Magic Reef - Lombok & Gili Islands

Papua Drop Off is exactly what it sounds like, but better. You follow a sandy channel out from the reef plateau, a nice warm-up, before the reef just... disappears. We love the feeling of swimming along the edge, watching the reef slope away into the blue. It’s an easy drift, usually, so you can really take your time checking the deeper water for pelagics. This site is probably our favourite spot on Rarotonga for eagle rays. We’ve had incredible encounters here, sometimes a whole squadron of them gliding past, their shadows rippling over the sand. You’ll also find green turtles munching on corals or resting in crevices. Keep an eye out for the small opening to a cavern around 10 metres. It’s a tight squeeze, but a fun little detour if conditions are calm, though we don't usually push it. Visibility is generally excellent, often 25 metres plus, so you get a great sense of the scale of the drop-off. It's a relaxed dive, perfect for beginners, but still offers plenty of excitement for more experienced divers keen on spotting bigger stuff.

Location: Lombok & Gili Islands, Indonesia, Southeast Asia
Coordinates: -8.343400, 116.050700
Type: cave

Marine Protected Area: KK Pulau Gili Air, Gili Meno, dan Gili Trawangan

Best Time to Dive in Lombok & Gili Islands

The warmest water temperatures in Lombok & Gili Islands occur in December, averaging 30.1°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 28.3°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 29.6°C
February: 29.3°C
March: 29.6°C
April: 30.1°C
May: 29.9°C
June: 29.2°C
July: 28.5°C
August: 28.3°C
September: 28.6°C
October: 29.3°C
November: 30.1°C
December: 30.1°C

Nearest Dive Centres to Magic Reef

3Wdive
7 Seas International
Absolute Scuba
Abyss Dive Center - FFESSM, ANMP, CMAS, CEDIP, SSI
Abyss Ocean World - ["PADI"]
Adventure Divers

Marine Life in Lombok & Gili Islands

Home to 258 recorded species including 153 reef fish, 44 sharks & rays, 37 hard corals, 10 seagrass & algae, 4 other, 3 clams & mussels.

Notable Species

sorrah shark (Carcharhinus sorrah) - Sharks & Rays
Brown Spinecheek Gudgeon (Eleotris fusca) - Reef Fish
Fluted clam (Tridacna squamosa) - Clams & Mussels
Gendarme Fish (Acanthurus olivaceus) - Reef Fish
Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
Argus Grouper (Cephalopholis argus) - Reef Fish
thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
Boring Clam (Tridacna crocea) - Clams & Mussels
Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
Staghorn coral (Acropora austera) - Hard Corals
Spine-cheek Gudgeon (Eleotris acanthopomus) - Reef Fish
seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
Species code: Hp (Halodule pinifolia) - Seagrass & Algae
Staghorn coral (Acropora valida) - Hard Corals
Bigmouth Goby (Redigobius bikolanus) - Reef Fish
Sleepy Goby (Psammogobius biocellatus) - Reef Fish
Staghorn coral (Acropora cerealis) - Hard Corals

Recommended Packing List for Magic Reef

Based on average water temperature of 29.4°C, currents 23 cm/s.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
Mask - essential for every dive
Fins
BCD - buoyancy compensator
Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories