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Indonesia Dive Sites - Bali :: Nusa Penida |
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Located across the Badung Strait from Sanur in the south east of Bali, Nusa Penida is regarded by many as Bali's best diving. It's proximity to the deep water Lombok Strait that bring cool water and strong currents also bring oceanic sunfish and this is the best place in Bali, if not the world, to see these bizarre looking big fish which are often 2 metres long. Sufish come here to feed in the currents and to be cleaned at the cleaning stations. They are most common from July to September. The strength of the currents here should not be underestimated. Large volumes of water are forced through the Lombok Strait from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean and it's safeest to dive this area at slack high or slack low tide. Currents can flow up and down and can change at various depths.
Ped, on the north coast of Nusa Penida, has a reef that slopes from just 5m below the surface down to over 40m. Hard corals are healthy in the shallow areas and large gorgonian seafans proliferate in deeper areas. Lionfish hunt around the barrel sponges. Sea snakes and moray eels are numerous. Mantas can be seen.
Malibu Point is a good place to see sharks as well as tuna, trevally and mackeral.
Manta Point to the south west of Nusa Penida is a deep water drop off where manta rays come to feed. Diving is challenging in the current and surge.
Toyapakeh dive site is located on the northwest side of Nusa Penida in the Ceningan Channel. The reef slopes to a max depth of 25m and visibility is good. Coral is healthy and large schools of reef fish can be seen. This area is protected from the currents and is popular with daytripping snorkellers. Nearby Gamat Bay also has some sheltered dive spots that slope to around 20m and are better for finding small critters and juvenile fish. |
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