Sunset Point

Sunset Point occupies the south-west tip of Gili Trawangan, facing open water in the direction of the daily sunset — a geographical accident that makes afternoon dives here visually spectacular and gives the site its name. The reef is a classic Indo-Pacific coral garden on a gentle slope descending from 7 metres to around 25 metres, covered in a dense mixture of hard and soft corals, sea fans, and anemone clusters that form a textbook example of a healthy tropical reef.

Current flows west to east along the south coast, typically ranging between 2 and 5 on the local scale, and it is this same current that defines the site’s most famous feature: manta ray season. From November through April, the current carries plankton from the open ocean past the tip of Gili Trawangan, and reef manta rays follow it in to feed. Encounters at Sunset Point can involve mantas circling overhead in loops as they barrel-roll through the plankton-rich water, sometimes for the duration of an entire dive. Outside of manta season the site is excellent on its own terms: whitetip reef sharks patrol the deeper sections, large schools of snappers and tuna pass through regularly, banded sea snakes hunt along the slope, and parrotfish of unusual size work the coral.

The reef health at Sunset Point has benefited from both its exposure to open-water nutrients and local conservation efforts. The hard coral coverage is dense, with large Porites bommies, branching Acropora, and extensive table corals creating structural complexity. Macro subjects are abundant: nudibranchs occupy the rubble, scorpionfish blend into the coral heads, and ghost pipefish hover near crinoids.

Conditions vary with the tidal cycle. On light-current days the site is accessible to beginner divers; on stronger days experienced drift technique makes it more comfortable. The dive is typically run as a drift from south to north around the tip of the island.

Diver tips: Book afternoon dives in manta season (November–April) — the plankton is most concentrated in the afternoon and manta sightings are more likely after 2pm. Stay shallow during manta encounters (10–15 m) and maintain neutrality; mantas approach relaxed divers far more reliably than finning ones. Year-round, look for sea snakes at mid-depth: they are active hunters and the encounters are often extended if you follow them at a respectful distance.