First time diving Bali

[matts1w]

...For 3 days of our first 5 days my group have arranged to just rent tanks and do our own dives but will use guides on the first two dives...

...Our last two days staying at the Novatel unwinding and doing some relaxing away from the legian kuta areas which we can scoot in for a visit.

Respectfully, I have no idea why one would dive without a guide in Tulamben: the cost is next to nothing, you will see so much more, they network with other guides and know what is where, they will ensure the entry fees are paid and correct, and it puts food on family dinner tables in the of the poorest areas of Bali...

Kuta and Legian are shadows of their infamous existences. Sadly, the craziness is now in Canggu.

 

[Centrals]

I have dived in many places in SE Asia and guide has always been provided. The only exception(rec dive) was the FREE house reef dive in couple of places.
I usually tec dive without guides but with buddies and that is different story.

 

[Centrals]

Respectfully, I have no idea why one would dive without a guide in Tulamben: the cost is next to nothing, you will see so much more, they network with other guides and know what is where, they will ensure the entry fees are paid and correct, and it puts food on family dinner tables in the of the poorest areas of Bali...

Kuta and Legian are shadows of their infamous existences. Sadly, the craziness is now in Canggu.

Probably to carry the tank himself as well!!!!!
Food on dinner table is his concern only if it is his!

 

[mattspiral8]

Temp in Oct should be quite cold(20C) in Crystal Bay/Manta Point. It is a long day trip for 3 dives so better well prepared.
Depend on your gas consumption, Nitrox could be useful.

Enjoy your honeymoon.

Holy crap! It really gets that cold? I was hoping to just use my 3mm… guess now i have to use a 5mm suit.

 

[Centrals]

Holy crap! It really gets that cold? I was hoping to just use my 3mm… guess now i have to use a 5mm suit.

I was in agony even with 5mm + shortie + hooded vest.
We all have different cold tolerance and I am purely a warm water diver.

 

[Tippytoes12]

That’s a great programme, you will love it.

Thé guides at AS will pick the best sites depending on the current etc. They want to see cool things themselves and love bringing a group of happy divers back to the dive shop. You will be able to borrow a thicker suit from them . Let us know how you get on.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Respectfully, I have no idea why one would dive without a guide in Tulamben: the cost is next to nothing, you will see so much more, they network with other guides and know what is where, they will ensure the entry fees are paid and correct, and it puts food on family dinner tables in the of the poorest areas of Bali...

Kuta and Legian are shadows of their infamous existences. Sadly, the craziness is now in Canggu.

Myself and one dive buddy have dived there before. Also it's nice from time to time to actually search for things without a guide and do our own dives without a guide. The other reason is that with guides dives are limited in time. We may do some shallow 90 minute - 2 hour dives. So for those dives we pay for the women who carry our tanks. Of course we can also choose to dive with guides if the resort allows the guides to do 90 minute dives rather than 1 hour. There are 3 of us in our group so a guide making 4 would be ok. Don't really need a guide for the liberty wreck lol

 

[Centrals]

That’s a great programme, you will love it.

Thé guides at AS will pick the best sites depending on the current etc. They want to see cool things themselves and love bringing a group of happy divers back to the dive shop. You will be able to borrow a thicker suit from them . Let us know how you get on.

Local dive guides are far more knowledgeable than casual visitors who basically knew nothing about the environment. And they have the latest info on where those cool stuffs are hiding.

 

[Luko]

The other reason is that with guides dives are limited in time. We may do some shallow 90 minute - 2 hour dives. (... ) of course we can also choose to dive with guides if the resort allows the guides to do 90 minute dives rather than 1 hour.

I'm back from a 7 days trip where all my dives in Tulamben (actually of all them outside Tulamben bay because those sites are the least interesting) lasted in between 70 and 85 minutes /3 dives a day ... and that was because I asked the guide to cut the dives short.
I'll say it again : I've never seen a resort in Tulamben that limits the dives to 1hour ... but what do I know after 20 stays or more in the past 15 years here while "you have dived there before".

btw how are you gonna get to Nusu (3-4 rhinopias around, the site is more than 500 meters long and it takes around 7-8 minutes to swim to the correct place where they are), or even Batu Ringgit and Gerombong by yourself? Tulamben diving is not limited to the spot in front of your resort.
Add on top I wish you good luck for finding okenia liklik or a juvenile tiger shrimp without the help of a guide.

 

[Indah]

It is against the law to dive without a dive guide. This guide has to be certified and be an Indonesian Citizen.