Three days on Bali - how to maximize bottom time

[Bali-Freak]

<snip>the hands down choice above all others is to go North to the Lovina town area and dive on Menjagen Island.

I'm not sure Menjangan is 'hands down choice above all others'. It's good for sure, but Tulamben & Nusa Penida are equally as good, if not better, in my opinion.

Anyway, if you do dive Menjangan then better stay in Pemuteran village. It's much nearer to Menjangan than Lovina, and has a good choice of accommodations depending on your budget. The very closest accommodation to Menjangan is 'Mimpi Menjangan' resort. You can take the boat from there directly to Menjangan island without having to go to the harbour. It's a lovely resort, very peaceful, with natural hot spring pools. It isn't a budget option though.

 

[davidlkh]

I think Wakashorea is closest to Menjangan island.

http://wakashorea.com/

Stayed at Mimpi and it took us about 35 min to 45 min to get to Menjangan Island.
I have not stayed at Waka, but those who have say Menjangan is 15 to 20 min away.

So either it is closer or their boats are faster.

As for Menjangan being TOPS, well I LOVE my durian (http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~durian/), but many non-Asian hate it. So if he LOVES it so be it.

The coral formations around eel garden in Menjangan is very beautiful, but for walls I think Ceningan Wall near Nusa Lembongan side is richer, prettier, COLDER!!!!!!!!!

Then there is Tulamben Wall... Bali has so much to choose from

 

[Bali-Freak]

I think Wakashorea is closest to Menjangan island <snip> Ceningan Wall near Nusa Lembongan side is richer, prettier, COLDER!!!!!!!!!

Yea, I forgot about Waka. I've never been inside that resort but I've been to two of their other ones (Sanur & Ubud) and they were nice, again not a budget-option.

Ceningan Wall is ~ as you say ~ rich and cold, and often with crystal-clear vizability. I've also met some trecherous downcurrents there, something like a vortex.

 

[Bombarie]

...I cannot provide you with a trip report as I never got to Bali. Modern technology got hold of me whilst transferring on KLIA and the customer was on the other end of it. Ended up spending my long weekend at his Singapore office rather than underwater @ Tulamben. Please do not feel sorry for me, will get my sweet revenge eventually. Thanks for all your input. regards, Arie.

 

[scubashooter]

Wakashorea was nice about 3 years ago when I first stayed there. Since then, the dive operators have changed and the resort is a bit more run down. It's also the only resort that is "inside" a nature reserve, where it shouldn't be. The Jungle resort is also close to Menjangan.
As for Menjangan as a dive site, the wall is decent as Bali goes, but that's not hard considering that Tulamben Drop Off and wall were damaged badly and only just recovering (last dive March). Ceningan Wall is better for viz and life. Whenever I dive an average dive around Tukang Besi or in the Flores Sea, I call it a mimic Menjangan dive, nice but it's like the same everywhere else.

 

[Quero]

...I cannot provide you with a trip report as I never got to Bali. Modern technology got hold of me whilst transferring on KLIA and the customer was on the other end of it. Ended up spending my long weekend at his Singapore office rather than underwater @ Tulamben. Please do not feel sorry for me, will get my sweet revenge eventually. Thanks for all your input. regards, Arie.

Sorry to hear that, but here's a link to my report for the Scuba Seraya Resort I mentioned in my earlier post to this thread. Don't we all dive "virtually" through SB when we can't actually get wet?

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=97860

 

[Scubaroo]

Besides Bali, there is Manado that also requires a flight from Jakarta.

Besides Bali, there is Lombok that also requires a flight from Jakarta.

Besides Bali, there is Thousand Islands just outside Jakarta (poor vis and marine life).

Besides Bali, there's Denpasar prison if you forget to lock your bag and someone slips drugs in it :11:

 

[davidlkh]

Besides Bali, there's Denpasar prison if you forget to lock your bag and someone slips drugs in it :11:

Come to think of it, thank God, Allah, Budah... that I do lock my bags on each of my trips there. Somehow immigration and customs do not hassle me that much eventhough I go in and out of Indonesia quite frequently.

 

[rimski]

Found this reference to Wakashorea. Have no where the claims to 'stolen land' are legit or not, but any resort in a designated national park seems odd.

http://www.travelforum.org/bali/WakaShorea_Resort_Hotels.html