Sekotong
Sekotong is the long peninsula running south-west from Lembar ferry port, and it is where you go if the three famous Gilis sound too busy. Scattered off its coast are more than a dozen small islands — locally called the Secret Gilis — most of them uninhabited, all of them ringed by reef.
The usual circuit takes in Gili Nanggu, Gili Sudak and Gili Kedis. Nanggu is the largest and has a small resort and the best snorkelling. Sudak has a couple of warungs and a good beach. Gili Kedis is barely an island at all — a sandbar with a handful of trees that you can walk around in five minutes, and it is the one people remember. A boat for the three-island circuit runs around IDR 400,000–600,000 for the whole boat, not per person, from Tawun or Tembowong.
Sekotong is also Lombok's pearl-farming centre. South Sea pearls are cultivated in the sheltered bays here, and several farms take visitors through the seeding and harvesting process. It is more interesting than it sounds and the prices are a fraction of the tourist shops.
The peninsula road is quiet, in decent condition, and passes empty bays the whole way. Infrastructure is thin — a few small resorts, warungs, no real town — which is precisely the appeal. From Mataram it is around 1.5 hours; from Kuta about 2.
Travel tips for Sekotong
- Charter the whole boat, not seats. IDR 400,000–600,000 covers the three-island circuit for a group; agree the islands and hours before leaving.
- Bring your own snorkel gear if you can. Rental exists at Tawun but the quality is variable.
- There is very little shade on Gili Kedis — it is a sandbar. Hat, shirt, water.
- Pearl farms welcome visitors and sell at far below tourist-shop prices; ask your driver to stop at one on the way.
- Bring cash and food. Warungs are few and there are no ATMs on the peninsula.
- Go on a weekday. Indonesian visitors fill the boats at weekends and the small islands feel it.
Popular tours here
- Secret Gili Tour: Nanggu, Sudak & Kedis
- Lombok Private Tour with Local Guide & Driver
Frequently asked questions
What are the Secret Gilis?
The cluster of small, mostly uninhabited islands off the Sekotong peninsula in south-west Lombok, including Gili Nanggu, Gili Sudak and Gili Kedis — far quieter than the three famous Gilis.
How much is a boat to the Secret Gilis?
Roughly IDR 400,000–600,000 for the whole boat on a three-island circuit, chartered from Tawun or Tembowong rather than paid per person.
How far is Sekotong from Mataram?
About 1.5 hours by road, or roughly 2 hours from Kuta on the south coast.
Can you visit a pearl farm in Sekotong?
Yes — the sheltered bays here are Lombok's South Sea pearl-farming centre and several farms show visitors the seeding and harvesting process.
Is Sekotong good for snorkelling?
Yes, the reef around Gili Nanggu and Gili Sudak is healthy and shallow, and the water is usually calmer than on the exposed south coast.