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NUSA PENIDA
NUSA PENIDA HIGHLIGHT
Scuba diving is viable all year round in Nusa Penida, the peak season is between July to early November. Should you wish to dive with Mola Mola, the season runs from August to late October. The water temperature fluctuates between 18°c – 28°c, ie the water is generally in the lower range from August until October. Visibility is most often excellent during the Mola Mola season and sometimes a less during the rainy season in Bali (January to April).
Fun diving in Nusa Penida is accessible for all levels of divers; with an array of over 20 different Dive sites around the three islands of Nusa Penida, Lembongan and Ceningan, there is something to suit every divers level. Gentle slopes and bays are perfectly suited for less experienced divers, to fast and exciting drift dives for those who enjoy the adrenalin rush!
DIVE SITES AROUND NUSA PENIDA
MANTA POINT
Manta rays can be seen year-round along most of Nusa Penida’s south west coast. This area of coastline has dramatic limestone cliffs that descend straight into the ocean. There’s a sandy bottom at 14-20m+, however the dive site is a gently sloping reef with wall that has a cleaning stations (a large rock) which is the focus of most divers here, is only 6m below the surface where is the mantas queue up to use the services of the cleaner bannerfish and butterflyfish living there.
Reef Manta Rays are the main draw to this dive site is also a lot of fishy action going on here. Sometimes you can see other fish include nurse sharks, white tip/black tip reef sharks, bamboo sharks, wobbegong sharks, turtles and Also Mola (Ocean Sunfish) if it’s on their season.
One of the great things about this dive site is that it’s suitable for non-qualified divers. You don’t have to be a qualified diver to see manta rays at Manta Point.
Level: All levels
Dive access : Speed boat
Current: Zero to moderate
Type of Dive: Wall, coral reef & macro
Temperature: 18-26 degrees
Visibility: 10–30m+
Depth: 5m-30m+
CRYSTAL BAY
Crystal Bay is the best known dive site in Nusa Penida. June to October is the best season for seeing Mola-Mola (Ocean sunfish) The water is clear and cold most of the time, Temperatures vary from 20-28°C as thermoclines are not uncommon here. Visibility is 15-30m+ that’s why it’s called Crystal Bay.
The topography for this site is combination steep slope and drop off. Other marine life you see here is reef sharks, turtles, abundance of fusilier schooling, barracudas, sea snakes,lionfish, nudis, scorpionfish, until macro/muck stuff.
Level: All levels
Dive access : Speed boat
Current: Zero to verry strong
Type of Dive: Wall, coral reef & macro
Temperature: 18-26 degrees
Visibility: 10–30m+
Depth: 5m-30m+
TOYA PAKEH
Located on the island’s north west point, Toyapakeh is one of the best dive sites around Nusa Penida.
This is due to the site being partially protected from the current flowing through Ceningan Channel as well as the good visibility and rich coral.
In addition to the reef, there are some very attractive coral formations with big gorgonians that provide excellent places to find fish and other marinelife.
Starting at 6m, this lovely reef of beautiful soft corals and thriving hard corals gives us clouds of anthias as well as scorpionfish,
moray eels, trumpetfish, puffers, and Giant trevally.
At around 10m, as you drift with the current, you will see bommies with a lot of sweetlips and then schools of fish including jackfish and batfish, with occasional Napoleon wrasse and turtles.Deeper on the slope you may have the chance to see larger pelagics including Mola-Mola.
The current here often heads north east which makes for an easy and pleasant drift dive. That said,
as the currents in shallow water and in deeper water sometimes go in different directions, the direction of your dive can change as you alter your depth.
At slack tide, when there is no current at all, you can stop to see the smaller creatures such as Blue ribbon eels, Orangutan crabs and some nudibranchs.
The current here often heads north east which makes for an easy and pleasant drift dive. That said,
as the currents in shallow water and in deeper water sometimes go in different directions, the direction of your dive can change as you alter your depth.
At slack tide, when there is no current at all, you can stop to see the smaller creatures such as Blue ribbon eels, Orangutan crabs and some nudibranchs.
Level: All levels
Dive access : Speed boat
Current: Zero to moderate
Type of Dive: Drift, coral reef & macro
Temperature: 20-26 degrees
Visibility: 10–30m+
Depth: 5m-30m+
MANGROVE
All year round, north part of Lembongan Island. Gentle slope from 5 to 18 meters. Surrounded by healthy corals,
various fish. Drift dive, suitable for Open water to Advanced Open Water.
Level: All levels
Dive access : Speed boat
Current: Zero to moderate
Type of Dive: Drift, coral reef & macro
Temperature: 22-28 degrees
Visibility: 10–30m+
Depth: 5m- 20m+
SENTAL, PED & SD POINT
These three sites are located on the coral reef that runs the length of Nusa Penida’s north coast and offer great drift diving.
The reef has a lot of soft corals, and also many kinds of fish, such as Moorish idols, sweetlips, lionfish, moray eels, scorpionfish,
White-tip reef sharks and Napoleon wrasse.
The reef (3-25m+) is mainly a steep slope with flattened (by the current) Barrel sponges and, at Ped, areas of Staghorn coral with some
stretches of deep wall (particularly between Ped and Sental). Visibility is usually 18-30m+.
Around 20-25m on this slope there is a good chance of seeing large pelagics (ocean-going fish) eg: Manta and Eagle rays,
White-tip and Black-tip reef sharks, tuna, barracuda, and even Mola-Mola, due to the currents.
Level: All levels
Dive access : Speed boat
Current: Zero to moderate
Type of Dive: Drift, coral reef & macro
Temperature: 22-28 degrees
Visibility: 10–30m+
Depth: 5m-30m+
BLUE CORNER
Blue Corner is located at the end of Nusa Lembongan, and is a very popular drift dive. The topography is drop off combined with steep slope it has pretty soft corals, and where usually you may see barracuda, sharks, Napoleon wrasse, big tuna, Marble rays, Eagle rays, Giant trevally and other marinelife including Mola-Mola (Ocean sunfish).
The current takes you round to the point, “The Corner”, where there is a deep vertical wall, with a convenient overhang at around 25m that provides useful shelter. It is not always possible to reach the corner due to the currents which can be changeable.
Level: Intermediate upwards (Min dive log 30+)
Dive access : Speed boat
Current: Moderate to verry strong
Type of Dive: Drift, coral reef & macro
Temperature: 18-26 degrees
Visibility: 10–30m+
Depth: 10m-30m+
GAMAT BAY
Located on the west coast between Toyapakeh and Crystal Bay, Gamat Bay is quite small but is one of the few dive sites at
Nusa Penida where you don’t have to just ‘go with the flow’ as the bay is quite protected. But, once you head down the
steep slope at the mouth, you are again drift diving.
The bottom of Gamat Bay is mostly sand, coral patches and bommies. There is a profusion of colourful soft corals, with gorgonians and hard corals
(including table corals) everywhere.
These shallow areas are lovely, full of reef fish, some quite rare, commensals, nudibranchs, and could take your whole dive,
particularly if you are a photographer (although it can be surgy). Visibility is usually superb within the bay.
Rich Part of the Slope
The very rich 10-20m part of the slope also has big bommies that provide some protection from the current.
The larger fish life here is fairly diverse with some large specimens of surgeonfish, grouper and unicornfish.
Overhangs and a couple of small caves provide resting places for White-tip reef sharks and turtles (also sometimes seen in the bay itself).
Can be a reliable place for sightings of Mola-Mola in season.
Level: Intermediate upwards (Min dive log 30+)
Dive access : Speed boat
Current: Moderate to verry strong
Type of Dive: Drift, wall, coral reef & macro
Temperature: 18-26 degrees
Visibility: 10–30m+
Depth: 10m-30m+
CENINGAN WALL
Level: Intermediate upwards (Min dive log 30+)
Dive access : Speed boat
Current: Moderate to verry strong
Type of Dive: Drift, wall, coral reef & macro
Temperature: 18-26 degrees
Visibility: 10–30m+
Depth: 10m-30m+
INCLUSIONS:
- Pick up service from and to Hotel
- PADI Divemaster or Instructor
- Towel, snacks, lunch, Soft drinks
- 3 Dives and scuba equipment
ITINERARY:
- We collect you from your hotel around 7:00am
- 45 minutes boat ride to the dive site
- Return to your hotel around 4:00pm
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