Gili Sarang

Gili Sarang is a rocky offshore island dive site near the entrance of Belongas Bay in South Lombok, surrounded by multiple pinnacles and giant boulders that descend to around 35–40 metres. The island itself is little more than a massive rock rising from the open sea, and the underwater terrain features steep walls and colourful soft corals, sea fans, and sponges draped across the pinnacles and boulders.

Marine life at Gili Sarang divides between pelagic action and macro finds depending on conditions. Strong surge and currents regularly bring giant trevally, mackerel, schools of trevallies, snappers, tunas, and white-tip, black-tip, and grey reef sharks, with occasional rays and turtles also reported. When conditions calm, the reef reveals nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses hidden in sea fans, flamboyant cuttlefish, rhinopias scorpionfish nestled among red sponges, sweetlips, and surgeonfish.

Diving is best from April to December, with water temperatures between 27 and 29 °C and generally good visibility. The site experiences strong currents and surge, so timing dives to slack tide improves conditions and increases the chance of spotting rarer macro species. Thermoclines are present at depth.