of the most popular dives are on the island’s northwest tip. The Anchor Wreck lies just off the reef edge in 40–50 meters. The wreck is coated with hard corals and gorgonian fans and swarmed by snappers, sweetlips and wrasse. Because it lies on a deep sand slope, few guides would take recreational divers there. Instead, most stop at the beautifully encrusted anchor before heading off along the reef.
The point itself is a magnificent dive, popular with photographers for the vast fields of garden eels. Divers enter further eastward along the wall, gently finning because there is rarely a current stronger than mild towards the point. The reef is healthy here, with very little damage to the table corals and hard corals. Near the point, the wall becomes enveloped in large purple gorgonian fans. Most divers choose to stay in the shallows here, where deserts of sand and extraordinarily healthy patch reefs extend southward.
—Kal Muller/David Espinosa/Sarah Ann Wormald
Padang Bai and Candidasa
Spectacular Dives on East Bali’s Offshore Reefs
Access 20–30 minutes by small outboard
Current Variable; poor to very good; 6–22 meters
Reef type Can be extremely strong—more than 5 knots and very tricky. Cold water
Highlights Excellent coverage and variety
Visibility Steep coral walls; underwater canyon
Coral Abundant and varied
Fish Tepekong’s Canyon, good chance to see pelagics; Biaha’s complex wall
Amuk Bay is 6 km across and located south of Bali’s easternmost point. North of Padang Bai is the Blue Lagoon, a trove of marine life. Two sites—Mimpang and Tepekong—outside the bay, Biaha to the north and Gili Selang on Bali’s northeast tip also offer breathtaking diving.
The small islands of Mimpang, Tepekong and Biaha are surrounded by healthy low-lying reefs and are swept at times by torrential currents that bring in nutrients, accounting for the diversity. The upwelling of very cold water from the deep basin south of Bali brings with it some stunning marine life.
The currents from the Lombok Strait require care and respect as they create unpredictable water movements. But at these unprotected sites you’ll find a decent number and great diversity of fish, sharks and frequent pelagic visitors set against a backdrop of craggy black walls with beautiful healthy corals and often superb visibility.
You must have a guide who has a great deal of experience in the area. While the sites may be diveable, they are small, and if the current is too fast your dive may be finished in only five minutes.
Padang Bai features white sand beaches and, of course, the famous Blue Lagoon.
BLUE LAGOON
Accessed usually by small jukung from nearby Candidasa or Padang Bai, sites here are worth the ride. While the topography is not spectacular, the variety of fish and critter life can be amazing. On any one dive, expect stonefish, moray and blue ribbon eels, nudibranchs, rays, squid and octopus and leaf scorpionfish in every hue. On lucky days, Napoleon wrasse and reef sharks are also possible.
This is a site used for courses and snorkelers because visibility in the protected bay is typically 15–20 meters. When timed correctly, conditions can be undemanding.
MIMPANG
Also known as Batu Tiga (Three Rocks), the site is part of a north–south ridge, with the richer south end (Shark Point) dropping into deeper water. Shark Point offers one of the best chances in Bali to see white tip sharks and, from August through October, the oceanic sunfish (mola mola).
The topography of Mimpang is diverse, with sloping reefs, craggy rocks and walls, all covered in hard and soft corals and gorgonians. Big schools of unicorn-fish and snappers, many blue spotted rays, Napoleon wrasse, moray eels, trumpetfish, bannerfish, butterflyfish and triggerfish swarm here.
Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricate) are an endangered species but are still the most commonly encountered turtle species around Bali.
TEPEKONG AND THE CANYON
This island offers some of Bali’s most spectacular diving: steep walls, The Canyon, cold water and strong currents make this a site for experienced divers. The visibility is very good.
Maximum depth at The Canyon is 40 meters, and if there is no current you can see the dramatic beauty of these stunning walls. However, in the usually swirling current, your view is somewhat obstructed by the schools of sweetlips, snapper and big eyed trevally, bumphead parrotfish, unicornfish, batfish, groupers and possible sharks and other pelagics.
EAST TEPEKONG
Enter on the right and there is an excellent wall, which plunges to depths of 40 plus meters. To the left there is a small coral reef (max. depth 24 meters) with hard, soft and table corals. The marine life is outstanding, with the occasional turtle, tuna, parrotfish, barracuda, angel-fish, scorpionfish and several species of triggerfish. Conditions are generally less difficult here than at the Canyon.
BIAHA
This crescent-shaped rocky island is 4 km from Mimpang and Tepekong and is usually a site for experienced divers. The diving is superb although both the surge and up/down currents can be very strong. Most of the awkward currents are on the northern slope.
There is a beautiful reef around the island, a rocky slope in the north, and a wall in the south, which has waves breaking from above. The inner area of the crescent, on the east side, has a cave where white tip sharks sometimes sleep.
GILI SELANG
To the northeast, the island of Gili Selang features, like all of the exposed sites on the east coast, ripping currents, suitable only for expert divers. However, take the plunge here and be rewarded with a healthy reef slope.
—Annabel Thomas/Sarah Ann Wormald
Secret Bay, Gilimanuk
Much Ado about Something
Access 1 minute shore entry
Current 3–5 meters
Reef type Non-existent to light
Highlights None
Visibility Chocolate-colored sand; lots of garbage
Coral Excellent, for muck divers. Exotic and bizarre
Fish Bobbitt worms, seahorses, frogfish and so much more!
Gilimanuk is one of Bali’s quieter dive spots, but despite its relatively remote location it offers some of Bali’s most interesting diving. Secret Bay in Gilimanuk in northwest Bali
