29th July 2026 - The Whale Shark Tour

The boat is squared away and swinging on a mooring off Marina del Ray on Gili Gede.  Nik and I have traded in the small spaces of Sea Otter for a beautiful spacious villa in Kuta Mandalika on the south coast of Lombok.  Before we decamped from the boat however we had one last excursion that Nik wanted to do, which was to see the whale sharks in Saleh Bay in Sumbawa.

We had sailed across the top Sumbawa last month on the transit from Komodo to Lombok and passed by the head of Saleh Bay.  Nik had read about the whale shark tours but we decided not to do the tour as it involved a round trip detour of around 60NM which may not sound like much but would be about 10 to 12 hrs of motoring.  However having since talked to some other cruisers who did the tour and hearing their experiences Nik decided we should would try again but not on the boat.

On Thursday 16^th July we drove to Lombok Airport and then flew to Sumbawa where we were collected for another 2hr drive across the island to Labuan Jambu on the southern shores of Saleh Bay.  The whale shark tours commence really early morning and so we checked into our accommodation, had a bite to eat with a warm beer and went to bed.  At 3:30 am we were up and had time for a coffee before being whisked off to the jetty meeting point.  At around 4:00 am we boarded an open boat with around a dozen others and motored out into the bay.  The boat was set up with blankets and pillows so you could lie on the deck and sleep some as the transit was about two hrs.  We had to motor out to the spots where the whale sharks are enticed to the surface.  The way this is done is that the squid fishing boats – those ones with the massive outriggers and lights – which are moored, attract the whale sharks by chumming with krill. Supposedly this is only a small amount of the whale sharks daily intake.  The sharks come to the surface to feed and will usually stay around for a couple of hours.

We reached the first squid boat around dawn and it was mayhem.  There were about four tour boats around the squid boat including a massive phinisi and a plethora of fins and snorkels crowded around the chumming station on the squid boat and a whale shark trying to get a feed – I was ready to call it quits at that stage.  Luckily after a quick look around our boat pushed on for another 20mins to a second squid boat where there were initially no other boats and even when a couple more turned up they were relatively small with few passengers.

Tour Boats tied up to the Squid Boat - (Photo from internet)

We moored up off the back of the squid boat.  There were already two whale sharks around the boat. They hang vertical in the water with their huge mouths just breaking the surface taking in the krill being thrown into the water by the crew on the squid boat.  They hang like that for a few minutes then sink down, swim around and come back to the feeding station.  The sharks can remain around the squid boat for a couple of hours so there is enough time to swim, have a break and a cup of coffee onboard and go back in again.  As an extra, the tour used a see-through kayak and drone to get some visually stunning photos.  Nik had organized to do this and whilst she could not see the sharks lying in the kayak the photos are pretty impressive.

Nik swimming with the whale Sharks

Being in the water close to the sharks is pretty amazing.  They do not even seem to notice you are there.  As they are feeding they remain relatively still so you get a good look at them.  

Nik and Whale Sharks - Enhanced Picture 

After a couple of hours we motored back into port and Nik and I reversed our journey back to Lombok and Sea Otter.  All in all it is a memorable tour however having now experienced it I am not so sure of the ethics.  Whilst they say the feeding of the sharks is not detrimental to them as the amounts are only a fraction of what they eat I tend to believe other reports I have read which says it is detrimental as it alters their feeding habits.  Nik and I were lucky enough to swim with the whale sharks in Ningaloo a few years ago and that was completely different and a completely wild experience.   In addition, the numbers of people in the water at the same time with no real management can turn the whole experience into a bit of a tourist circus. 

Once back onboard we had a couple of days to clean the boat and I installed a new AIS unit as the one which I had shut down when I was troubleshooting it earlier this month.  I also have been lucky to find crew for the sail up to Malaysia.  There was a notice at Marina del Ray from a young woman which I followed up on.  Abi is a travel blogger living in Gili Meno with some sailing experience and a heap of enthusiasm and has a few weeks to kill.  We met up in Kuta for dinner and she will be great.

Kuta Lombok from the hills

On the 20^th July we left the boat again and headed to Kuta.  Kuta is on the south coast of Lombok and is the centre of the surf scene on the island as it is the south coast that is exposed to the trades, especially this time of year.  The villa we hired is beautiful and we met up with Graeme, a friend of ours who has flown up from Perth to spend 10 days with us.  After being on the boat for the best part of five months it is very nice to move ashore for a few days and have all the amenities we take for granted normally such as a big bed, a front opening fridge, fresh water showers, convenient shops and services.  We are spending our time relaxing, relaxing some more, eating and doing yoga.  Graeme is an avid yoga practitioner and he has inspired Nik and I.  We hired scooters to have a look around for a few days also. 

Kuta Lombok Street Scene

Kuta is quite busy as it’s the high season but still no where near the level of Bali.  The town is on a large bay and built around a main street which runs up from the jetty to the hills that surround the town.  It is a bustling place full of holidaymakers and surfers mainly from Europe it seems.  There are many low rise villa’s, hotels and guest houses and lots of restaurants both local and international. It has the same Bali feel but less developed with no nightclubs or sports bars and, for me anyway, more enjoyable.  There is also a motor racing track here which hosts an annual international GP event.  We will have a look around Kuta and then move across to Bali for a week before I re-join the boat for the sail to Malaysia and Nik flies home.

14th July 2026 - Lombok and the Gili's

Hard to believe that over half of the year has gone by already most of which,,, for me has been spent on the boat. 

The last couple of weeks has been having a look around the west coast of Lombok which has been high on my to do list ever since I was turned off Bali due to the fact that it had become so busy.  Nik still enjoys Bali and usually goes once a year but with her sister, not me.  I had briefly visited Lombok about 10 years ago when myself and two friends hiked Mount Rinjani - great trip - and always wanted to return.

First order of business as always was fuel, water, trash and provisioning.  I also had to get my visa renewed at the immigration office in Mataram.  We hired a driver – Sahar - for the better part of a day to take us shopping in the capital Mataram and points in-between.  It was a good day out and we stocked up on all the essentials and some not so essential items.  Although we did not spend a lot of time in Mataram, the city looks reasonably clean and orderly.  It was busy but nowhere near the level experienced in Bali.  Driving from the marina to Mataram and back took us through the hills one way and then via the coast for the return.  Scenery is spectacular along the drive.  We managed to find almost all of what we were after in the supermarkets and shops we visited and we can now start using electronic payment again for most things.

On the road with Sahar

The Medana Bay Marina is a fairly low-key facility with only moorings but with haul out and hard stand capability and, as such, there is a bit of a cruiser community there and you get to meet different people just in passing or at the bar/restaurant.  More than likely you will bump into the same people further on the journey.  There were a few boats getting ready for the southern run to Cape Town.  I was going to haul Sea Otter here but have reconsidered and will now do it in Malaysia.  That gives us a few more days to have a look around.

We left Medana Bay after three days having completed our chores and headed across to the northern Gili Islands which are very close offshore.  The Gili’s as they are referred to comprise three separate low lying islands Gili Trewangan (the Ibiza of Indonesia) is the biggest, Gili Meno (the quiet island) and Gili Air (the laid back option).   They are all supposed to be really charming in their own way.  We picked up a mooring off the waterfront of Gili T.  It was pretty chaotic with small boats and large ferries moving in, out and through the mooring field.  There is no such thing as reducing your speed to reduce wake effects which makes for a lively anchorage.  We got ashore and managed to confirm a mooring for the next three nights which left us free to explore all three islands.

Gili T waterfront road

The waterfront area where the ferries come in on Gili T is pretty built up with shops, restaurants, bars and tour operators.  There are no cars on any of the Gili’s but lots of electric scooters and push bikes or walking is the way you get around.  There are also small carts pulled by ponies used for tourists and to carry any cargo or baggage around the island.  They are fitted with lots of small bells and so you can hear them jingling around the island.  It’s pretty busy but once out of this harbour front area it calms down.  Behind the waterfront is a myriad of small streets with homes, homestays, small resorts, AirBnBs etc and more restaurants and shops.  The island coast is ringed by bigger hotels and resorts. 

We hired an electric scooter on Gili T and spent the day slowly touring around exploring the island and enjoying the access to good food and drink. 

Taking in the sunset on Gili T

The next day we took Wee Otter across to Gili Meno to snorkel the reefs and visit a turtle sanctuary.  The snorkeling was disappointing partly because we have come from some spectacular snorkeling in Raja Ampat and Komodo so our bar is set quite high.  We beached the dingy and then walked around the island to the turtle sanctuary which was very basic but nice to see the conservation work going on.  Gili Meno is definitely very much the quiet alternative -  there are still resorts and homestays but just low key.

Tiny Turtles at the Hatchery

For the final day we used a fast boat to cross to Gili Air and hired a couple of push bikes to get around.  Gili Air has a really laid back feel to it but it is still quite busy.  There are lots of beach bars and restaurants but they seem to be a bit more personal than those on Gili T.  Again the interior of the island is a maze of narrow lanes lined with various interesting shops and restaurants.

Gili Air Street

Ponies on Gili Air

It was great to see the Gili’s after hearing about them.  The islands are small but would certainly be a nice spot for a few days if you need to get away from everything and slow down.  Gili T was a bit full on for us but certainly Gili Air was really appealing.  The lack of motor vehicles on all three of the islands is a real positive.  We would have stayed longer but the anchorages are limited and not that appealing.  Instead we headed 20NM to the Gilli’s in the south west.  During the transit we ran across some kind of local boat regatta - there were over one hundred local boats on the water crossing from Bali to Lombok.

Traditional sailing vessel - Jukung

The southern gili’s are a group of islands off the southwest coast.  The main ones being Gili Gede and Gili Asahan.  These islands are no where near as developed as the northern three but still have a few low key resorts dotted about them.  There are numerous protected anchorages around the islands all within a short distance of each other.  We anchored in a couple of different spots and spent nine days relaxing, exploring, snorkeling, walking and utilizing the onshore facilities for sunset drinks and meals.  It was like being on holiday.  

Nik seeding an oyster off Gili Asahan

The anchorage at beautiful Gili Asahan

We also visited a famous surf spot called Desert Point – not to surf but to watch the surfers and take in a spectacular wave and the sunset.  There is something about sunrise and sunset here in this part of the world and we rarely miss one now.  The light is surreal and in west Lombok you have a sunrise which frames Mt Rinjani and then the sunset silhouettes Mt Agung on Bali.  Its sensational and made more special with a drink (at sunset only of course).

Sunset off Gili Gede

We are now back in the marina – although a different one.  Marina Del Ray is on Gili Gede.  We have taken a mooring here and the boat will stay here for the next 4 weeks while Nik and I spend some time onshore in Lombok and Bali.