After around 100 dives in different places around the world, my experience with Blue Marlin Dive Gili Meno honestly stands out as one of the best. From the moment I texted them last minute to book, everyone was incredibly friendly and welcoming and helpful. They keep the groups small, which makes a huge difference, and everything was taken care of so smoothly that all I had to do was show up and enjoy the dives. The dive sites they chose were beautiful, and our dive guide was pointing out lots, always checking in and making sure I had a great experience. It felt easy, relaxed, professional, reliable and fun, exactly how diving should be. If you’re looking for a place that combines great diving with genuinely kind people, this is it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review for my Dive Instructor Clem and the Blue Marlin Dive School on Gili Meno I did my Open Water Dive Course with Clem – and honestly, it was absolutely perfect and far beyond my expectations! At the beginning I wasn’t sure if diving was even for me. I’m from Austria and I love climbing high mountains, but I didn’t know how I would react with 17 meters of water above me. But Clem built everything up step by step, always explained things calmly and clearly, and made sure I felt safe and comfortable at all times. Thanks to his patience, professionalism, and calm guidance, I was able to fully relax and enjoy the whole experience. Now I’ve completely caught the diving bug! I’m already planning to continue with the Advanced Open Water course. What really made the difference was Clem himself. He is an absolutely outstanding dive instructor – extremely skilled, incredibly patient, and truly passionate about teaching. He always took the time to answer my questions, explained every exercise in detail, and during the dives he constantly checked on me to make sure I was okay. I felt safe and supported every single moment. The dives themselves were amazing. We completed all the required exercises, but there was always enough time alongside the training to truly enjoy the diving experience. Clem used this time to show me the beauty of the underwater world – from spotting a boxfish to encountering sharks. He also explained fascinating details about marine life, such as why you shouldn’t get too close to a triggerfish and how it defends its territory. On top of that, the dive spots we visited were wonderfully diverse – from wreck dives to reef dives. Every single dive was a highlight! I also want to highlight the dive school as a whole. The atmosphere at Blue Marlin Dive School is just wonderful – everyone is extremely friendly, helpful, and easygoing. Between dives, the school is a super nice place to relax – you always get something to drink, and the whole team creates a warm and welcoming vibe. Everyone is approachable and always ready to answer questions. On top of that, everything was super easy and uncomplicated. We simply messaged the dive school on WhatsApp the day before, went by to fill out the paperwork, and were ready to start. Booking fun dives was just as simple – you could easily arrange them the day before. This flexibility made the whole experience even more enjoyable. All in all, it was a truly perfect experience – from the professional training, to the relaxed and safe atmosphere, to the unforgettable dives. But above all: thank you so much, Clem – I am really, really grateful for everything you taught me and the way you guided me through this amazing experience! 🌊🤿🐠🐢

Amazing and very professional Diving center! I had loads of fun and did my first nightdive here, i always felt extremly safe! Free tip: if you do more dives, its more fun🤷🏽‍♂️😎

Very professional and super friendly ! All the team is very involved and passionate Absolutely recommend this diving center Shark point didn’t disappoint 👌 🦈 🙏 We will be back ! David & Manu

I recently completed my PADI Open Water course at Blue Marlin, and I couldn't be happier with the experience. The entire team was fantastic, and the booking process went smoothly. They were very flexible in accommodating my schedule, which I really appreciated. My instructor, Anaïs, was absolutely amazing. She taught me the fundamentals of diving with great professionalism. Anaïs was very attentive to my needs, and thanks to her, I was able to complete my very first dive on the first day of the course. I’m incredibly grateful to Anaïs—her calm demeanor and professionalism immediately put me at ease. She opened the door to the wonderful world of diving for me. I will never forget her serenity and passion for the underwater world, and I know that her influence will help me continue to improve with every dive.

We did our very first dive and got Open Water certified with Otavio at Blue Marlin two years ago, and we’re still talking about it!!! Otavio was the perfect instructor: calm, clear, and incredibly reassuring. He made us feel completely safe and confident from the start, which was exactly what we needed as beginners. Since then, we’ve dived in many places, but nothing has come close to the experience we had in Gili Meno. The island, the dive shop vibe, the underwater world…it all felt like paradise. We’re so glad we learned to dive with Otavio and the Blue Marlin crew and we truly can’t recommend Blue Marlin enough.

Clem is the best Diving Instructor I could have wished for. I have the uttermost respect for diving and Clem guided me through everything step by step with calm and patience. The entire rest of the team is professional, helpful and very kind. Our last dives we did with Anais: she truly is a mermaid and great instructor too. I am very happy I did my first introduction and open water course at Blue Marlin Gili Meno, it was a superbe experience and opened up a whole new world to me. Forever grateful!

Me and my boyfriend were staying at the divine divers for a few days on Gili Meno and it was an absolutely wonderful experience. The rooms are impeccable and clean, located directly by the beach, and the breakfast is delicious. We also did a course with their diving instructor Lois, who is the most amazing, reassuring, energetic, warm instructor, a diving rookie could hope for. We both felt so comfortable and reassured by her approach, which provided for an amazing diving experience for the both of us. The whole organisation is amazing and makes you feel at home. Special thank you to Lois, who, with her approach to teaching new divers and explaining everything, appears to really be living out her life's purpose.

We had an amazing experience diving with Divine Divers in Gili Meno! From start to finish, everything felt safe, professional, and incredibly enjoyable. Our instructors, Juna and OD, were absolutely fantastic — patient, knowledgeable, and so much fun to dive with. They made us feel comfortable right away and guided us through every step with calm confidence and a great sense of humor. The dives themselves were unforgettable, and thanks to Juna and OD, we were able to relax, learn a lot, and truly enjoy the underwater world around Gili Meno. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a top-notch dive center with warm, skilled instructors. We’ll definitely be back! 🌊🤿

Divine Divers was definitely the most beautiful experience I’ve had in Gili Meno. I originally booked only a discovery dive and wasn’t planning to go any further… but the professionalism and kindness of the entire team changed everything. A special shout-out to Lois, the best instructor you could ever hope for. Her passion for diving is contagious, her energy is through the roof, and she instantly makes you feel safe and excited to explore the underwater world. Because of her (and the whole team), I didn’t hesitate for a second to continue with my Open Water Diver certification. I just wanted more dives, more learning, and more fun with them. Huge thanks as well to David, who guided me through my last dive, to Cecile for being my buddy and for taking the pictures and videos and to Becky for the smooth logistics and friendly support from start to finish. I will definitely be back. Thank you all for an unforgettable experience!

We had a great time diving and staying with Divine Divers. Our instructor, Miki, was exceptional - friendly, approachable & knowledgeable - the perfect teacher for our first time diving, exceeding all our expectations and much more! The dive sites were stunning, rooms were great value for money, the restaurant quality was excellent and all the other staff were always happy to help. It was also very clear at the dive sites that Divine Divers are some of the most professional and environmentally-friendly diving centres in the area. I highly recommend diving here.

I did my advanced open water license here with Momo as instructor. I couldn't have had a better time, thanks for everything! It's an amazing place with really chill vibes in a family-owned business. At the same time, it's very professional and you're in the best hands. There's also an amazing cafe next door which makes the breaks between dives even nicer :) Momo was also an anazing instructor. He could explain all things in much detail while keeping it fun and helped me pass the license without any problems. I'd always come back and can only recommend this place to anyone considering diving on the Gili islands :)

Best spot to stay and dive in Gili Meno! Me and my boyfriend went there by chance, wanted to do a baptism dive and ended up doing the open water course. Our instructor Sahrim was outstanding and was the best instructor we could have asked for. All the staff was very kind and friendly, including the owner’s, and Louise was also amazing and did everything on her hands to provide us with the best stay! We didn’t book in advance because we were pretty much free styling during our trip, but I would recommend doing so if you want to make sure you get a room. It is also one of the only places in the island where you have access to fresh water for showers. The restaurant is also VERY GOOD. It’s a 10/10 both for food and staff and we would love to come back again one day. Once again thank you Sahrim and Louise! Big hug from Portugal! Joana and Jose

I am so glad I chose Divine Divers for my OW course. It’s an extremely professional, yet caring and friendly dive center — I was skeptical and fearful when I started, but they made it fun and I truly enjoyed the course. My wife joined in for 2 discover scuba dives, and she loved being on the boat. She felt safe and enjoyed her time with the instructors. Gili Meno offers some wonderful dive sites, I would recommend this center to friends and family, and anyone who’s looking to dive in the Gili islands!

I can't say if the diving experience is good or not as we could not experience it. WE went there and booked 2 dives for the next day ( introduction + fun dives) .WE filled in the forms and agreed on a time. They texted us end of the afternoon asking us to change the date. They were not available anymore ( i guess a bigger group came) we were available all the day but not after (as we were leaving) but they could not find any time slot for us and they cancelled. i think it was not very professional to say it end of the afternoon as we had to find another one available. So be careful when you book ....

I am so happy I got to dive with you! So proffessional and lots of fun! Me and my girlfriend got to see lots of sea turtles. The most fantastic experience ever! Thank you so much! /Teodor and Angelica

I achieved my ssi open water certification here! Staff is the best, great diving spots and very relaxed! Best on Gili Meno

Very nice staff! Professional attitude to everyone. This was my first time and we even extended our stay in the island for two more nights to dive more

We did two dives in gili meno, both were great! Especially manta point. The staff were friendly and helpful. Hope to return someday.

Great team for a fisrt scuba dive ! If you are in Meno for that, this is the best place for sure. Thanks To my friendly and professionnal instructor !

Very nice crew, staff and best price in the island. I made my OW in 2 days with a personnal instructor and taylor made program.

Great to see Boulong taking the initiative to save these turtles, that would have otherwise been eaten by the locals (as is custom). He looks after and protects these beautiful creatures at all hours of the day, until they are 8 months old (strategy know as headstarting and research indicates is effective at repopulating turtle numbers). Once they are big enough for a release into the ocean he sets them free with a higher chance of survival. In the 30 years of this centre the number of turtles in Gili island is said to increase. Very impressive centre, that looks after the turtles exceptionally well (be careful others on the island try to copy and are mistreating the turtles).

We came specifically to gili meno to visit, and it is well worth visiting. We did not find the tanks to be overcrowded, the turtles were swimming round happily and all looked healthy! There are a lot of harsh reviews, considering this is the only sanctuary in the area, donating will only help the sanctuary to provide more space and better food! You only have to snorkel for five minutes around the gilis to see how much effect this sanctuary has had! They also help other animals, for example they were helping an injured dolphin whilst we visited. Truly an amazing place doing important work!

I’ve read all the bad reviews and to those uneducated, think they know it all do gooders. Do the turtles a favour and go save a unicorn or something where you can’t do any damage to real animals and the people trying help them. Fantastic, free, which means no ulterior motives to scam tourists, facility. Thoroughly recommend.

Fortunately there are people concerned with ocean's fauna and this place is the exemplo. Turtles lays theirs eggs on the beach but predators ( specially humans and massive tourism) make their survival very difficult. Here, eggs are nested, bany turtles are very well taken care of until they are old to reach the sea and face other dangers. Amazing and this initiative should be much more respected. Lives solely on donations and there is someone there 24/7 so that animals or people don't harm them.

I really don’t understand why some people speak negatively about the Turtle Sanctuary on Meno Island. Here, the turtles are truly being helped – and that’s what matters. The animals spend only six months in the sanctuary before being released back into the wild. In nature, almost none of them would survive. Only about one in a thousand turtles makes it in the wild, and many die from predators or other dangers. Here, however, they get a real chance at life. The sanctuary is not a tourist trap, but a place that helps the animals while also showing people how important conservation is. There’s no "pool situation" as some criticize – here, the turtles are given support that they wouldn’t get in nature. The facilities are used for their safety and care, giving them a better chance at survival before they are returned to the ocean. I don’t understand how anyone could see this as unacceptable when it guarantees these animals a chance to survive. When we visited the place five years ago, there were hardly any turtles on Meno Island. Today, thanks to the sanctuary, there are many – and that’s a real success. The whole project is supported by donations, and no one is forced to give anything. There are no commercial interests – it’s purely about the protection and well-being of the animals. I also want to mention that we were offered turtle eggs as a "delicacy" for dinner on the island. This is a reality there, and the Turtle Sanctuary is working hard to buy up these eggs and help the turtles. Please support the sanctuary so that this valuable work can continue – it’s about protecting life, not making a profit.

ANIMAL ABUSE!!!!!! This guy is a complete joke. He takes turtles hostage for 8 months, feeds them rice and keeps them in small ponds. Do not support this scam. The turtles will die as soon as they are released. Thats not natural, thats a huge messup. Sea turtles eat seagrass and some of them jellyfesh. If they get fed up with rice, how would they start eating seagrass all of a sudden ? Sea turtles are animales who belong to the water, if you keep them in small ponds &!feed them they cannot develop a natural behaviour. Do not donate money! Finally, why would someone pay 150k to release a turtle - if it’s for the protection of the turtle, release them immediately after they hatch as the real protection organizations do it. It is like a zoo. Protect the eggs, dont eat them and release them after they hatch, thats the way to really help them.

The idea behind it is amazing and I love that someone is taking care of them so nicely. I think, maybe I'm not qualified to criticise this, but the basins seem to be quite shallow and small. Maybe add double the water or something like this. All in all I think that it is very nice, except the drawback which I wrote about.

It's the worst company. All those people who recommend this are actually not aware of the current status. A. 1.5 hours late (communicated this just 25 minutes before departure time, so that we can't take another boat) B. Petrol fumes smell C. Old boat D. Non-cooperative staff on board and also on the port I took this to be on time and to reach Serangan. They charged 800k (the lowest I got from an agent), whereas a much better boat, Dcamel, which I took for my onward journey to Gili T, was 450k. Initially they said it's only an hour delay, and now we are on another port and just floating. Due to this, I will miss another booking, which will cost me 300k extra.

We booked this company from Gili Air to Serangan plus private transfer to the hotel. I simply loved it!! The boat was nice, comfortable and clean, no diesel smells like on some other boats. They gave water and cold wet towels to refresh. Waiting area in Serangan was spacious and comfy and transfer was organised smoothly. And the staff was sooo nice! If I ever go back and need a boat - I will definitely book them again!

There were NO SEATS FOR US! This is a major safety issue. Over a dozen people were left without seats. Some people were even sitting on the floor. Highly dangerous.

Use to be great but anymore. They use to have big new modern ferry but now old small boats. No longer have charging points, never ending delays (arrived two hours late) and not the same experience of previously using them. They boats and standards are slipping but prices increasing (Gili Air - Serangan one way 1 million Rp)

Always reliable and on time. My partner left his hat at the Serangan office and staff kindly arranged for it to get to Penida before we travelled on to Bangsal. Amazing! Our third year travelling to Lombok and we wouldn't use anyone else ❤️

Not a premium service at all! The boat is small with not enough seats for everyone, A/C didn’t work (very hot for a 3hr journey!) and trash in the front seat pockets.. Eka Jaya is much much better option

Got sick even 3h after landing from horrible gasoline fumes coming through the AC. Yet I'm a sailor. Poor staff all day in this horrible smell getting cancer. For $60*80 passenger it's not OK to have such poor boats.

Beautiful water and turtles, with fishes, quite and chill, but very dirty a lot of garbage 🗑️ around, if you go outside your resorteverything just messy, so small land could be care easy clean and fine, but...

Amazing tour ✈️✈️

The Gili Islands are 3 very small islands off the coast of Lombok , the next island east of Bali. You can reach the Gilis by boat from Bali or fly to Lombok and take a taxi over the mountains to a coastal village that has outriggers to ferry you out to the Gilis. Actually, the taxi stops just before you enter the village and you pay a small fee for a horse-drawn cart to take you to the boat ramp. It's just a way for the villagers to make a little money and it's a pleasant ride. At the boat ramp, you board a boat going to your island of choice. There are three island: Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan. We took the boat to Gili Air. It is the closest to Lombok and only took about 30 minutes. It is also the smallest of the 3. It's village is in the center of the island with many coconut trees and people going about their daily activities. After walking through the village, we came to some bungalows that looked nice, right on a white sand beach with some beautiful coral close to shore. This resort had a few bungalows and an open-air center dining room (all meals included). We snorkeled and relaxed on the beach. At night in the dining room, one of the workers entertained us with a guitar, singing Indonesian folk songs. The next day we took a boat to Gili Trawangan, skipping the middle island of Meno. Trawangan is the biggest of the 3 island and has a hill with a WW2 bunker. It's nice to hike up there for a great view of the other islands and the Lombok coastline. Upon landing, we settled on the easternmost bungalow resort as it was the least busiest area. The beach is beautiful with white sand and shallow crystal-clear water. Many tropical fish can be seen very close to shore, so make sure you've brought your snorkel gear. There are some more luxurious resorts with swimming pools, but I figure, who needs a pool with the beach and clear warm water right there. Besides, the bungalows are more private and cheaper. Again, your 3 meals are included in the open-air dining room, but one day I hired a boat to sail us around the islands and trolled for fish. Fir the first time in my life, I saw flying fish. It was amazing. Soon, I snagged a big fish, a bonito. I took it back to my resort and took over the kitchen. I cut the fish into chunks, skewered them, spiced them with whatever I could find in the kitchen, and BBQed them. There was enough for every guest to have two big sticks. Afterwards, many of the guests told me it was the best meal they had there. Anyway, I recommend the Gilis for a bit of off-the-beaten-path adventure, beauty, and relaxation. We hope to get back there someday.

Great island .shame about the ferry company. Poor .

" Not suited for all travellers" The whole island is very dark with uneven and unsafe paths, you wil definitely need a torch if coming to this island as it is very challenging to get around at night. I personally found it extremely challenging and I am not old or have any mobility issues. I recommend staying on the main roads either in town or facing the beach and not in the centre of the island, as most likely you will not be able to find your accommodation at night. The amount of tourism the island receives I am unsure why they do not put a focus on safety and fix the paths and install lighting around the island. If you are elderly or have mobility issues I would recommend skipping this island and possible consider Gili Trawangan instead where as it’s a little more developed.

A paradise on earth I really recommend special Gilli Meno The water is very clear and warm and you can swim with turtles and snorkel and see the most colored fishies and also baby shark’s The photos can’t reflect how amazing are this islands

Gili Air is my favorite place after Italy. The tranquility of the island, the purity of the people, unique sea animals, pristine beach and its not-so-crazy night life is beyond words. If you to Bali, plan a few days there. You won't regret. Gili T, on the contrary, is my least favorite place.

This place has a lot of potential! Great view and seems to be a nice place to relax. I went here in August 2024. But it appears to be 'forgotten'/'abandoned' by the local government. Hope they can renovate/revamp anytime soon. I'll definitely revisit!

The boardwalk around this lake has such potential as the lake itself is beautiful. However my friend and I tried to walk around it and the further you go the more rundown it gets. We made it about a quarter of the way around the lake before we had to turn around because we felt unsafe. We could see at the beginning that some of the panels are being replaced so it is likely that they are slowly repairing it as they can.

Very dodgy boardwalk around a putrid looking lake. Some boards missing completely, or splintered, or loose, or moving. Lots of missing handrail, and much of the handrail that was there was wobbly. It all stunk. Shallows were full of rubbish. The reason for giving it any stars at all is one each for the two cool monitor lizards we saw cruising along the shallows. If the local authorities did something with this it would be lovely.

this is a good-sized lake with wooden walk-around bridge that was under construction. looks like it'll be nice after the renovation but it had a slight sewer smell. not sure if it was coming from the lake though. worth a stop to see.

I was underwhelmed to be honest. There were some fish in the water, but it was rather dirty and nowhere near as nice and clear as the ocean. It’s a very basic lake, and in theory there is a walk around it on a wooden structure. In practice that structure is almost unusable, parts are missing/broken and there a lots of rusty nails which feels like a hazard. Shortly after we started the walk we turned around as that whole thing felt quite scetchy.

Bigger than I expected. Nice and full at the moment (March) due to being end of rainyseason. Saw a monitor lizard. Unfortunately the walkway around it wasn't very safe so we didn't use it and stuck to the road - meaning you couldn't actually see the lake as there's mangroves between the road and the lake.

It's an easy spot to reach with your bike. Walk around the lake on its wooden walkway at your own risk. The wind is nice.