Where to dive in Bali?

[Sel]

Hi everyone,
My husband and I are looking at diving possibilities in Indonesia for the first time! We are quite excited but at the same time a little overwhelmed. We have narrowed it down to Bali. What's diving like there? We normally dive around Malaysia (Sipadan being our favorite) and stayed at a really nice resort there.
There are quite a few resorts around Bali and we were wondering if there's any you'd recommend.
Looking forward to any input we get. Thank so much!
Sel

 

[Quero]

Sei, you dn't say what time of year you are planning on going, nor what your experience/adventure level is, but anyway, here are some suggestions:
1) Tulamben for the majority of your stay. The diving is great and there are plenty of very nice resorts there. My favorite so far is Scuba Seraya.
3) Nusa Lembongan/Nusa Penida for mola-molas, if you are going September-ish, or just for some adrenaline dives at Penida (sleep on Lembongan and dive at Penida and Lembongan) and of course the mantas at Manta Point. The water at Tulamben is warmer, so be prepared for cooler water at the other islands.

 

[NotYetBent]

Villa Markisa is top notch, cheaper than Scuba Seraya and you can dive the same area (right next door). Scuba Seraya looked excellent as well, though. But I agree with the above: Tulamben has nice diving and the Seraya-area muck diving is excellent. bobtail squid, ornate and robust ghostpipefish, coleman and harlequin shrimp, baby Ambon scorpionfish, etc. I honestly felt that the muck diving was as good as Lembeh (just not as big, of course).

 

[D-Bitch]

Hi Sel,

I think i you are looking a diving experience, I think a diving safari would be best. I dived with a company called Bali Diving earlier this year and they offered me a custom diving Safari package which took me all round Bali so I could get to see the best sites that Bali had to offer in 5 days. I must say that I was surprised by the level of hospitality that they showed and I could not fault a thing that they organised for me, from transport to accommodation. My dive guide Martha was excellent and very experienced, fun was had and I would do it again if I could.
I hope this helps!

 

[Tortuga68]

1) Tulamben for the majority of your stay. The diving is great and there are plenty of very nice resorts there. My favorite so far is Scuba Seraya.
3) Nusa Lembongan/Nusa Penida for mola-molas, if you are going September-ish, or just for some adrenaline dives at Penida (sleep on Lembongan and dive at Penida and Lembongan) and of course the mantas at Manta Point. The water at Tulamben is warmer, so be prepared for cooler water at the other islands.

+1 for the above, except I would stay & dive with Tulamben Wreck Divers - their private villas are luxurious and very reasonably priced for what they are

 

[1thumper]

I'll offer a second vote for Tulamben Wreck divers...was there for a week in Feb with 21 dives and they were great. Recommend dive guide Wayan. As mentioned their villas are great, only downside is that they are a ways from town so you will need to take a motorbike back and forth. They also have a hotel in town right by the dive shop.
Liberty Wreck is great - tons of fish, lots of "wreck" still there to see, eel gardens adjacent to it
Seraya (multiple sites) is great muck and macro-photography location
Multiple other sites offer some coral, Napolean wrasse, pygmy seahorse, etc

 

[Scuba Dive Asia]

Hello Sel,

Indonesia is truly my favorite place to dive, of all Asia. Tulamben, North East of Bali, has the infamous Liberty Wreck with great coral and fish life. Then right in the front of Villa Markisa you have a fantastic muck dive.

How long and when are you planning to go?

I believe there is not better way to dive than from a liveaboard and Indonesia has some of the finest liveaboards you can dream of.

Check it out!