Bali - Candidasa / Padang Bai or Nusa Lembongan with family

[Rock Hopper]

If you have the option, consider the other side of Amed and Jemluk Bay (Amed is a 12k strip in reality) . The snorkelling is very good. Lots of varied places to stay, good eateries and the further restaurants (Sails, Gusto, Galanga) are contactable via WhatsApp and will usually send a car to pick you up (free). If you want the Instagram sunset shot them a drink at Blue Earth is a must.

Plenty of good dive shops (we use Adventure Divers Bali).

Not sure if we are allowed to mention other forums but I found the Bali/Amed TripAdvisor forum to be very useful.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

Japanese wreck is actually quite boring. At least the wreck itself is. However to the left of the wreck is where you find amazing coral, sponges and wonderful marine life.

 

[Luko]

Japanese wreck is actually quite boring. At least the wreck itself is. However to the left of the wreck is where you find amazing coral, sponges and wonderful marine life.

Hummm, When you dive the JW, the classic way is start on the wreck buoy then swim and come back left side for more than 50 minutes. The wreck itseld is just a buoy, where you spend 5 minutes, hard to say 5 minutes is "boring"

I always wonder why Amed dive centers dont know more about the JW (probably that's why I am reluctant diving with them, as they prefer to send cattlebuses of divers to the competely destroyed Jemeluk dive site)... but the best site is RIGHT handside 200m off the wreck past a large sandy area but only few guides will take you there.

Secondly, on a night dive the JW is the best macro site in Amed, you should ask Nico (ex Baliku dive center, THE specialist of the JW) to take you there.

pls spread the word it's BORING so next time I will be going there will be no divers around me... yeah yeah... lol

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

Hummm, When you dive the JW, the classic way is start on the wreck buoy then swim and come back left side for more than 50 minutes. The wreck itseld is just a buoy, where you spend 5 minutes, hard to say 5 minutes is "boring"

I always wonder why Amed dive centers dont know more about the JW (probably that's why I am reluctant diving with them, as they prefer to send cattlebuses of divers to the competely destroyed Jemeluk dive site)... but the best site is RIGHT handside 200m off the wreck past a large sandy area but only few guides will take you there.

Secondly, on a night dive the JW is the best macro site in Amed, you should ask Nico (ex Baliku dive center, THE specialist of the JW) to take you there.

pls spread the word it's BORING so next time I will be going there will be no divers around me... yeah yeah... lol

First off, we don't do cattle buses as you say. Also, Jemeluk Bay is not a site I prefer to go to unless I am teaching.

As for how to dive the site, thanks for that information. I would have never known that, I only live here. Had you read what I posted, I said the wreck itself is boring, not the entire bay in that area.

Plus, there are many dive centers that sell that dive as a wreck dive and not a small part of a longer dive like you have said. You also generalize all centers in Amed and generalizations are dangerous and misleading.

As for the best macro site in Amed, as with any "best of" , it is subjective. However many guides and divers will tell you that there are much better macro sites than the JW such as Melasti. But if you want the best macro Bali has to offer, you go to Tulamben to sites such as Melasti Tulamben, Sidem, Seraya Secrets and a few more I won't mention here.

Oh and just a small note, technically the JW is not in Amed. To make it easier for tourists, it is stated as being in Amed but it is technically in the village called Banyuning. Many refer to the 14 villages up and down the coast as Amed but the locals will tell you differently. The more you know.

 

[Luko]

First off, we don't do cattle buses as you say. Also, Jemeluk Bay is not a site I prefer to go to unless I am teaching.

As for how to dive the site, thanks for that information. I would have never known that, I only live here. Had you read what I posted, I said the wreck itself is boring, not the entire bay in that area.

Plus, there are many dive centers that sell that dive as a wreck dive and not a small part of a longer dive like you have said. You also generalize all centers in Amed and generalizations are dangerous and misleading.

As for the best macro site in Amed, as with any "best of" , it is subjective. However many guides and divers will tell you that there are much better macro sites than the JW such as Melasti. But if you want the best macro Bali has to offer, you go to Tulamben to sites such as Melasti Tulamben, Sidem, Seraya Secrets and a few more I won't mention here.

Oh and just a small note, technically the JW is not in Amed. To make it easier for tourists, it is stated as being in Amed but it is technically in the village called Banyuning. Many refer to the 14 villages up and down the coast as Amed but the locals will tell you differently. The more you know.

Well, the information you first gave "JW is boring", "left part" etc. didn't sound like you've been diving the spot extensively. It's not because you LIVE there (you should have mentioned since less than 6 months) that you know all about everything. (btw I could also say I've been diving eastern Bali long before you even got certified, everybody can brag something you see, but in the end the only thing that counts in a board is the information you give. ).

I am a macro photographer, been doing this for more than 20 years especially in Tulamben area sometimes twice a year. Tulamben and Amed are different areas speaking Bio, you will find on the JW many nudibranch species (Tambja sp., ...) that you hardly find in Tulamben, not even speaking about Melasti Amed or ghost bay or whatever site macro site in Amed which compare poorly to JW and of course Tulamben. Weirdly enough, I talked to some of the local macro spotters, they all agreed that the JW is probably the best macro site in Amed. FWIW the last time I dived the spots on the stretch Melasti to Amed village (that was august 2023), I was pretty much disappointed, the local spotter told me it had been downhill for several years as well.
(FYI talking about Tulamben, Gerombong or Batu Ringgit were much better in terms of critter variety these past years than the classic sites you give for Tulamben, Go west young man!)

Thanks for reminding me information about the JW location. I stayed at Baliku resort some years ago, just in fornt of the wreck and dived with Nico, it's not just like I didn't know where it was and how far we would have to go to find a restaurant outsde the hotel.
(Side note : the way you're replying conforts me about the "Amed attitude" of the local Bule dive centers, even or should I say even more from the newbies. Sometimes it seems you don't need customers.)

 

[BatfishCrazy]

Geko is always a good choice! Maybe also an opportunity for your son to take a few more dives with them.
They also bring snorkelers to the Nusa Penida snorkelable sites, such as Manta point or Toyapakeh/PED/SD, at least there were some on my boat in december.

My 10yo got his junior OW about a week after he turned 10. It has changed our lives as we can now plan our whole holiday around diving! Also spending hours a day underwater doing an activity we love together, but no one can talk to you… heaven! You may still have a couple of years to wait for your daughter, but it wont be long!

 

[Indah]

My 10yo got his junior OW about a week after he turned 10. It has changed our lives as we can now plan our whole holiday around diving! Also spending hours a day underwater doing an activity we love together, but no one can talk to you… heaven! You may still have a couple of years to wait for your daughter, but it wont be long!

Please keep the maximum depth of 12 meters in mind while planning a dive. Diving deeper with your child would violate the Indonesian law. "Every recreational diving activity must be limited according to the definition of recreational diving or the limitations possessed by the diving tourists according to the limitation of the qualification level they possess, including the recreational diving activities carried out by diving tourists who are under the age of 15 (fifteen) years."

 

[Centrals]

Please keep the maximum depth of 12 meters in mind while planning a dive. Diving deeper with your child would violate the Indonesian law. "Every recreational diving activity must be limited according to the definition of recreational diving or the limitations possessed by the diving tourists according to the limitation of the qualification level they possess, including the recreational diving activities carried out by diving tourists who are under the age of 15 (fifteen) years."

Violating Indonesian law!!! Far out.
Divers are still asking for solo diving in the country.
BTW, is there any similar law regarding depth for OW/AOW etc etc?
Guide line has no meaning in real life.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

I have divers asking to do solo dives all the time. I also have divers (buddy pairs) that want to rent gear with no guide. Both of these are violations of Indonesian law.

I tell them that I am sorry, but we can't accommodate them as they have requested but we can work something out that complies with local laws and makes them happy. To date, they have gone to find some other shop willing to break the law.

If they get injured or worse (death, lost at sea), the question of where they got the gear will arise. If it comes back to the center I work for, we would get shut down and the owner would lose his business. Juice isn't worth the squeeze.

Sad part is, many of those who have asked know that is against the law but want to do it anyway because "it is a ridiculous law"

 

[matts1w]

Sad part is, many of those who have asked know that is against the law but want to do it anyway because "it is a ridiculous law"

The sad part is people come to Bali/Indonesia with the idea that it is acceptable to break the law and engage in behaviors that they would not dream of in their own country. Examples include driving without a license, paying bribes to police officers, drunk driving, and other vile crimes that are far worse. I guess having money and visiting a culture with systemic problems with law enforcement make doing those things ethical.