Bali

Bali packs very different diving into short distances. On the north-east coast, Tulamben's shore-accessed USAT Liberty wreck, walls and the black-sand critter slopes of Seraya sit next to the calm bays, artificial reefs and small Japanese wreck of Amed. In the south-east, Nusa Penida, Lembongan and Ceningan are known for year-round manta cleaning stations, fast drifts and, from about July to October, Mola Mola rising with cold thermoclines; the islets off Padang Bai and Candidasa (Tepekong, Mimpang, Biaha) share those strong currents. In the north-west, Menjangan Island in West Bali National Park offers clear-water walls, and nearby Secret Bay at Gilimanuk is a classic muck site.

Facts

Best season: Year-round; dry season roughly April–October, best conditions May–November. Heavy rain December–February can reduce visibility on the east and north coasts. Mola Mola mainly (July) August–October at Nusa Penida and the Padang Bai islets
Water temperature: About 26–30 °C at Tulamben, Amed, Padang Bai and Menjangan; 19–28 °C around Nusa Penida, where cold thermoclines can drop below 20 °C in Mola season
Visibility: Usually 10–50 m; best around Nusa Penida and Menjangan, lower at muck sites and in the rainy season
Getting there: Fly to Denpasar (DPS, Ngurah Rai). By road Padang Bai is about 1 h 15 min and Tulamben about 2.5 h from Seminyak; Nusa Penida/Lembongan are reached by boat from Sanur or Padang Bai, Menjangan by boat from the north-west coast. Check current transfer and boat schedules
Permit/fees: Bali tourist levy IDR 150,000 per foreign visitor (introduced February 2024), paid online via Love Bali; check the current amount
Nusa Penida fees: Klungkung retribution for the Nusa islands: IDR 25,000 per adult (2025 rate), plus separate marine protected area fees for diving; a new 'one gate' ticket system started on 1 September 2026 – check current rates (operators often include park fees)
Currents: Mostly mild at Tulamben, Amed and inside the Blue Lagoon; strong, changeable and sometimes downward at Nusa Penida and the Padang Bai islets – operators typically ask for Advanced certification and around 30 logged dives there

Season

Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Acceptable: Mar, Nov
Poor: Dec, Jan, Feb
Water temperature: 24–29 °C

The dry season (April to October) brings good visibility, often over 30 m at Nusa Penida. Mola mola season runs July to October (peak July–September) driven by cold upwelling from the Lombok Strait, with cooler water and sometimes high waves in late July–August.

Dive sites (40)

Menjangan & West Bali

Anchor Wreck – 6–50 m, advanced
Bat Cave – intermediate
Eel Garden – 5–25 m, beginner
Menjangan Coral Garden – 1–40 m, beginner
Pos 1 – 30 m, beginner
Pos 2 – 12–40 m, intermediate
Secret Bay – 1–10 m, intermediate
Temple Point – 30 m, beginner

Tulamben

Batu Kelebit – advanced
Seraya Secrets – beginner
Tulamben Coral Garden – beginner
Tulamben Drop Off – beginner
USAT Liberty Wreck – 3–30 m, beginner

Nusa Penida & Lembongan

Blue Corner – 12–40 m, advanced
Buyuk – beginner
Crystal Bay – 40 m, intermediate
Gamat Bay – 6–40 m, intermediate
Karang Sari – intermediate
Malibu Point – advanced
Mangrove Point – 6–35 m, beginner
Manta Bay – 12 m, beginner
Manta Point – intermediate
Ped – 30 m, intermediate
SD Point – 40 m, intermediate
Sental – intermediate
Toyapakeh – 5–40 m, intermediate

Padang Bai & Candidasa

Blue Lagoon – 22 m, beginner
Ferry Channel – 30 m, intermediate
Gili Biaha – advanced
Gili Mimpang – 18 m, advanced
Gili Tepekong – advanced
Jepun – 18 m, beginner
Tanjung Sari – 30 m, intermediate

Amed

Bunutan Wall – advanced
Ghost Bay – beginner
Japanese Wreck – 2–10 m, beginner
Jemeluk Bay – beginner
Jemeluk Wall – intermediate
Lipah Bay – beginner
Pyramids – 10–25 m, beginner

Operators (13)

Tulamben Wreck Divers – dive centre, Tulamben
Tauch Terminal Resort Tulamben – resort, Jl. Kubu, Tulamben
Siddhartha Oceanfront Resort & Spa – resort, Kubu, north-east Bali (near Tulamben)
Amed Jepun Divers – dive centre, Amed
Eurodive Bali – dive centre, Amed & Tulamben
Ecodive Bali – dive centre, Amed
Blue Corner Dive – dive centre, Nusa Lembongan
World Diving Lembongan – dive centre, Jalan Jungutbatu Raya, Nusa Lembongan
Big Fish Diving – resort, Nusa Lembongan
Dune Penida – dive centre, Toyapakeh, Nusa Penida
Water WorxX – dive centre, Silayukti Street, Padang Bai
Blue Season Bali – dive centre, Sanur (also Amed)
Reef Seen Divers' Resort – resort, Pemuteran, north-west Bali

Routes (8)

Site positions are approximate unless marked otherwise and are for orientation only — never for navigation. Always dive with a local guide; conditions change with tide and season.