The pearls of the islands of Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan.
SNORKELING AND DIVING
We suggest you go on an exciting diving tour on a speed boat, in just 30-40 minutes you will find yourself on the islands nearby Bali. You will visit islands such as Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan, and their unusually beautiful beaches, enjoy snorkeling, and see pristine corals and colorful fish.
It should be noted that the underwater world of Bali and its environs is amazing, and often not everyone knows that diving here is not inferior in complexity and variety to dive sites in other countries. The reason for this is a favorable geographical position, because the island is ideally located between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Active ocean currents lift and carry a large amount of plankton and marine life, which contributes to a huge variety of inhabitants of the underwater world and makes this place very attractive for diving enthusiasts.
Nusa Penida– an island located 28 kilometers east of Sanur and Benoa and adjacent to the sister islands of Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Keningan. On the far side of Nusa Penida stretches the Wallace Line, a 1.3 km deep trench separating Western Indonesia from the completely different underwater flora and fauna of “Australonesia”. Ocean currents from the North, going towards the island of Nusa Penida, force large masses of cold water to rise up from the depths, thereby bringing up sharks, manta rays, giant horse mackerel and a rather rare species – the Ocean Sunfish, also known as Mola Mola. The coastal waters of Nusa Penida are crystal clear, although the current is strong and reaches four knots. Experienced divers will be able to see a variety and rare species of marine life. There are magnificent coral reefs, especially near the south coast, where the sea surprises with spectacular accumulations of giant fish of a round shape; in December and January they take in warm air and become like large balls. Sometimes you can see sailboats and whale sharks. There are underwater grottoes and giant turtles. The coastal waters of the northern half of the island are clean and warm, especially in the strait between Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan.
Crystal Bay (literally from English. “Crystal Bay”), located in the Penida Strait, which separates the islands of Nusa Penida and Nusa Keningan, is one of the few places in the world where you can see the aforementioned very rare fish Mola Mola. Diving with sunfish is an experience you are unlikely to ever forget. Sunfish (it is she who is shown in the picture for the article) mola-mola can reach 3 meters in length and weigh up to 2 tons. Usually it can be seen in the deep and cold waters of the ocean, but sometimes they accidentally swim ashore and in the waters of Bali they can be found between July and September. There are also coral reefs, especially near the southern coast, where the sea surprises with spectacular accumulations of giant round fish; in December and January they take in warm air and become like large balls. Sometimes you can see sailboats and whale sharks. There are underwater grottoes and giant turtles. The coastal waters of the northern half of the island are clean and warm, especially in the strait between Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan.
Nusa Penida
Reefs: sheer, steeply descending
Depth: from 3 to 45 m.
How to get there: by boat or diving directly from the beach
Visibility: good, from 10 to 20 m.
Current: moderate to very strong
Corals: variety of hard and soft species
Fish: a wide variety of large species
Features: rays, sharks, sea turtles, undercurrents are unpredictable and can be very cold.
Crystal bay
Location: West Nusa Penida
Visibility: 10 – 30 m.
Depth: 3 – 37 m.
Diving Conditions: Relatively safe dives for divers of all skill levels. Low temperature. We recommend bringing an insulating lining with you!
How to get there: 30 – 45 min. on a motor boat.
Seabed relief: The bay has 2 entrances, and a large stone in the center. On the far shore, the current can be strong and dangerous. Inside, this bay is very calm and of no particular interest; there are huge coral deposits here, which have become a paradise for small fish. But a little further away, a shallow high cave hid, in which divers can find bats hiding from daylight in a crevice of a high rock.
Flora and fauna: giant angelfish, imposing eels, big balls of stripe of catfish, schools of glassy sweepers, rays, tuna, sharks and surgeonfish.
What attracts: large inhabitants of the seabed. Snorkeling is possible inside the bay.
Gamat Bay
Location: Northwest Nusa Penida
Visibility: 10 – 30 m.
Depth: 3 – 27 m.
Conditions for diving: great, very beautiful place for snorkelling.
How to get there: 30 – 35 min. on a motor boat.
The relief of the seabed: the depth of the bay is only 12 meters. The far edge of the bay goes deep into the water, the current washes this steep slope, exceeding 40 meters.
Flora and fauna: golden and purple anthias, chromis and damselfish, squid, cuttlefish, moray eels, eagle rays and reef sharks.
What attracts: a huge number of colorful fish of all sizes. Snorkeling.
Toyapakeh
Location: Northwest Nusa Penida
Visibility: 10 – 40 m.
Depth: 3 – 37 m.
Diving conditions: constant currents, very deep compared to Seningan Pass. The current runs along a steep slope in the Lombok Strait. This allows you to dive to a depth of 24 meters or just drift over coral beds.
How to get there: 35 – 45 min. on a motor boat.
Seabed relief: a steep slope dotted with corals descends to the Lombok Strait. Blooming coral gardens.
Flora and fauna: a huge variety of small tropical fish that flooded the entire territory. Eels and other inhabitants of the sea have chosen the large calm corals of Toyapakeh.
What attracts: a huge number of fish, due to constant currents.
Pura Ped
Location: Central and northern part of Nusa Penida
Visibility: 10-30 m.
Depth: 3-37 m.
Diving Conditions: Coastal diving, strong currents may be present.
How to get there: 45 min. on a motor boat.
Seabed relief: The reef drops to 50 meters. The rich coral cover is home to many exotic fish.
Flora and fauna: Reef sharks, eels, sea snakes, manta rays, barracudas, etc.
lots of smaller fish.
What attracts: Colorful reefs – a good place for diving with a mask. Night diving.
Manta Point
Location: South Nusa Penida
Visibility: 5-20 m.
Depth: 3-24 m.
Diving conditions: The site is suitable for calm diving and snorkeling, but the tides can mix with the currents and create a whirlpool, which will slow and make it difficult to enter the water.
How to get there: 50-60 min. on a motor boat.
Seabed Terrain: Manta Point and cliff stretch along the coastline in the south of Nusa Penida.
Flora and fauna: During April, May and June, whole flocks of manta rays come here in the hope of finding a partner and acquiring. They usually swim against the current, opening their mouths for food to enter. They can also be seen jumping out of the water or splashing their wings on it. Mantas here come in all sizes and colors, from light gray and white on the lower belly to jet black with white dots on the lower jaw. They are very curious and sometimes approach people.
Highlights: Recommended for very experienced divers.
Nusa Lembongan Island _
Nusa Lembongan is one of three small islands located in the southeast of Bali – Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. You can get to the island of Nusa Lembongan from Bali through a small strait in 1-2 hours from the port of Sanur or Padangbai. This small island amazes and conquers everyone who comes here again – with snow-white beaches, and very clear azure water with a riot of colors of small and large fish and coral reefs, as well as with its untouchedness. There are villas and restaurants, and a diving center, but everything is so skillfully inscribed in the eco-system of the island that it does not spoil the originality of the island.
Location: Islands south of Bali (45-60 minutes by boat).
Depth range: 5 – 40 m. Diving is recommended for all categories of divers.
Notes: Sensational underwater world. Stingrays, sharks and sea turtles. In August and September, you can see the famous sunfish, as well as turtles, sharks, manta rays, angelfish, clownfish, conger eels and white reef sharks.
Mushroom Bay
Location: Southwest Nusa Lembongan.
Visibility: 10 – 25 m.
Depth: 1.5 – 11 m.
Conditions for diving: the area is suitable not so much for diving as for snorkeling. A little further from the bay there are strong sea currents. Extreme caution is required when diving here.
How to get there: 30 – 45 min. on a motor boat.
Seabed relief: sandy bottom, beautiful sandy beaches.
Flora and fauna: sea cucumbers, many tropical fish and large corals. Sometimes manta rays swim here. They stay close to the edge of the bay and are very tolerant of snorkellers.
What attracts: protected area for scuba diving and snorkeling.
Lembongan Marine Park
Location: Lembongan bay.
Visibility: 10 – 25 m.
Depth: 4 – 12 m.
Diving conditions: calm, sheltered area, the best place for beginner divers. Sometimes there are currents here, which makes the water cold. An amazing place for night diving.
How to get there: 30 – 45 min. on a motor boat.
The relief of the seabed: some attractions are located under the pantone. White sea sand is colored in some places with colored coral deposits. These short reef chains attract beginner divers with their diversity.
Flora and fauna: cuttlefish, octopuses, triggerfish and stingrays have chosen the sandy slopes as their home.
What attracts: colorful reefs, available for beginner divers and for repetition courses.
blue corner
Location: Nusa Lembongan East.
Visibility: 10 – 30 m.
Depth: 7 – 40 m.
Diving Conditions: There can be very strong currents. Dangerous tides and currents from neighboring islands make this place unpredictable. Recommended for advanced divers. It can be very cold, don’t forget to wear an insulating lining.
How to get there: 30 – 45 min. on a motor boat.
The relief of the seabed: the bottom begins to sink somewhere from 12 meters. The multi-colored reef, located near the surface, is home to many fish. The reef ends abruptly near a steep wall at an entrance of up to 40 meters before the slope begins again.
Flora and fauna: rays, large black stingrays, sharks and sunfish.
What attracts: fish-sun, large inhabitants of the seabed.
Sakenan
Coral reef in front of the temple on the shore of Lembongan Island, a great place for drift diving. At a depth of 5-10 meters in coral gardens, you can see schools of reef fish, and going deeper – hard corals. The water here is warm, 28-30 °C, and visibility is good.
Terrain and conditions: The site is located along Lembongan Island. The bottom topography is flat and there are many coral gardens and single corals. Gentle currents that allow you to swim with almost no effort. The water is mostly warm – (+26-30).
Flora and Fauna: starfish, moray eels, colorful nudibranch clams, schools of large and small fish, many small colorful fish.
Often found: shrimp, turtles, octopuses, stone fish, dog fish.
Road: from the hotel to Sanur (where the dive center and port are located) – 20-40 minutes, By speedboat to the site – 30 minutes.
Ceningan Wall – The wall of a large reef off Ceningan Island, adorned with soft and flat corals in abundance. You should dive here at the end of the tide. The water temperature rarely exceeds 25°C.
Sekolah Dasar, or simply SD – a large coral reef, stretches from the east, from the buoy, to the west, to the pier. Reef sharks, sunfish and sometimes even manta rays are found here. SD is considered the best spot for drift diving in Bali.
Diving: from a boat or yacht.
Depth: 10-40 m
Relief and conditions: sandy bottom, many colorful corrals, coral gardens. Sometimes there are gentle currents, the water is mostly warm (+27-30).
Flora and fauna: starfish, moray eels, colorful nudibranch clams, schools of large and small fish, many small colorful fish.
Bali hai
Diving: from a boat or yacht
Depth: 5-10 m.
Relief and conditions: sandy bottom, single corrals. There are almost never currents. The water is mostly warm – (+27-30). Near the pontoon of an Australian company that organizes boat trips and holidays on a large Bali Hai catamaran.
Always: flocks of small colorful fish, tuna, starfish.
Often found: shrimp, nudibranch molluscs, moray eels.
Road: By speedboat or yacht to the site – 30 minutes.