All images taken by Claudine Daigneault
If you’re interested in exploring Indonesia’s beautiful Balinese island, make sure you head north for some incredible diving and unique experiences. Underwater you will find an ocean packed with vibrant coral reefs, unique marine life, muck diving and so much more. While topside you will be pleasantly surprised by the lush landscape, delicious food, tropical weather and endless activities available for tourists. If you’re wanting to escape the crowds to a destination that looks just as amazing on top of the water as it does underneath, then north Bali is for you.
Here are 5 of north Bali’s top dive sites not to be missed during your Indonesian travels:
Middle Reef, Pemuteran Bay
Depth: 6 to 30 meters / 19 to 98 feet
Recommended PADI courses: Enriched Air Diver, Deep Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver
If you’re wanting to spot unusual and interesting critters underwater then make sure you book a trip to Middle Reef in Pemuteran Bay. Notoriously known for its abundance of macro and colourful reef fish, Middle Reef is full of life. As you glide by the multitude of bright sea fans and corals, make sure you keep an eye out for these tiny marine animals that are often seen hiding. While you can dive the shallows of Middle Reef as an Open Water Diver, it’s recommended to dive this reef as an Advanced Open Water Diver so you can explore all of its beauty without being limited by depth.
Coral Garden, West Bali National Park
Depth: 5 to 30 meters / 16 to 98 feet
Recommended PADI courses: Fish Identification, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Advanced Open Water Diver
Positioned in West Bali’s National Park, Coral Garden is a diver’s paradise. Much like the name, you will find no shortage of stunning hard and soft corals throughout the dive site. As you first descend underwater you will immediately be surrounded by colourful, shallow coral gardens, perfect for beginner divers. Once you’re done exploring the shallows, it’s time to descend down the sites famous sloping coral reef wall. From gliding turtles to inquisitive reef sharks and schooling tropical fish, you won’t be disappointed by what marine animals pass you by on your descent. With endless beauty underwater, Coral Garden is certainly one dive site you will be wanting to spend more time exploring.
Bio Wreck, Pemuteran Bay
Depth: 5 to 30 meters / 16 to 98 feet
Recommended PADI courses: Peak Performance Buoyancy, Advanced Open Water Diver
Located just a 5 to 10 minute boat ride from shore, Bio-Wreck is a must-dive site in Pemuteran Bay. Famously known as having one of the largest bio-rock reef sites on the planet, Pemuteran Bay has many bio-rock structures lying at the Bio Wreck dive site. This fascinating dive site is comprised of over five structures made from sunken metal and wood, including a living piece of coral that’s over 2,000 years old! All this, in addition to the plenitude of marine life and beautiful corals, makes it one dive not to be missed.
Eel Garden, Menjangan Island
Depth: 6 to 30 meters / 19 to 98 feet
Recommended PADI courses: Advanced Open Water Diver , Peak Performance Buoyancy
Located in the pristine Menjangan Island National Park, Eel Garden is a dive site full of surprises. On just one dive you could spot anything from a pygmy seahorse to a resident shark or as the site name suggests, even an eel! Here you will also find a wealth of reef fish, frog fish, pelagics, critters and plankton hiding throughout the reefs and sandy slopes. When you dive Eel Garden you can expect to be immersed in a dive site filled with an abundance of curious marine animals.
Jetty, Pemuteran Bay
Depth: 2 to 15 meters / 6 to 49 feet
Recommended PADI courses: Fish Identification, Peak Performance Buoyancy
Known as the ‘muck dive site’ of Pemuteran Bay, Jetty is the perfect site for anyone wanting to experience muck diving in Bali – Who doesn’t love a good muck dive!? Although you won’t find any corals at this site, you will be able to observe some amazing critters and marine animals. Here you can expect to see pipefish, catfish, lionfish, scorpionfish, nudibranchs, seahorses and much more. While this dive site may not be as beautiful as others in Pemuteran Bay, it surely makes up for it with the diversity of marine life species that call this place home.
Don’t miss out on diving some of Bali’s most remarkable dive sites. Locate a PADI Dive Shop and start your underwater Balinese adventure today!
