Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Apr–Nov · Moderate current · 19–29°C (coldest Sep, warmest Jan)
- Current
- Moderate
- Water temperature
- 19–29°C (coldest Sep, warmest Jan)
- Visibility
- 10–30m: Commonly 15-30m in the dry season (April-November); Menjangan's walls can exceed 30m at their clearest around October-November.
- Experience
- Bali proper is beginner-friendly.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | occasional |
| July | peak season |
| August | peak season |
| September | peak season |
| October | peak season |
| November | occasional |
| December | rare |
The Mola.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Reliable year-round at Manta Point's cleaning and feeding stations, Nusa Penida; feeding aggregations are more common in the cooler months (roughly June-October).
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
A resident school lives on and around the USAT Liberty at Tulamben and is often seen at dawn before day-trippers arrive.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Seen on the reefs and walls across Bali, including Menjangan and Tulamben.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
Amed (macro and muck)
A string of easy bays northeast of Tulamben, good for macro hunting on black sand and a relaxed shore-dive base.
3–25m · Mild current
Gili Mimpang (Padang Bai)
Also called Batu Tiga, a rocky pinnacle group off Padang Bai with reliable reef sharks and occasional mola in the cold season.
5–30m · Strong current
Menjangan Wall (West Bali)
In West Bali National Park, Menjangan offers sheltered wall diving with strong visibility and little current, a contrast to the Penida sites.
5–40m · Mild current
See all 4 dive sites
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsModerate. Fly to DPS. Typical trip $–$$.
Route overview
Moderate
Reachable but with some friction: a 2.5h overland transfer.
Airport options
DPS
Ngurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar)
Bali's only airport; direct international and domestic flights, then a road transfer to the dive base (Sanur, Tulamben, Amed or the west)
Typical trip cost
$–$$
under $2,000 to $2,000–4,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- Land-based and budget-friendly.
- Two-dive fun-dive packages run roughly IDR 2.
- 4-2.
- 9M (about $150-180): Tulamben around IDR 2.
- 4M, Amed IDR 2.
- 56M, Padang Bai and Nusa Penida around IDR 2.
- 72M, Gili Islands IDR 2.
- 88M.
- Nusa Penida marine-park fee is about IDR 100,000 and Menjangan about IDR 200,000 weekday / 300,000 weekend, both extra.
- A week of guided diving plus modest accommodation comfortably lands under $2k per person excluding flights; higher-end resorts push it into the $$ band.