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Dive sites

Menjangan Island

Menjangan Island was one of the most remarkable diving spots in Southeast Asia.Nevertheless, dynamite and cyanide fishing, the proliferation of the Crown of thorns starfish, and coral bleaching due to El Niño global warming, have impacted the reefs located at shallow depths, up to 15 m. Since Menjangan has been protected by the marine reserve, the corals are regenerating. The shelf extends up to 15 m, then the drop off drops from 25 m to 65 m, with overhangs, crevices, and caves. Incredible biodiversity has developed there, with gorgonians, corals, soft corals, sponges where crinoid cling. Pelagic fish are rarer than small and medium-sized fish, as the island is protected from thermoclines, the cold currents that are quite common in the north-east of Bali.

On the western slope of Menjangan, Eel Garden is accessible to all divers, as the current varies from nil to moderate, with visibility ranging from 15 to 30 m. It is a spot with the largest gorgonians in Bali. From 5 to 12 m, spreads out a coral garden of a rare lushness, with anemones and their orange clownfish, turtles, frogfish, and long-nosed hawksbill fish. At a depth of 20 to 12 m, a carpet of several dozen garden eels undulates upright. The drop-off drops down to 35 meters, turning into a white sand slope with a magnificent luminosity, where white-tip sharks maraud.The wall of Underwater Cave drops to 40 meters and a cave located at 12 meters deep, sometimes shelters white tip sharks.

Bat Cave is a real bat cave, located at the top of a 40 meters deep drop, where the white tip and blacktip reef sharks pass through. Immerse yourself at Mangrove Point, close to the mangroves with aerial roots. A slope starts at a depth of 5 to 40 meters. Look for the pink pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) in the gorgonians. Stroll at POS 1, above a sandy bottom between 3 and 30 meters. The small creatures are much sought-after by macro enthusiasts. The magnificent drop of Dream Wall is covered with gorgonians.

Anchor Wreck is the anchor of a ferry that lies at a depth of 6 meters. Follow the chain for about 30 meters, you descend along a drop-off to a second coral-covered anchor at 32 m. The launch at Temple Wall is in front of Ganesh Temple overlooking Menjangan Island.Beginner divers follow the sandy track, the more experienced divers drop down along the drop off to 40 meters. Coral Garden abounds in pink, blue, white hard corals with shapes of deer horns, fingers, and table Acropora, between 5 and 40 meters. The Sandy Slope sandy drop-off is covered with a coral patch, up to 30 meters.

At the southeastern end of Menjangan Island, in front of the park's surveillance post, POS 2 is considered the most beautiful drop-off in Bali, widely acclaimed by photographers. Make a nice drift dive thanks the moderate to strong current. You will feel dizzy in front of this intense blue, above this wall studded with giant gorgonians and whose crevices are lined with soft corals, knowing that there is a depth of 60 m or more under yours fins. Sometimes manta rays and molas appear here because of the cold thermoclines rising from the depths. Finish your walk in a coral garden between 6 and 12 m, among angelfish, red-toothed triggerfish, and damselfish.

Permuteran

On the Pemuteran side, the sites are also within the reach of all divers. Permuteran is popular for setting up the Indonesian coral conservation and protection project, Biorock, which can be reached from the beach. Metal sculptures and statues are supplied with low-voltage power to encourage coral development. The visit of Tankad Jaran, Biowreck, takes place in the same spirit. A coral potato stands between 3 and 15 meters deep next to these famous metal structures. With a departure from the beach, Pemuteran Reef is the ideal place for a night and twilight dives, between 3 and 15 meters with shrimps, crabs, and mandarin fish.

Garden of the Gods, Underwater Temple, and Temple Garden, conceal Balinese Hindu statues reaching up to 30 meters deep, positioned there to observe coral regrowth. Deep Reef is the only deep dive site, from 20 to 40 meters, at Pemuteran. The visibility is lower than elsewhere but the underwater life is very active. Between 12 and 25 meters deep, Middle Reef is an enchantment for the eyes with superb corals and small yellow, red and blue coral fauna. Macro Jetty is a remarkable muck diving spot, especially at night with cuttlefish, octopus, shrimps, and nudibranchs, between 3 and 15 meters. At dusk, look for pairs of mandarin fish (Synchiropus splendidus). Napoleon Reef, a very extensive site, is covered with colorful hard and soft coral, between 10 and 30 meters deep. Nearby, Close Encounter is a beautiful coral reef where blacktip reef sharks can be seen depending on the season.

Secret Bay

Secret Bay is a unique macro and muck diving site in northwest Bali, attracting experienced divers and photographers from all over the world.At the entrance to Secret Bay, the channel is shallow, devoid of fixed corals, with the edges rolled by the power of plankton-laden waters from the Strait of Java. The water temperature is colder here at 25°C than anywhere else in Bali. Secret Bay is a no-man's land where juvenile fish, mollusks, and crustaceans are sheltered from predators. Inside the bay, the underwater landscape appears, at first glance, gloomy with calm, current-free water and a bottom composed of black sand, mud, detritus, grass, and algae specific to muck diving.

This dark scenery is ideal to highlight in the photos, the incredible orange, red, white, yellow, pink, and blue liveries of these small creatures, nudibranchs, angelfish, damselfish, gobies, seahorses, pipefish batfish. At the end of the day, surprise the wedding dances of the mandarin fish (Synchiropus splendidus). Observe the very graceful Cardinalfish of Banggai, or Kaudern Apogon (Pterapogon kauderni), native to Sulawesi.Be careful not to put the mud in suspension with a too sharp palm stroke! Being at ease with its buoyancy is a priority on this site which is only accessible to experienced divers. The best time to dive here is at the rising tide, whatever the time of day. During slack water, visibility can reach 10 to 15 m. Night diving is exceptional.

Puri Jati

Located between Lovina and Menjangan, Puri Jati is a famous dive site where experienced divers, amateurs of macro, muck diving, and photography are happy to go. PJ can be reached from the black sand beach extending underwater. The bottom, made up of mud and volcanic rocks, is devoid of corals, sponges, and gorgonians. At first glance, the site does not look very attractive. However, you will discover incredible creatures... with shrimps, crabs, blue-ringed octopus, mimetic octopus, seahorses, pipefish, toadfish, pegasus fish, ghost pipefish, dragonflies, nudibranchs, and heterocongers. A diving holiday on the north coast of Bali is ideal from April to November.

Others Activities

Snorkeling and yoga are done together in some resorts that offer interesting packages. Excursions are organized at night or at dawn to see the blue flames coming out of the active volcano Ijen, especially on Kawah Ijen, located on the east side of the island of Java. Nicknamed the Green Crater, sulfur ore is extracted from its crater, which is also home to the world's most acidic lake.

The Hindu culture of Bali is reflected in the worship of the gods, in the thousands of temples of the island, with rituals, processions, dances, and offerings. A visit to some of these temples is, therefore, a must. In the mountains of Buleleng, a steep, easy and marked trail arrives in 20 minutes to a first waterfall quite high, flowing into a turquoise basin, in the middle of exuberant tropical vegetation. Stairs carved into the cliff lead to another small waterfall, with its basin below.

Excursions to the Taman Nasional Bali Barat, located in the northwest of Bali, give rise to the observation of wild flora and fauna, including endemic birds. Rafting trips are organized on the Ayung River for incredible sensations. The transparent kayak has multiple functions: viewing the bottom of the sea, paddling, and using it as a paddle.

Balinese cooking classes are given in Permutéran, to learn how to make the local soup as well as the pepes ikan a dish of fish and local vegetables, and the dadar bali, rice pancakes with grated coconut. At the end of the preparation, you test what you have made.

Permuteran, Bali : Dive shops