blue marlin
Gili Air

catch your breath

Passion, a commitment to quality and safety, and an emphasis on our diving family have kept Blue Marlin Dive at the forefront of the Indonesian diving industry for over 30 years.

the diving

DIVE THE GILIS, “THE TURTLE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD”

BLUE MARLIN GILI AIR was the first dive shop on the island opening in 1999. Relocating to its current location in 2016. This beautiful new PADI 5* boutique resort is now situated on the quiet side of Gili Air. Here, you’ll find a small, multilingual team of inspired diving professionals. We stand out with our personal approach and family feel and can’t wait to share our love of the ocean with you. Blue Marlin Dive is a name you can trust, having been diving the Gili’s for 30 years. We stand for quality diving at reasonable prices, all the while maintaining an immaculate safety record.

At Blue Marlin Air, you’ll find a team who is truly passionate about diving. We are also very excited by our new Conservation Courses that are unique to Blue Marlin Gili Air.

Indonesia is one of the world’s top diving destinations, primely situated in the famed Coral Triangle. The Indonesian Throughflow, where the currents drag the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean and colder waters of the Indian Ocean together, means that we enjoy the largest variety of marine life on the planet.

THE GILIS offer one of the best places in the world to learn how to dive. Choose between 20+ diverse sites, each with its own character. From sloping reefs and walls, bio rocks and wrecks. This amazing diversity is easily accessible, 10-20 minutes away by boat.

LEARN TO DIVE OR IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS WITH BLUE MARLIN

accomodation

THE ISLAND OF WATER, CHARM AND BALANCE

Our newly renovated hotel is situated conveniently next to the dive centre. Come and stay at the resort, suitable for the entire family with an inviting pool on your doorstep. Our onsite restaurant provides delicious food with breath-taking sunset views of Gili Trawangan and Bali beyond.

Nearest to the mainland, Gili Air is easily accessible and has a variety of restaurants and activities to choose from. Blue Marlin has all the comforts of home set in a tropical paradise. Island transport is by cidomo (horse and cart), or most people prefer to cruise around on bicycles. Let your hair down, leave your shoes behind, and get lost in your own personal oasis!

about

blue marlin Gili Air

BLUE MARLIN GILI AIR is the latest addition to the Blue Marlin family. Our PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Resort is situated on the quiet side of Gili Air. We’ve only just opened in March 2016 but have the knowledge and experience of 30 years in the Indonesian diving industry. Here, you’ll find a small, multilingual team of inspired diving professionals. We stand out with our personal approach and family feel and can’t wait to share our love of the ocean with you.

Blue Marlin Dive is a name you can trust. We stand for consistently reliable quality at reasonable prices, all the while maintaining an immaculate safety record. Blue Marlin Dive Gili Trawangan is the Gilis’ original dive centre and we have additional locations in Gili Meno, Lombok and Komodo National Park. Blue Marlin Dive also offers technical diving courses in Gili Trawangan taught by Guinness World Record holder, Will Goodman. In 2015, PADI helped to celebrate Blue Marlin Dive’s 25th anniversary and “25 Years of Outstanding Scuba Diver Training” by presenting awards recognising Blue Marlin’s outstanding contribution to the diving industry.

At Blue Marlin Air, you’ll find a team who is truly passionate about diving. We offer all PADI scuba diving courses, from beginner to Divemaster, as well as daily fun diving. We love diving the Gilis, regularly cited as “One of the Best Places in the World to Learn How to Dive” and the “Turtle Capital of the World”. We invite you to visit us and form your own opinion!

Frequently Asked Questions

YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS? WE'VE GOT ANSWERS.

E-learning lite is a great way to do your theory and exam prior to arrival. On arrival all you will need to do is watch the PADI videos and review and revise any tricky areas with your instructor. Then it’s just the practical side of the course. However, some people prefer face-to-face teaching and feel more comfortable being taught in person. It is really up to you. Whether you like a personal interaction with your Instructor during theory time or prefer self-study using the PADI website, both options will allow you to pass your course and have a full understanding of the diving world.

We understand that booking domestic flights within Indonesia can be frustrating and are happy to help! Let us know the dates that you are interested in, which airport you will be departing from and the full passport names of any passengers and we’ll have it sorted for you. Please note that all bookings do incur a 10% service charge.

If you haven’t been diving in a while (over 6 months), we ask you to sign up for a refresher course. A quick review and pool session just before your refresher dive can help you become comfortable with your dive skills and equipment.

When in Indonesia there are a few customs to be aware of to avoid any faux pas: it’s usual to leave your shoes at the door of a home or business (look for a row of flip flops outside as a clue); try not to point with your feet or touch anyone on the head, both can be taken quite offensively; and use your right hand when shaking hands with anyone as the left is generally used for, ahem, other matters. Also, on a dive boat or on the beach, a bikini is perfectly acceptable attire. However, do note that being topless or wearing a very small or revealing bikini or G-string is frowned upon. When walking around the island, please cover up with a sarong.

Assuming you have no irregularities in your ears and sinuses, no. The discomfort is the normal effect of water pressure pressing in on your ears. Fortunately, our bodies are designed to adjust for pressure changes in our ears – you just need to learn how to properly equalise. If you have no difficulties adjusting to air pressure during flying, you’ll probably experience no problem learning to adjust to water pressure while diving.

Yes, Blue Marlin offers WiFi. While this will allow you to check email, please note that internet speeds can be unreliable.

Yes. Due to our remote locations, we strongly recommend dive insurance. We offer DAN (Diver’s Alert Network) Short Term Insurance from 1 day - 1 month. This is good for anywhere within Indonesia and coverage begins immediately. We are happy to sign you up in advance, or you can sign up the day you arrive. Please note that dive insurance is mandatory for all liveaboards. Please contact us for current pricing.

Yes, you may see a shark! Incidents with sharks are extremely rare throughout the world and in respect to diving, primarily involve spear fishing or shark feeding both of which trigger feeding behavior. The sharks you may see are more likely to be scared of you and if you are lucky to see one it is a magnificent sight to enjoy.

The local currency is Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). As of July 2015, Indonesian law mandates rupiah must be used for all transactions in the country. IDR 1,000,000 (1 million) is roughly equal to USD$ 70, EURO€ 60, GBP£ 45, AUS$ 100. Please check out http://xe.com/ for current exchange rates.

The biggest medical problems that may prevent you from diving are asthma, diabetes, recent surgery, high blood pressure and certain prescription medications. If you are concerned, please refer to our medical statement here. If you answer yes to any of the questions, it’s best to get an ok and signed statement from your personal doctor before visiting.

Electricity is 230v and Indonesia uses the European-style two-pin round plugs. Adaptors are readily available throughout Indonesia. If the standard voltage in your country is between 220V – 240V you can use your electric appliances throughout Indonesia

We change the dive sites on a daily basis so you can discover many different locations. When you arrive, check out where we are going in the next few days and sign up for the sites that appeal to you. We are happy to try and accommodate requests for dive sites. Please note that this is not always possible due to course scheduling and ocean conditions.

No. We only run liveaboard trips out of Labuan Bajo, Flores. However, there are multiple daily flights connecting Lombok, Bali & Labuan Bajo.

Water temperatures vary between 23-28°C. We provide a 3mm long or short wetsuit to all guests, If you tend to get cold, we do provide 3 or 4mm shorty to put under the long wetsuit upon request.

Similar to the rest of the tropical world, the Gilis have a wet season and a dry season. Rainy season generally runs from November until March. However, rainy season doesn’t mean it’s raining all day, every day. Most showers fall in the afternoon and very rarely do we have to cancel a trip due to weather. Furthermore, like most of the world, this past year has seen a change in the seasons with rains falling through August. What the weather may be like is anyone’s guess! In terms of crowds, high season is July, August and September with a busy week around the Christmas and New Year Holidays. We recommend April, May, October and November as the best months for optimal weather and beating the crowds.

Due to varied topography, conditions and depths, we may limit certain sites to advanced certifications or higher. You can find the certification need to dive each site by visiting our dive site descriptions here.

While the Gilis offer pristine conditions to swim and snorkel, you should never try to swim to the next island. The islands are further than they look and the currents between the islands can be very strong, even for the strongest of swimmers.

If you arrive at Praya International Airport, we can arrange to have you picked up in our air-conditioned car and transferred via speedboat. The journey is roughly 2 hours by car and approximately 15 minutes by speedboat. Prices are as follows: 1 person: IDR 950.000; 2 people: IDR 950.000; 3 people: IDR 1.100.000; 4 people: IDR 1.150.000; 5 people: IDR 1.200,000; 6 people: IDR 1.250.000

Our standard tanks are interchangeable between yoke and DIN, meaning we can change our tanks according to your needs.

It is perfectly safe to dive while you have your period. You are not more prone to shark attack! If you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant the recommendation is that you should not dive. Physiologists know little about the effects of diving with a foetus.

Yes, you can dive on the day that you arrive as long as you arrive at the dive shop at least 45 minutes before the scheduled dive.

At the dive shop, we accept credit cards (Visa and MasterCard at a 3% surcharge), bank transfers, TransferWise, PayPal payments (+5% Paypal fees) and Indonesian Rupiah. Due to Indonesian law, we cannot accept any other currencies.

The Indonesian Government now allows visa-free travel for 52 countries valid for 30 days. (Check if your country is listed here) Please be aware that this option is not extendable or convertible into another type of visa. Make sure your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of arrival in Indonesia. If your country is not listed or you think you may stay longer than 30 days, we advise you to get a Visa on Arrival (USD 35), which can be extended for another 30 days.

You can dive after flying as long as you are rested and properly hydrated from a long haul flight. You must wait 18 hours after diving however to be able to fly. Due to the schedule of our dive trips, unless your flight leaves before 9:00 am the following morning, you will be fine to dive and fly the next day.

Similar to the rest of the tropical world, the Gilis have a wet season and a dry season. With Mount Rinjani to the immediate east on Lombok, and Mount Agung to the west on Bali, The Gilis are somewhat sheltered and enjoy a slightly drier climate when compared to surrounding areas. The wet season is from December to April and the cooler dry season is from May to November. However, even during rainy season, the rains generally only appear for short periods in the afternoon with little effect on diving.

Yes. Gili Air currently has 6 ATMs on the island, including one in Blue Marlin’s dive shop. Please note that withdrawal limits are usually around 10.000.000/day (USD 750). There are also several money changers on Gili Air, but to avoid disappointment in exchange rates, change your money on Lombok or Bali at official money changers and/or banks.

Although there is Malaria throughout Indonesia, the risk to travelers staying at any Blue Marlin is quite small. Prevention by Malaria tablets is usually not prescribed. You will find that the usual precautions of wearing repellent and long loose clothing are sufficient protection, and most hotels use a spray when they clean the rooms. If you have to take anti-malarial medication be careful about the use of Larium, as in about 50% of cases it produces unpleasant side effects when combined with diving.

One of Komodo’s great assets is our resident manta ray population of over 700 individuals. While it is possible to see mantas throughout the year, please note that your best chance of seeing them is October through June.

Gili Air does have a few small clinics providing basic care and medication. We recommend Blue Island Clinic as it is the only one with doctors. For serious injuries or health care issues we recommend visiting a hospital. The closest international hospital and recompression chamber is ‘Rumah Sakit Harapan Keluarga’ hospital just south-east of Mataram on Lombok.

Yes, Nitrox tanks are available for an additional cost.


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meet the team

Marwan and Muja
Marwan and Muja POOL/EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE, TANK FILLING
Hendra
Hendra Divemaster
Adi, Amir, Aryan and Anggi
Adi, Amir, Aryan and Anggi Bar & Kitchen Staff
Anggi, Rusli, Adi, Aryan and Rusli
Anggi, Rusli, Adi, Aryan and Rusli Bar & Kitchen Staff
Habibi, Blondi and Marawan
Habibi, Blondi and Marawan Boat Crew
Erika, Francois, Kyle and Amy
Erika, Francois, Kyle and Amy Instructors
Carla
Carla Instructor
Rowan
Rowan General Manager


visit blue marlin at our

other locations

komodo

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For those who crave adrenaline and unparalleled diving, Blue Marlin’s PADI 5 Star IDC Resort in Labuan Bajo is the portal to Komodo National Park and your next adventure.

Lombok Senggigi

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If being catered to while lazing about on white sand beaches is more your speed, join us at Blue Marlin Lombok, a PADI 5 Star Dive Resort located in the idyllic resort town of Senggigi.

Lombok Kuta

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If being catered to while lazing about on white sand beaches is more your speed, join us at Blue Marlin Lombok, a PADI 5 Star Dive Resort located in the idyllic resort town of Senggigi.

gili meno

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Gili Meno is a gentle reminder of a simpler way of life, with beautiful white sand beaches and clear turquoise waters. Come settle in and let us show you a slice of island life.

gili trawangan

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Where it all began. Gili’s Original Dive Centre on beautiful Gili Trawangan boasts a full-service PADI 5 Star IDC Resort as well as Indonesia’ s leading technical diving facility.

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