Lombok is the Indonesian name for chili peppe, and you'll find the spicy little island only 70km from Bali. Bali is more known for scuba diving and snorkeling, and Lombok more for it's rural inhabitants. The two islands are separated by the ecologically significant Wallace Line (the Wallace Line is the line of demarcation, separating Equatorial Asia from Marsupial Australia, which marks vast and immediately noticeable changes in the flora and fauna of Bali).

Lombok lies only 375km south of the equator, and therefore you'll find a tropical climate as well as warm inviting seas for your scuba dive vacation. The days are almost universally 12 hours long; sunrise is approximately at 6:20 a.m., sunset at 6:30 p.m. The average daytime temperature is between 27° C to 30° C (80° F to 90° F) along the western coastal area (the main tourist venue). The average inland temperature is 29° C to 34° C. If you plan to trek onto Mt. Rinjani bring a sweater along - with 3,726 meters it is Indonesia's second highest mountain and it gets surprisingly cold up there.

Lombok's tropical monsoon climate has two distinct seasons. Dry (March to October) and wet (November to March). Monsoon refers to the wind, not to the rain. However even in the wet monsoon season the rain tends to be short-lived and localized. This has the effect that depending on the region, you can enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling all year around.

The issue of finding proper accommodations for your vacation or scuba dive travels has also gotten much better. In South Lombok for example, you can now find proper resorts, as well as PADI dive resorts, in the entire region. Maybe have a look at Gili Asahan, Southwest Lombok. There you can find a idyllic boutique resort on the east side of Gili Asahan set right at the beach and they offer you an experience of a life time. From there you can do fantastic snorkeling and scuba diving as well as boat trips to the surrounding islands.

The resort has 4 spacious bungalows with queen size beds and for the already cool evenings there is a fan available. The generous half open bathrooms are provided with hot water showers. Not to forget the wide porch with swing bed where you can relax and enjoy the tranquility after a exciting day of scuba diving. The tropical style restaurant and kitchen provide delicious local dishes with western touch, and you can indulge in yet another heaven, it is truly a unique experience!

If you are the more adventurous traveler and enjoy remote areas, give Belongas Bay a try! Around the rather remote bay of Belongas you can the famous dive sites "The Magnet" and "The Cathedral". These pinnacles present themselves pristine, and show an abundance of marine life as well as exceptional scuba diving. The seasonable sighting of schooling barracudas, tunas, and other pelagic life is fairly regular, and apart from the mobula- and eagle ray season during September, hammerheads have the tendency to school around the Magnet from late June until early November. As currents and dive conditions in the south east of Lombok can at times be quite challenging, I recommend diving "The Magnet" only to the more experienced diver!

There is only 1 accommodation in the area, nested in the protected bay "Teluk Sepi", and can be reached in 5 minutes per boat. The lodge is made up of 3 comfortable and tastefully furnished Teakwood Bungalows, and the terrace invites to enjoy a relaxed post dive evening, Apart from scuba diving, the bay offers pristine beaches for swimming, relaxing and surfing!

Scuba dive Lombok http://www.divezone-lombok.com/