Other locations

Other dive locations which can be reached easily from Bali or direct from your home country...

The islands of the South West peninsula

Diving, dive sites and conditions around the islands of South-Lombok, Sekotong area. Travel by fast boat, ferry or air-plane to Lombok and we arrange transportation to and accomodation around Batugendeng peninsula.
Dive sites : Hadiah reef - Stairs to Medang - Gili Rengit Barat and Rengit Timur - Batu Gendang and Mandi - Sunken Island - Lighthouse and Gili Kura Kura.

These islands (Gili in the indigenous Sasak language means Island) are located North of the Batugendeng peninsula, also known as the Sekotong area, and are not as famous as Trawangan, Meno and Air.
There are actually 16 small islands around this peninsula and only three of them are inhabited by local people (approximately 2.200 persons): Gili Gede, Gili Asahan and Gili Layar.
The Sekotong region is an unspoiled part of Lombok in comparison with Senggigi or gili Meno, Air and Trawangan.
It has a rough coast line with beautiful white sandy beaches and can be reached by car from the harbour of Lembar in about 30 minutes.
There are a couple of nice resorts on the mainland and there is accomodation on the beautiful islands Nanggu and Gede.

To reach this area you can fly from Bali's international airport, Ngurah Rai, in 20 min. to Lombok International airport, IATA code is LOP, near the city of Praya. There you can be picked up by car, which we can arrange, to your accomodation in more or less 45 min..

The other possibility is to take the ferry from Padangbai, Bali, (4-5 hours) to the harbour at Lembar, from there it will take you more or less 30 min. by car to your accommodation in the Sekotong area.
Unfortunately the fast boats are not going to the harbour of Lembar anymore, but straight to Teluk Kodek/Nare and Gili Trawangan. They depart from either Padangbai (1¼ hours), Sanur (2¼ hours with a stop at Nusa Lembongan) or Serangan (2½ hours) harbour.
For the people who love to travel this might be an option, pick up by air conditioned car from Teluk Kodek/Nare and then overland to the Batugendeng peninsula (2 hours).

General dive conditions:

First thing we should mention is the pristine reef with an aboundance of soft and hard corals here. This area has not been damaged by dynamite or cyanide fishing and therefor amazing and unique.
There are varying conditions throughout the bay of Sekotong;
from easy and relaxed conditions in the protected bay to exciting and adventurous diving around
Bangko Bangko and further to the South.
This makes the diving suitable for beginners as well as advanced divers.

Best months to dive are from April till October during the dry season, but diving is possible all year round.
The water temperature has an average of 25-26°C but may depend on the location of the dive site since there are thermo clines and cold upwelling's.

The topography of the sites consists of reef slopes, walls plateaus and caves. Visibility is between 10 and 30 metres and depends on the weather conditions.

The dive sites are reached by boat from the dive shop near Sekotong, depending on the dive site it will take you 20-50 minutes to reach the site.

 

Hadiah reef - [1]

This dive site is near Gili Nanggu and offers an amazing reef with it's colourful residents. You will find an array of hard and soft corals here.
The reef slopes down to 26m and the current is mild, depending on the tide.
Water temperature varies between 25-27°C.
There is a big chance you encounter Lionfishes, Sergant fishes and many different species of Nudibranch. Lots of Crustaceans can be found here during a night dive.

Stairs to Medang - [2]

On the West tip of the peninsula are 3 dive sites starting with Stairs to Medang.
Here the diving can be more of a challenge with the currents, but this will give you the opportunity to see the larger marine life!
There is a sloping reef going down in terraces from 14m to more or less 35m with a gorgeous underwater landscape.
Lots of small and larger reef fish and different Shark species can be found around here.
The majestic Manta Rays have been seen at this dive site more then once. In the shallow part on top of the reef Turtles and lobsters are not an uncommon sight. This site is for the advanced diver.

Gili Renggit Barat - [3]

This is a sloping site located on the West side of Gili Renggit.
The healthy condition of the reef in the Sekotong area is breathtaking. Here the reef consists of huge table corals and other colourful hard and soft corals surrounded by Antias and other reef fish.
This site is a real Macro site with a diversity of Nudibranchs, cleaner shrimps and different species of Frogfishes.
While diving here (October 2009) we saw loads of yellow seacucumbers. There was a mild current and the water temperature was around 26°C. This is an easy dive for all levels of divers.

Gili Renggit Timur - [4]

On the East side of Gili Renggit another great dive site.
The slope is covered in colourful soft corals and Feather stars with lots of shrimps, glass fishes and Ghost pipefishes around.
Good chance to see Moray Eels, Cuttlefishes and Blue spotted rays on this dive. In October 2009 we saw at least 9 Blue spotted Rays all in one small area probably looking for a mate.
During your dive do not forget turn around to look into the deep blue for patrolling White tip Reef sharks.
The current is mild with a water temperature around 26°C.

Batu Gendang and Batu Mandi - [5]

This is the last of the 3 sites on the West tip of the peninsula.
At a depth of 25m you will find massive blocks, hence the names Batu Gendang (Drum stone) and Batu Mandi (Wash stone), scattered around. This labyrinth is home to different species of Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus) and bigger marine life like;
Napoleon Wrasses, Tuna's, Trevally's, Baracudas and White tip Reef Sharks.
Currents depend on tide and weather conditions and water temperature is between 25-27°C..

Sunken Island - [6]

This dive site lies along the East coast of the island and covers quite a large area. Start in shallow water and follow the slope, which has terraces that get gradually deeper, to a plateau at about 24m.
The current varies between slight and moderate and visibility is around 15 metres.
The sandy bottom has an assortment of hard Coral and soft Coral gardens. The overhangs are filled with Soldierfish and Copper Sweepers. You will also see numbers of Green Turtles and Hawksbill Turtles eating Hydroids.
You may spot White tip reef Sharks, giant Trevallies and schooling Barracudas along the deepest parts of the dive site.

Lighthouse - [7]

The third site at the West tip of the peninsula is located in front of Bangko-Bangko.
There is a descending plateau which leads at 14m into a deep valley covered with huge coral formations. In this valley you can find an abundance of marine life;
schooling Mackerel, Sweetlips, Groupers, Emperors, Surgeon fishes and White tip Reef Sharks.
Depending on the weather conditions this is an advanced dive.

Gili Kura Kura - [8]

This dive site is near the dive shop and is great for early morning and night dives.
The soft Coral covered wall drops down to 16 metres with a visibility between 15 and 25 metres and home to a variety of Crustaceans and juvenile fishes.
The current is usually mild and makes it a good site for all levels of divers.