Bali dive resort&spa

[boletus1973]

hi guys,
next august i will go back to Bali after a few years in Sulawesi.. in the past i have been 4 times to Tulamben.. 1 time to twd.. 1 time to kubu and 2 times liberty dive resort...
This time I would like to stay in a place with more sea view... I appreciate the liberty diving services(guide/spotters), but I don't really like the resort to stay 12-14 nights.. claustrophobic..
I'm evaluating several offers in the area but the most interesting is the bali dive resort & spa(my wife can be more happy in a place like this) ... has anyone dived with them?
Thanks!!
Fabio

 

[AlMitch]

Ooo great question....I would love to hear too.

FYI I stayed at Ocean View Resort which is right in front of TWD and their villas are really nicely spread out and have a partial sea view. Definitely not claustrophobic at all. I thought their guides were great. BUT you could always still use TWD's if you wanted, I suppose.

 

[Luko]

Is that the resort which is located just next to Kuanji dive spot? Can't say about their dive center, however it's a bit out of town. Personally I would feel secluded not being able to walk out by myself to another restaurant in town (I won't drive a scooter at night when I see the trucks on this part of the road).

If you're looking for seafront with spa : Tauch Terminal is also a nice place to stay for the grounds, spa, all rooms have sea view although one of the most expensive in Tulamben. However I never use their dive center as I prefer to go diving with my own guide or -as you know - with LDR who comes to fetch/bring you back to your hotel.

 

[boletus1973]

Is that the resort which is located just next to Kuanji dive spot? Can't say about their dive center, however it's a bit out of town. Personally I would feel secluded not being able to walk out by myself to another restaurant in town (I won't drive a scooter at night when I see the trucks on this part of the road).

That can be a problem.. I didn’t like night driving a scooter in indo…

For that reason we book a micro dive resort Without seaview but with only 4 bungalows and close to the Main Street.. 2 minute walking distance from the drop off… private dive guide and free dive schedule.. also blackwater..
Now we have to plan 6 night on nusa penida.. a lot more difficult than Tulamben..

 

[Luko]

For that reason we book a micro dive resort Without seaview but with only 4 bungalows and close to the Main Street.. 2 minute walking distance from the drop off… private dive guide and free dive schedule..

Utama Villa?
If so it's a very good choice. Extremely good guides Ari and Komang Agus.

 

[boletus1973]

Utama Villa?

Bingo… that one!

If so it's a very good choice. Extremely good guides Ari and Komang Agus.

They write back to me everything an UW photographer want to hear… that’s kill every other resort offer I received.. like a lot their bungalows and if I want to go for dinner in the “big city of Tulamben” I can go by foot..

Ps:never heard before.. thanks to paolo..

 

[boletus1973]

It’s coming on my mind that i can stay twenty days there and do a couple of full day in penida and a couple in Padang bai for the jetty a gilis over there.. @Luko how it sound? For now in penida I’ve only a couple of dive&stay offers.. umh three… one from a beautiful new resort more focused in yoga than diving.. one from another more basic acco very good at diving, but with cold water.. 3dives day in penida and cold water shower no no no no
The other in Ceningan is famous but for 6night is a little expensive for our pocket..

 

[Luko]

Ps:never heard before..

Had you said you wanted a photographer resort, I would have proposed them first, but you seemed to be focused on a seafront/spa resort for your donna. (Same case for me, If I was alone I would go straight to Utama)
Villa Utama's and my guide's car are often the only two cars/trucks on some of Tulamben spots.

It’s coming on my mind that i can stay twenty days there and do a couple of full day in penida and a couple in Padang bai for the jetty a gilis over there.. @Luko how it sound?

20 days might be longish... Even 2 weeks would be quite too long for me in Tulamben.
In august Padang Bai might be worth 3-4 days diving for hunting Mola mola on the local gilis + Jetty + some other macro focused sites. (Make sure you spend a monday night there for the Blues Live night at Omang Omang)
Aren't you interested in diving some wide angle in Amed like Japanese wreck which was REALLY GOOD last december? It's also quite good for macro when you dive with the appropriate guide. It can be a break from Tulamben's limited "city life" .

 

[rmorgan]

Please forgive the hijack. We plan to be on Bali for eight dive days in October, and to start in Tumbalen, probably at Villa Markisa for macro and blackwater. Does it make sense to try to include Nusa Penda? Macro with a chance of seeing mantas and mola mola seems great, but we don’t have a lot of days. Is a full week at Tumbalen the better option, or is there another we should consider? All thoughts appreciated!

 

[Luko]

The thing is that diving ONLY Tulamben will have you dive macro 80-90% of the time.
You probably know that Nusa Penida is an island hence it takes you some time to get there, Tulamben is 1,5h away from the closest place ferrying or doing dive trips to Nusa Penida, which will need 30minutes boat ride.Also I don't know whether Villa Markisa does trips to Nusa Penida, they are pretty much focused on macro diving on Tulamben.
With your schedule, I don't think you can stay on NP, you would be wasting too much time.

What I can suggest you is that you book a couple of nights in Padang Bai which is the nearest resort still on Bali but close to Nusa Penida by boat. You also book a daytrip to Nusa Penida with a dive operator on Padang Bai (Geko dive is my favorite, they do 2 morning dives in NP back at 2PM) . PB is even closer than Tulamben on the way back to the airport.
On your last day at Villa Markisa, you dive in the morning, even in the afternoon, take a transfer with your wet equipement to Padang Bai (you can arrange with any driver in Tulamben approx 25-30USD. ), the day after you will be diving NP back at 2PM, time to dry your equipement so the day after you can take your flight.