Scuba diving guide to Bali

[Wisnu]

Other option is to stay at Nusa Penida.
The infrastructure is very poor but the landscape is really amazing.
We stayed at Arsa Santhi hotel and dived with Blue Corner nusa penida.
There's few other dive centers around the area.
We did daily 2 morning dives only for four days. We explored the topsite on the afternoon and enjoy beautiful sunset.

 

[carono6333]

Other option is to stay at Nusa Penida.
The infrastructure is very poor but the landscape is really amazing.
We stayed at Arsa Santhi hotel and dived with Blue Corner nusa penida.
There's few other dive centers around the area.
We did daily 2 morning dives only for four days. We explored the topsite on the afternoon and enjoy beautiful sunset.

Thanks Luko and Wisnu for the info and advice. I have some friends who are likely to be in Lembongan at the same time, so perhaps i'll stay with them. If they don't get their hols booked then i am very open to staying on Penida. I've been recommended to dive with "Pure", who are opening very soon on Penida. They used to have a centre on Lembongan and are apparently good operators.

 

[peterak]

Well my illustrated opinion is that :

Amed reefs before Lipah are just okayish...
View attachment 515318

Bunutan reefs are fine but you must keep going out on the wall rather than staying in the sheltered part
View attachment 515319

Japanese wreck coral reefs are really good
View attachment 515320

For me nowhere in Bali can beat Toyapakeh, which is amazing
View attachment 515321

Luko, to my unsophisticated eye all of these illustrations look great. What are your criteria for distinguishing a great site from a just okay site?

 

[Luko]

Luko, to my unsophisticated eye all of these illustrations look great. What are your criteria for distinguishing a great site from a just okay site?

A great site gives obvious photo opportunities, you end up with 60-70 images shot in one dive. While you have to fight to get a decent photo on a OK site.
That said if you compare the first photo to the last one, what will jump at your eyes is the difference with the density, the variety and the numbers. Try to count the number of different coral variety into the photo of Toyapakeh

 

[chillyinCanada]

Luko, how do you compare SD(as the name, I'm choosing to use for the greater site on that side), which as you know is just around a bend to Toyapakeh? I ask because I don't think I've been to Toyapakeh but love love love SD et all.

 

[Luko]

Luko, how do you compare SD(as the name, I'm choosing to use for the greater site on that side), which as you know is just around a bend to Toyapakeh? I ask because I don't think I've been to Toyapakeh but love love love SD et all.

Yeah SD is very good too, but I would rate it as my 3rd or 4th favorite site in Penida/Lembongan after Toyapakeh which is for me the best coral site in Bali for amazing density of life, the visibility (freezing blue water) and the topography as well. Toyapakeh is also more colorful than SD because of the abundance of soft corals while SD has more hard corals.
I like Mangroves also very much, as well as Crystal bay (sometimes).

This is SD in the end

This is Toyapakeh

This is Mangroves

 

[chillyinCanada]

Thank you Luko! I shall see what undeserved influence and pursuasive ways that I can use next winter to get to those sites with the dive Op where I am planning to stay for an extended time.

 

[RobinC.]

Very nice pics !