Bali Dive Sites
Menjangan
Menjangan island is one of the sister islands of Bali that is located at the north-western coast of Bali and is approximately 1,5 km long and 500 m wide; this island is a part of the West Bali National Park. The dive sites are boat dives with a short boat trip away from Bali island, except the western part of the island where coral growth starts in shallow water, stretching out for about 20 to 30 meters before suddenly dropping vertically to a depth of 30 meters. The western end features a deep lagoon with a reef slope in a 45 degree angle. Currents at Nusa Menjangan are weak to moderate with the strongest currents present at the western lagoon. The dive spots are suitable for beginners and as well for snorkelers.
We will encounter napoleon fish, turtles, bump head and grouper also many interesting small creatures as well. In deeper waters you may encounter white tip- and black tip reef sharks and barracuda. Sometimes we can find eagle rays and sunfish.
- Characteristics: Drop off
- Visibility: 15 – 45 meters
- Current: None to moderate
- Coral growth: Good
- Marine life: Many varieties of small fish, occasionally big fish
- Depth: 5 – 40 meters
- Highlights: Turtles, Barracuda and Anker Wreck.
Tulamben
Tulamben bay is located at the north-eastern coast of Bali and most of the dive spots are beach dives. Tulamben Bay receives very plankton-rich waters from the ocean current that comes from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. Therefore, 3 main dive sites have different physical environments. One of the famous dive sites in Tulamben is the Liberty wreck, a US Army Transport ship torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942. It is a very easy wreck dive and may by done by divers of all certification levels. It is accessed directly from the shoreline and located about 25 meters from shore. At its deepest point it is about 30 meters from the surface and it tops out at about 5 meters from the surface.
Other dive spots are the Wall / Drop off and Coral garden, both dive spots are offshore dives. The wall starts from 3 meters to 38 meters. The amazing coral growth on this reef also features nice landscape sculpted by overhanging rocks. Many colorful fishes can be found in this dive spot such as different angel fish and Jack fish schooling around. The Coral Garden is offering nice soft and hard corals with numerous species of reef fish.
- Reef characteristics: drop off
- Visibility: 15-25 m
- Depth: 3 – 30 meters
- Current: none to moderate
- Coral growth: many stone and soft coral
- Marine life: many species of reef fish, specially angelfish
- Highlight: easy to dive also good for snorkeling
Amed
Amed is a small village located at the north-eastern part of Bali, the local people exist from salt panning and fishing. Amed offers a nice coral field and school of glass fish. The dive spot can be reached with an outriggers boat (Jukung, the traditional boat) , it starts from 4 to 10 meters with wonderful corals with possibility to encounter turtles and bump head parrot fish. One of Amed’s drop offs drops straight down to 30 m. It is beautifully grown with soft coral and any possible species of reef fish can be found there. Occasionally we can encounter white- and black tip reef sharks in this spot. The other dive spot is a drop off with around 20 m deep with nice coral growth and fishes. Both dive spots have limited visibility during the wet season.
- Characteristics: Beautiful coral
- Visibility: 12-30 m
- Current: Moderate
- Coral growth: Large areas with stone and soft coral
- Marine life: Many species of reef fish, big chance for shark encounters
- Depth: 4 – 30 meters
- Highlights: Large coral fields including fan coral
Shark Point
Gili Biaha / Mimpang with around 45 – 60 minutes boat ride from Padang Bai Harbour, offers a big rock called Gili Biaha with a slope drops covered by nice soft and hard corals. A big fish encounter is possible in the area including grey reef sharks, white tip and black tip reef sharks due to strong current. On the other rock side we can find nurse sharks and sea snakes since there the same strong currents occur. The dive spots are only for experienced divers and not suitable for snorkelers.
- Characteristics: Rocky steep slope in the open sea
- Visibility: 15-30 m
- Current: Medium to strong
- Coral growth: Beautifully grown with stone coral
- Marine life: All varieties of reef fish
- Depth: 10 – 35 m
- Highlights: Shark cave, chance of big fish
Blue Lagoon/ Padang Bai
The Blue Lagoon is located at the north-eastern coast of Bali and can be reached around 5 minutes by boat ride or by a traditional boat (Jukung) from Padang Bai Harbour. The dive spots are suitable for beginners even snorkelers as well even though sometimes we have currents in some of those spots. Diving will be in both lagoons at either side of the harbor. The south part of the reef drops vertically to 22 m with many nudibranches and some flatworms can be found here. The underwater landscape is dominated by up to 4 m high growing soft coral where large spiny lobsters can be found. On the northern part the dive starts in 4 to 7 m deep water and drops to 28 meters with many soft corals, glass fishes and oriental sweet lips, current may increase in strength therefore we can find here white tip reef sharks as well.
- Characteristics: Boat dives with gently dropping slope
- Visibility: 15-35 m
- Current: None to medium
- Coral growth: Stone and soft coral
- Marine life: Big variety of reef fish
- Depth: 8 – 30 m
- Highlights: Reef shark
Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida, Lembongan & Ceningan are sister islands of Bali and there are 5 – 6 dive spots in the area with most of them are drift dives with big chance to see bigger fish than in other dive spots in Bali. The Islands can be reached by speed boat around 40 – 50 minutes from Padang Bai harbour. The visibility is very good and reaches usually more than 12 meters with thermo clines cause sudden drops in water temperature. Untouched corals, big fish including eagle rays, turtle and mola mola (sunfish) are quiet often seen. Almost all the dive spots in those islands are suitable for experienced divers as the currents are strong and changes directions.
- Characteristics: Boat dives, drift diving
- Visibility: 20-40 m
- Current: Strong to hard, thermo clines
- Coral growth: Stone- and soft coral, grown very dense
- Marine life: Big variety of reef fish
- Depth: 10 – 35 meters
- Highlights: Excellent visibility and big fish encounters
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