Belongas Bay Diving – An Adrenaline Junkie’s Dream

The amount of people crossing borders to experience stunning underwater paradises in exotic locations has skyrocketed over the last few years, and many have not heard about the remote location of Belongas Bay in Indonesia. Located in South Lombok, this area has many scuba diving experiences to be discovered, as well as breath-taking views and beautiful remote beaches that can practically be all yours to relax on. But for those who never feel like relaxing, there are several heart-pumping underwater experiences at your fingertips while scuba diving Belongas Bay.

Scuba diving “The Magnet” is a Lombok scuba diving experience that is specifically for the more experienced and competent diver, as it has some very challenging conditions that divers will face. But will facing this challenging dive be worth it? Most definitely! Underneath the shimmering surface of the Indian Ocean lies pristine untouched reefs and a huge range of fish, including Mackerel, Tuna, Barracuda, Napoleon, White and Black tipped reef sharks and Eagle rays. There is also the possibility of seeing the astonishing array of hammerhead sharks that often frequent “The Magnet’. The best chance of seeing hammerhead sharks is between May and October.
As the conditions are often quite challenging while scuba diving “The Magnet”, you must prove that you are an experienced diver to take part in one of the trips out to sea. A dive computer and surface buoy are mandatory, but can be rented from the dive company if needs be. No one can be on the boat out to sea if they are not diving.

There is also the option of going on other dives, such as diving “The Cathedral” which features a pinnacle with 2 main peaks and features dozens of sea snakes that can be spotted frequently, along with shoals of tuna and eagle rays and is slightly less challenging than diving “The Magnet”.

Accommodation is available in the nearby Panggang Villas, which has three 4-person villas available for booking. It is recommended that you book for at least 2 days in order to have the best opportunity to get out to do as much diving as possible. The most expensive room will cost around £90 or $130 per night, and the cheapest being £50 or $75 per night. The rooms feature stunning views of the surrounding area, and there is a small car available for those wishing to take an easier journey around the island.

As far as getting to the island goes, Lombok International Airport is serviced by regular flights for Bali, which is serviced by more global airlines. Flights from Heathrow can stop off in Kuala Lumpur and fly to Bali, from which you can book a short 30-minute flight to Lombok.

Belongas Bay’s facilities include 2 fully equipped dive boats and full-time experienced diving guides and a PADI instructor. There are also 20 well maintained full dive gear sets for use. For experienced divers, this is a unique opportunity to come to a little-known spot in Indonesia and really prove your worth as a diver, all whilst being able to take in the stunning varied sea life that each individual dive site has to offer.