First Time In Bali - July

[Luko]

I don't know this technique... I wouldn't be using it on french whining but my millennial employee's.

Lol... I didn't know that it would just take me NOT diving from Amed and Pemuteran to simply put my junior consultant colleagues at work.
I'll try again this year

 

[Luko]

If you don't want crowded diving do not go to Lembongan. I have been twice and both times (one in July and one in October) it was a mad house of inexperienced divers. Everyone, including discover divers, on the island goes to the same 2 spots to see the mantas and the mola molas. If you do go you will probably need to set up something private if you don't want to go to those sites. FYI the boats can't get out when its low tide so if its low tide in the morning then dive boats have to wait, so some dive days start late.

I don't know which operation you've been diving with....but probably not the appropriate one.
TwoFish dive centre uses small speed boats that can go out almost anytime and level of tide.
Besides that the dive centres from Lembongan are on the contrary of Sanur's, often going on the north coast spots like Toyapakeh, SD or Buyuk while Bali dive centres commit on Manta Point and Crystal bay in order to drag a mximum of customers to the best known sites.

Diving with Worldiving or Twofish, in 3 stays in Lembongan and maybe 40 dives on Nusa Penida, I only dived 3 times Crystal bay and same for Manta bay. Toyapakeh is probably the site I dived most, often at my request.

 

[Cali_diver]

I dove with World Diving... My friends and I actually pitched a fit because other people on the boat wanted to go back to Manta Point for a second dive and we refused. I am glad you had a different experience Luko but for it was a repeat let down. Way too many people...especially for cold water!!!

 

[Wingy]

July and October are both Australian school holiday periods, may account for the crowds.

 

[CJS]

If your focus for the trip is diving; I'd consider spending a chunk based in Tulamben or Amed and then a bit on Nusa Lembongan. If you are based in Tulamben you can be first on the wreck in the morning and see the huge bump head parrot fish. There are some other nice dives around that area, so you can avoid the crowds. I've been on Nusa Lembongan at peak season and the trick is to avoid Crystal bay (except first) thing and dive somewhere else around Penida. Best to stay close to the actual sites and avoid the late morning arrivals from Sanur / Kuta etc.

 

[Bali Jane]

Just came back from a week on Gili Meno - used a local company there called Divine Divers (small and v professional) It was brilliant and often we were the only ones in the water!! Although some of the sites are coming back from being bombed by local fishermen over the years... Enjoyed it! Have hear that Nusa Penida is a pretty good option if you choose the not so popular areas.
Agree with Cali Divergirl - get into some great muck dives around Amed and Tulamben.

 

[afieldofblue]

Thanks for the good advice everyone.
I think we'll do the rescue course in Lembongan and then maybe squeeze in Tulamben - Not sure yet - I haven't looked into the practicalities such as transport and distances in Bali...

We're staying 12 days in Bali, but basically have 8 full days for the course and diving - and rescue would take up 3/4 days - so I'm thinking it might be better to take it easy on Lembongan - unless there's a reason to try and do the course in Tulamben instead?

At the moment our plan is as follows: arrive in Bali early afternoon on the 13th (from Japan after a night in KL...Air Asia-ing it...), get ripped off at the airport to go to Ubud and spend two nights there to see a friend, take care of stuff and eat tacos.

Then leave early on the morning of the 15th in the morning and go to Lembongan (via Sanur I guess, arranging the boat through accommodation)- Stay there, do the course and dive.

We have a plane to Makassar-Sorong leaving late afternoon on July 24th (we'll be staying in a homestay in central Raja 4 for 19 days after this, with 30 dives planned if the wind is on our side like last August), so not really sure if we can squeeze in Tulamben without rushing.

Not too excited about being in French environment, but I guess there's no way around it this time, given the period - we'll just stick to Japanese to keep our own complaining private

ben

 

[Diverspoint]

Fully agree with Cali divergirl Padang Bai and Gili Mimpang/Gili Tepekong are nice. Liberty wreck was a zoo 15 years ago, really don't want to be there ever again.

 

[afieldofblue]

Ok - We're going to Lembongan and doing the 2/3 day rescue course there, diving the next day - and then we have to decide on staying in Lembongan or going elsewhere -

We basically have 4 full days for diving, and a flight in the late afternoon on the 5th - Moving around would shorten that down to 3 days + hassle, so I'm tempted to stay on Lembongan and make the most of it.

A friend recommended the following sites:

toyapakeh
mangrove
blue corner
crystal bay

We'll definitely be avoiding the manta dives - enough of that in Raja last March - and probably the mola-molas as well unless there's a peaceful way of doing that

 

[AlMitch]

Just came back from a week on Gili Meno - used a local company there called Divine Divers (small and v professional) It was brilliant and often we were the only ones in the water!!

We dived with Mars when he was up in P Weh and had a brilliant time with them, infact it was so good we went twice. Glad to hear they are doing well in the Gilli's.