Need suggestions for Bali to maximize diving in 4-5 days

[mountainsean]

I have a work trip that will get me to Melbourne in mid-March. Last year on the same work trip I did a Mike Ball liveaboard out of Cairns to the Coral Sea. The weather was pretty bad so the diving wasn't as good as I'd hoped, but it was very convenient - short flight from MEL to Cairns, probably 12 dives over 3 days, etc. This year I'm looking for similar options. Bali seemed inviting from a travel perspective: relatively cheap non-stop flights from Melbourne to DPS. I could get to Denpasar late on Tuesday the 11th of March, and would need to head back to Melbourne Monday evening, March 17th.

What's my best bet to get in 3-4 dives per day during that time? I'm open to land-based resorts or liveaboards. I'll be traveling alone so liveaboards have some appeal in terms of ease of finding a buddy. I'm not (yet) a photographer, but I do like a variety of the small stuff, big pelagics, and everything in between. I'm also up for some more advanced dives as needed. I don't need fancy/luxury accommodations, but would prefer not to go bare-bones either. Komodo sounds *perfect*, but not sure if that's realistic given the time constraints.

Should I be looking anywhere else besides Bali? i.e. anywhere with direct flights from Melbourne?

Thanks,
Sean

 

[racerx_]

it's not a liveaboard, but Tulamben in the north would probably keep you quite happy. Also great for photos, not to mention cheap.

 

[Luko]

Tulamben is a good idea for coral and small stuff but if you want blue water and big animals on top of that, i'd suggest staying in CandiDasaPadang Bai area, where in a few days, you can get to both east coast dives like Amed/Tulamben and blue water/manta dives like on NUsa Penida, shark dives as well nearby CandiDasa.
Check out Gekodive in Padang Bai, I dived with them for photo specialized dives just for myself, they showed they were very flexible and professional in all matters. Besides that they have a very nice and comfortable dive centre.

 

[mountainsean]

Thanks guys - so in terms of # of dives per day, would these options allow for 3-4? Do you know of any liveaboards that embark/disembark from Bali at that time of year and cater to shorter trips (4 nights)?

Thanks,
Sean

 

[dirtfarmer]

Tulamben area will definitely allow you to do 4 dives a day. I was spoiled there last year with my own guide as I'm a solo diver also. You can find accommodation in any price range you want.
It has the Liberty wreck, lot's of fantastic muck, and some pretty good coral reef dives. Lot's of shore dives there or short boat rides I'm not aware of any 4 day liveaboards leaving from Bali, but Komodo is fantastic, I did a trip there in November and it was everything I had hoped for. I haven't dived from Padang Bai so can't give you input on there, except you would be driving quite a bit to get to the Tulamben area.

 

[divewench1]

Basing yourself in Padang Bai is a great 'hub' to get to all the best diving spots on the island, and there are many dive centres to choose from, some of which have on-site accommodation too, or can arrange the whole package for you. 3-4 dives a day shouldn't be a problem to arrange; 3 day dives plus a night dive is do-able.

Check out the websites for (in no particular order) 4Fun diving, OK divers, Water Worxx, Geko dive, Absolute Scuba, (all based in Padang Bai) all of which will be more than happy to tailor make a dive package/stay and dive package for you.

The local dive sites at Padang Bai and Amuk Bay are second to none, ranging from novice to experienced conditions, great for photographers too. I lived in the village for 3 years and loved every minute of it. :diver:

 

[gekodivebali]

Hi Mountainsean,

Just saw your post now...

March isn't good for Liveaboard straight out of Bali. Most of them have relocated to Raja Empat already and will not get back to Komodo/Bali until May.At the moment, there is no Liveaboard diving the waters off Bali only.

In Bali, you will have to relocate away from the South if you want to avoid commuting daily for hours to get to your dive sites. I chose to base myself in Padang Bai since this is the easiest place if you want to dive a diversity of sites around Bali, without heavy commutes. You can see that in the fact that companies from many other towns and villages decide to use Padang Bai as a base for their boats and depart straight from here...

If you chose to stay in Padang Bai, you will need to add an extra hour of travel at the beginning of your trip in order to get here from the airport. Dive centres will happily organise pick-up for you for a small fee.

3 dives a day are definitely not a problem and in 5 days of diving you can expect to dive some of the best sites including Manta Point and Nusa Penida, Tepekong/Mimpang, Padang Bai and Tulamben. If you want to do a 4th dive, night dives are very rewarding locally for macro lovers. Night dives in Tulamben can also be organised if you want to enjoy the unique feel of night diving on a wreck accompanied by a multitude of bump head parrotfish.

Also, do let us know a bit more about what you'd like to see so we can help you better...

Enjoy the planning!