Simon's Reef

Simon's Reef is an advanced dive site on the eastern side of the Gili Islands, featuring a submerged reef plateau that rises from deeper water to create a concentration point for marine life. The reef top is carpeted with pristine hard corals—enormous table corals, brain corals, and fire coral formations host clouds of anthias and chromis. The site is named after a local dive guide who discovered the reef's exceptional potential for big fish encounters. Grey reef sharks and whitetip sharks are commonly seen patrolling the drop-off, while bumphead parrotfish travel in impressive herds across the reef flat, leaving clouds of sand in their wake. Eagle rays glide through during certain tidal phases, and the occasional hammerhead has been reported in the surrounding blue water. Simon's Reef represents the wilder, less-visited side of Gili diving, where experienced divers can escape the tourist sites and discover the islands' more serious underwater offerings.