Bali diving is better than I thought

[billt4sf]

Just came back to Ubud after going for a couple dives with Geko in Padang Bai. Really nice!

I was just there to check out my new wing, but it was interesting diving nonetheless. While I was focussed on my gear, the wonderful Made found two large octopusses, a number of leaf fish, a decorator crab or two, a REALLY nice wall, and other critters. All in two dives not a 5 min boat ride from the shop.

Also interesting were the temps! It was somewhere between 23C and 26C. All in the same dive! The cold upwelling was a thing to experience in and of itself. Sometimes my hands were freezing and my body warm, or vice versa! Incredible.

I pronounced the wing ready for RA. (Had to tighten the crotch strap. )

I really like diving with the Geko guys, even if one of them is French.

Met one "Rob" who is a visitor to these boards and promised to write a review. Over to you, Rob...

- Bill

 

[Luko]

I really like diving with the Geko guys, even if one of them is French.

Hasn't anybody advised lil' Bill not to play with matchsticks near the petrol station?

 

[markb]

I was surprised as well - usually the easy to get to places ain’t what they used to be. Last time I was there I dived Tepekong and it was no better than the local PB sites.
If you factor in Lembongan then you are not far behind Komodo.

 

[billt4sf]

Hasn't anybody advised lil' Bill not to play with matchsticks near the petrol station?

Glad to be called lil' ! THAT has not happened in about 60 years. I am 1.98m. So Thank You!

We're going again 15 August for a week. You?

- Bill

 

[Luko]

Glad to be called lil' ! THAT has not happened in about 60 years. I am 1.98m. So Thank You!

We're going again 15 August for a week. You?

- Bill

I have no fixed schedule for the moment, though I'm quite sure I will be in Bali at least one week in the two last weeks of august, either PB or Tulamben.

 

[pelan-pelan]

Just got back from Sulawesi - and this is exactly what I heard. Surprise at how good Padang Bai was. It is now back on my list. Thanks for the information.

Upwellings, hitting cold water, warm "pools", yes we had those at Bunaken. The shimmer of the thermocline, the question "Is it a good thermocline or a bad thermocline? Hanging round one bit of the wall because the water there is warm.

 

[Rob669]

Indeed I said I would write something to SB, Bill. I didn't realise I had previously set up an account, it was some years ago, and I thought I was lurking on here and taking advice for free! So my first visit to Indonesia was from 22 Mar to 1 Apr and I located myself in Padang Bai, Bali (thanks to the comments on here from Bill and Luko I organised my diving with Geko Dive). It was sound advice, I made 15 dives including a night dive to the Blue Lagoon (some up-welling water at 24 degrees was a bit of a shock though!). Mostly the water temp was 30 degrees though.
I stayed at OK Divers for the first part of the week then moved into Puri Rai which was much quieter. OK Divers is a great hotel with lovely staff but if I stay again I'd ask for a room on the side away from the street where the bars are.
I wanted to experience Indonesian diving and compare it to Bonaire where I dived last year in November. Bali and Nusa Penida, a short boat ride from Padang Bai, really blew me away. The diversity of coral, vast number of reef fish and special species like manta, sea snakes, shark and turtle make it better for me compared to Bonaire (though Bonaire does have such wonderful hard coral and very easy diving).
I did a five day safari with Geko plus some more dives afterwards, and from this I got a feel for the sites and what to expect. I experienced what I'd describe as moderate current (not quite enough to need to hold in my regulator), but I did see some extreme conditions at Crystal Bay on the way over to Manta Point. Wow, that place is not for me!
I wanted to see what the safety side of diving was like, too in Bali as well as the marine life and I found it was on a par with Bonaire with Geko (I'm comparing it to Dive Friends in Bonaire who were also very good on safety) so that side of diving was perfect for me. I saw so many types of fish though at the sites which Geko's local guides took me to it means when I come back I will need to have a Go Pro. I agree with what Bill has said about how good the diving is at PB.
I had a wonderful time with Geko at PB and my first visit to Bali has shown me that Indonesia is definitely a place I want to explore. I am hopefully coming back again at the end of July and early August so now I've done the temples and macro etc I can focus on seeing a lot dive sites for the great fish variety and if I'm lucky, mola mola.

 

[peterak]

Thanks for the report on Padang Bai and Nusa Penida. I had some fine diving on the other end of Bali last November and decided at that time I'd return to Bali. This time I'll make sure to check out the southeastern area you describe.

 

[Wisnu]

my fav is the jetty tanah ampo in padang bai, one of the best dive site in Bali; great combination of muck and WA in small area but will keep you busy.
The sandy mucky bottom is home of many critters including rhinopea. Beautiful corals encrusted the pile is apartments for dozens frogfish.
typically we stop 1 -2 days in padang bai and at least dive the jetty 2 - 3x.
Unfortunately last year not very like, no rhinopea.

 

[billt4sf]

my fav is the jetty tanah ampo in padang bai, one of the best dive site in Bali; great combination of muck and WA in small area but will keep you busy.
The sandy mucky bottom is home of many critters including rhinopea. Beautiful corals encrusted the pile is apartments for dozens frogfish.
typically we stop 1 -2 days in padang bai and at least dive the jetty 2 - 3x.
Unfortunately last year not very like, no rhinopea.

Unfortunately I believe the jetty is finished as a dive site! They are making that jetty into the port for the ferries, leaving the PDB jetty for the fast boats. Or so I think I understand. Not sure where the critters went, hopefully they found a home.

- Bill