Bali tends to be underestimated as a dive location in Thailand because of the popularity of other nearby locations. Bali diving, however, has much to recommend it and the island has few peers when it comes to the variety of experiences a diver can enjoy.
One of the unique experiences Bali offers divers is the opportunity to dive with large sea creatures. Manta rays can be found in the waters surrounding Nusa Penida all year round while the unusual Sunfish (or mola alexandrine) can also be found around Candidasa during the peak diving season. These and a huge variety of other fish species can be seen including harlequin shrimp, blue ring octopus, frogfish and many others.
Following are some of the best diving hotspots on the island:
• Tulamben – located in the north-east part of the island, Tulamben is a small town whose waters are known world-wide as a top Bali diving. Featuring unique black sands it includes the wreck of the USAT Liberty and hosts marine life such as wonderpus, leaf fish and ghost pipe fish.
• Seraya – located just a five minute car ride from Tulamben, Seraya offers several dive locations including Seraya Secrets, Melasti and Batu Niti. Here one can dive and interact with long arm octopus, boxer crabs, multiple species of nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses located in multiple small of coral reefs.
• Secret Bay – located in the far north-west of Bali, Secret Bay is a small town with a long and rich history. It gives divers the opportunity for shallow and easy muck diving and is the only place on the island where one can see Banggai cardinal fish which, although non-native, are spectacular.
• Padang Bai – this town is about a one hour drive from Sanur and is something of a hidden gem when it comes to muck diving. There are a number of reefs located in the town’s bay which offer encounters with a variety of sea life. The highlight of the area, however, is diving under the Padang Bai cruise ship jetty where divers can interact with eels, frogfish, octopus and many other species that make the pier their home.
• Reefs – Bali has a diverse and incredible array of tropical coral reefs which consist of over 400 different species of coral. The islands of Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan, while busy during the tourist high season, are home to some of the best coral reefs that Bali has to offer. The protected northern and western sides of the islands feature sloping reefs with incredible coral gardens that are home to thousands of tropical fish. Menjangan Island is located in West Bali National Park and is another great site for reef diving featuring spectacular drop-offs as well as more gentle slopes and gorgeous coral gardens.
• Wrecks – as well as the USAT Liberty wreck, Bali is also home to the Kabu wreck (a Dutch cargo ship which was sunk to form an artificial reef in 2012) and the mysterious ‘Japanese wreck’ which, although of unknown origin, is believed to be Indonesian. All offer great environments for sea life and dramatic diving.
