Diving Gili Biaha, Gili Tepekong et Gili Mimpang from Nusa Penida
“Gili” means “island” in Sasak, the language spoken in Lombok. In fact, most of the islands around Lombok are called Gili. The same applies to three small islets off the coast of Bali, opposite Candidasa: the Padang Bai Gilis — Gili Biaha, Gili Tepekong, and Gili Mimpang.
These three islets are among the most beautiful dive sites in Bali.
For the Dune Penida Dive Center, going there is always a special day, as it means leaving the waters of Nusa Penida. It’s a bit of an adventure, even though in the end the crossing is actually shorter than the trip to Manta Point!
That said, we pay even closer attention to sea conditions and wave height, as well as to tide schedules, since currents can be intense. For the same reason, we avoid going there around full moon or new moon days.
In short, as you’ve probably guessed, diving the Padang Bai Gilis is something to be earned — it’s not a trip that can be improvised at the last minute.
On the way to the Gili Padang Bai
We head out into the open sea for a 25–30 minute crossing to reach the coast of Bali. Tobal, our captain, starts the journey with Mount Agung as his main landmark. Soon, Gili Tepekong appears on the horizon. Once we arrive, sea conditions and the season will determine the order of our dives. Whatever the case, the goal is always to diversify the experience as much as possible, offering the greatest number of opportunities for underwater encounters.
Each site has its own character, and our main objectives evolve from one dive to the next. Quite often, we will cruise for a few extra minutes between the islets to select the most suitable dives, in close coordination between the captain and the different dive guides. Making this choice is rarely easy: we take our divers’ dreams and wishes into account, but we also need to adapt to each person’s level and experience.
Three Gilis for three completely different experiences, as the underwater topography here changes dramatically from one site to another. A mix of vertiginous drop-offs, life-filled plateaus, sandy patches, small caves, and canyons awaits us — with currents very much part of the adventure in these labyrinths where we love to get lost.
Follow the guide!
Gili Biaha
Diving at Gili Biaha is first and foremost about white-tip reef sharks.
The entry is made through waves breaking into a small cove, where some rocks sit just below the surface. This requires the full attention of our captain as well as your dive guides.
The white-tip reef shark nursery
The dive begins above a plateau, and the first surprise comes almost immediately. A small cave, hidden by the surge, serves as a refuge and nursery for white-tip reef sharks. While the smallest individuals usually remain inside the cave, others cruise freely around it. Some are even curious and come to check us out—always keeping a respectful distance.
White-tip reef sharks hunt far more often in narrow crevices than in open water, which probably explains why they are among the most agile sharks. We never tire of watching the fluidity of their movements, but it’s time to move on. We continue our descent along an uneven wall, alternating between alcoves, overhangs, and short plateaus that will serve as natural landmarks throughout the dive.
More discoveries
Many other species also take advantage of the water movement to drift around us. Schools of trevallies and barracudas use this hunting ground opened up by the white-tip sharks. The concept of the “food chain” truly comes to life before our eyes.
The reef itself is just as captivating. While it’s true that the water movement rising directly from the depths prevents Gili Biaha from being known for crystal-clear visibility, the variety of sediments carried here creates life. From clownfish to damselfish in a wide range of shapes and colors, the diver’s eye is constantly drawn from one detail to another. On our last dive, we even encountered a magnificent frogfish!
The dive ends in the blue, carried by the currents—and once again, the magic happens.
Diving Gili Tepekong
Gili Tepekong is a multi-faceted dive, from the smallest creatures to the biggest encounters.
As is often the case, there are several ways to approach a dive here. One question quickly arises: do we prefer to descend or ascend through a chimney? We begin our descent on a gently sloping plateau, literally bordered by a wall dropping straight into the blue. A chimney connects the two. We pass through it one diver at a time, taking great care not to disturb the abundant life found there. While this special moment—often a first for many of our divers—is fun to share, the site has much more to offer in terms of underwater discoveries.
From small to big
Our search alternates between macro and big marine life. On the small side, beyond crabs, shrimps, and various nudibranchs, it is mainly the Bargibanti pygmy seahorse that captures all our attention. Nestled among pink or yellow gorgonians, it takes on the color of its host to enhance its camouflage. Spotting its eye is the best way to admire it—always with great care, as these tiny creatures are as fragile as they are small.
And the big stuff?
For larger encounters, it is around a few coral bommies that we may come across a Mola Mola. It is often solitary here and not particularly shy, allowing us to share a good part of the dive in its company.
We finish the dive along the direct extension of the islet’s steep cliff. The shadows created alternate with the bright light from the surface, bathing us in a unique atmosphere. We often encounter octopuses outside their usual hiding places. This area is also home to numerous Zanzibar shrimps hidden among whip corals, as well as orange and white Thor shrimps, seemingly dancing an endless ballet with the movement of the waves.
From the smallest to the biggest, it’s a rare and intense experience.
Diving Gili Mimpang
It is the smallest of the three Padang Bai Gilis—at least on the surface.
These few rocks, seemingly emerging from the depths, conceal a vast and remarkably complete dive site.
The dive begins on a gentle slope ending in a sandy bottom. Colorful stonefish and scorpionfish accompany our descent, and it is not uncommon to encounter white-tip reef sharks using the currents to rest peacefully on the sand.
The current then carries us toward a corner where an infinite blue opens up in front of the vertical wall, bursting with color, that we will follow. The objective is simple: to reach a large natural alcove—the only spot sheltered from the currents—which allows us to fully enjoy what comes next.
Mola Molas dancing in the currents
It is here that, in season, Mola Molas can be seen in groups, playing together. They don’t come to Gili Mimpang so much to be cleaned by bannerfish as to dance together in the currents. Usually calm and serene, they appear playful here, even a little teasing toward us as we remain in our sheltered spot. It truly feels like the world turned upside down. They approach us, then drift away, watching us—curious, yet reassured by their numbers.
We begin our ascent under their amused gaze. The wall and the plateau that conclude the dive are bathed in light like nowhere else. Shallow and with no real island above, the sun floods the scenery all day long, making the colors appear more vivid than anywhere else.
Everything comes together: it is no longer the divers observing the marine life, but the other way around. We surface from this dive with the strange yet wonderful feeling of no longer having been mere spectators, but part of the show itself. A fair return of things, in the end—we like to imagine the fish leaving with memories of us.
A day like no other at the Padang Bai Gilis
The dive sites around Nusa Penida are rich and incredibly diverse, so it may seem unnecessary to venture so far from home—and yet…
Beyond the magnificent sites, so different from what we find around Penida, a day at the Padang Bai Gilis is always a memorable experience for everyone.
It’s a moment we prepare with great care, all together—divers, students, guides, instructors, staff—the Dune Penida family in motion. The main objective is no longer just to share our dives or pass on our knowledge, but truly to share a full day of diving in Bali, together. We often plan this outing at the end of long training programs with our divemaster candidates, or at the end of a safari after many great moments shared together. Sometimes, it’s also with those who give us the pleasure of coming back again and again, year after year, with the same excitement.
It’s also a time to share a special lunch, to slow down and talk about everything and nothing, to smile along to this song or that one.
Time to head back
After the dives, the whole team—Budi at the forefront—will be there to welcome us back on the beach, even more eager to hear what we’ve seen and to confirm that everything went perfectly.
Thank you to those who shared these moments, to the entire Dune Penida team for their efforts to make such a day a reality. And to know more about the marine fauna in Bali you can read this guide of Nusa Penida diving.