Bali Scuba Diving

• Diving Spot in Bali
• Rates
• Nusa Penida
• Nusa Lembongan - Blue Corner and Jack Point
• Menjangan (North Bali)
• Sanur
• Nusa Dua
• Candidasa
• Tulamben
• Amed
• Diving Course
• Gallery
• Booking

Welcome to the latest and greatest move by Global Aquatic Dive Center Bali. After nearly feefteen years of operations in Bali by Dave “H” Pallett and his wife Camilla, in association with our Austrian Global Aquatic partners, we are now still in Sanur where the base of the operations was doing well. Unfortunately we had to move from our location on the beach but are currently waiting for new landspace on the beach 10 minutes away from the previous location.

Having access to our very own house reef only five minutes from dive center to dive site, we are now extensively monitoring and charting (As per our commitment to Project AWARE) creatures such as a pregnant ghost pipe fish up to the bigger fish life like the family of white tip reef sharks on shark point all on the same dive!

Only a slightly longer boat trip toward the East we have discovered a nursery ground for more tiny critters including the smallest juvenile batfish we have ever seen. Along with cuttlefish, mimic octopus and a multitude of nudibranch this little secret can only be dived at certain phases of the moon but WOW what a pleasant surprise in the right conditions. Never let it be said again that there is no decent diving in Sanur. Stick with the professionals and let us surprise you!

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Diving spots in Bali

Culturally captivating, lush and volcanic, Bali “Island of the Gods” and Asia's premier resort island, is only newly discovered as a prime dive destination. Richly endowed with a dazzling array of undersea life, this exotic Hindu outpost in Indonesia's spice island chain is quickly finding its way onto the international dive map.

To Bali's south, two close offshore islands, Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan offer spectacular teeming reefs and walls. Dives at Manta Point are among the worlds finest and there is also the chance of sighting the rare Sunfish (Mola Mola).

Menjangan Island, part of Bali's national park in the north-west, boasts dramatic drop-offs of stunning beauty equal to many other worldwide dive locations.

The site of the USAT Liberty at Tulamben on Bali's north-east coast is a spellbinding wreck dive experience. Tulamben Bay is also a Mecca for the world's premier marine photographers boasting an unsurpassed array of species.

Breathtaking dive and snorkeling sites are dotted generously around the island from Amed and Gili Selang on Bali's eastern tip around to Gili Biaha, Gili Tepekong and Shark Point and down to the major resort areas of Sanur and Nusa Dua in the south, while other newly found locations such as “The Aquarium” at the foot of tiny Ceningan Island between Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan are constantly coming to light.

• Nusa Penida - Manta Point.
  Situated on the western coastline of Nusa Penida, underneath dramatic limestone cliffs, is Manta Point. As with many sites worldwide that attract Manta Rays, this is a cleaning station, and very attractive to many other pelagic species too. Coral cover here is minimal and there can be some swell, a site for the big fish diver.
  While talking about the dives on Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida we think that it is worthwhile mentioning the body of water that divides Bali from her sister islands - The Badung Straight.
  Known by captains and navigators the world over, this channel is partner to the wider Lombok Straight, one of the few passages that link the Indian Ocean to the Java Sea.
  Boat rides out to the islands from Sanur offer spectacular views of both Bali and Penida. Check out the blowholes on Lembongan when approaching, sending plumes of water into the sky. One a clear day the middle of the straight is great for observing Bali's volcanoes too.
  
  Nusa Penida - Manta Point - Facts & Figures

  Reef type: Rocky with large boulders
  Visibility: Generally excellent like most Lembongan and Penida sites
  Current: Not so much but there can be a heavy swell
  Coral: Not really a site for the coral lover
  Fish: Mantas and other pelagics
  Highlights: Imposing scenery and mantas

• Nusa Penida - Sekola Dasar (S.D.) & Toyapakeh
  S.D. and Toyapakeh are one of our most popular sites for fish and coral lovers. These two sites offer excellent coral reefs in all the colors you can dream of. The fish life is fantastic and you’ll have all your tropical fish in abundance. All types of fusiliers, damsels, snappers, tunas, angelfish, moray eels, trigger fish, octopus, occasional turtle, cuttlefish, sting rays/bigger rays etc. etc.!! You might be lucky to also spot the rare sunfish on these sites during the season (April-Oct./Nov.)
  Both sites are prone to currents from mild to strong, depending on moon cycle and tides. We love the lazy dives you can do on these sites!! These sites are also good for photography/videography.
  
• Nusa Penida - Gamat Bay & Penida Rock south/Bat cave
  All these sites are in the deep channel between Penida and Ceningan.
  They are very similar in bottom topography (wall/sloping wall) and have all your tropical, colourful aquatic life. Often we have the ‘big’ fish passing by, Giant Trevally, Yellowfin tuna and the Mola Mola (again seasonal). On Penida Rock south/Bat cave we can enter the bat cave from underwater at only 10 mtrs. depth and ascend inside the cave. Do not remove your mask or regulator on the surface, the bats do not smell good!
  After the cave we hang around 10-18 mtrs. depth to look for nurse sharks resting under a coral, giant moray eels, different kinds of nudibranch and all your tropical reef fish.
  Can be subject to strong currents because of location, sometimes not diveable. But don’t worry we can move to other sites!
  
• Nusa Lembongan - Blue Corner and Jack Point
  The deep waters of the ‘Badung strait’ is what many dive professionals in Bali refer to as the Mecca of Indonesian diving. The islands of Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningan, and Nusa Lembongan, just off the South East coast of Bali and in the path of the Lombok straight, hold even hardcore divers in awe.
  Fueled by powerful cold upwellings, the “Sister Islands of Bali” produce amazing diving. From the sloping reefs off of Penida, which offer a spectacular array of marine flora and fauna to the adrenalin packed drift dives at the famous “Blue Corner”, this site has it all.
  While exploring the Nusa Lembongan sites divers have a great chance of a close encounter with one of the strangest fishes they are ever likely to see, the Oceanic Sunfish or Mola Mola. While this species occurs pretty much worldwide it is not often seen, preferring the open oceans and is usually only spotted on the surface. Not so here though, this is the world's premier Mola Mola dive site.

  Just watch in awe as these massive animals (up to 3.5 meters fin to fin), drift by in the current, all the while keeping their beady eye on you.
  Access to these great sites at Lembongan, Ceningan and Penida is by boat from our moorings on Sanur Beach. This is one you cannot miss!
  
  Nusa Lembongan - Facts & Figures

  Reef type: Rocky walls and current swept terraces
  Visibility: Normally excellent, 40 meters +
  Current: Yep
  Coral: Good growth of both hard and soft
  Fish: More marine life than the Great Barrier Reef
  Highlights: The chance of seeing one of the wonders of the ocean, the Mola Mola

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• Menjangan (North Bali)

  Menjangan Island (the name means "deer"), lies in a protected position just offshore in far north western Bali. Because of this currents, wind and waves are rarely a bother, and the reefs and wall here have great diving. There are also great views of some of Java's volcanoes.

  Famed for it's crystal clear waters, the visibility here rarely drops below 25 meters. The island forms part of Bali Barat National Park, a protected nature reserve that encompasses much of Bali's forested and hilly western end.
  
  Craggy Wall
  The coral walls around Menjangan drop vertically to between 30-60 meters, before gradually sloping outwards. The reef surface is very rugged with caves, grottoes and crevasses breaking up the coral walls, textured with little nooks and crannies. Gorgonians of many kinds reach large sizes here, and huge barrel sponges are abundant. Soft corals blanket the colorful walls all the way down.

  Menjangan's western tip holds a deeper, but equally interesting dive on an old shipwreck. Called the "Anker" it is just off the island shore, close to a small Park Service dock and guard post.
  
  Menjangan - Facts & Figures

  Reeftype: Walls, particularly rugged
  Access: 30 minutes by boat from mainland Bali
  Visibility: Excellent to superb, 25-50 meters
  Current: Mostly very slight - can be strong at tide change on western tip
  Coral: Very good numbers and variety; abundant soft corals
  Fish: Good number - the usual suspects
  Highlights: Walls and the shipwreck
  

• Sanur
  Our Dive Center is located on Semawang Beach, Sanur. Sanur was one of the first resort areas in Bali and has thankfully kept it's quiet character. The beach here has very shallow water for a couple of hundred meters before it reaches the reef break. There is also a man made channel connecting the beach to the open water beyond the reef at the southern end of the bay.

  The Channel, while containing a wide diversity of marine life serves as our training area. The depth and bottom characteristics here make it tailor made for scuba instruction. There are mooring buoys roped to blocks set in the sand in shallow water giving us endless options for our courses

  Traveling seaward the water gradually gets deeper with a coral bank rising to the left. The trip out to the mouth of the channel is interesting in that there is a lot going on in the sand and coral heads. There are many lionfish patrolling around as well as more sea snakes than you will find at any other Bali site.

  When this sea lane ends the water depth is around 18 meters and white tip sharks are often spotted here. At this depth the reef starts to get quite rocky with many interesting creatures scurrying around the boulders along the seaward side of the reef.

  Sanur - Facts & Figures

  Reef type: Rocky and sandy
  Visibility: Generally good. Can be a little murky with heavy tides
  Current: Tidal, check tables
  Coral: Good growths on reef break
  Fish: Lots of Lionfish and other strange critters in the sand
  Highlights: Good opportunities to observe many different sea snakes

• Nusa Dua
  Nusa Dua is located in the very south of the island, known locally as "The Bukit". This is where the bulk of Bali's 5 Star hotels and some of the nicest sandy beaches hide another of Bali's dive sites. Nusa Dua is not unlike Sanur in many aspects although it does offer also some interesting rocky swim-throughs.

  There are quite a few Green Turtles and Blue Spotted Stingrays here. The turtles favor the shelter of the rocky crevice hideaways while the rays prefer rummaging around in the sand for their food. There is also a large abundance of soft corals here indicating clear unpolluted waters.

  Some of the best diving is in around 12 to 16 meters making it ideal for newly certified or introductory divers. Access is from Sanur beach by local boat taking our guests on a short ride around the wonderful scenery of the peninsular and Benoa Harbor

  Nusa Dua - Facts & Figures

  Reef type: Rocky and sandy
  Visibility: Generally good, 10 to 15 meters
  Current: At tide changes
  Coral: Good varieties of both soft and hard
  Fish: Similar to Sanur, usual reef fish
  Highlights: Turtles and Rays

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• Candidasa

  Just one and a half hours journey by road lies the region of Candidasa, a short trip by local boat will take you to the tiny islands listed below. Click on a site for more details.

  A word of Caution - These sites must only be attempted with a guide/instructor very familiar with the sites as currents can be treacherous and change within seconds. Of course your Global Aquatic Instructor is a seasoned and very experienced guide of these sites.

  The highlights of Candidasa area are:

  Gili Mimpang - Shark point
  Shark Point, a few hundred meters south west of Gili Tepekong, is also know as Gili Mimpang. This site consists of four small rocks peeking out from the ocean and easily visible from Candidasa.
  Dives start by dropping in off the boat close to the central rock and descending down to 26 meters, here you have the opportunity to view a family of white tip reef sharks resting after a period of activity feeding in the currents. Should you not see them on the sand then a glance towards the rock might find them swimming overhead.
  Cleaning station: Moving away from the sharks we come to a massive coral head with an abundance of sweetlips, napoleon wrasse and morays. This coral head is sometimes used by manta rays as a cleaning station, watch out for them!
  Continuing on from here currents permitting we can cross the small channel to the next set of rocks where cuttlefish mingle with more patrolling sharks. Should a suitable current allow, divers can then hitch a ride to the other side of the rocks where tiny baby white tips frolic around the table corals.
  
  Gili Mimpang - Facts & Figures
  Reeftype: Sandy with interesting rock formations
  Visibility: Good to excellent, 15 to 35 metres
  Current: Can be tricky, a good guide is essential
  Coral: Good assortment, both hard and soft
  Fish: Good shark numbers and the opportunity to see mantas
  Highlights: Sharks of course

  Gili Tepekong
  Another of the islands in Amuk Bay is Gili Tepekong, clearly visible from the resort of Candidasa. Probably the most well known dive in this area, Tepekong screams excitement. This islands gets stronger currents and colder water than other areas. Coral cover is minimal due to the currents but the upside of this is Tepekong's attraction of schools of Sweetlips, Groupers, Sharks and assorted pelagics.
  The Canyon: One part of Tepekong is the famous "Canyon". This dramatic undersea gorge situated off a corner of the island offers a swirling ride through it's rocky seascapes. It can be a bit tricky though, our staff will give expert advice on tides and currents etc.
  The rocky cobbled walls of Tepekong, similar to all of these eastern offshore islands offer the diver a chance to view a huge number of the larger species, including Bumphead Parrotfish, Napoleon Wrasses and a good supply of sharks.
  
  Gili Tepekong - Facts & Figures
  Reeftype: Rocks and boulders dropping down around the perimeter
  Access: This site is the same as Gili Biaha, a boat is taken from either Candidasa or the very pretty Prasi Beach
  Visibility: Generally excellent, 35 metres +
  Current: Can be tricky, especially around the Canyon
  Coral: Good flat hard coral growth
  Fish: Excellent, especially larger varieties
  Highlights: The Canyon

  Gili Biaha
  Gilli Biaha is situated at the northern end of what is called "Amuk Bay" on Bali's eastern coast. This island is just a large grass covered rock a few hundred meters from the mainland.
  Biaha is another of those wild sites, not dived a great deal, but well worth the effort.
  Legend has it that the rock was trying to escape from the island but was brought back by an alert duck herder. The Balinese like to call the island "Likuan". Likuan means "tail of the duck". Ringing most of the island is a steep but terracing drop-off with cobbled walls and slopes in parts. Marine life here, and also at Selang and Tepekong, is a little different from other sites on the island. Some fish that are rare in other places seem to be quite common here. Sharks put in quite a few appearances too.

  Access to Biaha is by boat either from Candidasa, the main town on the east coast, or from the beaches at Prasi which are closer. There are two of these, both are very pretty and are nearly always deserted. Currents and swell can be tricky here.

  Gili Biaha - Facts & Figures
  Reef type: Walls, cobbles slopes
  Visibility: Generally very good
  Current: Can be very tricky, not for the inexperienced
  Coral: Good numbers of hard and soft
  Fish: Some species found here and nowhere else on Bali
  Highlights: Spectacular reef and remote location
  Other: The beaches of Prasi

  Gili Selang
  On Bali's extreme north eastern tip, where currents from the Badung Straight meet the waters of the Java Sea, sits a small, almost circular island, Gili Selang. While not strictly speaking a proper island (it is possible to cross to it along a submerged rocky causeway at any state of the tide), at first glance from the hills above the bay it looks like a great dive site.
  Currents rushing around the seaward side of the island make this a thrilling drift no matter what their direction. On either side of Selang there are stunning coral gardens teeming with marine life. The water here is very slightly colder than on other dives in this area, therefore the warming effect that has damaged many corals worldwide has not happened here. Dropping into these coral gardens divers make their way into deeper water to take an current assisted ride around the rocky wall.
  Watch out, you can spot almost anything here from Hammerheads to Mantas to Leopard Sharks. There is a good concentration of White Tip Sharks and we have heard stories of many other sightings not normal in Bali.

  Gili Selang - Facts & Figures
  Reef type: Soft and hard coral gardens (some of the best on Bali) gradually sloping seaward to a rocky wall with abundant hard corals
  Visibility: Normally excellent (15 meters to 35 meters)
  Current: Can be tricky for inexperienced divers, staff will advise
  Coral: Excellent - hard and soft
  Fish: Excellent, big and small
  Highlights: Swirling drift dives and coral quality in shallow water
  Other: Access can be difficult but there is a chance of spotting the shipwreck. Many unexplored areas. This is definitely for the more adventurous diver.

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• Tulamben
  Sleepy Tulamben village, situated on Bali's north-eastern shore, has long been a Mecca for scuba divers from all over the world. What this site has to offer is not too apparent at first glance, but the visitor will quickly change their mind the second they submerge. The two main dive points at Tulamben are the USAT Liberty Shipwreck to the west of the bay and the drop-off (wall) to the east, both offering very different scuba experiences.

The USAT Liberty
The Liberty was originally a cargo steamer built in New Jersey, USA in the early 20th century. She was pressed into service during W.W.II and armed with guns fore and aft. On 11th January 1942 the ship was cruising off the Lombok coast when she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine causing major damage to the hull, but not sinking. The US Navy decided to try and salvage her and subsequently sent two destroyers to tow her to Bali. However, she was taking on too much water and it was decided to beach her at Tulamben

In 1963 Bali's highest volcano, Gunung Agung, erupted causing major damage and loss of life on the island. This eruption also managed to push USAT Liberty to her final resting place 40 meters off shore, in between 9 and 28 meters of water.



Liberty is now Bali's most popular dive, encrusted with many different varieties of soft and hard coral and a very large concentration of fish and other marine life. A must do dive.

The Drop Off

The wall dive at the eastern end of the bay is also very worthwhile too. Entering close to the rocks the sandy bottom shelves away and the beginning of a wall appear to the divers right. This becomes vertical at around 15 meters with the bottom gradually dropping away into the blue. Coral and marine life concentrations here are very good too. Particularly interesting is a very large (2 meter) purple gorgonian fan coral positioned on the top of the wall when it gets down to 30 meters.

For macro photographers and those interested in the smaller critters, the black sand slopes and coral gardens between the shipwreck and the wall have been drawing the professionals to Tulamben for years.

Tulamben - Facts & Figures
Reef type: Wall at western end, shallow reef stretching along the bay
Access: Practically all diving at Tulamben is done from the shore
Visibility: Very good, 15-30 meters
Current: Very slight, can be strong at tide change past eastern wall
Coral: Very good numbers and variety, abundant soft corals
Fish: Excellent, unrivaled for the macro photographer
Highlights: Shipwreck and marine life concentrations

• Amed (Jemeluk)
  Also known as Jemeluk, Amed is situated on Bali's north east shore quite close to the better known dive area of Tulamben. Amed is a small north facing bay with high cliffs on the eastern side and sandy salt flats to the west offering a choice of two dives, one a wall (east) and the other a drift over terracing underwater landscapes. Both of these sites are normally dived from a small local fishing boat from the bay.

The Amed wall
At the foot of the cliffs to the east of the bay lies a large coral reef in fairly shallow water. The corals here are some of the best that can be seen in Bali. As the reef spreads out seaward it suddenly plunges down about 50 meters out from the cliff bottom forming a wall that runs eastward into the next bay around the headland.
Depending on tides and current direction this is normally considered to be a drift dive, the local boatmen either dropping divers at either end of the wall. While not a particularly deep wall this dive does support a dazzling array of marine life and corals.

Amed West
Again dependent on current direction, these descending terraces provide stunning panoramas, and visibility can sometimes be excellent. Starting in relatively shallow water these slopes step down and out of sight into the ocean. At some points the terraces do turn into vertical walls but this cannot be considered a wall dive.

At both sites there are good concentrations of fish, with a fair sprinkling of white tip sharks. Our staff have also sighted the rare Sunfish (Mola Mola) and Manta Rays at both dive points

Amed - Facts & Figures
Reeftype: Wall at eastern end, terracing to west. Shallow sandy bay in the middle
Access: Road transport pulls up on the beach where local fishing boats take around two minutes to reach both sites
Visibility: Very good, 15-40 meters
Current: Can be strong at both sites producing thrilling drift diving
Coral: Very good numbers and variety; abundant soft corals
Fish: Excellent, particularly white tip sharks
Highlights: Coral garden to the east of the bay

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Diving Courses

If you are a non diver at the moment and want to try SCUBA diving (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) or learn to dive and achieve the rating of Open Water Diver or higher, then take a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Instructor with you underwater to ensure your safety and confidence.

You will be with the most widely recognized and respected diving professionals in the world.

With a Discover Scuba Dive you will be underwater within a few hours under the guidance of one of our top quality Instructors. Should you take the Open Water Course, then you and a certified buddy can be enjoying the underwater world together in just four days providing all course requirements are met.

Having access to one of the most tranquil pools in Bali, Global Aquatic Dive Center offer a full range of PADI scuba courses. From someone who has never dived before right through to professional level you can be taught in any of nine languages: English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Dutch, French, Japanese and Indonesian.

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