Trip Report Padangbai (Bali) Report: Geko Divers August '23

[Blackcrusader]

What was the

What were the temps in PB? It is "winter" so water can be a bit colder in Tulamben now; and specific sites can be colder year round. It was 25° when I dived the Japanese Wreck in Amed but generally water temps are 27-29° most months in Tulamben/Amed.

I already posted temp screen shots in this thread. PB was 22c - 25c for most dives.

 

[DownUnderwater Dan]

What was the

What were the temps in PB? It is "winter" so water can be a bit colder in Tulamben now; and specific sites can be colder year round. It was 25° when I dived the Japanese Wreck in Amed but generally water temps are 27-29° most months in Tulamben/Amed.

It's musim panas/hujan in Bali now, hot/rainy season. Thailand and Philippines is "winter" now.

But the weather in Southern Bali, this December and January has been awesome, hardly any rainy days, perfect beach weather. Which is very unusual for this time of the year.

This is why I'm surprised to hear 22°C in PB. My warmest dive ever was a night dive at SD Point, north Nusa Penida around this time in a January, and was pretty much 30°C all dive, even at +20m depth.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I've experienced both pleasant water temps, very cold water temps and somewhere in between temps on my different trips to Padang Bai.

All of my trips have been around this time of year.

 

[Blackcrusader]

It's musim panas/hujan in Bali now, hot/rainy season. Thailand and Philippines is "winter" now.

But the weather in Southern Bali, this December and January has been awesome, hardly any rainy days, perfect beach weather. Which is very unusual for this time of the year.

This is why I'm surprised to hear 22°C in PB. My warmest dive ever was a night dive at SD Point, north Nusa Penida around this time in a January, and was pretty much 30°C all dive, even at +20m depth.

Only had a short light rain for 45 mins on my Tulamben trip in the car from Tulamben back to Padang Bai. No other rain. I go diving so I don't care if it rains.

 

[DownUnderwater Dan]

I've experienced both pleasant water temps, very cold water temps and somewhere in between temps on my different trips to Padang Bai.

All of my trips have been around this time of year.

I've never had a 22°C dive in Bali in any January's over past several years,... maybe at Manta Point but I don't think so

 

[DownUnderwater Dan]

Only had a short light rain for 45 mins on my Tulamben trip in the car from Tulamben back to Padang Bai. No other rain. I go diving so I don't care if it rains.

Yes, so light rain for 45 minutes is proof that the weather has changed this monsoonal season in Bali, along with the lower water temperature.

Everywhere I go, the locals and expats are telling me no rubbish/plastic has invaded Bali this season, so far.

Whereas I clearly remember a dive at Gili Tepekong in rainy season was saturated with loads of plastic rubbish. Even the strangest dive ever at Amed, different schools of plastic rubbish bags in groups of different colours and sizes, truly surreal.

 

[Luko]

the weather in Southern Bali, this December and January has been awesome, hardly any rainy days, perfect beach weather. Which is very unusual for this time of the year.

EL Nino/ La Nina effects.
I had sunshine for 10 days in between Xmas and New year. 2023 was an El Nino year.
Year before was horrible, it was a La Nina year : 7 days of almost continuous rain on the same period.

 

[matts1w]

The weather is super weird this year in Java and Bali. The clean beach in Seminyak at Xmas was surreal as the above trash bag dive.

 

[DownUnderwater Dan]

EL Nino/ La Nina effects.
I had sunshine for 10 days in between Xmas and New year. 2023 was an El Nino year.
Year before was horrible, it was a La Nina year : 7 days of almost continuous rain on the same period.

Yeah I remember, it was raining pretty much over entire Indo for that period, the year before last, especially in Bali, which is not uncommon for musim hujan.

Even in October that year, the water had already gone warm at Nusa Penida not that far into the month.

But I think 2024 is going to be great weather and conditions for diving, in the el niño/la niña cycle

 

[DeepseaPD]

Wife and I have been looking at a Feb trip. Everyone seems to think this will be one of the better years to go. I will
Post a report if we end up making it.