For travellers seeking a genuine escape, the journey is often as important as the destination. At Belongas Bay Lodge on Lombok's remote Sekotong Peninsula, that journey begins with a short but transformative boat ride. As journalist Ian Neubauer discovered during a fact-finding trip in January 2026, this unique eco-lodge offers an unparalleled gateway to an unspoiled corner of Indonesia.
An Isolated Sanctuary Accessible Only by Water
The adventure to Belongas Bay Lodge starts in the village of Buwun Mas, where guests are ferried across the water in an aluminium dinghy. The crossing takes mere minutes, but it effectively separates you from the everyday world, setting the tone for a holiday immersed in nature. The lodge itself is not a lavish resort, but an exclusive retreat in the best sense—exclusive in its location and experience, not its price tag.
Nestled within a former coconut plantation, the property features just five plantation-style cottages. Each comes with a large verandah, designed for couples or families, and windows on all sides to capture sunlight and sea breezes. Rooms start at $117 per night, including breakfast, a rate comparable to budget accommodation in Australia. They are arranged on a lush green lawn, dotted with palm trees whose potentially hazardous coconuts are regularly harvested by skilled pickers—a fascinating sight in itself.
Nature's Amphitheatre: Untamed Beauty at Your Doorstep
The true luxury of Belongas Bay Lodge is its setting. The lodge and a nearby dive resort are the only developments in Belongas Bay, leaving the foreshore pristine. Backdropped by dramatic coastal mountains and fringed with white sand beaches, the bay is a natural amphitheatre, perfect for contemplation from your verandah or a lawn gazebo.
However, to fully appreciate this place, you must venture onto the water. The lodge provides non-motorised craft like kayaks, surfboards, and paddle boards, plus two motor boats. Private boat trips for snorkelling or surfing cost just $22 per person. The bay holds two surf breaks, with half a dozen more at its mouth and a pristine 3km stretch at Meang Beach. The waves are famously uncrowded, offering a rare, solitary surfing experience.
A Diver's Paradise and Underwater Wonderland
For many, the ultimate draw is beneath the surface. From July to November, the area's coral reefs and subaquatic fissures attract massive schools of pelagic fish, including barracuda, tuna, mobula rays, and endangered hammerhead sharks. The lodge is perfectly positioned next to legendary dive sites like the Cathedral, a 40-metre deep underwater cave, and the Magnet, an 80-metre pinnacle that acts as a magnet for marine life. Dive trips start at around $100.
Kayaking here is a dream-like experience, where paddlers regularly encounter green turtles and even solitary, giant bottlenose dolphins in the emerald-green waters around limestone karst islets.
Practicalities are straightforward: the lodge is an hour's drive from Lombok Airport or Kuta, and booking well in advance is essential for the peak months of July and August. With its basic but good service and mix of Indonesian and Western food, Belongas Bay Lodge focuses on what matters—providing direct, unfiltered access to one of Lombok's last wild frontiers. It's not just accommodation; it's an invitation to reconnect with the raw power and beauty of the sea.
