The Dive Sites of Bali, Indonesia
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Clown Triggerfish Nusa
Penida |
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Bumphead Parrotfish Nusa
Penida |
©Denise Nielsen Tackett & Larry
Tackett
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Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida is the largest of three islands in southeast Bali.
Most visitors are day-trippers from Sanur or Padang Bai, 45 minutes
to two-hours by boat. White sand beaches line the north
shore and give excellent views of Gunung Agung on Bali. The south
shore is an inhospitable cliff. There are few tourist facilities
on the islands. The diving is excellent but it isn't for everyone-depends
on how warm you like your bath water.
Indian and Pacific Ocean waters mix here, bathing Nusa Penida
in currents that can be strong and unpredictable. Sites on south
and east Nusa Penida are rarely visited because of their unpredictability.
Water temperatures are cool, 21º-24ºC (72-78ºF),
and can drop as low as 15ºC (60ºF). Drift diving is the
norm and visibility is 20m (66ft).
Nusa Penida's best feature is its pelagic marine life. Nutrient-rich
upwellings attract eagle rays, sharks, tuna, and mantas. The most
famous visitor is the mola-mola and the reason most people make
this journey.
The ocean sunfish or mola-mola is an odd fish. It's related to
the pufferfish but the body is flattened and looks like a giant
head with a small mouth, two long fins and a scalloped back end.
Weighing up to 1500kg (over 3000 lbs.) and 3m (10ft) long, the
mola-mola often lies on its side at the surface of the water, thus
the name sunfish. It feeds on jellyfish, plankton and small crustaceans.
The mola-mola is a pelagic fish but when the water is at its coldest,
about 15ºC (60ºF), they appear off northwest Nusa Penida
and Lembongan islands. Found at about 30m (100ft), they're often
accompanied by an army of smaller fishes that clean parasites from
them. Nusa Penida, from July through September, is one of the best
places in the world to see mola-molas.
Most diving is in the northwest between Nusa Penida and Lembongan
islands. The most popular sites are Ped, SD, Toyapakeh and Crystal
Bay. All have steep slopes with good coral cover and lots of fishes.
Toyapakeh is known for its colorful soft corals. Crystal Bay is
more sheltered, has less current and a bat cave. Mola-molas can
appear anywhere here.
Tulamben
Tulamben, a small village, is three hours north of Denpasar on
Bali's northeast coast. Gunung Agung, an active volcano, dominates
the landscape. If you didn't know there was great diving here,
there would be no reason to stop.
Tulamben Bay is 1300m (~1mi) long. The beach is covered with smooth
black rocks that are difficult to walk on. There are three dive
sites: the Liberty wreck, the Drop-off, and the Reef. Resorts are
along the beach so you simply gear up and step into the water.
Porters are available to assist divers.
From June through August waves on the beach reduce visibility
and make for slightly rough entries and exits. The rainy season
is December through March and wind from the north kicks up the
surf. Best diving times here are April-May and September-November,
but diving is good all year around. If you can't get in off the
beach, other entries methods using local boats are possible. Water
temperatures run 26º - 27ºC (82-84ºF) with occasional
thermoclines to 24ºC (78ºF). Visibility is generally
15-30m (50-100ft) but can drop to 5m (15ft).
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Tulamben Drop-off |
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Tulamben Liberty Wreck |
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Tulamben Liberty Wreck |
©Denise Nielsen
Tackett & Larry Tackett |
The Wreck
The wreck, on the western end of the bay, is 30m (100ft) from
shore. The USAT Liberty sits on a sand slope with the stern at
15m (50ft) and the bow at 40m (130ft). During WWII, in 1942, the
ship was disabled and eventually ran aground. In 1963, Gunung Agung
erupted in a big way, and the wreckage was pushed off the beach
by the lava flow and ended up beneath the surface right offshore.
It lies on its side in two large pieces, beautifully overgrown
with marine life. Over 400 species of fishes have been recorded
here.
It's a wonderful dive as all you have to do is have the local
porters carry your gear down the beach (this is compulsive, keeping
the villagers active in the tourism industry-see below), slip into
the water, roll over on your stomach, and descend onto the wreck.
It's a perfect 45-minute to one-hour dive, and large schools of
fish, as well as small critters like ghost pipefish make the dive
extremely interesting. It's the kind of dive you can do over and
over again.
The Drop-off
At the opposite end of the bay a sand slope leads to a rocky wall
with nice corals and sponges. Reef crevices shelter elusive Cometfish,
eels, shrimps, and cleaning stations. The drop-off is good for
spotting Napoleon wrasses, barracuda, and schooling fishes.
The Reef
Between the wreck and the drop-off is a black sand slope dotted
with coral outcrops festooned with feather stars, sea fans and
giant sponges. Schools of snappers and cardinalfishes gather near
branching corals. Groupers, cleaning stations and shrimp gobies
are easy to find.
Tulamben Porters
Tulamben divers must use porters when they dive anywhere but directly
in front of their hotel. Even if you choose not to use them, you'll
be charged as if you did. The Tulamben porters have banded together
and worked out a deal with dive operators for their services. They're
well organized and have set rates. Divers pay the equivalent of
about US$1- to have their gear toted to either end of the bay.
And here's where the fun begins.
Tulamben Bay is about 1300m (almost a mile) long and the beach
is covered with smooth black rocks. Walking doesn't seem difficult
until you try it with scuba gear on. There's something about these
rocks that makes people's feet and legs wobble like jelly. Add
scuba gear and they have a propensity to tip over. Thus, the porters....
The porters are tiny Balinese women of all ages. They are tiny
but these women are a marvel to watch. Each one can handle two
tanks with BCDs and regulators attached, which they balance on
their heads. Then they sling a weight belt over each shoulder,
a pair of fins in each hand, and trot off down the beach leaving
divers behind to navigate the stony beach with nothing to carry
but their masks. They wait patiently at the other end and when
the dive is finished, they carry your gear back. It's fun to experience
first-hand, and it's a great example of local people getting involved
in tourism, working hand-in-hand with operators to help the villagers
gain something from the tourist's presence. And, it cuts down on
the number of irritating vendors in the area.
Tulamben Bay offers some of the best shore diving in the world.
With these three wonderful and easily accessible dive sites, you
can spend a week or more here enjoying the peace and quiet, and
the great diving. There is not much to do here, as you are hours
away from any kind of nightlife or tourist attractions. But the
resort has a friendly atmosphere, wonderful food, and breathtaking
scenery. Liveaboard dive boats also leave from this area for trips
up and down the Bali coast, and to the Komodo National Park, east
of here.
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Bali Menjangan |
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Bali Menjangan |
©Denise Nielsen
Tackett & Larry Tackett |
Menjangan
Menjangan Island, on northwest Bali, is part of the West Bali
National Park. Most visitors to Bali never venture this far and
the area is delightfully unspoiled. Several spa and safari hotels
on the mainland run diving excursions to Menjangan. Non-divers
can visit the national park to view the wildlife or bask in a hot
spring. The park is home to the rare and endemic Bali starling,
wild buffalo, monkeys, deer, civet cats, and leopards. There's
dolphin watching along the north coast.
Menjangan Island is protected from strong weather and currents
and most diving takes place around the island but the mainland
has interesting bays for diving. The diving is easy and good with
visibility 20m (66ft) or better. Water temperatures are 26º-28ºC
(82-86ºF); nice and toasty compared with other areas to the
south.
Overhangs and crevices mark the rocky walls of Menjangan. Coral
growth is good and soft corals add color to the walls. Gorgonians,
schooling fishes and reef fishes are plentiful.
The Anker wreck is a 19th century wooden ship that sank just
off the beach. The anchor is in shallow water and heavily encrusted
with growth. Follow the chain down to the wreck at 30m (100ft).
The stern is at 45m (150ft). In addition to abundant marine life
on the wreck, a visit to the cargo hold will turn up some old glass
bottles.
Just across the peninsula from Menjangan is Gilimanuk, the terminal
for ferries to and from Java. Nearby, Secret Bay is fast becoming
known as a muck diving destination. The bay is shallow, silty,
and lined with mangroves. Beach diving here will turn up waspfish,
seahorses, frogfishes, pancake fish, and painted mandarinfish.
The best time to dive here is slack tide during times of large
tidal changes (new and full moons). This site is for diehard macro
divers only.
By Denise Nielsen Tackett & Larry Tackett
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