Diving in Lombok: Sekotong Bay
ENLeave on a tropical island far from everythingIt's good to be in the water. But to immerse yourself in a tropical sea, it's better... For me, happiness is under water! This time, it happens in Lombok, Indonesia, near Bali...
New underwater adventures
July 6, 2015. Today is a big day: I'm going back under the surface!!! My new bubble pool : Sekotong Bayin the southwest of Lombok (the island that faces the eastern coast of Bali).
I don't want to do it anymore. I have been on a small island for two days, Gili Asahanand I finally recovered my bag of travel, "forgotten" by Emirates in Dubai... Inside, there are a few indispensable things for my underwater and photographic excursions: my diving equipment and elements for the waterproof housing of my camera.
The fishes and nudibranches have to be careful... I'm coming !!!
Photographing the coral
The bay of Sekotong and the "gilis" (islands) of southwest Lombok are still little known, little visited, few dives. Here, I was told, the bottom is less damaged by dynamite fishing, tourist traffic and water heating (which makes the corals bleach) than in the northern gilis (Air, Nemo, Trawangan).
My verdict, after several days of diving: yes, there are beautiful sites in Sekotong Bay, with coral in great shape!
But at first, the photographer that I am is a little disappointed by the visibility under water, very bad - and it doesn't get any better as the days go by. There is a lot of plankton and particles in suspension, which make the water "foggy" and do not make my task any easier, as far as pictures are concerned...
But by dint of perseverance - I spend my time readjusting the angle of my only flash and playing around with the sunlight - I end up getting good pictures. It must be said that there is no lack of photogenic subjects: large coral tables, giant sponges, delicate gorgonians, swarms of glass fish...
Small animals
As far as fauna is concerned, we did not meet many "big" fishes, except some turtles, napoleons and big star fishes. But on the "small" side, there is a lot to enjoy.
So, I went a little crazy with the macro lens...
Diving, diving, diving
Five days fly away like a string of bubbles towards the surface... I dive every day, too happy to find the underwater weightlessness and the small fascinating world of the coral ecosystem... 😁
The sites accessible from Gili Asahan and the nearby Lombok Coast are usually gently sloping reefs, down to sandy bottoms or littered with coral debris. The islands of Sekotong Bay offer quite a bit of different spots, which always allows a B plan when there is too much current at one place ...
Overall, these are sites accessible to divers of all levels. Nothing amazing underwater (we are not at Komodo nor to Sipadan nor to Raja Ampat), but I would still describe the dives at Sekotong as "nice" (especially when you go to the gorgonian sea fans filled with pygmy seahorses), that is to say, at the level of what one can usually expect in Indonesia. It is worth diving there during a visit to Lombok, but I will not make it a diving destination in itself (maybe I am getting picky, too?).
Anyway, Sekotong is an interesting area to explore. The "gilis" of the area are really superb, quiet and authentic on the "earth" level.
Some practical information
In this summer 2015, there are (to my knowledge) only two dive structures located in Sekotong Bay itself : Dive Zone and the center Odyssea Divers of the Cocotinos Hotel.
I opted for Dive Zone (which has recently joined forces with a well-known Indonesian structure, Two Fish Divers, which also has centers in Bali and Manado) and I stayed at Pearl Beach Resort on Gili Asahan. This accommodation is a partner of the dive center, which has its own annex on site. (There are other possible accommodations on Lombok itself or the surrounding islands, but it is less convenient to go diving every day).
The resort in question consists of a handful of comfortable bungalows (made of hardwood) and simpler ones (made of bamboo) set in a beautiful garden facing the sea. The place is beautiful and very quiet (I regret that the management and the food are not at the same level, as far as I experienced during my stay... but it can be improved).
Finally, Dive Zone is also the only dive operator to bring people to the site The Magnet. It is a spectacular rock, beaten by waves and currents, off another bay, Belongas Bay, about an hour's drive from Sekotong.
Only divers considered as experienced (with more than 100 dives) are accepted, as the conditions can be sporty, even difficult. I cannot recommend caution enough, more than elsewhere, on this very particular site. The reward is that you can meet big animals... I will tell you more about it, since I went there.
Update: the article about my dives in Belongas Bay is online! To read here :
→ The Magnet: adrenaline rush
😉
Hello Corinne
It's always a pleasure to read your news, and it reminds me that I miss Indonesia and especially its underwater world.... It's been 5 years since we have been there. Anyway, thank you for these pictures, they make good, it's only happiness 😉
@Eric: Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this little note... I'm happy to be able to share my wonders through the screen.
🙄
Super article and beautiful pictures as always! How beautiful is there!
@sca: thank you so much!!! 🙂
Hello
I do not know you physically but I am very pleased with all your dives and send to your friends your articles.
It is exciting to read you and to see your high quality underwater photos.
Thanks again and see you for new readings and adventures.
Take care as they say there.
Yours sincerely Anne (Marseille)
@Anne: Thank you so much for taking the time to write this little message. I am very touched that you share the articles of my Little Bubbles of Elsewhere with your friends... What an encouragement to continue in the same vein!
🙄
Hello Corinne,
Great pictures and beautiful article. Thank you for sharing these wonderful diving spots with us.
Good dives 🙄
@Marco: thank you so much!!! 🙂
Salam Corinne,
Well, I notice that this part of Indonesia is well developed : I spent a good two weeks there almost 20 years ago, only a basic guest house existed in Sekotong, there was nothing on the surrounding islands that I had explored a little, and a fortiori no possibility to dive. Is there anyone who comes to this part of Lombok now? and who invested in this remote and off the beaten track area? westerners?
Some bizzzzzzz to you. I'm going to repeat myself, but it's always a great pleasure to follow your adventures, whether it's for your text or for your sublime underwater photos...
@Pit: and for me, it's always a great pleasure to come across a comment from you... You are a pioneer of Indonesia... Twenty years ago, there was nothing, but rest assured, there are still few people coming to this part of Lombok. It is much less developed than Bali or the northern gilis and it is still a bit "off the beaten track".
I think the investors (attracted by the new airport) are mostly Western and Chinese. But I doubt that this part of Lombok knows a development fulgurant ... We will see.
Kisses too !!!! 8)
Hello Corinne
Once again you transport us with your story and your beautiful photos 🙂
Ah! Indonesia when you hold us .........I'm going back there on March 12 and frankly I can't wait 😉
Thank you for sharing
@ Gisèle: Hey, hey, like that, it makes you a taste to wait for the big departure !!! Delighted to manage to transport you through my images.
🙄
@Corinne: I was obviously waiting for news of your latest journey! Uh, not luggage, right ❓ obviously 😉
I always liked this small world sometimes unsuspected and always very colorful, lilliputian creatures! But so difficult to see! But I love the big one even more! So, we'll see what he's going to pop out of the big blue! 🙂
@Didier: hey, hey, the luggage ended up following, that's the main thing... When diving, I can't get enough of the "small" or the "big". I've been spoiled again this time, I must say 🙂
Hello Corine,
Thank you for this beautiful report on Sekolong bay; I especially
admired the beautiful Photos of Nudibranches and micro - seahorses
Given my age, it allows me to dive by proxy and it's great.
Thank you again and best regards.
@ Admiral-Papy: And many thanks in return for this very nice message!!! 😉
Once again, congratulations to the photographer! Framing, colors, subjects, everything is there! And what a joy to see it all without getting wet and without putting your head under water 🙂 Thank you!
@ Gaëlle: very flattered, many thanks... 🙄
With poor visibility, you managed to get great pictures
!@$¤!#?§grrr => I'm mad that you saw a hairy frogfish again 👿
Alimata: very flattered by the compliment. Hairy toadfish are my friends. So are the Indonesian guides who know the sites frequented by hairy toadfish. Just ask... 😛 😀 😆
Magnificent ! Stunning! I add it in my favorite sites! Very detailed, and especially as your articles are dated, it allows to know the current state of the reefs (big deceptions in Thailand on sites supposed to be mythical...).
If you had a spot to recommend on Lombok or Gili T / Meno / Air (for a single day, after the Rinjani trek), with dive baptisms and snorkeling nearby for my non-diving friends, what would it be?
Is the visibility often reduced because of plankton in this kind of place?
Another question as you have experience in underwater photography: I have a compact camera waterproof to 18m Nikon coolpix, would you recommend me to buy a housing, or is it useless? Thank you!
@Chloe: wow, thanks for the enthusiastic post!!! 🙂 To answer your questions :
- Unfortunately, yes, the famous reefs in Thailand (I suppose you are referring to Similan cruises) are not as beautiful as they used to be. Overfishing and the warming of the water (which makes the corals bleach and die) have had consequences. It's been a while since I dove in Thailand, it goes back to 2011, see here : https://petitesbullesdailleurs.fr/voyage-cambodge-thailande-2011/ but Richelieu Rock was still splendid despite everything.
- After a trek to Rinjani, with non-divers, for snorkeling or scuba diving, I think that a trip to the northern gilis (Meno, Air, Trawangan) could be a good option (even if I have not been there recently). In my opinion, after such a climb, everyone will be happy to have some comfort and "civilization" (wide choice of hotels, restaurants, bars, etc.) on the beach, with easy water activities (even if the sea bed is not what it used to be in the northern gilis, according to what I was told, you can often see turtles there)
- For the visibility, I don't know: I asked my guides, but their answers were not very clear. I don't know if it's always like this or not in the area...
- For your Nikon Coolpix camera waterproof to 18 m: I don't know if there is a housing for this camera, as it is already designed to be waterproof to 18 m. If you don't plan to dive beyond that depth there is no point in adding a housing. If you plan to go beyond that depth with it, then yes, you absolutely have to take a housing (if it exists) otherwise your device will not resist to the pressure, I guess...
Hello Corinne
Your photos are absolutely beautiful! with a special mention for your two cattle with exacerbated hair ...
I don't know this part of the world at all, but you have just given me a furious desire to go and dip the end of my fins there!
Thank you for this little piece of dream
Thank you ! Splendid !
If you are looking for other diving destinations, I also recommend the Red Sea, especially Eilat: the beauty of the underwater world is beyond imagination ... And if you are in Israel and you pass by Tel Aviv, go and sleep at the Norman, hotel with spa (without fish) but perfect to relax....
Hello
we are going back to bali in april - our heart cup! We wish to go to gili asahan. Can we go there by speed boat from sanur and come back by speed boat or ferry to padang bai. We already "visited" gili gede 3 years ago and we appreciated its calmness.
thank you in advance
@Couprie: hello, it would surprise me if there are direct connections to Gili Ashan from Bali by speedboats. I imagine that if you want to go by sea from Bali, you will have to take the speed-boats and/or ferries which make the usual connections between Sanur or Padangbai in Bali and Lombok.
I live in Brittany, in Rennes, so I don't know at all the details of the maritime connections between Bali and the different surrounding islands... 😉 But I think you will easily find more precise information once you are there. Most of the hotels in Bali work with local tourist agencies that organize this kind of transportation... Good preparation!
I read very regularly your blog, every time I make a trip to Indonesia & #8230; It must be said that for the past three years, we have been doing monoculture because after having set foot in Bali, we found ourselves in Flores, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Raja Ampat, Wakatobi, and here we come back from Banda.
Meanwhile I spent my open water and now I am completely addict & #8230;
we are on the way back from Banda and we stopped at Lombok and of course, I peeled your trips in that corner & #8230; we were at Gili Gede at Mary's home, Alam Karang & #8230; divine stay !! And an Ultimate dive center right next so dive at Layar, Asahan, Ringit etc & #8230; I totally share your point of view: the dives are very nice, splendid corals multicolored, gorgonians and barrels very nice & #8230; in short, we started timidly then it was daily & #8230; it is to be done on the return to extend the stay when one does not want to be trapped by pelni or Susi look very random in lost corners & #8230; ah, also divine muck diving at Ambon & #8230; I dipped on Lembeh in January & #8230;
thank you for your generosity of sharing
Hello, thank you very much for this report on the gili asahan. i just did 15 days in Bali in june and i plan to go back next year in september. where is the best place to stay? can you snorkel gili asahan? gili gede? from the shore like in the seychelles or egypt?
This year we were lucky enough to see 3 manta rays in Nusa penida, but there was a lot of current and the water was cold, so we're choosing between nusa lembongan and gili asahan, knowing that it would be for 4 nights of snorkeling and N1 diving.I'm just afraid of being disappointed by the seabed as I've been to the Red Sea 7 times (2x sharm el sheik and 5 x marsa alam) but I've never seen a hyppoccampe so it would be a novelty already. My wife only does snorkeling. The sea seems calmer on the gili asahan islands than on lembongan. Which is the best destination for you?
As I was saying (comment above yours) GILI GEDE with its Alam Karang homestay, its Marie (French) owner, its Ultimate diving club right next door, its divine snorkeling seems to tick all your boxes ...
Have a good stay