Sekotong on south-west Lombok is the access point for the 'Secret Gilis' — a chain of 13 small islands including Gili Nanggu, Gili Sudak, Gili Kedis, Gili Layar, Gili Gede, and Gili Asahan. Diving here means quieter boats (rarely more than 6 divers), intact coral, frequent turtle encounters, and almost no other dive groups. Two reputable operators run trips: Dive Sekotong from Sekotong village and Sekotong Dive Centre. Fun dives 475–575k IDR, two-tank trips 900k–1.1M IDR, day-trip packages 1.0–1.4M IDR. The trade-off vs the Gili Trio is fewer iconic 'big' sites but dramatically better atmosphere.
# Diving Sekotong: The Secret Gilis Without the Crowds
Sekotong is the south-west bay of Lombok, opposite Bali and just outside the gravitational pull of the famous Gili Trio. The bay is studded with 13 small islands collectively known as the 'Secret Gilis' — a name that became a marketing cliche about a decade ago but still describes the actual experience accurately. Two dive shops, maybe 6 small boats, and almost no other dive groups in the water at any given time.
If you've already done the Gili Trio and want to dive Lombok at half the crowd density and slightly lower prices, Sekotong is the answer.
Three reasons divers pick Sekotong:
1. Boat density: On a peak-season day at Meno Wall there might be 6–10 dive boats moored over the site. At Sekotong's busiest sites, you'll see 1–2.
2. Intact coral: The Secret Gilis sit outside the main tourist pressure of the Trio. Hard coral cover is significantly higher and bleaching damage less visible.
3. Turtle frequency: Resident green turtle populations on the south side of Gili Nanggu and Gili Sudak are habituated to divers without being crowded by snorkel boats.
The trade-off is variety. Sekotong has gentle reef diving with turtles. It does not have Meno Wall's dramatic vertical drop or Belongas's hammerheads. You come here for the atmosphere and the coral, not the bucket-list shots.
Dive Sekotong (PADI): Based in Sekotong village. Small operation, group sizes of 4–6, locally crewed. Strong knowledge of southern Sekotong sites including Gili Layar and Gili Gede. Mid-tier pricing.
Sekotong Dive Centre (SSI): Slightly more polished, often based out of one of the eco-resorts on Gili Asahan or Gili Gede. Run combined dive-and-stay packages. Slightly higher prices.
A handful of operators in Senggigi and Mataram run occasional Sekotong day trips — these usually charge 1.4–1.8M IDR for a 2-tank trip with transfers and are worth considering only if you can't easily get to Sekotong itself.
Gili Nanggu House Reef (5–18m): The classic Sekotong site. Coral garden in the 5–12m range, drops to a slope at 15–18m. Resident green turtles, schooling fusiliers, occasional white-tip reef shark. Beginner-friendly.
Gili Sudak Reef (8–22m): Coral slope on the south side of Sudak. Diverse hard coral cover, octopus, mantis shrimp, occasional eagle ray. Beginner.
Gili Kedis Coral Garden (5–15m): Very shallow, very calm. Ideal for Open Water training and confined-water-style fun dives.
Gili Layar Drift (12–25m): Drift dive on the north side of Gili Layar. Strong current on tidal change — guide-only. Schooling barracuda, occasional grey reef shark, healthy soft coral.
Gili Gede Wall (8–28m): The most dramatic Sekotong site. Modest coral wall on the east side of Gili Gede, drops from 8m to 28m+. Schooling jacks, occasional turtle, soft coral on the deeper sections. Intermediate.
Gili Asahan Slope (8–20m): Gentle reef slope. Good macro — nudibranchs, ghost pipefish in season. Beginner.
Gili Rengit Channel (10–22m): Channel dive, current-dependent. Pelagic fish on incoming tide. Intermediate.
Gili Tangkong Reef (5–15m): Shallow, sheltered. Excellent training site and good for macro.
Gili Genting (10–25m): Less-dived site on the south side of the bay. Coral garden with occasional turtle and reef shark. Beginner to intermediate.
Gili Poh (8–18m): Another rarely visited site. Hard coral cover and schooling reef fish.
At Sekotong's two main shops:
Negotiate directly for multi-day packages — Sekotong shops are smaller and flexible in a way the bigger Gili T outfits aren't.
Total cost for a 2-tank day: 900k–1.1M IDR. With Dive 3 added: 1.3–1.6M IDR. Excellent value.
June–September: Peak. Visibility 18–25m, calm seas, water 27–28°C.
April–May & October: Shoulder season. Visibility 15–22m, occasional rain.
November–March: Wet season. Visibility 8–15m, more boat cancellations. Diving still possible but less consistent.
September is the single best month — clarity at peak, post-August crowds gone, water warm.
Be honest about the limitations:
If your priority is iconic dive shots, dive Meno or Belongas. If your priority is genuine quiet and intact reef, Sekotong wins.
A complete south Lombok dive trip:
This gives you a strong sample of the south coast's diving range — gentle reef and turtles at Sekotong, advanced shark diving at Belongas, and a relaxed shore day in between.
Two strategies:
1. Stay in Sekotong village: Cheaper accommodation (300–600k IDR per night), close to the dive shops, low atmosphere.
2. Stay on Gili Gede or Gili Asahan: Eco-resorts with dive packages (1.5–3M IDR per night), genuinely remote feel, dawn dives possible without the village commute.
For a serious dive trip, Gili Asahan eco-resort packages are the best balance.
Sekotong is a 90-minute drive south-west from Mataram or 2 hours from Kuta (south coast). The dive shops are in Sekotong village itself or at small homestays along the bay. Boats depart from a number of small jetties — your dive shop will arrange the pickup. From the international airport (LOP), Sekotong is around 60 minutes by car. There is no public ferry; private transfer or self-drive only.
Sekotong vs the Gili Trio: Sekotong has fewer dive shops (2–3 vs 15+ across the Trio) and no iconic 'big' sites like Meno Wall, but in exchange you get genuinely quiet boats, intact coral, and far better turtle encounters per dive than the busier Gili T sites. Sekotong vs Belongas: Belongas is advanced-only with hammerheads; Sekotong is gentle reef diving for all levels. Sekotong vs Komodo: Komodo has dramatic pelagic action but costs 4–5x more — Sekotong is the value coral-and-turtle alternative without the marketing hype.