Best Diving sites in Bali

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If you have dived in Bali before, please share your experiences: Dive spots you would recommend, which Dive Center you used, Fishes & Diving, Visibility, Currents, etc. Please post your comments in the section below, by doing so you will help fellow divers to plan their next trip ;)

Every scuba diver of all levels can enjoy the magnificent diving in Bali. The best dive sites for beginners are around Amed, Padang Bay, and Pulau Menjangan which have very light or often no current at all.

Bali offers even more opportunities to those advanced divers, with many drift dives such as around Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Candidasa.

The current can sometimes be very strong and several dive sites around Bali should be treated with care and respect.

diving bali

Credit Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39891373@N07/4163929100/

Macro Lovers and critter hunters will be delighted to dive in Secret Bay and Seraya Secret. Amed has also many fantastic spots for Muck Diving. These diving spots are like heaven for underwater macro photography!

Many Places around Bali are also VERY good for snorkelling especially on the East Coast from Padang Bay to Amed.

The visibility is usually very good and ranges from 10 to 50 meters. Best visibility is usually found around Nusa Penida and Pulau Menjangan.

Dive Prices in Bali

Please find below a summary of the dive prices around Bali:

Price Discover Scuba:  60 to 70 US Dollars / 55 to 60 Euros

One Dive cost: 25 to 35 US Dollars / 20 to 25 Euros

Price Padi Open Water Course:  275 to 290 US Dollars / 250 to 260 Euros

Price Padi Open Water Advanced Course: 265 to 275 US Dollars / 240 to 250 Euros

Price Recue Diver Course: 290 to 310 US Dollars / 270 to 280 Euros

Divemaster Course price: starts from 800 US Dollars / 700 Euros

I advise you not to always go to the cheapest dive center but to visit a few and ask questions before chosing. It is always better to pay a bit more and to feel comfortable with your Divemaster!

In this page you will find more detailed information about scuba diving in Bali.

How to dive Bali?

There are 3 scuba diving zones around Bali:

The best dive sites in Bali are:

From Bali, you can also start a Liveaboard trip to explore the best spots around North Lombok and the famous Komodo Islands. Trips range from a few days  up to 2 weeks.

I usually use this website to book in advance my Liveaboards in Indonesia as they usually have the lowest rates I find. I like it because they have an easy booking system.

Where to stay?

I usually use this website to book in advance my hotels in Bali as they usually have the lowest rates I find. I like it because it's free to cancel and change the dates.

Best time to dive in Bali

Bali is a year round diving destination with warm temperatures. During the colder months, the water is around 29°C, so you don’t have to worry too much about getting chilly!

It is recommended to wear 3mm shorty or a full length suit depending on where you plan to dive. The coldest water is around Nusa Penida and Secret Bay with temperatures as low as 24°C! The dry season in Bali runs from April to October however:

  • The best diving season is from May to November (May, June, July, September, October, November).
  • The best time to see Manta Rays is April and May
  • The best time or season to see the famous Mola Mola, Oceanic sunfish is from August to October.
  • The worst season to dive is during the monsoon from December to February (December, January, February and sometimes March) when heavy rain makes the visibility not so good on the East and North coasts Bali dive sites. During this period, consider going diving in Komodo National Park as this is the Manta Ray season!

Top liveaboards in Bali according to divers reviews

Dive courses

Here is a list of some of the best diving centres in Bali Island.

  1. Aquamarine Diving – Bali (Seminyak)
  2. Atlantis International Bali (Sanur)
  3. Bali Scuba (Sanur)
  4. Blue Season Bali (Sanur)
  5. Dive Concepts (Tulamben & Pemuteran)
  6. Crystal Divers (Sanur)
  7. Joe’s Gone Diving (Sanur)
  8. Bali Dive Trek (Amed)
  9. Two Fish Divers (Amed & Nusa Lembongan)
  10. Nico Dives Cool Bali (Sanur & Tulamben)
  11. Abyss Ocean World (Pemuteran)
  12. Bali Bubbles Dive Center (Candidasa)
  13. Adventure Divers Bali (Padang Bai)
  14. Scuba Duba Doo Dive Center (Kuta)
  15. Eco Dive Bali (Candidasa)
  16. Amed Fun Divers (Amed)
  17. Poseidon Bali Scuba Diving Center (Seminyak)
  18. Tulamben Dive (Tulamben)
  19. Diving Indo (Sanur)
  20. Bali Diving Academy (Locations in Pemuteran, Lembongan, Sanur, and Tulamben)

It’s crucial to research and read reviews before selecting a dive center, as the quality of your experience can depend significantly on the dive center’s professionalism, safety standards, equipment, and staff. Always ensure the dive center is certified and adheres to international safety standards.

Fishes and Coral

The waters around Bali are very rich and colourful with an amazing diversity of fish and coral species. The marine life is teeming and the coral reefs are very healthy. The hard and soft coral is magnificent and mostly untouched with numerous sea fans and sponges.

The big stars in Bali are the world famous Mola Mola and the Manta Ray.

  • The Mola Mola also called oceanic sunfish can be found all year round but the best moment to spot it is from August to October around the Island of Nusa Penida and particularly at the dive site Crystal Bay.
  • Manta Rays are present all year round around Bali but THE place to admire these gentle giants is the dive site Manta Point located at Nusa Penida.

You will also have the chance to spot plenty of pelagic fishes such as Barracuda, Giant trevally, Whitetip Reef Shark and Blacktip Reef Shark. Turtles are also very common around the island.

It is also very rich in the small and strange creatures such as Ornate Ghost Pipefish, Mimic Octopus, Leaf fish, Frogfish, pygmy seahorse, Flamboyant cuttlefish, rare nudibranchs and so much more!

The best diving locations around Bali for macro and muck diving are Secret Bay in Gilimanuk, Menjangan Island and Seraya Secret close to Tulamben.

Diving Safety

If you are planning an upcoming dive trip or travelling to Bali, it is a really good idea to invest in travel insurance for scuba diving, because you never know what could happen and when you might need it (because accidents do happen!). I recommend this diving insurance as they offer worldwide coverage and focus on providing scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Author: Julien, creator of blog plongée sous marine

Photos Bali

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Travel Guide

Now that you know all about the underwater world, you might want to start planning your scuba holiday! Check out our Bali Travel Review for information about how to get there, activities and excursions, where to stay, and more.

Diving Reviews for this region

Tulamben

One of the best Wreck Dives in the World!!! And the most easy for sure, 30m from the Shore and starts at 4m deep! Fantastic Marine life and great Coral!

Tulamben Diving Review

Pemutaran, Lovina

No current, Good visibility, unusual Marine Life and one of the BEST Diving sites around Bali for Muck Diving: Puri Jati (P.J.).

Pemutaran, Lovina Diving Review

Padang Bai

Night Diving, Underwater Macro Photography, Resident Whitetip Reef Sharks, Huge green Turtles, and crystal clear water! Also a great Snorkelling spot!

Padang Bai Diving Review

Nusa Penida / Nusa Lembongan

One of the best spots in the world to see the rare Mola Mola and the graceful Manta Rays! Big fishes and action with lots of sharks. Very good Visibility and stunning Coral.

Nusa Penida / Nusa Lembongan Diving Review

Menjangan Island

Menjangan Island is famous worldwide for Wall diving with small caverns to explore. The reef and Coral are also great. A very nice wooden wreck from the 19th century: Anker Wreck.

Menjangan Island Diving Review

Candidasa

It is all about action! Big pelagic fishes, hunting action in the current, and many Sharks! Regular seeing of Hammerhead Sharks and Mola Mola!

Candidasa Diving Review

Amed

Magnificent coral, no current, relaxed and easy diving, possibilities for night diving, good place for underwater macro photography, and a great snorkelling spot.

Amed Diving Review

Liveaboard Reviews in Bali

MV Samambaia

MV Samambaia is a beautiful looking vess

MV Samambaia Liveaboard Review

MS Ombak Putih

The 42 meters Ombak Putih sails the wate

MS Ombak Putih Liveaboard Review

KM Bidadari

The 37 meters Bidadari is a liveaboard c

KM Bidadari Liveaboard Review

Seaisee

The Seaisee is a liveaboard boat offerin

Seaisee Liveaboard Review

MV Blue Manta

MV Blue Manta is the largest, most sumpt

MV Blue Manta Liveaboard Review

MV Indo Aggressor

MV Indo Aggressor – formely known as the

MV Indo Aggressor Liveaboard Review

KLM Sea Safari VII

The luxurious Sea Safari VII liveaboard

KLM Sea Safari VII Liveaboard Review

Diving centers in Bali

No dive centers found

225 dive logs in “Bali”

  1. Hi, we are going to Bali 3 weeks in July 2018. We are in the mid 50´ties and have never dived before. We plan to take OW-certificate during our stay. During our stay we are going to Nusa Lembongan and Gili Islands.
    Where would you recommend us to take the OW ?
    After receiving of the OW – could you recommend us where to stay for diving and relaxing for 4-5 days ? Any suggestions
    Thanks

    • Hi Allan,
      I would recommend to do the course while staying on mainland Bali, where you can do the course in 3 days, with prior theory preparation. During your course you can visit some great easy dive sites as Blue Lagoon near Padangbai or the famous USAT Liberty Shipwreck in Tulamben. After completing the course I would suggest treating yourself with some relaxing time in Lembongan or Gilis.
      Lembongan is not a ideal place for beginners as the currents are too strong on most of the dive sites.
      Manta point is worth a visit but I think that you for sure will enjoy it more once you are certified diver.
      If you want to go to the Gilis please chose the island (there are 3) carefully as you probably do not want to end up in a party place. :-) Diving in Gilis is also not as nice as around Bali in my opinion, but it might be worth for 1 or 2 fun dives after your course.
      If you need any further information, you are more then welcomed to send us an email.

      Adriana – AquaMarine Diving – Bali

      • Hi Adriana
        Thank you for your quick response
        Would you recommend us to cancel Gili and instead find a place in Bali to both take the OW-certificate and relaxing by the beach ? Is that possible in Padangbai / Tulamben / maybe another fantastic diving site ?
        Would you recommend Lovina, Pemuteran, Amed over Gili Islands for beginners and in a combination of relaxing by the beach and diving?
        Thank you

        • Hi Allan,

          honestly, while Bali is nicer for diving it is not a typical beach relaxing destination. The beaches in south of Bali are a bit crowded and the ones in diving areas are not typical beaches (e.g. Tulamben is big black stones beach).
          Closest to classical beach holiday would be Amed.
          I would say, stay first few days in the south (perhaps in Sanur – the least crowded place and nice to stay), do the course out of there(you can still visit the dive sites in Tulamben, Amed or Padangbai during the course – simply as day dive trips). Then go to Gili Air (definitely not Gili Trawangan) for few days for a nice relaxing beach holiday. The speedboats to Gilis start from Sanur directly as well. Maybe do 1 fun diving day to practice the new skills (there is lot of turtles around Gilis – but not much else) and enjoy doing nothing. :-)
          Depends on how much days in total you got, you could then visit Ubud for some cultural experience or Lembongan for more beach relaxing.

          Feel free to ask more. :-)
          Adriana – AquaMarine Diving – Bali

  2. Looks like I am at right place for all my questions related to my upcoming Bali trip ! Nice writeup, still reading through it..

    I am reaching Bali on 25th January 2018. I would stay in Seminyak for first 3-4 days. Where my plan is to indulge in some water sports and visit Tanah lot , Uluwatu temples.

    I want to try out diving (I have never done diving before) and need recommendation on sites/vendors. When I read above that months of December, Jan and Feb are not the best ones for diving, I am even more confused about it. I read somewhere that Tulamben is good for beginners but is closed now (and probably not recommended in this weather). And from above article i think Komodo is better choice during this time of the year? Given my accommodation in Seminyak and being a first timer what would you recommend me for Scuba diving? I read that Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan are not the best options for beginners, is that true?

    I also need some suggestions on the Day cruise to Nusa Lembongan or fast boat to Nusa Penida with my family and friends? I liked the pics of Nusa penida but I am not sure if I would get access to that private pool over there or even if this is a great time to go there or not? Or do you think Nusa Lembongan day cruise is better option? I am planning water sports separately.

    Do we have some nice Dolphin experience options in Bali? How is Dolphin Lodge bali? Is it worth it?

    For rest of my trip, I would stay in Ubud to try out some trekking and white water rafting.

    • Hello Vaibhav,

      Seminyak is a good choice to start your trip especially when you are planning to visit Tanah Lot and Uluwatu. The area is also much less crowded compared to Kuta but you can still find plenty options of hotels and restaurants.

      It is great to know that you want to try out diving. What I would reccomend for you is the Introductory Dive/Discover Scuba Dive trip. This is a 1 day dive trip for people who either do not have time for a full PADI Open Water Diver course or who would just like a taste of scuba diving.
      For beginner diver, Blue Lagoon (Padangbai) or Tulamben will be the most suitable choice. As of this stage Tulamben is closed for overnight stay but people are still diving regularly in the area as part of daytrip.

      Rainy season in Komodo will be expected until at least the beginning of April. If you are looking for great Months in Komodo, I would suggest June/July because the waters tend to be more calm by then.

      Nusa Penida/Lembongan condition can be a bit tricky and quite hard to predict therefore most reputable dive centres normally reccomend this area for Advanced Divers.

      If you are aiming for the Angel’s Billabong (the natural pool) you may contact baliseaview.com/private-boat/ from what I heard they can arrange daytrips or just transfers.

      For great Dolphin experience (the ones not caged) I would suggest heading to Lovina. What you need to do is overnight in the area and then catch the early morning (06.00) local outrigger from Lovina beach for dolphin sightings. Prepare enough cash for snacks and local fees.

      For trekking Mount Batur will be worth your journey. We are affiliated with a local ranger that may take you to the hotspring enroute.
      As for White Water Rafting, Ayung river is mainly for beginner. If you wish to get your adrenaline pumping, go for Telaga Waja.

      Let me know if you need further information.

      Rio – AquaMarine Diving – Bali

      • Amazing ! Thanks a ton for answering most of my questions and making it lot easier for me. So a few more for you..

        What do you think would be a better one to start diving with – Padangbai or Tulamben? Esp. for a beginner like me who would want to continue with the great experience ad even certification during my future trips.

        Sorry for not being clear about my other question – My question is — Which one out of these 2 shall I pick given that I can only choose one ! – 1. A day trip to Nusa Lembongan 2. A day trip to Nusa Penida.

        I am not sure why but I am slightly more inclined towards Nusa penida as of now, but I can still replan if the otherwise makes more sense. But then I wanted to understand if I would be able to have a sort of customized trip where I can see klingking beach viewpoint, Broken bridge, Angel’s billabong, Peguyangan waterfall etc. as I am not much interested in snorkelling, fishing or even some great lunch.

        I was checking baliseaview and one of their tours look good to me but then *a trip advisor review* raised some concerns.
        I would rethink about my Dolphin experience plan given the distance that I need to travel.

        Great to know about the trekking thing, could you please share any details of the person whom I need to contact?

        Thanks for replying to my queries with so much patience. That’s really helpful to me in planning.

        *Comment edited – we don’t accept links!*

        • Hello Vaibhav,

          Between the 2 sites, both is good in terms of being a beginner diver. If I were you, I will more likely consider the travel time and what each sites offers.
          The 120m long USAT Liberty shipwreck at Tulamben is worth your adventure but take note the travel time from Seminyak to the area is approximately 2hrs 30mins. On top of that, the dive at Tulamben are mostly shore entry.
          As for Blue Lagoon, it is located in Padangbai and only approximately 1hr 15mins from Seminyak. If you book through us, our custom built boat docked at Padangbai harbour will take you to the site (5mins boat drive) and yes, it will be a boat entry.
          From the above information, I believe you should have better insight on which would be best and suitable for you. I personally prefer Blue Lagoon since the distance is not too far and relaxing on the sun deck between the surface interval gets me a lot of vitamin sea :D

          Between Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan, I prefer Nusa Penida. I mean the Angel’s Billabong and Broken beach is close to each other and the vendor I told you earlier has a package called Island Tour visiting these sites.
          For a customised tour I would suggest you to contact the vendor you are planning to go with so you may be able to get an accurate information on what they offer.

          For the trekking you can contact trekking (at) mudigoestothemountain.com

          Feel free to ask anytime. :)

          Happy New Year!

          Rio – AquaMarine Diving – Bali

  3. Hi, just wish if anyone could answer my query.

    I will be travelling to Bali between 15-25 Feb 2018, I am advanced diver with 40+ dives and looking to make some dives on eastern coast of Bali, my original plan is to stay in Tulamben, however considering the volcano alert is still active I started hesitating whether I should stay in somewhere else instead, my option is Sanur or Padang bai where I could easily get access to Tulamben or Amed or Nusa Penida as day trips.

    Could someone give suggestions?? Is Tulamben still safe to stay on Feb? what’s the best alternative? Is the visibility good on February?

    Thanks.
    Juan

    • Holla Juan,

      The volcano alert is still active for safety measures only, so that people won’t venture too close to it.
      All business have gone back to service already in Tulamben, including hotels. We are also diving there for quite some time now without any issues. The government has already allowed everyone to go back to normal activities there.

      If you are feeling uncomfortable staying by Tulamben I would recommend Candidasa, which would put you only 1hr distance from Tulamben dive sites. Sanur is great as well but you would have a 2hr transfer to Tulamben.

      We usually book our divers in Candidasa, because is central to the best dive sites. It’s 1hr to Tulamben and only 15mins to Nusa Penida/Manta Point and other dive sites departing from Padangbai.

      Visibility is good on February but sometimes it is affected by strong rains (Tulamben).
      Padangbai dive sites are less susceptible to that.

      If you need any help booking hotels, dives or any other assistance, let me know, will be a pleasure to make it happen for you.

      Best Wishes

      Vini from AquaMarine Diving – Bali

      • Thank you Vini for your contribution! It’s amazing to have you around always giving up to date information to our readers! Best bubbles, always!

        • Hi Myryame,

          It is always a pleasure !

          Best Bubbles for you too :)

          Vini from AquaMarine Diving – Bali

  4. Hi I am visiting Bali from 17 to 22 May staying 19 in Ubud, 20 to 22 Nusa dua, 17 to 18 not booked yet. I want to do scuba diving, I have not done it before. Can any one please suggest me the best place to do scuba diving in Bali?

  5. Dived Bali in 2005, 2013 and in 2017. Each time the diving got worse in my opinion. Saw much less fish, less nudi’s. But much more polution in the water, especially plastics.

    Bali is getting more and more and lots more crowded each year with tourists and local people trying to make a profit out of tourist industry.

    Bali has become a place of mass tourism, similar to Koh Tao.
    Padang Bai for example has become so much more crowded in 2017 compared to only 4 years ago….

    Better place to dive and stay: take the ferry to Nusa Lembongan.

    On the positive side: had great sushi on the way back in Kuta @BlueFin restaurant.

    Unfortunately never again Bali. Dirty, crowded, mass tourist place, only good for novice divers not used to much more beautiful places.

  6. I been there 2013 in Nov/Dec and 2017 in October. When in Bali, I stay in Candidasa and dive Mingpang, Tepekong, Biaha, Tulamben, and Amed. Then I head over to Nusa Lembongan to dive that area. This year, I went to Gili Air to catch the live aboard to Komodo. The corals are amazing but I did see less!

    • Dear Tom,

      The Dive Master Course is complex and the amount of days will depend entirely on you and the time you have available.
      It could take one month or more if you don’t commit to it every day.

      If you need the complete information I will be happy to guide you through.

      Vini – from AquaMarine Diving – Bali

  7. Hi. Good evening. I’m planning a trip to Bali hopefully on this coming May 23th to 27th. There will be two souls including me for the travel.
    Can you help me with the following questions please?
    1. My friend wants to learn surfing and i want to have a fun dive in Bali. Where are the suitable places for having both of surfing and fun dive ? I hope it would be near from the Ngurah Rai International Airport.
    2. Can you suggest me any accommodations near from the suitable places for having both of surfing and fun dive?
    3. Where is the most famous diving spot in the southern part of Bali?
    4. I noticed that renting motorcycle is a good option for the transportation in Bali. Should we have to prepare the international license for renting motorcycle?
    5. Are there any suggestions for the well-known tourist spots in Bali? Can you also recommend me some of the activities that i can do at there?
    It will be really appreciated if you answer my questions. Thank you and hope to see you on May :)

    • Hi Leo,

      1. popular surf places are Canggu, Kuta in south-west and Uluwatu in south Bali. All reachable within 15-45 minutes from airport.
      Unfortunately for you, all quality dive sites are located in South-east and North-east Bali. The closest to Kuta is Blue Lagoon which takes around 1hr 15 min road travel and 5 minutes speedboat ride.
      But the good news is that most dive companies provide hotel pick up from South Bali so you do not need to worry about that. :-)
      2. accommodation depends a lot on your available budget and preferred type (villa/guesthouse…). In Bali you can find anything between USD20 and USD1000 per night. :-)
      3. some dive schools dive around Nusa Dua or Sanur because it is close and convenient, but there is not much to see.
      4. Riding motorcycle is indeed the most popular & convenient mode of transport on this lovely island. Yes, you have to carry international driving licence with you, otherwise you will get fined if you come into a police control. Also most places require it in order to rent the motorbike to you.
      5. Bali has a lot to offer from relaxing beaches to thousand of temples, waterfalls, arts (hand-made crafts from silver, wood…, dances,…), nature walks, volcano trekking, lakes, water sports and much more. So once again it depends a bit on what kind of traveler you are and on your interests.

      I hope the above was helpful. :-)

      Best wishes,

      Adriana from AquaMarine Diving – Bali

  8. Hi,

    I’m heading to Bali with two of my friends, considering to dive either 1 or 2 days. Hoping to see mola mola and mantas. We are padi certified but it has been about 2 years since we last dived, still need to be guided during the dive.

    Which are the dive sites you would recommend and how is the dive package and gear rental be like?

    Best,
    Just

    • Hey Just,

      Why not do a refresher on the first day at an easy location like Tulamben or Padang Bai.

      The dive sites where you are likely to see mola molas are definitely out of bound for a first day diving, if you have not dived for 2 years. These include Gili Biaha, Gili Tepekong & Gili Mimpang along with the Nusa Penida sites. We’re talking about deep dive sites with strong current and you need to be Advanced certified to dive these. Unsafe operators may bring Open Water or uncertified divers to such sites… Avoid them!

      LINK REMOVED Geko Dive Bali can help you out with all of this.

    • Hi Just,
      we just got your email and I have already responded to it. In case you can not find it please check your spam/junk folder.

      As mentioned in my response I recommend doing 2 days so that you can go to an easier dive site first before hunting for Mantas and Mola-Mola in order to be able to fully & safely enjoy this experience.

      I am looking forward to hear from you.
      Best wishes,
      Adriana from AquaMarine Diving – Bali

  9. My husband and I dived with Sanctum Dive in August on the island of Nusa Penida (neighboring island of Bali). We are absolute beginners and for us the strong currents in the Manta Bay and Toyapakeh were too difficult. The currents have changed their direction unpredictably.

    On the second day we were in the north of Nusa Penida at Sental and PED. There it is quieter and more suitable for beginners.

    Unfortunately we did not see anything big except turtles and a moraine (no mola molas even it was mola mola season). The Manta Rays in Manta Bay we have seen only from the boat.
    The diving school Sanctum Dive is absolutely great and highly recommended.

  10. Hi Everybody,

    I will be in Nusa Dua for work the week of April 14th and am hoping to add on some diving the Friday and Saturday (April 19/20). My understanding is that the water around Nusa Dua (where the hotel is located) is quite rough and better for surfing that diving.. can you please tell me more about where you would suggest diving, how long the boat trips to dive sites are, etc.? I’m an experienced diver (Advanced open water, almost 100 dives, dove most recently in February), and would love to diver while I’m there, but not excited about rough boat trips to the dive sites.
    I’ve been told, the best thing is to take a plane to the Gili islands, but that doesn’t work with my flight back to Europe, as I’d need to fly too soon after diving to get back.
    Can you please tell me more?
    Many thanks!

    • Nusa Dua is somewhat isolated from the rest of Bali and you are correct, the diving around there is ‘poor’.

      However there are many dive companies located in south Bali, all of which will come and pick you up from your accom, take you to decent dive sites, provide lunch/water, have rental gear, all on a Day Trip.

      You can see more info on Bali’s dive sites here:
      LINK REMOVED

      If I were to recommend (just) one Day Trip, it would be:
      Either Tulamben: LINK REMOVED (world famous for the 120M USAT Liberty Shipwreck, which is more of an artificial reef than a ‘wreck dive’, just off the beach
      Or Nusa Penida inc Manta Point: LINK REMOVED

      Bali is very well known for its dive locations (and diversity of dive locations) and there is no need to fly anywhere else :-)

      Annabel

  11. Hi,
    I would like to join “Price Padi Open Water Course”, can you provide more information to us ??
    How many days for the course ?
    If our hotel at Kuta, are you provide free shuttle bus service ?

    Look forward for your reply.

    Many thanks,
    Kristy

    • Hi Kristy,

      Thanks for contacting us :) I would be delighted to help you arrange your diving course. If you can send an email to LINK REMOVED

      We have free transfers from Kuta to the dive sites.

      If you can send us an email with your dates and accommodation details we can put this together for you.

      AquaMarine Diving – Bali :)

    • Hi Kristy,

      Bali is a great place to do your diver training!
      You can join AquaMarine Diving – Bali and get your Open Water Diver Certification.

      We normally conduct our Open Water Diver Course in 3 days:
      1st day – Class and pool session in Seminyak
      2nd day – Open Water Dives 1 & 2 (to max 18m)
      3rd day – Open Water Dives 3 & 4 (to max 18m)

      If you book with AquaMarine Diving – Bali, yes we include the return transfer for all 3 days especially from Kuta! :)

      Please contact LINK REMOVED and provide us with your details (dates, hotel details and for how many people). Our Dive Travel Consultant will then get back to you with all the details and availability.

      Can’t wait to have you join us!
      Rio

    • Hi Kristy,
      Thank you for your enquiry.
      We would be happy to welcome you to our Open Water Course!

      It is a 3 days course, with prior theory studying online. On the first day you will be doing Class+Pool session, the second day the first two dives and third day the third and forth dives, sites being Blue Lagoon & Tulamben/USAT Liberty Shipwreck. The price for the course is USD495 per person (if 2 participants). We also provide free transfers from south Bali area :)

      You can email us to LINK REMOVED (AquaMarine Diving) and we would be happy to send you more information.

      We look forward to hearing from you!

      Kind regards,
      Laura

  12. My friend and I are planning touring Bali and Java then a liveaboard week. We are older diving women average age 70, and usually dive Caymans. Now we’re getting more and more concerned regarding the currents. Is there a liveaboard that kind of specializes in easier dives? We hope to be there in September 2019. Thanks so much for your experience! Gail

    • Hello Gail Wall,

      If you are doing Bali and Java touring, the most cost viable and worthwhile Liveaboard trip that I would recommend is doing Bali – Komodo or the other way around.
      Now that you mention you are avoiding current, not in my experience a Liveaboard having specified one. Most of the Liveaboard trip in Indonesia are a mixture of dive sites. Particularly for Komodo, you will expect string current on sites like Castle Rock, Batu Bolong, Crystal Rocks etc.
      If you really want to avoid currents more than doing a liveaboard trip, I would recommend diving in Bali and choose the easy dive sites yourself. We run daily trips to zero-mild currents sites like Tulamben Bay, Liberty Shipwreck, Blue Lagoon and Amed.
      For more information, please contact LINK REMOVED
      Our Dive Travel Consultant will assist you and plan your trips to suit your preference.
      If you wish to go ahead with Liveaboard trips, you can contact me at LINK REMOVED
      We will be waiting for your email! :)

  13. hola a todo el mundo! :)
    first of all, congratulations Julian and team for the great work here.
    then my question. I will be in Ubud at the end of January and was planning to add some days of diving in the first days of February, but after reading the blog I have two concerns:
    1) it seems like it is the worst time of the year.
    2) diving does not seem so appealing considering I have done wreck diving in Coron and seen Mantas in Komodo.
    I would be grateful to hear opinions from experts and extremely grateful if offered alternatives. I am currently considering:
    A) Gili islands.
    B) liveaboard to Komodo.
    many thanks in advance!

    • Hi Fransisco,
      I would not prefer “worst” to be honest . January and February is rainy season when you can expect more rain. But the condition would not be always bad during these months. You can experience a very nice condition too. As for Gili islands and Komodo, here is my answer:
      A. Gili islands
      Just like Bali, the diving is for all year round. Only during January – February (rainy season in general), the condition might be not as good and visibility can be reduced.
      B. Komodo
      It is not the best season to dive in Komodo island. In rainy season, the surface can be choppy. But this is a good time to see a lot of Manta rays. Liveaboard schedules are going to be hard to find in these months as it is not the season. The best time to visit Komodo is from April – October in dry season.
      Having all that said, I would recommend to go to Raja Ampat. This is the season when planktons are blooming. Rich with nutrients, you can see parade of Manta rays for cleaning. For further information you can contact us at tours [at] aquamarinediving [dot] com
      Waiting to hear from you!

  14. Hi Fransisco,
    As you may or may not know, January & February is rainy season where relatively high rainfall is to be expected. Diving in both Gili islands and Komodo is not the best time but however still okay. Gili islands: The condition is good but visibility may reduced due to rain. This is a good time for Manta rays and Whale shark is occasionally seen passing by.
    Komodo: The best time to visit Komodo is from April – October where the condition is generally good. During these month, the surface condition can be rough. Plus it is hard to find liveaboard schedule as it is not the season.
    I would recommend to go to Raja Ampat instead. November – early March is the season for Raja Ampat. This time is when planktons are blooming makes the water rich in nutrients. This time you can see a lot of Manta for cleaning. Many liveaboards take advantage of this to explore the sea of Raja Ampat! Email us at LINK REMOVED for further information.
    Can’t wait to hear from you to discuss further about your plan!

    Regards,

    Aji

  15. I have lived in Indonesia for 25 out of the past 34 years, and started diving Indonesia consistently in 1998 – so I have been diving Indo for 22 years. The diving has deteriorated terribly over the years. The main issues are plastic waste and decimation of the fish populations. There is also some coral bleaching each year along the Ahmed coast.

    Even in some of the most famous spots outside Bali e.g. Komodo, there are islands in the north that capture the waste when tides run high and entire beach berms are composed of plastic bottles. I swam into one small island a couple of years back thinking it was a beautiful sparkling beach with a pair of sea eagles that I had been watching, nesting in some mangroves. The beach was composed of plastic bottles.

    Manta Point – plastic everywhere. Almost all of Bali, especially around Menjangan (last time I was there was April 2019) is almost denude of reefal fish life. There are no more clouds of antheas – fish soup – above the reefs, like there were only 10 years ago.

    If you wish to see healthy larger fish populations, then you need to go remote, which can be more expensive (e.g. Raja Empat, around Maratua area NE kalimantan.) Or search out some hidden gems that are not yet overly exploited (I know a few places, but I wont tell where so that I can protect them, but one fantastic spot is close to Bali – you can find them yourself.)

    Otherwise, go to Philippines – the fact that the population is so spread out along all the multiple islands, means that apart from around the big cities, the population density isnt too great, and the fish populations are still good. Plus, they seem to be a much cleaner country than Indonesia.

    • Hi Eric! You are totally right, thanks for pointing this out! I will make sure to update the Bali page sooner than later! :) Crazy how the prices are wayyy higher now uh! Safe bubbles!

      • The price of diving in Bali depends on:
        – Where you are diving.
        – How many dives a day you do (3rd and subsequent dives are cheaper as the bigger costs to the operator have been covered).
        – From where you start.

        For example, my company is located in south Bali. Our prices include:
        Land transport
        Boat transport (where needed)
        2 dives
        PADI-certified dive guide (Divemaster or above) – max ratio 1:4
        Lunch & unlimited bottled water
        Local taxes, fees and porterage
        Beach towels
        Diver Medical Insurance

        They are full Day Trips due to the land/boat travel and that we don’t rush our guests :-)

        On the NE coast: Tulamben Bay (famous for the 120m USAT Liberty shipwreck) USD130 and Amed USD140

        Outside Padangbai/Candidasa (E coast) the prices range from USD135 to 160 (depending on the distance travelled by boat)

        Over at Nusa Penida it’s USD170, if you include Manta Point: USD180

        And up at Menjangan Island which lies off the north side of Bali’s NW tip, USD170 (we use boats licensed by the West Bali National Park).

        Obviously, if you organise your own transport to the above locations, and then you book with a local operator, the prices will be lower as they have no land transport costs. They probably wouldn’t include lunch as you’re ‘on site’, and I’d check about Diver Medical insurance.

        • You just answered your own question.

          I said “on average”, obviously when we say average we exclude the extremes and take an average of what an average trip would cost, plus minus. There is no need to go into specifics where and things like that, its just a rough guide a rough estimate.

          With that, even your exact costs for 2 dives fall within what I mentioned, an average USD80 per dive can be expected. Dont worry, you are not pricing yourself out of the market because thats what diving in Bali costs these days, Covid or not.

          Cheers!

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