Surrounded by the sea and ocean, Bali has numerous majestic diving spots around the 5.780 km² (62.21 sq. ft.) island area. Many dive centers are available in Sanur, Amed, Padang Bai, Nusa Lembongan, Candi Dasa, and Pemuteran areas, providing dive courses and dive trips.
If you have not dived before, you can do Discover Scuba Diving program, where you can try to dive (without a certification) with a certified divemaster. If you want to learn to scuba dive, you can enroll in the Open Water Scuba Diving course provided by the dive centers and certified instructor, which usually takes about 2-3 days. If you have got certified, you can take a dive day trip and safari trip to all dive sites around Bali. Here are some recommended Bali top dive sites and their highlights for you to discover.
Tulamben Shipwreck
If you think a shipwreck underwater is scary, wait until you dive into this one. This 1942’s USS Liberty Shipwreck shot by a Japanese submarine sits at about 25-30 meters (82-98 ft.) off the shore in Tulamben, Bali lies in the shallow water and considered safe, fun, and famous for all level of divers. The cracked shipwreck has become a home for thousands of small and big fishes and marine species, making it into one of the unique Bali top dive sites, either for divers or snorkelers, to encounter shipwreck close from the beach. There are many restaurants and hotels by the beach, making it perfect for doing night dives as well. You can reach this site within 2.5 hours drive from Sanur.
Amed Beach
Dive sites at Amed stretch along the coast from Amed village to Jemeluk and beyond, where many accommodations, small restaurants, and dive centers are lying along the beach. Many travelers and divers keen on staying for a couple of nights in this fishing village, to enjoy the most of its peaceful and quiet scene. To dive, you can book a dive trip or rent the dive gear from the dive centers, and explore some dive sites in this area, such as Jemeluk Bay, Bunutan Point, Japanese Wreck, Gili Selang.
Manta Point, Nusa Penida
Snorkeling or diving with mantas nearby the island of Nusa Penida can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Manta Point, one of the Bali top dive sites, is a cleaning station where manta rays come and spend hours in a day to get themselves cleaned by parasites and small cleaner wrasse throughout the year. Here, you can witness and interact with mantas in their natural habitat. Book a day trip to this point with dive centers in Sanur or any other parts of Bali.
Crystal Bay, Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida Island is surrounded by beautiful open water, and Crystal Bay dive site has been very popular among divers as one of the Bali top dive sites to see beautiful corals and pelagic fishes – including the famous Manta Ray, and Mola-mola or Sunfish – close to the island between July and November. The mola-mola come up from the depth, which is his original habitat, during this season to get themselves cleaned by the banner fishes. Outside the mola-mola season, divers can also enjoy the richness of the colorful coral reefs and fishes in this site. Please note that the current can be quite intense and downward, so it is more suitable for more experienced divers.
Seraya Secrets
If you are into the muck dive or macro dive (i.e., diving calmly to explore the black sand looking for unique and small sea critters), then Seraya Secret is a suitable dive site for you. Located not far from Tulamben, this one of the Bali top dive sites is the most famous macro site for underwater photography fans. To enjoy diving in this area, divers need to have a reasonable buoyancy control to avoid stirring up the sand, which can make the critters hide, go away, or even disturb other divers who are taking photos.