Nusa Penida Area
This area is located 1 – 1-½ hours from Sanur Beach by boat, near an island off the Southeastern corner of Bali. There are at least 14 dive points in this area alone, from Crystal Bay and Manta Point all the way through to Batu Nuungul, Blue Corner and Ceningan Wall.
The Nusa Penida area is not recommended for beginner divers due to its exposure to open ocean currents. Visibility in these waters ranges from 10 -20 metres, with currents running between 3 – 4 knots. These conditions allow for many drift-diving spots. You must be an alert and experienced diver in order to partake in this area.
Diving here is wonderful at all depths, but you will generally witness huge plate coral and forests of Staghorn above 18 metres. The reefs around the island are loaded with a massive variety of aquatic life. In the horizon, be sure to catch a glimpse of majestic manta rays and the legendary oceanic sunfish, the Mola-Mola. The Nusa Penida area is a spectacular dive spot and a favourite among divers.
Crystal Bay
Crystal Bay Nusa Penida is an attractive site in this respect. Bali has a surprisingly rich underwater life, which is mainly due to the fact that it is located between two great oceans, the Indian ocean and the Pacific.
As a result of this ideal position, an enormous flow of water passes between Bali and Nusa Penida depositing plankton larvae that attract a high diversity of fish.
Manta point 1 and 2
This excellent dive site situated in Nusa Penida is great for marine life. It consists of a slope with nice coral and no current which makes it an easy dive site. The highlight of this dive site are the manta rays. The best chances to spot them are from March to June but with luck the manta rays can be seen year round.
SD point
Stands for an elementary school in local language. The reef offshore is named SD point by the local dive operators. This site stretches as long as the coastline, it offers a pristine healthy coral reef with a number of reef fish mainly pelagic fish, as the reef is extends from the east marked by the white fibre buoy to the most west marked by the jetty, which it separates from Toyapakeh. It is best to do a drift dive because the shore currents are always flowing with uniform direction miles away and the coral heads spread along the slope bottom and make us easy to stop or hide behind them. Reef Shark, Sunfish (Mola-Mola) and even Manta Ray have frequently been seen. Experiencing a drift dive in Bali is best taking SD point at Nusa Penida.
Ped Point
Its named after the temple on the shore of the Peed village, apart from that on this beach was put the concrete wall to protect the beach from erosion. Descending right at the front of the wall in 5 meters water will lead toward the steep slope along the coastline, composition of the coral reef is mainly colonies of Stag Horn coral, coral heads and bommies rich with marine fishes, even pelagic like Sunfish often visits this site. The reef stretches east to west and both directions are interesting, best to begin the dive in the up currents. The water temperature is unpredictable changing and can drop to 22 degrees C whenever up current occurs.
Tugu
Tugu is ‘a small shrine’ in Balinese word and its function to be used to pray The God as Guardian of the Balinese property like ocean, houses etc. Tugu on this site is just about the water line lapses the shore. Descending is begun from the front of Tugu to the slope a long the coastline depends on the current direction, offers colourful reef with some boulder rocks headed and tropical reef fishes are swimming around. Many divers have also reported to spot ‘Sunfish’ in the steep slope where is suited for cleaning station of this creature, Banner Fish does clean it. Water clarity is average up to 15 meters distance, temperature is warm likes bathing water. If supposes to dive toward the small village’s harbour is better to end up the dive before it regarding the safety of the group, the local skippers are not familiar with the diver rule of thump.
Batu Nunggul
The capital city of Nusa Penida Island, offshore is the local harbour where the public boats come from Bali to embark the passengers and dock the boats. Further east of the main entrance of this a small bay. Anchored the floating buoy to be used by the dive boats. The dive is begun, once descending to 5 meters of water a huge boulder stands on the steep slope bottom contour to deep blue water. To fin along the edge towards the east, the reef pattern quite similar in its composition to boulder rocks, coral heads and bommies are extended until an outcrop, which is a mile away from the entry point. Whenever the current flows downward it is simply just to follow it and will end up in the wall continues to the slope rubble reef. Look close to the reef to see number of colourful Nudibranch, tropical reef fish and even pelagic like Manta Ray and Eagle Ray in the deep water. The current flows can be unpredictable they change intensity and direction, good coordination with the skipper must be done before the dive, so by the end of the dive the skipper does not make a mistake in providing pickup services. The water temperature can be 26 degrees C or even lower whenever up current occurs.