Dive center, PADI 5 star in Lombok – Gili islands

One of our diving boat: Terumbu

scuba diving boat in gili islands

Our dive center has two fibre boats. The newest and smallest is Terumbu (Terumbu means coral in Indonesian).
We personally designed the boat as we want it neat and simple with ample space to move around, most importantly comfortable and safe. Then we commission a local tukang to build the boat. As this is our first time to design our own diving boat, we were excited and at the same time wonder if our design works. If the boat works perfectly, this means that you are diving with a boat that is only one of it’s kind.

Description of our diving boat

Terumbu was finished in July 2017, measuring at the length of 10.20m , width of 2.70m and draught of 0.60m.

There is a solid roof. On the back, there are a ladder on each side to go onboard the boat.

Let's go on the boat

It is a small diving boat with 2 recently bought 40hp engines. The oldest engine is 2 years old, the newest 1.5 years old. It can navigate fast, but not a speedboat 😀

The boat is very wide, we can settle our diving equipment easily (There is space for the fins !) and we can move around.

Boarding from the beach near the dive center.
Our crews transport your BCD and tanks onto the boat. You bring your mask, fins, weight belt and personal stuff.

To enter into the sea with the diving gear, you have to do a back roll entry :

ready to back roll jump

A small boat so only limited number of divers

Our boat is small, one of the smallest diving boat around Gili islands and Lombk. In Gili islands some dive centers have big boats for 25-40 divers. Us, we can have maximum twelve divers including the guides and instructors.

On our diving boat

Even during the high season, we dive with limited number of divers. Therefore, we are not overcrowded on the boat and in the water.
Same for our second diving boat, Sofia, older but slightly bigger. We limit the number of divers to maximum fifteen divers including dive guides and instructors.

In addition, we have different diving schedule with the other dive centers.
Usually, there aren’t or a few boats from other dive centers on the same dive site. We try to avoid entering into the water at the same time as the big dive centers with 30 or more divers.
However, when the weather and/or the condition of the sea allows only 2-3 dive sites that are suitable for diving, in this case, the dive sites will be crowded with boats and divers.

Under the diving boat in Gili islands

Once the dive is over, you will remove your equipment in the water. There are ropes on both sides of the boat for you to hold onto. The crews are responsible for helping and bringing your diving equipment on board.

In January 2019, Terumbu was due for annual dry docking and overhaul. All local boats need annual renovation so that it is properly maintained.

We are exhilarating that Terumbu fully meets our expectations, she works continuously since July 2017. There are few minor design faults but not a big deal.
Since launching, she has not experienced any significant problems, only a few detailed modification without difficulty by the local tukang.

This is definitely a unique experience that we will always remember from design, building and witness Terumbu entering into the sea with the blessing from traditional ceremony performed by the locals.