Scuba diving in Bali: everything you need to know

Are you thinking about the prospect of scuba diving, exploration of majesty underwater? Bali is one of the first places that comes to mind. And it is right!

With an abundance of beaches offering breathtaking views and plenty of friendly marine life, you're sure to have a fantastic time here. But when there is something to offer, how should you choose?

Don't worry because we've rounded up the best spots and all the extra information for snorkeling in Bali!

Best Scuba Diving Spots in Bali

Some of the best scuba dives are Tulamben, Candidasa and Amed Beach in east Bali; Menjangan Beach and Pemuteran Bay to the west; Puri Jati in the north and Nusa Penida in the south.

1. Tulamben Beach

A coastal village in eastern Bali, Tulamben Beach is hugely popular with divers. It offers excellent visibility throughout the year with dive sites that cater to intermediate and advanced divers.

With a high chance of spotting dolphins, octopuses, sunfish and even sea turtles, this is a great place for marine photographers too.

The USAT Liberty shipwreck is the main attraction in Tulamben, Bali's coveted snorkeling destination.

A cargo ship that was shot down by a Japanese submarine torpedo during World War II is 30m (nearly 100 feet) deep in the ocean after unsuccessful attempts by the US and the Netherlands to tow it to a seaport.

You will surely enjoy swimming through the shipwrecks and marveling at the colorful corals that have made it their home. During the peak season, almost 100 divers visit this site in one day. Tulamben can be reached via a 3-hour transfer from Kuta or Sanur, so we recommend staying here for one night.

2. Candidasa Beach

This beautiful beach in east Bali offers many dive sites on the small islands off its coast, namely Gili Tepekong, Gili Selang, Gili Mimpang and Gili Biaha.

Despite the warm temperatures in Indonesia, this beach is one of the few dive sites in Bali where the water can freeze.

The most popular diving site in Candidasa is Amuk Bay and Canyon. Strong currents have resulted in low coral growth here, but marine life such as shards and snappers continues to be found here.

The topography includes black basaltic rocks that contrast with the clear ocean water. Due to the strong currents, this dive site is ideal for experienced divers only.

You can get to Candidasa by boat Jukung, a traditional wooden Indonesian yacht.

3. Amed Beach

Approximately 25 km from Tulamben, Amed Beach is famous among diving enthusiasts. It was once famous for its traditional salt-making, when sea water was poured into hollowed-out coconut tree trunks to dry in the sun, after which farmers collected white salt crystals.

Today, this beach has a huge number of divers eager to explore the seaside village of Jemeluk Bay. Among avid snorkellers and divers, the view of Jemeluk Bay with Mount Agung in the background is iconic.

Smaller fishing boats continue to operate in the shallow areas of this bay resulting in low coral life and some pollution, but the best areas go further into the ocean.

In these places, you can see schools of fish such as snow-white males, emperor angelfish and sea tang fish.

The Amed Bed has a variety of hotels, such as Santai Hotel Amed and Arya Amed Beach Resort, as well as places to stay for budget travelers.

4 Menjangan Island

This island is a protected nature reserve, which is considered part of the national park of western Bali. It takes its name from the locally rare Javanese deer, "Menjangan".

Covering almost 4,000 hectares, it can be reached by boat and you will need a diving permit on this island, which can be obtained for about 200 rupees from the park office. It's worth it, as snorkeling on the island allows you to see beautiful shallow reefs along with the "temple wall" of the colorful reef.

The seabed has an eel garden and the popular "kapal budak" (anchored wreck), which is an abandoned boat nearly 6-8m (20-25ft) below the surface.

At this place, where you can swim in a calm environment, you will see a frog, a bat.

5. Puri Jati

This northern Bali snorkeling spot can be found on the outskirts of Seririt village. It boasts warm water of 27-30 degrees throughout the year and smooth, calm waves, making it ideal for beginner divers.

Puri Jati has a gentle sandy slope 50 meters from the beach, where you can see shrimp, lionfish and seaweed-covered wrecks.

It is a popular destination for divers and photographers who travel from all over the world in search of the famous mimic octopus, which mimics other creatures as a defense mechanism.

Unfortunately, Puri Jati does not have a lush coral reef, but Zen Reef is just 100 meters away. This reef has beautiful black sand and colorful coral at its deepest point of almost 20m (65ft).

The place is still popular with fishermen, so we advise you to bring fishing nets.

6 Pemuteran Bay

Pemuteran Bay is home to the world's largest artificial reef project. This 2 ha site is a marine protected area.

The snorkeling here in Bali has calm waves all year round as well as more challenging and deeper spots, so it caters to divers of all levels.

Pemuteran Bay's main attraction is the artificial reef garden where you can explore shrines and statues of goddesses. On the sea floor almost 36 m (almost 120 feet) below the surface of the water, you will find lobsters and marine life.

Pemuteran Bay not only offers beautiful diving sites, but also gives you the opportunity to go sea hunting!

7 Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida, located in the south of Bali, is best suited for experienced divers. Due to its location where the waters meet the Indian Ocean at Lombok Strait, it faces strong currents throughout the year.

This is a great place to see manta rays, while Crystal Bay, although not too deep, is interesting due to strong currents.

Another unique snorkeling spot is an underwater cave at a depth of 30 meters that loses its light as you pass through, but at the other end you will encounter hundreds of bats.

In Nusa Penida you may encounter different types of sharks such as cat sharks, sharp black tips or in some cases hammerhead sharks!

There are not many diving resorts or tourist infrastructure in Nusa Penida itself, but many boats ply here daily.

The best time for scuba diving in Bali

As with most Southeast Asian countries, the best time to visit Bali and enjoy snorkeling is from June to November, before the monsoon winds kick in.

After that, from December to February (and sometimes March) Bali sees heavy rains. The streets become wet and muddy, markets often close, and in the event of dives, visibility drops dramatically.

These months are considered off-season in Indonesia. However, some enthusiastic divers continue to visit the site during this time to take advantage of off-season prices at dive centers and hotels.

In terms of temperature, Bali boasts warm temperatures throughout the year. Even in the cold months of December and January, the temperature remains at 25-29 degrees.

So if you love a warm, pleasant dive in crystal clear waters, then Bali is a great place to visit, especially during the summer months of July to November.

Bali has good visibility in the water with an average of 10 to 50 meters, especially during peak diving season.

Scuba Diving Budget in Bali

As with any activity, scuba diving has several pay levels. Based on this, you can take advantage of certain packages from various dive centers in Bali.

For beginners looking to try their hand at diving for the first time, there are single dive offers ranging from $25 to $35 (INR 1,800 - INR 2,500).

If you want to take a professional diving certification course, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) offers many certification courses for different ages and specialties.

PADI centers can be found in Bali where you can take an open water course for $275 - $290 (19,000 INR - 20,000 INR) and advanced courses for $265 - $275 ( INR 18,000 - INR 19,000).

With enough experience, you can try the PADI Divemaster courses for US$800 (INR 55,000).

Scuba Diving Centers in Bali

Being a major diving center in Asia, Bali has many dive centers. Over the past few decades, these centers have become home to many experienced divers, almost all of whom are PADI certified.

Some of the best dive centers you should consider: Tulamben Dive Center, Joe Dive, CV Bottle's Up, Blue Dive Bali, AquaMarine Dive, Paradise Tulamben Dive, Dive World Indonesia, Dive Manta Manta, Dive Indonesia Paradise, Dive Mimpi Center , Legend Diving, Orca Dive Club Bali and PADI No Fear Diving.

Their price includes the necessary diving equipment such as regulators, air sensors, masks, fins, and sometimes even cameras for your adventures.

You can rent equipment daily or weekly according to your requirements.

When choosing a diving center, do not consider the cheapest option. Instead, you should ask a lot of questions at the dive center about courses, dive sites, safety regulations, and diver experience.

You will be much happier with a well trained diving team at a higher price. Live centers do their best to ensure your safety in the water, but still be careful.

Be sure to consider diving insurance before embarking on an underwater journey!

More Tips for Scuba Diving in Bali

• There are some common medical problems associated with scuba diving such as dehydration and sunburn. Make sure to take proper precautions.
• Be sure to listen carefully to the instructions before diving. Most injuries (and in some cases death) are the result of diver error, which can be easily avoided if one is careful.
• In terms of the general fear that you'll run out of air, it's best to remember that this can happen, but with time and experience, you'll learn to check your pressure gauge regularly. As for emergencies, other divers often have additional mouth regulators to share air until you reach the surface.
• The best snorkeling spots in Bali for beginners are Amed Beach and Menjangan due to the weak currents in the water. For advanced divers, Candidasa and Nusa Penida offer an interesting getaway.
• Even if you had a good dive on a given day, don't move on to more difficult dive sites without sufficient experience or instructor approval. God saves man, who save himself!

Scuba diving in Bali can be scary for some, thrilling for others, but as an adventure sport, it's definitely something to try at least once in a lifetime.

Choose the right dive center, dive site and packages based on your budget, experience and interest and you are guaranteed to have a great time in one of the most beautiful places in the world!