Lombok a World Diving Class
The underwater world around Indonesia is a diver’s paradise. Nearly a quarter of the world’s reefs are found in here and there are over 3,500 species living on them. The clarity of the water combined with the rich marine life makes this a photographer’s heaven, especially for those who enjoy taking macro shots. Common destinations to visit for diving are, amongst others, Bali, Lombok and Sulawesi.
Lombok offer scuba diving at all levels of diver are catered for, from the absolute beginner to the most adventurous. The main diving area arround the Gili island lie in the north west coast of Lombok.
There are more than 15 dive sites around the islands and more reefs are being explored all of the time. Most sites are suitable for beginners, but there are some that are more challenging for advanced divers. Some of the dive sites are shore dives, others have to be reached by boat. Snorkelling is also good around the three islands.
Lombok and Gili Island Diving Features:
Water temperature: This depends on your dive location because there are many cold currents and up wellings. However, expect a temperature range of about 23°C (73°F) to 29°C (84°F)
Suit: 3mm shortie to 5mm wetsuit, dependent on the region you dive
Visibility: 10 - 40 meters (30 - 120 feet)
Type of diving: Reef slopes, drop offs, plateaus, caves and wrecks
Marine life: Sharks, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, morays, cuttlefish, octopus, scorpion fish, pipefish, leaf fish, angelfish etc. Over 3,500 species live in Indonesian waters, compared with 1,500 on the Great Barrier Reef and 600 in the Red Sea
When to go: Avoid December and January because the heavy rainfall during these months will reduce visibility
Gili ilsand Dive Sites
Shark Point & Volker’s Golf course
Shark Point east of Gili Trawangan is a popular dive spot in the mornings. This dive site consists of different levels (24m, 20m, 18m); it starts with a slope out of hard and soft corals, the "native country" of green and hawksbill turtles. The different levels are sandy areas with small coral blocks – a wide variety of marine life starting with schools of trivially, napoleon fish over white tip reef sharks and rays in the sandy areas….
ending up with ribbon eels, leaf fishes and even mantas. “Volker’s' Golf course” is about 500m east of Shark point and starts at a depth of about 30m. It looks like the greens of a golf course and is the best site to see sharks, schools of mackerels and doctor fishes. Because of its depth and the sometimes very strong currents, it is a dive for advanced divers.
Meno Wall
Meno Wall in the West of Gili Meno goes down to 18m. You can see a lot of small coral fish like lionfish, soldier fish, gobies, crabs and a lot of wart slugs and nudi branches coming out of hiding. It is also called “Turtle Heaven” because of the many resident hawksbill and green turtles.
Air Wall
Air Wall in the West of Gili Air is a very beautiful wall that, due to the soft coral cover, shines yellow-orange depending on the position of the sun. The highlight of this wall is a coral block at 22m in which leaf fishes (scorpion fish) found their "home", surrounded by shrimps, pipefish, white-banded cleaner shrimps and thousands of glass fishes... Look out into the deeper parts for white tip reef sharks.
Coral Fan Garden & Basket Coral Garden
Also popular for morning dives are the two dive spots in the North of Gili Trawangan, Coral Fan Garden and Basket Coral Garden. The first few meters you will have the feeling of being in an aquarium - schools of colored fairy bass lets, fusiliers, banner fishes… and deeper, around the big coral and stone blocks, groupers, batfish, trumpet fish, hiding octopus and bearded scorpion fish. Look out to the blue: sometimes eagle rays, mantas or reef sharks can be seen.
Frog Fish Point
One of our favorite dive spots is Frog Fish Point in the East of Gili Air, famous for small things and rarities. A huge coral block from 5m-18m welcomes you. There are a lot of sandy areas, where the garden eels let off steam and coral is overgrown with anemones and their clownfish. You can find ghost pipefish, frogfish and a lot of scorpion fish. Have a manicure there by one of the many cleaner shrimps.
Manta Point
in the rainy season, when the water is rich with plankton, this dive site in the South of Gili Trawangan gives you the best chance to see Manta rays. But even without mantas, you still have a good chance to see reef sharks and turtles. Malang Reef Underwater canyons create the landscape here with a plateau starting at 10m and dropping down to 40m. Here you can see “everything”. Mantas, blue spotted stingrays, scorpion fish, lionfish, and white tips have been encountered here as well as spiny lobsters.
South Lombok Dive Sites
Hammerhead sharks
Dive with us at our recently discovered dive sites in the South. Schools of barracudas, tunas, mackerels and different kind of sharks (also hammerheads!), manta rays, eagle rays…. And all the coral is in 100% pristine condition. Real world-class diving!
The Magnet
A pinnacle in the open sea, rising up to the surface from a depth of around 80m. Big, big fish action. Everywhere schools of mackerel, rainbow runner, tuna and barracuda. Here you can see white tips, black tips, grey reef sharks and with a little luck schooling hammerhead sharks. For advanced divers only.
The Skull
This pinnacle rises up from a depth of around 40m and is completely covered with soft corals. Here too, big fish action. White tips, black tips, and mackerels, grey reef sharks, many stingrays and schooling tunas.
The Cathedral
Another pinnacle going down to around 50m. Here many sharks, tunas, mackerels and barracudas can be found. We have seen a school of eagle rays here. At around 40m there is a big cave. For advanced divers only.
Soft Coral Garden
A chain of small pinnacles beginning in a depth of around 25m. All pinnacles are covered completely with soft coral. It is normally more a spot for small fishes and coral, but even here we have encountered manta rays.
Boulder City Starting
At a vertical wall you descend to about 30 meters. There are a lot of big rocks forming hundreds of swim-troughs. Sharks, napoleons and many, many sweet lips and angelfishes have been seen here.
Dive Sites Around Senggigi
Senggigi Dive is a spectacular slope reaching down to 60m. Between 10m and 25m, there is an array of wonderful coral. A lot of different reef fishes and with a bit of luck you can see turtles and white tip reef sharks. Hidden between the coral many different kinds of shrimp and crab can be found.
Nipah Slope
A spectacular slope reaching down to 60m. Between 10m and 25m, there is an array of wonderful corals. A lot of different reef fishes and with a bit of luck you can see turtles and white tip reef sharks. Hidden between the corals many different kinds of shrimp and crab can be found.
Malimbu Cave
A slope going down from 10m to 15m with big sandy patches and rocks covered in corals. Here you can find a lot of sting rays, a big amount of reef fishes and often turtles. In the shallower part are caves that can only be dived when conditions are calm. But be careful, we’ve heard a dragon lives there…
Malimbu Slope
A long, stretched slope that goes down to 30m. The bottom is sandy with a lot of little coral reefs. Sharks, blue spotted rays, eagle rays, barracudas, leaf fish – there’s just so much to see.
Shark Point
A big plateau that starts at 10m and goes down to 30m or 40m. Most of the time, you can see sharks, turtles and a big variety of reef fish. On the north side, big gorgonians and sponges can be found.
Alang-Alang Wall
A wall that begins at 16m and reaches down to 35m. Down there, after a small plateau begins another wall that goes down to 60m. Both of them are over grown with wonderful corals. You have sharks, turtles and a huge variety of reef fish. It’s a perfect spot for night dives.
If you love snorkeling or swimming, then Seger Beach is an ideal place. Each part of the beach is perfect for the calm water sport, there is one favorite part of the beach for snorkeling. You can also find the best place for surfing with excellent and quite challenging wave intensity, just like the waves we can find in Kuta Beach. It is said that many tourists prefer to have snorkeling and Lombok surfing in Seger Beach than Kuta Beach due to the wave and view.
On certain months, usually February to March, you can watch Bau Nyale ceremony or catching the sea worm in Kuta Beach and Seger Beach. This ceremony done annualy and it is signed with the appearance of sea worm or nyale, which is believed to be the incarnation of Princess Mandalika. Not only can you watch and catch Nyale, but also taste some foods from Nyale. Some local Lombok people said that Nyale is tasty. Therefore, don’t ever miss this chance because Nyale can only be found in Lombok island.
