If you ask divers what makes Bali such a special place, they’ll often talk about the warm culture, beautiful landscapes, and colorful marine life. But if you ask experienced divers which dive site in Bali they love to explore, then Padang Bai almost always appears on the list.
Just a short 60-minute drive from Sanur, this quiet coastal village holds some of the richest and most varied dive sites in Bali. From the crystal clear turquoise water of Blue Lagoon to the critter-filled muck of the Secret Jetty, Padang Bai is a paradise for beginners, experienced divers, and of course, underwater photographers.
Are you planning your first scuba diving trip to Bali or returning to Bali to explore deeper of the Padang Bai underwater scenery? This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about #divinginbali in Padang Bai.
Why Padang Bai Is One of the Best Places for Diving in Bali
Padang Bai’s charm is that it offers something for every type of diver: wide-angle reefs, macro heaven, a small wreck, coral walls, sandy slopes, and a great diversity of marine life.
Why divers love Padang Bai:
- ● Easy access from South Bali (just one hour from Sanur)
- ● Traditional boat diving on local “jukung” boats
- ● A huge variety of marine life, from turtles to rare nudibranchs
- ● Beginner-friendly sites with calm and clear water
- ● Top-tier macro photography opportunities
- ● Year-round diving conditions
Every dive feels a little bit different, and no two days are ever the same.
Dive Sites in Padang Bai: What Makes Each One Unique
Padang Bai has a wonderful mix of dive sites located just a few minutes away by traditional boat or Jukung. Here are some of the great dive sites in Padang Bai:
Blue Lagoon – Beginner-Friendly Diving in Padang Bai
Blue Lagoon is one of the most iconic spots for #scubadivinginbali, known for its brilliant blue water and calm conditions. This is where many new divers take their first steps into the underwater world, and it instantly wins their hearts. Like them, I know you will too!
What you’ll love:
- ● Gentle conditions make it perfect for beginners
- ● Clear water and good visibility
- ● Home to schooling reef fish and colorful soft corals
- ● Great for long, relaxed dives
Despite its easy profile, the Blue Lagoon dive site is full of life. Keep an eye out for sweetlips, moray eels, lionfish, and all kinds of reef fish swirling around the bommies.
Blue Lagoon Wall or Turtle Neck: A Drop into Stunning Depths
Just around the corner from the lagoon is the Blue Lagoon Wall, where the reef drops away into deeper blue water.
Expect to see:
- ● Nudibranchs
- ● Trevallies
- ● Lionfish
- ● Reef sharks
- ● Moray Eels, even Groupers
It’s a peaceful, scenic dive that appeals to both beginners (who can stay near the top of the wall) and experienced divers who want to explore the deeper sections.
Bias Tugal: A Coral Garden for Wide-Angle Lovers
Bias Tugal is an underwater garden packed with hard and soft corals, huge bommies, and plenty of fish species.
Highlights include:
- ● Vibrant table corals
- ● Colorful soft coral patches
- ● Ghost pipefish
- ● Oriental sweetlips
- ● Frogfish
- ● Nudibranchs
If you love bright, healthy reef structures, Bias Tugal will be one of your favorites.
Jepun Wreck: Small Wreck, Wide Varieties of Marine Life
The Jepun Wreck is a small artificial wreck that has transformed into a full marine playground. Thanks to its structure, it attracts an impressive amount of life, especially macrospecies.
Expect to meet:
- ● Frogfish (multiple colors!)
- ● Leaf scorpionfish
- ● Cuttlefish
- ● Octopus
- ● All kinds of eels
- ● Nudibranchs
- ● Juvenile fish
This is a site photographers adore because there’s always something hidden if you look closely.
Shark Point: Tanjung Sari
This site is exhilarating when the conditions are right. It often delivers the most action-packed dives in Padang Bai.
You may encounter:
- ● White-tip reef sharks
- ● Large trevallies
- ● Napoleon wrasse
- ● Cuttlefish
- ● Mobula rays (rare but possible)
It’s a wonderful choice for more experienced divers who feel comfortable in slightly stronger currents.
The Secret Jetty: Bali’s Macro Photography Paradise
If you love unusual critters and tiny, beautifully camouflaged creatures, the Secret Jetty is your playground. This muck site has little coral, but don’t let that fool you, life here is everywhere.
Critters you might find:
- ● Ghost pipefish (both ornate and robust)
- ● Frogfish
- ● Scorpionfish
- ● Lionfish
- ● Dozens of nudibranch species
- ● Shrimps and crabs
- ● Juvenile fish hiding in debris
- ● Eels of all shapes and sizes
Photographers often spend entire dives on their knees in the sand just hunting for one more rare critter. It’s a dream site if you love macro.
Marine Life in Padang Bai: A Rich Underwater Ecosystem
One of the most compelling reasons to dive in Padang Bai is its biodiversity. Something that will not just put you in awe but also give you a lot of new knowledge and experiences. Within just a short boat ride, you can encounter both large pelagic fish and the tiniest macro creatures imaginable.
Here’s a taste of what you might find:
Bigger Marine Life: Green turtles, Stingrays, White-tip sharks, Napoleon wrasse, Trevallies, Cuttlefish.
Reef Residents: Oriental sweetlips, Moray eels (multiple species), Lionfish, Crocodile fish, Scorpionfish,
Macro and Rare Creatures: Frogfish, Ghost pipefish, Tiny nudibranchs, Juvenile fish, Unique shrimps and crabs.
Beautiful Coral Life: At sites like Bias Tugal, Blue Lagoon, and Tanjung Sari, you’ll find: Hard corals, Soft corals, Gorgonians, Large table corals, Coral bommies full of life
This variety is what makes diving here so endlessly fascinating. Every dive uncovers something new.
Is Padang Bai Good for Your Dive Level?
Absolutely! Padang Bai is perfect for almost every type of diver. See the reasons below:
Great for Beginners
Calm, shallow sites like:
Blue Lagoon
Jepun
Bias Tugal
These sites offer clear visibility, gentle conditions, and tons of marine life.
Great for Advanced Divers
More challenging sites include:
Shark Point- Tanjung Sari
Blue Lagoon Wall (deeper parts)
The Secret Jetty (for macro and navigation skills)
Amazing for Underwater Photography
Padang Bai is truly a photographer’s paradise thanks to:
Huge coral formations
A beautiful wall
Multiple muck sites
A wide range of species, especially rare nudibranchs
Whether you’re shooting wide-angle or super macro, you won’t run out of subjects. Just ensure you have enough battery to make sure your device stays “awake” all the time.
What to Expect on a Dive Trip to Padang Bai?
A typical diving day trip begins with a short drive from Sanur where our office is based, followed by preparation and boarding a traditional Balinese boat, also called Jukung in local language. The ride to the dive sites usually takes 5 – 10 minutes, making the day easy and relaxing.
Because the sites are so close, your guide can choose the best spots based on the day’s conditions and your preferences.
Why You Should Add Padang Bai to Your Bali Diving Itinerary?
Even if you plan to dive in Nusa Penida, Amed, or Tulamben, Padang Bai adds something special to your trip.
Here’s why:
- ● It’s close and easy to reach
- ● It offers both macro and wide-angle experiences
- ● Marine diversity is incredible
- ● You can dive multiple styles of sites in one day
- ● It’s enjoyable for divers of all levels
Padang Bai is one of those rare places where you cansee turtles, colorful coral gardens, ghost pipefish, and frogfish all in the same day.
Final Thoughts: Dive Into the Beauty of Padang Bai
Padang Bai isn’t just a convenient dive location, it’s truly one of Bali’s most rewarding underwater experiences. With crystal-clear water, vibrant coral reefs, and some of the best macro diving in Bali, this area offers everything you could hope for in a dive trip.
If you’re planning to dive in Bali or exploring new spots for scuba diving in Bali, make sure to include Padang Bai in your itinerary. Whoever you are, whether beginner or experienced divers, the underwater world here will leave you inspired, amazed, and eager for more.
