Dive centers Bali search, looking for Tulamben, Nusa Lembongan/Ceningan/Penida and maybe Gilis

[semisecco]

Hey everybody
We are currently planning out trip to Bali (never been there before) and are looking for real nice hotels with dive centers or nearb-by ones.

Plan is to start in Ubud for 4 nights, then go to Tulamben for 6 nights (Tauch Terminal Tulamben sounded good),
After this we'd like to move to Nusa Lembongan or Ceningan, here Ceningan Divers resort sounded good again.

I would love (!) to see the Gilis, but we're not sure if we could get there from Nusa Lembongan or if we'd have to travel back to Bali and get a ferry there to the Gilis.

Last days are planned for Candi Dasa or Pandangbai. We liked the Candi Dasa Beach Resort, seems nice. But we've seen good ratings for the Paradise Divers in Padangbai, so we're not sure, what would be better.

As we fly back in the evening, would you recommend to stay near the airport the last night? Candi Dasa/Pandangbai didn't seem too far away for us, but as I said, we've never been to Bali...

Thanks for all suggestions and informations in advance, highly appreciated!

 

[FishCity]

We stayed at Grand Hyatt Nusa Dua after Wakitobi. Very nice not too bad a trip to the airport, see if you can buy later checkout.

 

[Indah]

Hey everybody
We are currently planning out trip to Bali (never been there before) and are looking for real nice hotels with dive centers or nearb-by ones.

Plan is to start in Ubud for 4 nights, then go to Tulamben for 6 nights (Tauch Terminal Tulamben sounded good),
After this we'd like to move to Nusa Lembongan or Ceningan, here Ceningan Divers resort sounded good again.

I would love (!) to see the Gilis, but we're not sure if we could get there from Nusa Lembongan or if we'd have to travel back to Bali and get a ferry there to the Gilis.

Last days are planned for Candi Dasa or Pandangbai. We liked the Candi Dasa Beach Resort, seems nice. But we've seen good ratings for the Paradise Divers in Padangbai, so we're not sure, what would be better.

As we fly back in the evening, would you recommend to stay near the airport the last night? Candi Dasa/Pandangbai didn't seem too far away for us, but as I said, we've never been to Bali...

Thanks for all suggestions and informations in advance, highly appreciated!

Any review and personal experience from the pre-Covid times will be limited in giving you the information what to expect now. Maybe having an extensive correspondence with the resorts you have in mind will tell you more?

 

[semisecco]

Thanks, yes, absolutely agree, but I've seen review on hotels and dive centers within the last 2 years, so I thought, maybe I get some information here

 

[Wisnu]

IMHO,if any location from the above list to be missed, is Gili islands unless you love turtle a lot.
Visited gili air on Nov 2021, more less same as years back. Not impressed me.

 

[Centrals]

Ubud + Padang Bai

When are you planning?
Public transport is difficult to find except ferry.

 

[Luko]

TTT in Tulamben is a nice hotel with very pleasant grounds though my back is starting to suffer on their old mattresses. I think I've been sleeping on the same mattress in the same room for more than 10 years now.

You can access more or less to the same sites in Nusa Lambongan/Penida from Padang Bai, hence staying more time in PB or CD may spare you the trip to Lembongan.
Candi Dasa doesn't offer lots of hotels with a dive center on premise, the main exception might be Lotus Bungalows with Gangga divers on premise. Otherwise you'de be better off in Padang Bai... though Paradise divers doesn't offer more than basic accoms, not really the ones you seem looking for, not a good location either, I'd suggest either Bloo Lagoon or Puri Rai, the dive centers in PB are walking distance.

Skip the Gilis (and spare the days in Ceningan), so you can have some time to spend like 5-6 days including flights in Labuan Bajo to dive Komodo, it's 1:30 hrs flight from Bali. You'll be amazed.

You can stay anywhere in Bali and get your flight in the evening, it would take 2hrs drive from Padang Bai or Ubud, 3hrs from Tulamben.

 

[semisecco]

Thanks a lot! We're already changing the plans a bit

 

[semisecco]

Ubud + Padang Bai

When are you planning?
Public transport is difficult to find except ferry.

We already have recommendations for drivers

 

[Centrals]

We already have recommendations for drivers

Ubud to Padang Bai is NOT that difficult to arrange.
Keep the travelling to the minimum.
Evening departure? You might have to vacate your room before noon if the hotel is fully booked!
No easy solution.