Recommendations around Bali - Nusa Penida / Amed / Gili?

[MW_Scuba]

Hello - I'm thinking about going to Bali in early March and want to do several days of diving. I did a Raja Ampat liveaboard for 10 days in November and I know that the diving around Bali will pale in comparison but would like more of a dive & relax / explore vacation rather than dive/dive/dive this time.

If you had 2 locations to dive in near Bali, what would you recommend? Amed, Nusa Penida or the Gilli Islands around that time of year? Are there other islands accessible by car/boat that you would recommend?

I had thought about Komodo but thinking that might be best done late Spring/early summer and I'm saving money to do it via liveaboard.

Many thanks!

 

[Blackcrusader]

Read this thread.

Trip Report - Padangbai (Bali) Report: Geko Divers August '23

I've just completed three days diving with Geko in Pandangbai, Bali Accommodation: Topi Inn Everyone was surprised we were staying at Topi as it's a real cheapie but we enjoyed it there. It's cheap as chips and you get use of the first floor, which has sofas that have a great view out of the...

scubaboard.com

 

[cybernetic]

I would like to go to Nusa Penida, and then Amed/Tulamben..

Dive Concepts Bali | Bali Diving | Best Dive Center in Bali - Check this one, they have multiple DC location...

 

[happy-diver]

Hello, you're picture is quite unique and fun

I think we should all have caricatures of ourselves up there, might lighten me up

This is how I used to be, perhaps a trip to Bali

A ScubaBoard caricature competion based on our perceived personalities, I'd like to see that

Thank you MW Scuba

 

[clownfishsydney]

Going to Tulamben for the fourth time in April/May and then to Amed for the first time apart from a day trip once. Tulamben is great.

 

[Pidan22]

You can consider Lembongan, same dive sites as Penida, but more relaxed vibe.

 

[Triple C]

Going to Tulamben for the fourth time in April/May and then to Amed for the first time apart from a day trip once. Tulamben is great.

I was shocked how good the diving was at Tulamben, but also shocked by the hordes of divers there. I've never seen anything remotely like that - probably hundreds of divers in the area. If it weren't for the abundant fish life, good close-up subjects, and some nice corals (the ones not broken by rookie divers) I would have been pretty pissed about the crowds.