Indonesia > Spotting Sea Turtles

When I open the curtains, I see a heavily overcast sky. I have little faith that we’ll be able to snorkel today. Still, I take my snorkeling gear with me to breakfast. There, it turns out that two fellow travelers won’t be joining today. This means we no longer have the minimum of five participants needed to fill our own boat. We decide to cancel the snorkeling trip, much to the disappointment of Rémy, the local agent. He makes a phone call—presumably to the boat owner. While I’m having breakfast, Ingrid walks in. It’s her birthday today. She’s congratulated by the other travelers present. Some confusion arises about the flight to Jakarta—not everyone has received the flight details. When we check the email, it turns out the information was indeed attached, only the two files had the same name. I go ahead and check in for my first flight to Jakarta tomorrow. This afternoon, I can also check in for the flight to Amsterdam. Along with two other travelers, I decide to see if we can find a tour specifically aimed at spotting turtles instead of doing the snorkeling trip. We’ve already seen plenty of coral, but no sea turtles yet. Yesterday, during our walk, we saw several operators offering such trips. After a few minutes’ walk, we come across a group of tourists sitting ready with snorkeling gear. When we inquire, we’re told we can join for 150,000 rupiah—about ten euros. They guarantee we’ll see turtles, though of course that’s worth what it’s worth. A little later, we step aboard a small boat. The sea around Gili Air is choppy, and the large waves rock the boat back and forth.

Indonesia - Ready to snorkel with the mask on

When we reach the neighboring island of Gili Meno, the water is much calmer. Between Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan, it’s time to snorkel. Due to the current, the boat drifts along with us, picking us up farther down. I see fish and coral beneath me, though the lack of sunlight makes the colors appear duller. Unfortunately, no turtles are spotted. The second location is the “Statue.” Several concrete life-sized statues stand underwater—a popular spot for divers and snorkelers. As I swim past the statues, I’m surrounded by hundreds of curious fish. They swim right up to my mask, so close I feel I could touch them, though they always keep just enough distance. The current carries me effortlessly over the statues and coral.

Indonesia - Between the coral we spot three sea turtles

A crew member spots a turtle. I swim after him, and he has to literally point it out before I see it too. But once I do, I enjoy watching it beneath me. The water here is about three meters deep, and the turtle is nibbling on the coral. At the third spot, there’s another turtle—or rather, we enter the water where another group has already spotted one. This turtle is in relatively shallow water and doesn’t seem to mind all the snorkelers. Every now and then it surfaces for air. It’s bigger than I expected—about seventy centimeters, I estimate. After observing it for a while, I make room for other swimmers. When everyone is back on board, we head to the beach on Gili Meno, docking at a small beachside restaurant where we have time for lunch. I order a juice and a sandwich with egg and fries. I skip the fourth snorkeling location, which has no turtles—only coral and fish.

Indonesia - Ordering lunch at a beachside restaurant

At 2:30 p.m., we dock back at Gili Air’s beach. I walk back to my resort, where I’m now able to check in for the flight to Amsterdam. I’ve got a window seat—nice for the night flight. In the late afternoon, I order a beer at the restaurant and start reorganizing my luggage. It’s a bit of a puzzle, as I’ll probably have to wade through water to board the speedboat. I decide to change clothes on the opposite shore and only put on my shoes there for the flight. For the last evening, “Stickman” has reserved the same restaurant we dined at yesterday—a great place, practically on the beach. After dinner, we thank Stickman for the enthusiastic way he has led this trip.

Indonesia - On the last evening we eat together and thank Stickman

Everything seemed to run smoothly, but behind the scenes he had handled all the arrangements. He, in turn, thanks us for our flexibility. For him, too, the trip felt like a holiday with such a group, he says. After dinner, a cake is brought out for Ingrid. The lights are dimmed, candles are lit, and the staff sings “Happy Birthday.” Then the cake is cut and shared among the group.