Bali Advice

[Woodiver]

We’re in Bali now, just finished up 8 nights at Scuba Seraya. We did five days of diving in the Tulamben area and one day at Nusa Penida. While we were at Scuba Seraya, we had our own guide for the whole time, we could decide what time we wanted to dive and based on what we wanted to see, the guide picked the sites. Our package included two boat dives per day and if you wanted to shore dive, Seraya Secrets is 20 feet from the dive shop. The boat dives were nice, we didn’t have to schlep gear or hire porters. It was nice to be resort based rather than being on a dive safari, finish a dive take a shower, change clothes and have something to eat. Next to Scuba Seraya one of the dive safari groups uses the area to stage diving at Seraya Secrets so most days there were groups of people sitting around in their wetsuits waiting for the next dive.
Regarding dive sites, the wreck is best done very early in the day, some were going as early as 6:45 to be the first ones on the site. We went at 8:00 both days we did the site, the jacks were still there but the bumphead’s were long gone. The one site we didn’t want to do again was the Drop Off, poor vis and not much to see. Others staying at the resort had similar opinions regarding the Drop Off. Coral Gardens is next to the wreck and has nice cleaning stations, numerous leaf scorpion fish and is a mix of muck and patch coral, this is only site other than Seraya Secrets that we repeated. For coral sites we liked Batu Kelebit, Batu Beleh and Bunatan Village. All of these sites are within 10 minutes by boat. Seraya Secrets is a muck dive so the focus is on small critters and most people are totally reliant on the eyes of their guide. Since this is the house reef, all of the Scuba Seraya guides know where everything hides out.
You may want to reconsider the trip to Nusa Penida from Sanur if the boat departs from Padang Bai. The road from Sanur to Padang Bai is under construction and traffic sucks. When we dove Nusa Penida, the trip to Padang Bai took about 1:15 minutes from Tulamben, from Sanur it will take longer. Also be sure to take extra rubber for Nusa Penida, water temp’s in Tulamben were warm, 86-87’ but Nusa Penida temp’s were around 76’ and are usually cooler in a couple of months.

 

[Mooseman1007]

Thanks for the heads up Woodiver, especially for the Penida trip, it just adds more weight to our thought of doing it from SS, not only will we feel at ease with the divemaster/guide but it will be less hassle too...bonus. Just hope the traffic isnt a problem on the way back to the airport on our return or we may be stuck on Bali...shucks!!!

 

[Woodiver]

Thanks for the heads up Woodiver, especially for the Penida trip, it just adds more weight to our thought of doing it from SS, not only will we feel at ease with the divemaster/guide but it will be less hassle too...bonus. Just hope the traffic isnt a problem on the way back to the airport on our return or we may be stuck on Bali...shucks!!!

The drive time between Tulamben and Scuba Seraya was a little longer on the trip going to the south. The person we use for booking travel, who lived in Bali for a number of years, highly recommended allowing extra time for transport to the airport. You never know when there will be a celebration or a funeral which may block the road for an unknown period of time. North of Candi Dasi roads are narrow by US standards so most of the time your driver is either in the oncoming lane or straddling the center line so if there is a something happening it will delay you travels. The transport time from Tulamben to Kuta was more than 3 ½ hours, we left Tulamben at 1pm and arrived in Kuta after 4:30 and this was going against the traffic flow, traffic going north appeared to be much slower.
Regarding doing Nusa Penida from Scuba Seraya, it was done very well. They keep a staff dive guide to arrange the logistics for trips to Nusa Penida. We left Scuba Seraya at 7:45 and were back by 3:00. We were the only ones on the boat besides the boat crew and the driver.

 

[Tortuga68]

the wreck is best done very early in the day, some were going as early as 6:45 to be the first ones on the site. We went at 8:00 both days we did the site, the jacks were still there but the bumphead’s were long gone

Night dive just after sundown is also great, bumpheads are usually back by then too. Otherwise earlier is the better, great lighting when the sun is low and also you'll be on it before the vans (and divers) arrive from Amed etc

 

[Mooseman1007]

Looks like we will just have to get our relaxation done before arriving in Seraya, cos it sounds like it may well be a case of as many dives as I can fit into 6 days
Any suggestions for addons to my Fuji F100 compact? I can add 67mm wet lenses with the adapter, but which ones are best. Similarly I can add a cheap(ish) strobe like the Fantasea nano. Dont know if I can stretch to both though as the bill for the holiday has just come through the letterbox....ouch. If i have to choose which is more important for diving in this area....macro lens or strobe. Would a red filter (URpro or Magic Filter) help to overcome the lack of strobe? So many decisions and not enough cash
Thanks for all the advice guys (and girls!!)

 

[Woodiver]

Some compact camera's produce some wonderful shots with just using the internal flash for macro work, get close and then closer to reduce the water column. You won't need filters for macro. Tulamben is mainly macro, although there are some wide angle sites. Save our money until you can pay for a strobe that you want to keep long term. Just my two cents....

 

[xariatay]

Looks like we will just have to get our relaxation done before arriving in Seraya, cos it sounds like it may well be a case of as many dives as I can fit into 6 days
Any suggestions for addons to my Fuji F100 compact? I can add 67mm wet lenses with the adapter, but which ones are best. Similarly I can add a cheap(ish) strobe like the Fantasea nano. Dont know if I can stretch to both though as the bill for the holiday has just come through the letterbox....ouch. If i have to choose which is more important for diving in this area....macro lens or strobe. Would a red filter (URpro or Magic Filter) help to overcome the lack of strobe? So many decisions and not enough cash
Thanks for all the advice guys (and girls!!)

Yes, I would recommend a wet lens. Really useful for the pygmy seahorses! Harlequin Shrimps (we saw 2 at Batu Niti) & the other critters e.g nudibranches & other shrimps!

 

[Mooseman1007]

Oh well....its only money I suppose, funny the wet lens is only fractionally cheaper than the cases themselves...Madness !!. Now to choose....Inon, Fantasea or other...

 

[xariatay]

Oh well....its only money I suppose, funny the wet lens is only fractionally cheaper than the cases themselves...Madness !!. Now to choose....Inon, Fantasea or other...

My UN macro lens cost abt US$100 if my memory serves me well still. I have no regrets. U can still use the marco lens, if u decide to change to another P&S camera. I think if u get the Inon one, could always put it up for resale if u don't like it or just get a 2nd hand one (which is not very ez to come by in S'pore)...