Gili Shark Conservation Project in Indonesia

I arrived at Gili Shark as a kinda shy, mildly awkward human, about to follow a deep love of mine and have a go at a Divemaster Internship. There were a few marine conservation organisations around the world, but none took my interest and faith as much as Gili Shark - and I definitely made the right choice. From day one when I got there, I was greeted with the most welcoming people who give off immaculate vibes to get me settled. The accommodation was amazing, and given that it was my first time sharing a room, I was very lucky to call such a clean and thoughtful environment home. Throughout my programme I learned about more fish than I knew existed, about the ecosystem of the ocean and all that goes into it and how to look after our terrifying but beloved oceans. The instructors, staff and mentors were nothing but encouraging and inspiring (even watching their buoyancy was admiration enough), and helped me boost my confidence. By the end, I was leading dives, briefings and helping to teach new diving students too... If you'd have told me that 6 weeks prior, I'd have laughed at you! Take my word for it if you're considering Gili Shark, you won't regret it.

Photos

This trip was easily one of the best experiences of my life. When I arrived the first thing they said to me was welcome home and it’s true! Everybody there is incredibly welcoming and amazing. The diving is beautiful and it is incredible knowing you get to be apart of the work they do. I got to develop so many skills to help me in my career. Most importantly I met amazing people. From the incredible staff to the other volunteers, I had a great experience with every one of them. I got to make lifelong memories and can genuinely say the worst part of the trip was leaving.

Photos

Absolutely loved the six weeks I had at gili shark conservation, I was kind of worried because six weeks is a decent length of time but I couldn't have been happier, in fact take me back!!! The accommodation was amazing, the hospitality and welcoming attitude from everyone really made it feel like a home away from home. Not only that but the conservation work itself was so fun!!! I really enjoyed cleaning the hex domes and turtle ID dives. 100/10 experience :)

I absolutely loved my time at GSC. Not only were the people, staff and other sharkies, amazing, the accomodation wonderful but I actually felt that I made an actual impact with the conservation work. Being able to do my scientific diver and participate in roving surveys , turtle /shark ID dives etc. was so cool. I felt involved in the research and actually learned something.

I joined the Shark Month program this March along with eight other participants and the incredible staff, and I only have good things to say about them. They treat you exceptionally well, teach you everything you need to know for underwater activities, and always prioritize safety first and conservation second. I learned and improved a lot, both in my diving skills and through hands-on conservation experience. The days were well organized, with two dives in the morning to collect data on sharks, turtles, or reef maintenance. After a lunch break, we usually did data entry from the previous dives or attended interesting masterclasses about conservation. They teach you how to use the programs to do the data entry yourself, and they make sure that everyone is actively participating. The accommodation provided was more than enough, always clean, ready, and comfortable. The staff there is incredibly friendly and always willing to help with anything you need. A special shout-out to Jane, Aris, Wika, Mira, and everyone else on the team for making March one of the best months of my life!

This Programme has changed me for the better in every way. I was part of the shark month batch of 7 sharkies and i couldn’t recommend it more if you love sharks and our oceans, but be ready to fall in love with all of the marine life around the gilis. The staff team truly make this such an amazing experience they are there to give you advice, to teach and to care, but also to laugh with you and share some great stories. The masterclasses truly were amazing, the GSC team got us talking with some serious ocean legends which without being here you may never get to. The accommodation is lovely, i was in a private room and it was a great size, clean and comfy. The included breakfast was always a great start to the day and the occasional family dinners were cooked amazingly by Mira and were super cheap. Even though food(except breakfast) isn’t included i thing it’s actually a good thing as it allows you to explore the restaurants all around gili air (i’d recommend asking the staff for their favourites they know the best places). I would highly recommend coming to gili shark conservation whether your a Pro diver with a scientific background or a complete beginner the course is so adaptive and it’s more fun to be around people with such varying backgrounds. I Loved my time on gili air and i will definitely be returning sometime soon.

Photos

I spent 4 weeks at Gili Shark Conservation and absolutely LOVED it! The staff are really the best, so friendly, kind and knowledgeable. There is a lot of marine life to see around the Gili Islands (including turtles on almost every dive, yay!). I learnt about marine conservation, sharks, turtles, corals and participated in a range of data collection and data entry activities. The HQ accommodation was clean and comfortable and makes for a lovely home on Gili Air. The only downside is the mosquitoes - definitely use bug spray! I would 100% recommend the programme - thank you to the whole team for such an amazing experience.

Dear GSC-Team, a big thank you to the entire crew, i spent two wonderful weeks here on Gili Air. For me as an amateur researcher, this stay was by far the best decision of my life. The learning content is very well-founded, practice and theory alternate easily, of course above and below water, the many different tasks make the whole thing even more exciting. Your physical well-being is also well taken care of, after the working day, the HQ offers space and time for relaxation and social gatherings, if you feel like it, you can grab a fresh mango from the garden ? the people here are incredibly passionate about their work, you can feel it as soon as you arrive. I think a stay here is a must for aspiring marine biologists! Thank you for taking me in, maybe... I'll come back ? Happy bubbles ? Best regards, Tommy

Such an amazing experience! The staff and programs leaders were incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable, and the work was so worthwhile! For anyone interested in marine conservation I highly recommend this program!

I spent 4 weeks at Gili Shark Conservation and didn't want to leave! Diving 8 times a week was amazing, tiring but amazing! there is so much biodiversity around the Gili Islands so you get to see so many different species. I had not done much diving before I went but it has become my obsession! It was so fun to get to dive so often and everyone at Blue Marlin (the dive shop we went out of) and at Gili shark was amazing in terms of making you feel safe and comfortable in the water! I became a much more confident diver while there! After diving you get to go through data if you collected it that day, which includes turtle and shark IDing sometimes, or listen to presentations about marine conservation. Then you get to explore the island! Getting to eat the local food and meet so many locals was so interesting! the food is pretty good! And you can always find people to go get food with. The Island is beautiful and the beach is never far away! Having your weekends free is nice so you can relax or go exploring Gili Air or the other Gili islands, or even Lombok!

Had a great time, staff was very kind from the moment I arrived. The program was excellent and fun. Every week we had a family dinner with all the sharkies which was very fun. Definitely recommend doing the course with Gili Shark!

I appreciated the opportunity to improve my diving skills and not only learn more about marine conservation efforts but also put this all into practice. There’s a lot of potential in this program but I do think administratively there needs to be some improvements. Having to go to another location to make payments on my last day was stressful and then having miscommunicated charges afterwards was also annoying. I think they’d benefit from a dedicated admin staff. “Down” time was also a bit awkward and everyone just disappears.

I had a fin-tastic time at gili shark conservation! And learnt so much from the volunteer project about nature conservation and diving. Interacting with nature with respect. Loved meeting animals during dives and like minded people during the project.

I cannot recommend this project enough! I only wish I could go back in time and book more time to spend at Gili Shark Conservation <3 It has truly been an experience of a lifetime. I've arrived with no diving experience and never having been to Indonesia. Firstly, the project volunteers, managers and all others involved make you feel quickly at home at the beautiful GSC HQ. I've stayed in the shared rooms and they are super clean, comfy and aesthetic-looking. You truly feel at paradise. At HQ you have a healthy breakfast in the morning and regular 'family dinners' hosted by the lovely property manager, who is a true local and a foodie! The partner diving centre, Blue Merlin, has excellent professionals and you quickly feel safe going underwater for the first time. Personally, I fell in love with the underwater world instantly and I woke up everyday craving for more. You have 5 days diving and 2 'dry' days in the week, On the 2nd dry day, you already feel the urge to go back to working and going diving. The activities vary per season, but for me I had an amazing time doing fish ID, turtle ID, shark ID, Coral Health index, Coral restoration and Dive against Debris. Most scientific dives last 30 minutes and remaining time is spent enjoying (and learning) about the amazing Indonesian aquatic life. The workshops and classes are quick to learn and you get valuable knowledge on scientific diving, sharks, turtles, corals and conservation. Not to mention underwater skills and language. On the daily life, I definitely made friends for life that are always up to fun activities together and exploring the beautiful Gili Air. the island itself is (in my opinion) the most treasured of the Gilis. You can walk the full island in 1h, locals are super friendly, it's touristy enough to have people around and good shops, but not too touristy that you have a lot of party people in there like Gili T. The ambience is friendly, to enjoy the day time and to do aquatic activities. I've stayed in the project for 3 weeks, then later returned to the island for another 10 days, to also take my advance diving classes on my own account. But this is how much I loved the life there and needed more time to spend living there. I would definitely stay at least 4 weeks if I were to return, as the weeks fly by and you have so much to do and enjoy! Thank you GSC for the amazing time! I loved every second and miss you all!

I've spent 3 weeks with the Gili Shark Conservation family and I enjoyed every single minute. The program offers an immersive experience that provides a blend of education, hands-on conservation work, and personal growth. Gili Air has a unique atmosphere that I fell in love with immediately, and the people working and living there are simply amazing. If you want to make a difference, don't wait - just go and join the GSC family!

I was fortunate enough to join the Gili Shark Conservation Project on Gili Air in Indonesia for 5 weeks in 2024. The program is well structured and at no point, before or during the project, did I ever feel lost or left alone. There is a schedule for every week and every dive has a clear scientific purpose behind it. The staff is professional and the people you will meet here are all super passionate about marine science, open and fun. Gili Air is a true paradise with tasty food, amazing weather, beautiful beaches and dive sites and even more beautiful/amazing people. After a few weeks in the project, the HQ started to feel like home and the people became family. I will definitely remember this experience!

All my Dearest Sharkies and Team GSC, Thank you for the most precious memories. I’ll hold every moment spent in Gili Air and with all you guys really close to my heart. Thank you! I’m so sad right now but I have zero tears because of the happiness that’s flooding all over me. I’m so happy and full that I can’t manage to feel sad. This is the first in my life. Thank you all for making me feel so much in such little time. I wish I never had to go, and I could stay in my cozy bed forever and ever at the HQ looking at the most beautiful view from my window every damn morning. Thanks for teaching me so much and inspiring me - each and every one of you. I go back with a purpose, and I don’t think I’ve ever had a better take away. I felt like my most enthusiastic self , and the way I haven’t felt in YEARS. Thanks for bringing back the child inside me, I truly needed this? All my love, warm , long hugs and a longing to meet each and every one of you AGAIN. Happy bubbles my fish enthusiasts. ??‍♀️ I’m grateful for every minute, every conversation , all answers to my many manyyy questions.

Photos

Insane experience that was not only super fun but highly educational. The team at gili shark conservation are super friendly and accommodating as well as being superb dive leaders and educators. I would highly recommend this experience to any aspiring marine biologists or anyone who wants to do their bit for our oceans both hands on and by learning essential skills beneficial to conservation and science. 11/10 sampai jumpa lagi gili air!

Photos

Gili shark conservation is the best program to improve and become confident in diving. I’ve never experienced such beautiful dive sites. The team is so welcoming and friendly! I would love to go back again someday.

Photos

I stayed in Gili Shark for two weeks. Met so many interesting people who became my friends. The team at gili shark is amazing, they are there to help you and assist you with anything needed. Diving as a scientific diver is much funner than just normal fun dives. You do reef surveys, fish identification, coral restoration and much more.

Photos