On
the south western coast of Lombok Island, beyond the southern Gilis and about 2
hours’ drive south of Senggigi lies Belongas Bay. Facing the Indian Ocean this
is an exciting, untouched and challenging dive destination that offers the
opportunity to meet some of the big fish in the Indian Ocean. An intact
underwater paradise with pristine reefs, an intact environment, and impressive
diving with huge marine diversity: this is what Belongas dive sites have to
offer.
The
most famous Belongas dive site is the Magnet. This Blongas dive site features
both the smaller Scalloped Hammerhead (around 2 to 4 meters) as well as
the Great Hammerhead shark (around 4 to 6 meters) and according to some experts,
The Magnet is the one of only a few places in the world where you can see both
kinds of hammerhead sharks in one and the same place.
“The Magnet” can be reached by boat in half an hour and is a pinnacle located in the open sea, rising up to the surface from 80m with waves crashing on top and over it creating a big surge that can be felt down to 15+ meters on challenging days. Scuba diving there the seasonable sighting of schooling hammerhead sharks, barracudas, tunas, and other pelagic life is very regular, also mola mola have occasionally been spotted there and around.
Due
to the existing rough conditions diving at “The Magnet” is scuba diving only to
the more experienced diver, but these can find world class dive adventure and
pristine scuba diving at Belongas Bay. Divers need to enter the water
negatively buoyant and descend quickly to 5-15 meters to encounter tuna,
barracuda, and schools of mackerel swirling while descending deeper to see
white- and black tip reef sharks creating an awesome spectacle while you are on
the lookout to spot the hammerheads.
Scuba
diving in Belongas Bay you’ll find an unspoiled underwater paradise with
pristine reefs and intact environment. There are still many places to be
explored around Belongas Bay and you can experience impressive diving in an untouched
environment and huge marine diversity! The famous dive sites “The Magnet“ and
“The Cathedral“ present themselves immaculate and abundant with marine life.
The sighting of pelagic life is regular, and apart from the hammerhead season
(May till October) mobula- and eagle rays school in huge aggregations from
mid-August till mid-September.
The
other dive sites in Belongas Bay are very suitable for the less experienced
divers and wait with breathtaking coral reefs and an abundance of underwater
life. Schools of mantas or macro paradise - here you can find it all.
Scuba diving Belongas
Bay I recommend bringing a 5mm wetsuit. The temperature is around 26C – 28C,
but on “good hammerhead days” it can very well drop to 22C-25C.
