -8.3662°, 116.0830°

Data sources: currents and water temperature from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values 2024. Tidal range is the median daily range of modelled sea level from Open-Meteo Marine, hourly values 2024. Protected area boundary from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Species observations from iNaturalist, checked against the World Register of Marine Species.

Conditions at Gili Air Harbor through the year

Sea surface temperature at the site coordinates, averaged per month from hourly model values for 2024. The water is warmest in November at about 30 °C and coolest in August at about 28 °C, a spread of 2.1 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at Gili Air Harbor (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
29.4 29.4 29.7 30.1 29.8 29.0 28.7 28.2 28.5 29.2 30.3 29.9

Ocean current at the site runs at a typical 1.8 km/h. In the strongest tenth of the hours modelled for 2024 it reaches 2.9 km/h, which is when entries are normally timed to slack water at the turn of the tide.

The tide moves the water level by a median 1.2 m over a day, and by up to 1.7 m on the largest days of the month. That range drives how much water is exchanged over the reef and when the current turns.

In the open sea off Gili Air Harbor, the highest wave of the day exceeded 1.5 m on 2.0 % of days between 2015 and 2024. The roughest month was July (5 % of days), the calmest April (0 %). Land within 10 km blocks some of the directions these waves come from (open to about 32 % of them), so conditions at the site are likely calmer than these open-sea values.

Share of days with waves above 1.5 m, open sea near Gili Air Harbor (%, 2015–2024)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
223014541101

Gili Air Harbor lies inside Gili Ayer, Gili Meno, Gili Trawangan Marine Recreation Park. Protected areas can carry their own rules on entry fees, permits, anchoring and fishing; check the current rules with a local operator before you dive.

Satellite habitat mapping places Gili Air Harbor on , over a seabed mapped as coral and algae. The classification comes from the nearest mapped reef polygon, about 94 m from the listed coordinates, so it describes the reef the site sits on rather than a single point on it.

How Gili Air Harbor compares

These comparisons use only the measured values above, set against the 376 dive sites published on findadive.com. A percentage shows the share of other sites with a lower (or higher) value, so it reads the same way wherever the site is.

Gili Air Harbor compared with all listed sites and with Lombok
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Lombok
Mean water temperature29.3 °Ccooler than 61 % of the other 375 sites29.4 °C (44 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month28.2 °Cwarmer than 55 % of the other 375 sites28.2 °C (44 sites)
Typical current1.8 km/hstronger than 62 % of the other 375 sites1.8 km/h (44 sites)
Current in the strongest 10 % of hours2.9 km/hstronger than 57 % of the other 375 sites3.2 km/h (44 sites)
Median daily tidal range1.2 msmaller than 81 % of the other 375 sites1.2 m (44 sites)

Water temperature, current and tide from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values for 2024 at -8.3662°, 116.0830°. Protected area boundary from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Wave statistics from ERA5-Ocean via Open-Meteo Marine (contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2015–2024), daily maximum wave height on a 0.5° grid; land shelter tested against Natural Earth coastlines. Reef structure and seabed cover from the Allen Coral Atlas © 2018–2023 Allen Coral Atlas Partnership and Arizona State University (CC BY 4.0).

Marine life recorded at this site

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist within about 12 km of these coordinates.

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas A large sea turtle with a smooth, heart-shaped carapace, often seen swimming or resting on the seabed.to 1.5 m · surface to 40 m · day and nightseagrass beds, coral reefs, and sandy areasRemain still and avoid sudden movements; the turtle may approach if it feels unthreatened. (c) Jacek Pietruszewski, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Yellow-headed Moray (Gymnothorax rueppelliae)
Yellow-headed Moray Gymnothorax rueppelliae A slender moray eel with a pale body and a distinctive bright yellow head, often seen with its head protruding from a crevice.to 60 cm · 1-30 m · at nightcoral and rock crevices on reefsLook for the yellow head poking out from holes during the day; it is more active and visible after dusk. (c) Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Blacksaddle Toby (Canthigaster valentini)
Blacksaddle Toby Canthigaster valentini A small pufferfish with a white body marked by dark saddles and numerous blue lines radiating from the eyes. It often hovers near the reef.to 11 cm · 1-30 m · by daylagoon and seaward reefs, often near coral or rubbleLook for it alone or in small groups; it may retreat into crevices if approached too quickly. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Semicircle Angelfish (Pomacanthus semicirculatus)
Semicircle Angelfish Pomacanthus semicirculatus A large angelfish with a dark body covered in blue spots and lines, juveniles are dark blue with white and blue semicircular bands.to 40 cm · 3-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of reefs and slopesOften seen grazing on sponges; juveniles are secretive and hide in crevices. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Orangeblotch Surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus)
Orangeblotch Surgeonfish Acanthurus olivaceus A surgeonfish with a pale body, a distinctive orange patch behind the eye, and a yellow-edged tail. Juveniles are bright yellow.to 35 cm · 1-40 m · by dayouter reef slopes and channels, often over rubbleLook for the orange patch near the gill cover; adults often graze in small groups on the reef slope. (c) PampaSorro, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Amberfish Sea Cucumber (Thelenota anax)
Amberfish Sea Cucumber Thelenota anax A large, stout sea cucumber with a rough, sand-coloured to amber body, often seen crawling on the seabed.to 70 cm · 1-30 m · day and nightsandy and rubble areas on reef flats and slopesLook for its distinctive, thick, sausage-like shape and the feeding tentacles around its mouth. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Barred Thicklip (Hemigymnus fasciatus)
Barred Thicklip Hemigymnus fasciatus A robust wrasse with a distinct colour change as it matures. Juveniles are black with narrow white bars, adults have a white head and forebody with dark rear half.to 50 cm · 1-30 m · by daysandy and rubble areas near coral reefsOften seen foraging by blowing jets of water into the sand to uncover invertebrates. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Comb Circe (Gafrarium pectinatum)
Comb Circe Gafrarium pectinatum A small, thick-shelled clam with strong radial ribs and a glossy interior, often found half-buried in sand.to 4 cm · 0-10 m · day and nightsandy or muddy substrates in sheltered areasLook for a pair of short siphons protruding from the sand; a gentle touch will cause them to retract. (c) River Ahlquist, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation