Bali offers excellent scuba diving at many different dive sites. From the clear waters and steep walls in Menjangan and strange critters in Gilimanuk to the famous world war II wreck in Tulamben, and the fierce currents and cold waters in Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. Dive sites are easily reached, visibility is usually good and the corals and fishlife very diverse.
Bali is one of the most under rated dive destinations in Indonesia, often being over-looked by divers because of its touristy image but underwater life in Bali is astonishingly rich. It is often assumed, that you have to travel to far away places for the best diving, but isolation often also means an impoverished fauna, because for the animals it is also difficult to reach these places! Bali is ideally positioned in the Indonesian Throughflow (Arus Lintas Indonesia), a massive flow of water that passes from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean and deposits planktonic larvae in the waters around Bali. This results in a very high diversity of species.
The island of Bali is shaped by volcanoes: Gunung Agung (3142m - last large eruption in 1963-64), Gunung Abang, Gunung Batur (with a caldera lake - look at the description by the directorate of volcanology, Indonesia) in the Northeast, and Lesong and Batukau in the center of Bali, and Gunung Patas in the west. Most of these volcanoes are still active and have produced a rich, black soil. Underwater you will also notice the black volcanic sand at many places and there are several places in Bali with hot springs.
Bali lies right west of the Wallace Line (named after the naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace who explored the islands between 1854 and 1862). This line runs between Bali and Lombok, extending north between Kalimantan (Borneo) and Sulawesi. Click here for more information and a map of Wallacea (transition zone between Asian and Australian flora and fauna).
Bali is a very touristy place and most tourists come for the sightseeing and just do a few dives on the side. This makes for a lot of beginners or holiday-divers. Please notice, that some of the dive sites such as on Lembongan and Nusa Penida have strong currents and require some experience!
In Kuta, Legian and Sanur you will find a lot of dive operators, that offer daytrips to all dive sites on Bali. However at some places (Tulamben, Menjangan, Lembongan) it is of advantage to stay overnight and be the first diving there in the morning!
I recommend the excellent book "diving Bali" by David Pickell and Wally Siagian (Periplus Action Guides). Descriptions of dive sites with maps etc. Internet: good description by Aquamarine Diving, Kapal Selam Diving Club (Bali dive sites)
Map of Bali with the major dive areas. Click on the names to jump to a particular dive area. Northwest Bali (Menjangan, Gilimanuk, Pemuteran) - South Bali (Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningan, Nusa Lembongan, Sanur, Benoa) - East Bali (Tulamben, Kubu, Amed, Padang Bai, Candi Dasa). Click here for the print version of this map.
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Dive sites around the Daymaniyat Islands, Kharabah, Fahal in Oman (maps, descriptions) - print version |
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Galapagos islands: center Galapagos, north Galapagos, southeast Galapagos, west Galapagos |
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Tauchplätze | Indonesien allgemein - Bali - Bali Nord - Bali Ost - Bali Süd - Bunaken - Bangka - Manado- Lembeh |
Informations-Seiten | |
Druckversion Karten | Indonesien (Strömungen und Wallace Linie) - Klima-Karte Indonesien - Bali Tauchplätze - Lembeh Tauchplätze - Bunaken und Manado Tauchplätze - Karte der Tauchplätze in den Galapagos - Druckversion |
Druckversion Texte | Indonesien allgemein - Bali Nord - Bali Ost - Bali Süd - Bunaken - Bangka - Manado - Lembeh |
Spezielle Themen | Grundsätze zur Berichterstattung über Tauchgebiete |