Bali diving - Nusa Penida/Lembongan 2d 6Dives or 1d Nusa 1 day Tulamben

brianloh91 · Jun 30, 2012

Hi All,

I would like some advice and recommendations on my dive trip next month. I will be diving for only 2 days as thats the only way i managed to pursuade my friends to come along to Bali and will be staying in Seminyak.

My choices are either diving 2 days in Nusa Penida/Lembongan or 1 day diving Nusa Penida and the other day diving Tulamben. Would Really appreciate some advice on the Dive sites in the area and recommendations. Thanks so much in advice guys. Cheers

Tippytoes12 · Jun 30, 2012

brianloh91:
Hi All,

I would like some advice and recommendations on my dive trip next month. I will be diving for only 2 days as thats the only way i managed to pursuade my friends to come along to Bali and will be staying in Seminyak.

My choices are either diving 2 days in Nusa Penida/Lembongan or 1 day diving Nusa Penida and the other day diving Tulamben. Would Really appreciate some advice on the Dive sites in the area and recommendations. Thanks so much in advice guys. Cheers

Hi there

It's such a pity to only have two days for this wonderful area ! Just be aware that Tulamben is a loong drive from the South and the traffic tends to be terrible. By the time the mini vans arrive from the south the wreck is very very crowded. I seem to remember that some companies offer boat transfers , this would be better. However if you live in Singapore you will be already acclimatised to the temperature , time zone etc.

Nusa Penida is alot more convenient for the south and is much better for big things.

So , unless you really love macro stuff , I would be inclined to do two days in Nusa Penida.

Have a wonderful trip

maria munn · Jun 30, 2012

Hi there,

Totally agree with Tippytoes (what a cute name!) ... I came back recently from having 5 days of diving through three different places, Gili T, Lembongnan and Tulamben. It was way too crazy for the extreme travelling involved.

What surprised me was the amount of macro life in Crystal Bay which you can get to from Pendida. Loads of leaf fish, scorpionfish, mantis shrimp, eels and a host of other macro delights ... which I thought you could only see in Tulumben.

The mantas there are amazing ... have a really wonderful time, I know you will.

All the best,

maria

ocdiver1 · Jun 30, 2012

I totally agree with the other posters, and would add that since you'd be in mola mola season at NP, I'd definitely give yourself the additional day there for the bets chance of seeing these amazing fish. You could then come back any other time to go to Tulamben, being lucky to be so close in Singapore.

Quero · Jun 30, 2012

I only partially (definitely not 'totally') agree with the others. In terms of travel time, two days at Penida would be more convenient, if convenience were the only thing to consider.

However, and perhaps I should write this as a big HOWEVER, given your relative newness to diving with your profile stating 0-24 dives, you would be much better off diving at Tulamben. Penida has some nice dives that less experienced divers are fine with, and one of them is Manta 2, the easy manta dive site, but Crystal Bay sees divers die every year because the conditions are beyond these divers' abilities, and I simply don't ever recommend Penida without reservation for newer divers.

Spending time in travel and diving within your abilities is preferable to saving time and getting into trouble. So my advice is to go to Penida for less challenging dives (NOT Crystal Bay for the mola-molas) for one day and to Tulamben for the other day.

zivva · Jul 1, 2012

The problem with Crystal Bay being that it looks like a super easy dive on paper : it can be super easy as it can become quite challenging in just a few seconds and that's the main reason why a dozen of divers die there every year during the Mola season.

Whatever, don't bother Crystal Bay in July / August : in addition to the unpredictable & tricky conditions caused by upwelling currents in season, there is way too much people diving this tiny dive site in July / August ... and Molas can be seen, as easily as in Crystal Bay but with way less people and safer conditions, in the north coast of Nusa Penida (from Buyuk Point to Toyapakeh).

ocdiver1 · Jul 1, 2012

Yes, molas can be seen at other places. Best answer with the limited time and molas being in season remains NP, saving Tulamben for another time

Quero · Jul 1, 2012

Best answer, with the OP being inexperienced, is to dive Tulamben and leave the molas for another time.

ocdiver1 · Jul 1, 2012

Beg to differ! A chance to dive the most reliable place in the world for seeing mola molas in season makes this actually a no brainer. People often become better divers by challenging themselves (within reason) early on...I know I did. Stay away from a challenging dive at Crystal Bay and enjoy NP...you can go to Tulamben any time

Quero · Jul 1, 2012

I guess your individual experience makes you an expert, then, and that reports of those many divers who have lost their lives in following advice like yours were lies.

It's not as if brianloh has to travel halfway around the world from Orange County to get to Lembongan next year when he's got more experience. The mola season is an annual event, and it's a short (and cheap) hop from Singapore.

Safety before convenience. The "no brainer" in scuba diving, always, is to follow the more conservative plan.

Bali diving - Nusa Penida/Lembongan 2d 6Dives or 1d Nusa 1 day Tulamben

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