Lombok Snorkeling Guide – Best Areas And Spots To Visit

With so many beautiful islands and beaches, a Lombok snorkeling trip offers you endless opportunities to enjoy stunning scenery underwater and on land. Whether you wish to stay on the famous North Gili Islands or prefer to visit the less-discovered Secret Gilis along the main island’s southwest or east coast, you will find help in this guide, where we summarize all the information you need to know about snorkeling in Lombok.

Lombok Snorkeling Insights – What Areas You Should Visit?

Lombok, this less-discovered yet stunningly beautiful Indonesian island, won’t disappoint you if you are looking for a peaceful destination for a snorkeling holiday, although you need to know what areas to visit as not all beaches are suitable for snorkeling.

When we arrived at Lombok, we quickly discovered that the main island doesn’t offer good off-beach snorkeling because the coastline is either rocky with high waves or surrounded by mangroves/seaweed colonies. But this, of course, doesn’t mean that there are no good snorkel spots here; Lombok has 26 islands ‘Gilis’ (Gili means island in the Sasak language) that feature excellent coral reefs and rich marine life.

The popular North Gili Islands are easy to reach and offer a wide variety of accommodations, shops, and restaurants. Those who are ready to walk the extra mile to explore the Secret Gilis will find amazing scenery on the southwest and the east coast.

Snorkeling In North Lombok – The Gili Islands

If it comes to snorkeling in Lombok, most people instantly think about the North Gili Islands. Of the 26 islands around Lombok, Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air are the best known and, consequently, the most visited.

These three islands might seem alike at first sight, but they are completely different. Trawangan became famous for its party scene, Meno for its underwater sculptures called ‘The Nest’, while Air remains a laid-back paradise with its relaxed beaches and moderate nightlife.

What is their common feature, then? They all have good snorkel spots! While snorkeling in the Gili Islands, you can encounter turtles, observe underwater sculptures, and swim over vibrant coral reefs that you can easily access from the shore.

Snorkeling In South Lombok – The Secret Gilis

The less-discovered Sekotong region along the southwest coast of Lombok awaits tourists with mesmerizing landscapes and picture-perfect islands. Here, you will find the Secret Gili Islands, which, as their name indicates, are a lot quieter and more peaceful than the North Gilis.

We personally liked this region the most while staying in Lombok and think that the Secret Gilis have the most ideal scene to have a relaxing vacation and to discover the area’s underwater wonders.

The biggest island is Gili Gede, where you can find a wide variety of hotels and homestays. It is also where you find a port, where speedboats to/from Bali depart. The smallest islands are uninhabited, but the medium-sized ones like Gili Asahan, Gili Layar, Nanggu, or Gili Sudak offer accommodation too.

The best snorkeling you find around Gili Asahan, Gili Layar, Gili Goleng, Gili Rengit, and Gili Nanggu, but all the others are worth a visit if you are around.

To explore the best snorkel spots in South Lombok, you can either stay on the mainland and visit the islands on day trips or spend a few days on those islands that have accommodations so you can enjoy fantastic snorkeling at your doorstep.

We have chosen a combi solution: we stayed a few days on the mainland (there are some pretty hotels in Tawun, we picked up Silver Fern Beach Resort and loved it), looked around in the area, and went island hopping to Gili Nanggu, Sudak and Kedis. We thought that going on a day trip wouldn’t allow us to explore the bigger islands entirely, so we decided to stay a few days in Gili Asahan and in Gili Layar, which was a good decision as both had fantastic snorkeling.

East Lombok Snorkeling

Like the Southwest region, East Lombok is still an under-the-radar tourist destination with uncrowded beaches and beautiful nature. There is not much tourism here yet. Don’t expect fancy hotels or restaurants. This region is visited mainly by locals on weekends and holidays, but this is good news, as it means no crowds and the corals are in good condition.

The northeast uninhabited islands form a marine conservation area with the surrounding waters. The mangrove forests, coral reefs, and seagrass fields host rich marine life. On the islands, you can observe bird species and monkeys too.

The best way to snorkel in East Lombok is by booking a full-day trip with hotel pick-up and drop-off. Such trips visit the area’s finest islands like Gili Kondo, Bidara, Kapal, and Petagan, where you can discover fantastic nature and observe colorful corals and playful fish.

Best Time For Snorkeling In Lombok

Lombok enjoys a tropical climate with 30°C (88°F) maximums and 22-24°C (72-75°F) minimums all year round. The rainy season runs from November to March, bringing showers and high humidity. From June to September, there is a dry season with little rain and less humid air. The sea temperature is constant year-round, with temperatures between 27-29°C (81-84°F).

Of course, the mountain areas enjoy colder temperatures and more rainy days, but if you plan to spend your Lombok snorkeling holiday on an island, no matter in the north, south, or east, most likely you will experience wall-to-wall sunshine while watching passing storms on the horizon only.

In summary, there is no wrong time to visit Lombok, but if beach activities are your priority, we recommend scheduling your Lombok snorkeling holiday before or after the high season. The best months to visit Lombok for snorkeling are May, June, September, and October when good weather is combined with fair room rates.

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