Let me introduce myself first, my name is Denes Halmos and my passion in life is diving.
For more than 12 years I have been a PADI Instructor with experience in diving in places around the world, but very focused on Koh Tao in Thailand and Sharm el Sheikh in the Red Sea of Egypt.
For the past few years, I initially searched for locations in Asia, looking for the perfect location to open his own diving school. I slowly narrowed my search to Indonesia, and I eventually found it on the southern coast of Lombok, still largely intact, but developing.
Lombok
Lombok is an island in Indonesia just a short ferry or speedboat ride from Bali (or of course it now has a new international airport that is sparking tourism).
People refer to it as “Bali, but 30 years ago”, which if you’ve been to Bali recently could be a welcome change due to the traffic, pollution, and hassles you may experience anywhere far from the coast.
The air is clean, the roads are quiet, and the pristine and unspoiled beaches, with turquoise waters, some of the best surfing spots in the world, and breathtaking scenery.
Investigating diving
I had heard that the diving here was unique, with hammerhead sharks in season, great marine life, but also intact coral reefs (that is, not caught with dynamite).
As soon as I tried it, I knew it was the place for me. The color under the water is amazing here. The size, scale and variety of coral blew me away.
… but then when you look closer it blends in with tiny, pygmy marine life, even miniture pygmy seahorses (how cute!)
At that time, there was only one dive school on the entire south coast, I was surprised that such a vibrant dive site was unexploited and even uncharted!
What to expect
Well first and foremost, from the island – you can expect friendly locals to teach you a few words of Indonesian, fresh ingredients straight from local markets, and simple yet modern accommodation.
From diving, I know that you will have an incredible and unforgettable experience. I thought I was spoiled for having spent several years in the Red Sea, but Lombok blew my mind, and especially if you want to get away from the crowds, I can guarantee that you will not see others other than your friends when they come here.
Diving levels?
It is not true that Lombok is only for advanced divers (we teach PADI introductory dives and open water). There are some challenging dives with strong underwater waves.
However, there are many secluded bays that offer protection from ocean swells and currents that combine with marine life and beautiful corals and are perfect beginner areas.
The south coast has a lot of variety, from large and small marine life, from reef dives to cave / canyon dives, shallow or deep. There is something for everyone here!