What are the good places one can base themselves for diving in Bali? I only know of the following places (clockwise from the airport):
1. Seminyak: I haven't been but it seems to be very bad diving and not really worth mentioning.
2. Permuteran + Menjangan: nice muck, mostly plain reef. but it's pretty far from the airport, the payoff is not quite worth the trek.
3. Lovina: I've only been to the beach but reviews seem to suggest bad diving, not worth mentioning
4. Tulamben + Amed: nice wrecks, very nice muck
5. Candidasa: I've only been to the beach but reviews seem to prefer nearby Padang Bai, not sure why.
6. Padang Bai: I've only been to the harbor, but reviews seem to really like it, especially for access to both very good muck locally and Penida sites for molas, mantas, and a bit of reef
7. Sanur: I've only been to the harbor, reviews don't seem to like it, not worth mentioning. Even though it has full access to Penida sites?
8. Nusa Penida & Lembongan: probably one of the nicest diving in Bali, has molas and mantas
For someone not crazy about muck who wants to dive in only the best Bali has to offer, I assume it's a combination of Tulamben+Amed in the North (one base can cover both places) plus something in the East (numbers 5-8). So for those Eastern __cpLocations, what's the best strategy to approach them? I've only ever dived from Nusa Penida and Lembongan. Are there any pros and cons to basing out of mainland __cpLocations vs the Nusas, diving-wise? (Ignoring factors like accom, restaurants, nightlife...). What's the difference between basing out of Candidasa, Padang Bai, and Sanur? Online reviews seem to suggest Padang Bai has better muck than Candidasa and Sanur, plus its own mola site (is it not accessible from Candidasa though?) But if all the Eastern mainland __cpLocations can access all Penida sites equally, I'm not sure why I've always had to make the trek to the Nusas instead of just staying on the mainland.
1. Seminyak: I haven't been but it seems to be very bad diving and not really worth mentioning.
2. Permuteran + Menjangan: nice muck, mostly plain reef. but it's pretty far from the airport, the payoff is not quite worth the trek.
3. Lovina: I've only been to the beach but reviews seem to suggest bad diving, not worth mentioning
4. Tulamben + Amed: nice wrecks, very nice muck
5. Candidasa: I've only been to the beach but reviews seem to prefer nearby Padang Bai, not sure why.
6. Padang Bai: I've only been to the harbor, but reviews seem to really like it, especially for access to both very good muck locally and Penida sites for molas, mantas, and a bit of reef
7. Sanur: I've only been to the harbor, reviews don't seem to like it, not worth mentioning. Even though it has full access to Penida sites?
8. Nusa Penida & Lembongan: probably one of the nicest diving in Bali, has molas and mantas
For someone not crazy about muck who wants to dive in only the best Bali has to offer, I assume it's a combination of Tulamben+Amed in the North (one base can cover both places) plus something in the East (numbers 5-8). So for those Eastern __cpLocations, what's the best strategy to approach them? I've only ever dived from Nusa Penida and Lembongan. Are there any pros and cons to basing out of mainland __cpLocations vs the Nusas, diving-wise? (Ignoring factors like accom, restaurants, nightlife...). What's the difference between basing out of Candidasa, Padang Bai, and Sanur? Online reviews seem to suggest Padang Bai has better muck than Candidasa and Sanur, plus its own mola site (is it not accessible from Candidasa though?) But if all the Eastern mainland __cpLocations can access all Penida sites equally, I'm not sure why I've always had to make the trek to the Nusas instead of just staying on the mainland.
