Disclosed is a semiconductor laser device (1) comprising a substrate (3) having a major surface (3a), a photonic crystal layer (7) which is formed above the substrate (3) along the direction in which the major surface (3a) extends and contains an epitaxial layer (2a) composed of GaN and a low refractive index material (2b) having a refractive index lower than the epitaxial layer (2a), an n-type cladding layer (4) formed on the substrate (3), a p-type cladding layer (6) formed above the substrate (3), an active layer (5) interposed between the n-type cladding layer (4) and the p-type cladding layer (6) which emits light when carriers are injected thereinto, and a GaN layer (12) directly covering the photonic crystal layer (7). The semiconductor laser device can be manufactured without performing fusion bonding.