Belongas Bay

Belongas Bay is a dramatic, horseshoe-shaped bay on Lombok's remote south coast, famous in diving circles for being one of the best places in Indonesia to encounter hammerhead sharks. The bay's deep underwater canyon channels nutrient-rich water from the Indian Ocean, attracting large pelagic species including hammerhead sharks (seasonal, best chances June-October), manta rays, eagle rays, and occasionally whale sharks. The diving here is serious — strong currents, limited visibility at depth, and the open-ocean nature of the sites make this territory for experienced divers only. A handful of dive operators run trips from the bay, with two-tank dives costing IDR 1,500,000-2,000,000 including equipment. Beyond diving, Belongas Bay is simply a wild and beautiful place. The coastline features dramatic rock formations, a wide beach of mixed golden and dark sand, and powerful waves that crash against the cliffs at either end of the bay. A few fishing villages dot the coast, and the interaction between land and sea here — fishermen launching wooden boats through the surf, women collecting seaweed at low tide — is as compelling as any tourist attraction. Accommodation is very limited: a couple of basic guesthouses and surf-oriented lodges charge IDR 200,000-400,000 per night. Food options are restricted to what the guesthouses serve or the village warungs. Getting to Belongas Bay takes about 2 hours from Kuta on roads that are scenic but slow, with the final section requiring careful navigation. There is no phone signal for much of the bay — bring a map and directions written down. This is genuine frontier territory for Lombok tourism.