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A blue nudibranch with black stripes and yellow bumps crawling over grey volcanic sand — Padangbai & Candidasa

Padangbai & Candidasa · Indonesia · Wall · Drift · Reef

Gili Tepekong

Boulder overhangs and tunnels above a steep wall

Area photo: Bernard Picton · CC BY-SA 4.0

Gili Tepekong is a rocky islet off Candidasa where large boulders create overhangs and tunnels in the shallows, above a slope on one side and a steep wall on the other. Its plateau is sometimes dived as a drift, and several small caves hold resident whitetip reef sharks.

Also known as Tepekong.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Gili Tepekong: typical dive 5–35 m (15–115 ft), deepest point 40 m (130 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit5 m35 m40 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 50 m (164 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

8.5323° S, 115.5853° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

Large boulders form overhangs and tunnels between 5 and 12 m. Below them one side of the islet falls away as a slope that meets the sand at 35 m, while the other side is a steep wall that drops past 40 m. On the Plateau the route drifts over coral and finishes on the deep wall. At The Canyon a jumble of boulders drops into deeper water and gathers sweetlips, barracuda and goatfish.

Marine life and season

  • Mola mola
  • Reef sharks
  • Barracuda
Month-by-month season rating for Gili Tepekong
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FairFairFairGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimeFairFair

Season follows Padangbai & Candidasa: Diveable all year; mola mola are likeliest July to October, while the November to March wet season cuts visibility and makes the islets harder to dive.

Know before you go

  • Currents around the islet can be quite strong and arrive without warning; dives are led by experienced local guides.

Dive videos

Diving Gili Tepekong in Bali · Scubabeat on YouTube

The Canyon at Gili Tepekong. Scuba Diving Bali. Big Walls and Drop-Offs. · Reef Nomad on YouTube

Sources

  1. Gili Tepekong, Candidasa — ScubaGo
  2. Candi Dasa — Wikipedia
  3. Candidasa — Wikivoyage
  4. Gili Tepekong — Divezone
  5. Scuba diving in Padangbai and Candidasa — Zublu
  6. OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap

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