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DIVING IN BALI
Bali has some impressive dive sites. With pleasant temperatures
of average 27 Celsius year round and good visibility, the best
time of the year for diving is the dry season from April to October.
The wet season from November to March can be quite torrential.
A lot of the diving and snorkeling areas are very close to the shore
with lots of colorful hard and soft corals and an amazing range of
tropical fish. For the moment the reefs are mostly unspoiled and a
wide variety of marine life such as dolphins, rays, turtles, sperm,
blue whales. Sea snakes and moray eels can be found here.
The main diving and snorkeling areas in Bali on the east coast are
at Padang Bai and Candidasa and further north at Tulamben and Amed.
Following the coastal road in the north of the island is Lovina.
Slightly further along is Pemuteran and in the western tip of Bali
is Labuan Lalang, an uninhabited island with some of the best diving
on Bali. Nearly 7000 hectares of corals reef and coastal waters are
protected as part of the Bali Barat National Park including Menjangan island.
Below are some of the most exciting diving spots on the island.
Sanur and Nusa Dua
These areas often used as location for teaching diving because of
it's close proximity to the tourist main areas, there are some
interesting coral formations, sponges and plentiful colorful
fish on the reef at Sanur.
Candidasa
Batu Tiga (Three Rocks) is accessed by boat from Candidasa or Padang Bai.
With an average depth of 20 meter, the site is excellent for diving or
snorkeling. The reef is steep and sloping with many corals. Some fish
seen here include Red Snapper. Clown Trigger fish, and Blue spotted
Stingrays, Trivially, Morays and White tip Reef sharks. Pulau Tepekong - On
the east and north side of the island this is wall dive with many caves.
There are large biomes and many fish such as different Trigger fish, Angel
fish, Snappers, Butterfly fish, Parrotfish, Moorish Idols and Emperor.
Amed
Amed has excellent snorkeling just off the black sand beach and further
out in the bay there is coral wall with an abundance of sponges and
hard and soft corals. Fish varieties include Black Snappers, Butterfly
fish, Parrot fish, Surgeon fish, Unicorn fish, Parrot fish, Damsel fish,
Cardinal fish, White tip Reef Sharks and many larger varieties such as
Dogtooth Tuna and Blue Finned Trivially.
Tulamben
The most compelling attraction of Tulamben Bay, is one of the few major
shipwrecks in the world, which can be easily dived from shore. The
Liberty wreck was not one of that class of transport vessels known as
"liberty ships", but rather a 120 meter long armed cargo ship named the U.S.A.T
Liberty. Built in 1915, it was carrying a load of railway parts and rubber when
it was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine near Lombok in 1942. It was towed to Bali
and beached at Tulamben, where it sat until tremors associated with the 1963 eruption
of Gunung Agung tumbled it off the beach and broke it in two. Today, it rests only a
five-minute swim from shore.
There are many creatures you can see under water such as : shrimps, fish, crabs,
anemones, urchins, etc. Many of the organisms on coral reefs live in tight associations
with other organism. Some animals, such as feather
stars, serve as virtual condominiums for smaller
creatures. The feather stars themselves are quite
beautiful with their lacy, pinnate arms aglow in
vivid hues of burgundy, scarlet, yellow, green,
and gold, but the real fascination came in searching
through the feathery arms for the cryptic dwellers within.
Sometimes a single feather star would be host to several
kinds of shrimp, squat lobsters, fish and snails.
The best places to observe the intimate interactions between
marine creatures were on the sandy slopes beyond the reef.
Here, scattered rocks and lonely coral outcrops served as an
oasis on the desert-like sand plains. Each rock contained a
number of "cleaner" organisms which make their living providing
barber services to fish and eels: trimming off bits of dead or
damaged tissue; removing (and consuming) parasites; and occasionally
pilfering a nibble of skin or mucus.
Lovina
A popular beach resort area. Lovina refers to a collection of
small villages on the coast. In the past coral in the bay was used
to make lime. Fortunately the coral is now protected and some
diving and snorkeling is possible with very clear water. Lovina
also a good place to stay if you want to go to Menjangan.
Pemuteran
This area has suffered a bit from dynamic fishing but great efforts
have been made to stop further destruction. There is much coral
available such as Elkhom and Staghorn. There are many tropical
reef fish and profusion of Moorish Idol. There is also a turtle
sanctuary located at Pemuteran with regular release of turtles
into the sea, which have been bred at Sanctuary.
Menjangan Island
There are few dives sites to choose from at Menjangan with
good conditions and excellent visibility. The snorkeling is
excellent too. Menjangan also have a wreck, known as the "Anker"
because of it has heavily encrusted anchor at the top of
the reef. Fixed mooring have been built to prevent damage
and the island is reached by a 30 - minute boat ride from Labuan Lalang.
Nusa Penida
About one and half-hours from Bali by motor boat, Nusa Penida
offers some truly spectacular and unspoiled diving and snorkeling.
As there is not much development here, the reefs are pristine.
An abundance of hard and soft corals makes a home for large
amounts of tropical fish such as angelfish and clownish.
Moray eels live in the crevices and White tip Reef Shark's
search for food at night and sleep by day under table corals.
Nusa Lembongan
The smaller island of Nusa Lembongan is popular destination for
day-trippers. At the northern end of the island, Mangrove Point,
Crystal Bay and Blue Comer Trip are all good diving sites.
Some of the areas are for experienced divers only and look
for Manta Point to the east where schools of Mantas come to
the cleaning stations and to mate.
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