Diving Bali November 2014

[Warmwater Wank]

Chirag here is a sight for Indonesian water temps, currently they show Bali at 29C (up from 27C a few weeks ago). Note it just says "Bali" and temps and conditions do vary quite a bit around the island.
Indonesia Sea Temperatures

Not the most reliable source (it's a weather forecast site after all!) but what the heck, it's fun to have a guestimate. This is for Tulamben but it's a place to start:
Tulamben Weather forecast Tulamben Weather Bali Weather report | Zoover

I'm in Tulamben next week (10/31/14), think I'll do a post now to check current water temps there. // ww

 

[gekodivebali]

Tulamben is still warm around 28 in water with good vis. Sites are also less busy these days.
East Bali, including Nusa Penida and Gilis, has varying temp between 23 and 28 today. This is good since sunfish can still be seen, even if more occasionally than a month ago. Vis was great today around Nusa Penida. Less so (20m) around Padangbai and Gilis.
Rain season has not started yet. as can be told by my garden where all is burnt... It does look like the change of wind may come soon as outside temp is getting warmer.

 

[juntoalmar]

Hi,

I live in Bali for the last 10 months working as a dive instructor. Strictly talking about the diving, this is my opinion:

- Menjangan: probably the best coral in the island: great variety & very healthy. This is my first option about diving in Bali. Coral and small stuff is the best (electric clam, orangutan crab...), although you can see some bigger things like black tip & white tip shark, turtle and occasional manta, mola and whale shark (a couple of them spotted last month!).
The night dive in Bajul Bay is great too. If you are into muck diving, close to Menjangan it is the Secret Bay in Gilimanuk, you can find there what is rare in other dive sites (ghost pipe fish, fingered dragonet, frog fish), very good for photographers.
- Nusa Penida: this is the place to go if you want to see Mantas (in Manta Point or Manta Bay). Crystal Bay is popular for the Mola Mola, although is harder to see than it used to be. Water is colder than in other places in Bali, and Penida is famous for the strong and changing currents. So don't go with a cheap dive center you can't trust, please. On the north and in Lembongan there's many drift dives. Blue Corner is a place particularly famous for being risky to dive, don't go there if you are not confident with strong currents. Reef hook advisable.
- Tulamben: it's a great place to dive. The Liberty Wreck itself it quite a wreck, I mean don't expect to see the ship in good condition. The dive, is very good though. Besides the wreck, you have a couple of dive sites close to it life Coral Garden (very shallow and beautiful) and Drop-Off (wall dive).
- Padang Bai: it is good for a day. The jetty is particularly nice with a lot of marine life underneath. Blue Lagoon is not as good, but you have good chances to see cuttlefish (which I love!).
- Amed: I dived only a couple of times, and I didn't really liked it. But some people I know they love it, so I couldn't say it's bad or good.

Make sure you dive with a reliable dive center. It's not worthy to save some bucks, and discover that your guide is OW, there's no O2 in the boat, etc... it happens, believe me.

If I can help you with anything, please PM and I'll do my best to help.

Cheers!

 

[Luko]

Menjangan: probably the best coral in the island: great variety & very healthy. This is my first option about diving in Bali. Coral and small stuff is the best (electric clam, orangutan crab...),

Looks like you are working for an operation around Pemuteran/Menjangan...

- Tulamben: it's a great place to dive. The Liberty Wreck itself it quite a wreck, I mean don't expect to see the ship in good condition. The dive, is very good though. Besides the wreck, you have a couple of dive sites close to it life Coral Garden (very shallow and beautiful) and Drop-Off (wall dive).
...
- Padang Bai: it is good for a day. The jetty is particularly nice with a lot of marine life underneath. Blue Lagoon is not as good, but you have good chances to see cuttlefish (which I love!).

Probably you have forgotten Seraya/Melasti/Segara black sand dives in your Tulamben review, which smokes anything in the northwest.
I don't even mention you don't say a word on Amed and Japanese wreck.
Is that all you can say re- Padang Bai area? Dont you forget Gili Tepekong or Gili Mimpang?

 

[gekodivebali]

I have been particularly unimpressed with Menjangan. Then again, I've done less than 25 dives there so I do not know this area as well as others and certainly am not a specialist of that area myself.
I enjoyed the eel garden/anchor dive sites for corals and fishiness but bad viz and currents have been an issue. Pos 1 or 2 have been plain boring with very few fish although the walls have some interesting sponge formations. Bat cave had very diverse and rare species of gorgonians...

All in all, I may not have had such amazing dives there since I do not know the dive sites as well as East Bali locations.

I'm sure it's the same for guides who know some areas less. I would not describe a place as being worth no more than one day of diving unless I had known it day in, day out for years. I would also not describe a location as being the best for anything unless I knew all other locations just as well.

Being so categorical could be misinterpreted...

 

[eventr]

A BIG thank you to everyone for your replies. I decided on 3 nights in Lembongan and 2 nights in Tulamben. Now I'm dialing in Dive Ops and a wish list of specific sites. I'm sooooo excited!

---------- Post added November 5th, 2014 at 11:28 AM ----------

A BIG thank you for your detailed reply!

 

[gekodivebali]

Have some great dives!

 

[Thammiey]

Hey peepz...!

I am planning to go to Menjangan on the 22nd-23rd of November (Saturday and Sunday) with Aquamarine. I've been diving with them previously and I am super satisfied. The package includes transfer (from Seminyak area and surrounding), 6 dives (tanks and weights), 2 x lunches, 1 breakfast for Sunday and the accommodation; but you need to pay for the dinner by yourself. The price is around 390 usd (4,8 m idr). Is there anyone who would be interested to go? At the moment it is only me and we need more than 1 person before they will arrange the trip. We will get 2 day dives and 1 sunset dive for Saturday and 3 day dives for Sunday. I've heard great reviews about Menjangan but I have never been there before, so I am super eager to go.

Let me know if there are other Menjangan enthusiast that can go on those dates

Keep calm and continue diving

 

[Rhone Man]

A BIG thank you to everyone for your replies. I decided on 3 nights in Lembongan and 2 nights in Tulamben. Now I'm dialing in Dive Ops and a wish list of specific sites. I'm sooooo excited!

---------- Post added November 5th, 2014 at 11:28 AM ----------

A BIG thank you for your detailed reply!

Have fun. Say hi to the Mola Mola for me.

Just one other comment I'd add (which I didn't see anyone else make - apologies if I overlooked). You can get strong currents in Bali, so just be mindful of that. It is not like the Galapagos or anything, but just something to be mindful of.