Bali, with its clear blue water and warm year-round temperatures, is one of the best diving destinations in the world. Since most of us have just a limited amount of time to spend on holiday each year, it can be hard to decide where to dive next. Let’s slip beneath the water of just a few of Bali’s premier diving areas, and try to make a quick decision!
Secret Bay
Located on the northwest tip of Bali, where the ferries that run back and forth from Java dock, lies Secret Bay, which is also known as Gilimanuk Bay. This amazing area is full of marine life that absolutely pops with color and life of all kinds, plus it is an easy area to dive that is suitable for all levels. If you’re new to diving you’ll be hooked, and if you’ve had your fill of pretty fish, give it a chance – this is an interesting, unusual place to explore.
Unlike many of Bali’s dive sites, this area is subject to a light current at times, since the water that enters the bay comes from the deep, fast moving Bali Strait. Visibility is sometimes as low as four meters, and the water can be a bit cooler than you might expect of Bali – about 25C most of the time. Wear a 5mm wetsuit with a hood, and don’t forget your gloves. The best time to come is at high tide, when the bay has been filled with clear ocean water. Then, visibility increases to as much as thirty meters or more, depending on where you are.
The bay itself, which acts as a kind of catchment for larval fish, is about two kilometers wide and has two small islands and some mangroves positioned inside it. A reef that lies just beyond the mouth of the bay helps keep the current down; and, it provides the fish that live here with plentiful food. They are invariably fat and healthy looking, and they contrast beautifully with the dark sandy bottom that is twelve meters at its deepest. Loads of invertebrates and tiny reef fish come in off the bay as well, and although the bay itself has no real reef inside its confines, it does have some nice bommies where the razorfish, cardinalfish, damsels, butterflies, angelfish, and others congregate. Try to be still as you watch these fish, because the slightest flipper movement can stir up the muck on the bottom and reduce visibility.
At night, you’ll be treated to the sight of octopus and cuttlefish, as well as more nudibranchs and crustaceans. If you can, enjoy this site both day and night – it is absolutely worth multiple dives!
Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida is a seventeen-kilometer long island, which is situated off Bali’s southeast coast. This is one of Bali’s best places to encounter sunfish (mola mola), big manta rays, sharks and turtles. With visibility that sometimes tops out at over forty meters, dive site depths ranging between six and forty meters, and a current that usually allows for a fun drift dive, this area has sites that are ideal for everyone, although if you want to get maximum enjoyment and see as much as possible, it is a good idea to get your diving skills in order before you head out for your holiday. Confident divers have a lot of fun here, while those who are more timid might feel overwhelmed at some of the better sites. Jump in, and let’s take a quick look at some of Nusa Penida’s top spots.
Blue Corner
Be mindful of the current here, which is exactly what attracts the massive eagle rays, big napoleons, sharks, and other huge pelagics here. You can enjoy a vertical wall embellished with gorgonians at about twenty-eight meters, and between July and September, you will most likely encounter sunfish. Advanced divers only – this site is not for the uninitiated.
Crystal Bay
Crystal Bay features a hard coral reef with a pristine white sand base. The reef itself is swarming with anemone and completely alive with soft corals. The bay is also home to a bat cave which can be entered from below the surface of the water, and which provides shelter for thousands of bats, which sleep suspended from the roof of the cave. The entire area is swarming with large Moorish idols, sweetlips, and angelfish, among others. Watch for eagle rays and leopard sharks, as well as small reef sharks.
Malibu Point
Massive schools of rainbow runners and trevally, as well as big manta rays and sharks frequent this area, which is located on a very steep slope covered in big bommies and table coral. Most features here lie at 15-30 meters, and the visibility is normally excellent unless it is raining. The current can be intense and even swirls at times, however, this site is very attractive to both Mantas and Mola-Mola.
Manta Point
At Manta Point, you will see massive limestone cliffs that drop from the skyline down into the ocean. The swell and combined current sometimes make this dive impossible, but when conditions are good, you will enjoy the sight of manta rays, as well as tiger mackerel and tuna. Besides the pelagics, there is nothing to look at here. Still, it is worth an attempt!
Sentel, Ped, and SD
All three of these sites are located on the big coral reef that parallels Nusa Penida’s coast. The hard coral was bleached during El Nino, however the soft coral growth is astounding. Moorish idols, big lionfish, moray eels, scorpionfish, napoleons, and reef sharks, as well as beautiful oriental sweetlips call the area home. Barrel sponges and some sections of reef wall add even more color and texture to the reef, and visibility is incredible.
Toyapakeh
This is probably the most popular dive site at Nusa Penida. In part, this is because it is protected from the currents, and it is also home to a clean and healthy coral reef with massive formations and big gorgonians that attract armies of nudibranchs and masses of other invertebrates, as well as clouds of swirling, colorful reef fish of every kind. Reef sharks and turtles rest in the small caves and beneath the overhangs that dot the area, so don’t be surprised if you feel overwhelmed by the amount of life you encounter here.
Ahmed
Ahmed, or Amed, is a beautiful village situated about twenty minutes to the south of Tulamben. Here, there are dozens of small, wonderful dive sites, many of which can be enjoyed one after another.
Amed Coral Garden
This lovely site begins with a field of vibrant staghorn coral, and gradually extends to thirty meters. The reef wall is covered in soft coral and positively swimming with fish in every color. Here, you’ll see turtles rubbing elbows with bumphead parrot fish, blue spotted stingrays, and white tip reef sharks.
Amed Drop Offs
There are a few drop offs to choose from, each with its own array of pinnacles and walls, canyons, and coral bommies. The same beautiful fish that enjoy life in the reefs inhabit the drop off areas, which are beautifully alive with gorgonians and an incredible array of corals. Watch for larger pelagics at depths that extend to about thirty-five meters, and remember your camera!
This is one site that you can enjoy if you only have a day or two to visit. No matter which of Bali’s wonderful areas you decide to explore, you are certain to remember the wonderful life and delightful people you meet for a lifetime.