First time diving Bali

[jjmochi]

I was unlucky like you too in searching for Mola Mola in Crystal Bay on 20 July & 18 August. As you mentioned the water was too warm for them.

I was with Geko too on 12 July, diving in Padangbai with Kanox.

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Had a chance to chat a bit with Cedric before he took his kids to Lombok.

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September-October would be better to see the Mola Mola this year I think. The last time I saw them was in 20 September 2019. I saw 4 of them in Blue Corner at 40m depth, as Crystal Bay was invaded by Great White Shark at the time, as shown, below:

I had Kanox as my private guide for one day, he was great. Koman was the other DM I dived with, he was great too. I brought my own rinse bucket for the camera and asked them to fill it up every morning, was so heavy it took 2 people to carry to the boat - but they did it all with a smile.

One thing I was surprised by is Geko caps the group dives at 45min, which is pretty short. Everyone surfaces together they don't allow buddy groups to stay longer. At Crystal Bay and Manta Point one person ran out of air at 35min With a private guide you get 60min. Private guide was IDR500k per day irc, worth it imo. (Ironically when we got to our next stop, Mermaid I, they gave us 70min dives every time, which is the longest I've seen on a liveaboard).

My strategy for next year will be to ask Geko periodically if the water is cool enough, and once they say yes / start seeing the molas with regularity book a last minute trip for the week after. A lot more flexibility if not timing with a liveaboard. I think it's time I give Bali a full week anyway, didn't get to dive Tulemban at all this time.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Funny how I was scolded for writing some dive centers limit dives to one hour. One dive shop in Lebongan wrote and said they limit dives to 1 hour. When we said we as a group would dive elsewhere they wrote back and said ok they will allow us to dive to 50 bar. They asked did I have any dive log showing a dive to 50 bar so I sent them this. They claimed that they have not come across divers that can do long dive times. Then they later on said actually it's because they are short on staff.
So for our 5 days in that area we have not decided on a dive shop yet.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Yes it does! Food is just ok not amazingly wow but not too bad either. Lots of Western options, I found it a bit lacking in really traditional Indo options. But it's very scenic overlooking the bay with a great ambiance.

Did you try suckling pig?

 

[Blackcrusader]

My guide from Aquacat Bali, home - Dive Bali also saw 1 in mid August during full moon. It was deep (~ 40m). It was first time for his guest to see one. The guest won’t come up and went into deco. Luckily my guide had enough air to clear the deco obligation.

If you see one at depth remember your NDL. Don’t risk your life and your guide well being for it. You can always come back for another day, week, month, next year to see them again.

Dan I'm Deco trained. Anyway yes I will pay attention to my NDL and never exceed that on a non NDL dive.
One of my dive buddies I dive with on vacations is an instructor and also TDI ANDP certified. The third diver in our group we have not dived with before. I think I will do at least two more Bali trips plus Raja Ampat in the next 12 months so yes might need other trips to see everything.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Yes it does! Food is just ok not amazingly wow but not too bad either. Lots of Western options, I found it a bit lacking in really traditional Indo options. But it's very scenic overlooking the bay with a great ambiance.

Must be a dark walk to town and back for dinner or the live music on Monday nights.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I had Kanox as my private guide for one day, he was great. Koman was the other DM I dived with, he was great too. I brought my own rinse bucket for the camera and asked them to fill it up every morning, was so heavy it took 2 people to carry to the boat - but they did it all with a smile.

One thing I was surprised by is Geko caps the group dives at 45min, which is pretty short. Everyone surfaces together they don't allow buddy groups to stay longer. At Crystal Bay and Manta Point one person ran out of air at 35min With a private guide you get 60min. Private guide was IDR500k per day irc, worth it imo. (Ironically when we got to our next stop, Mermaid I, they gave us 70min dives every time, which is the longest I've seen on a liveaboard).

My strategy for next year will be to ask Geko periodically if the water is cool enough, and once they say yes / start seeing the molas with regularity book a last minute trip for the week after. A lot more flexibility if not timing with a liveaboard. I think it's time I give Bali a full week anyway, didn't get to dive Tulemban at all this time.

45 minutes!? Wow . . .I'd been considering giving Gecko a go but now I won't.

 

[matts1w]

45 minutes!? Wow . . .I'd been considering giving Gecko a go but now I won't.

Me thinks there is more to this story than as described above. I have done maybe a gazillion dives over the last ten years with Gecko in the bay, around Nusa Penida, and north to Candidasa. Never once have been told anything about 45 minutes or had my dives cut short in any way. I would not even consider going elsewhere in Padang Bai.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Me thinks there is more to this story than as described above. I have done maybe a gazillion dives over the last ten years with Gecko in the bay, around Nusa Penida, and north to Candidasa. Never once have been told anything about 45 minutes or had my dives cut short in any way. I would not even consider going elsewhere in Padang Bai.

Or maybe things are changing. I have contacted more dive centers and been given replies that 60 minute dive times is what they offer.
Now maybe they are not getting the divers back yet in numbers. Lembongan dive center advised me that on FB message and wanted to book me in right away and offered place to stay. I replied that we are three divers and already have a place to stay and want to do around 20 dives each but as only 60 mins we would not want that limit on time. Then later on they replied with OK we can offer to 50 bar.
I had to tell them I had to check with my dive partners before confirming booking 6 days of diving. They were in an immediate rush to book us in. I'll ask Geko myself.

 

[matts1w]

Or maybe things are changing. I have contacted more dive centers and been given replies that 60 minute dive times is what they offer.
Now maybe they are not getting the divers back yet in numbers. Lembongan dive center advised me that on FB message and wanted to book me in right away and offered place to stay. I replied that we are three divers and already have a place to stay and want to do around 20 dives each but as only 60 mins we would not want that limit on time. Then later on they replied with OK we can offer to 50 bar.
I had to tell them I had to check with my dive partners before confirming booking 6 days of diving. They were in an immediate rush to book us in. I'll ask Geko myself.

I was responding to the 45-minute times referenced above. 60 minutes is pretty standard, especially when multiple groups are diving together from the same boat and places have schedules to keep. If I wanted to swim around in the shallows at the end of my dives and do 80 to 90 minutes three times a day, I would expect to pay for it.

 

[Centrals]

60mins/50 bar is more or less the standard for boat dive because they have schedule to follow.
Shore dive is entirely different story.
Several dive operators have told me that if any diver came in and demanded that and that. The answer is very simple: paid for your own boat.