Why choose Bali for diving?
Bali is one of the most famous places for diving in Southeast Asia. It is because it offers some of the best and most diverse dive sites in Bali with good conditions all year round. But once you are there, you may feel overwhelmed to choose where to dive in Bali and where is the best place to stay while diving in Bali?
If you are not able to choose because you want to dive in the top-rated dive sites all around Bali, the best option is to stay around Sanur, and you can easily reach all the different places during day trips through a diving package in Bali or even a Bali dive safari!
So now the question is: among all the different places you can dive here, which are the must-see dive sites in Bali, and which are the 10 best dive sites if you only have 3 or 4 days for your diving trip around Bali?
The diversity of dive sites in Bali can make everyone happy
Bali offers a huge diversity of dive sites, with ten different dive locations and more than one hundred dive sites. Diving in Bali will for sure match your expectations.
Whether you prefer encountering big marine animals or are more interested in macro life, we have top dive sites in Bali for both! For the manta rays or the elusive mola mola, Bali is one of the best place in the world to meet them but don’t get confused, diving in Bali might also offer you the possibility to easily encounter harlequin shrimps or pygmy seahorses which are usually hard to spot and even some endemic macro life you can’t see elsewhere.
If you’re more the kind of diver who likes thrilling sensations, you may enjoy diving wrecks or experiencing some strong current in drift dives over stunning corals with schools of fish.
Don’t worry if you are a beginner and prefer quiet conditions, or want to avoid crowded dive sites, we also have dive options for you in Bali : we have easy dive sites, with no current and good visibility, where you can also see a lot of marine life.
So you must have understood that giving a list of the 10 best dive sites in Bali is very challenging, especially when the choices are equally beautiful with their own characteristics. It’s truly a subjective question that depends on everyone’s preferences. We will therefore give you a list of where to dive in Bali for each criteria, then a summary table from which you can make your own list based on your preferences.
The big animals we can spot around Bali
The most iconic big animals you can spot around Bali are the manta rays and the mola molas (ocean sunfish) because they frequent our waters (from June to October for Mola mola) and are residents (for manta rays). But as Indonesia is the gate between Indian Ocean on the west and Pacific Ocean on the east, the variety of big animals which may pass by, travel around and cross the Bali Strait is big and you might be lucky enough to encounter more rarely met animals like eagle rays, whale sharks, bamboo shark, thresher sharks, tiger sharks and even a great white shark had been spotted in Nusa Penida early 2025.
Depending on the dive site, you also have good chances to see reef sharks (reef white tips sharks, reef black tips sharks, and less often, the grey reef sharks) and plenty of turtles (hawksbill and green turtles).
Below are listed the top dive sites around Bali for each main animal :
- Manta rays: Manta Point and Manta Bay in Nusa Penida are reachable in a day trip from Sanur, they are shallow, so it is suitable for all levels, even if the conditions are sometimes harsh (waves, swell, and surge). In the deep part of Manta Point dive site, you might also see the resident bamboo shark, who usually rest under a coral during the day. It is important to understand how to interact peacefully with manta rays.
- Mola Molas, the ocean sunfish: they like cold water, so the best chances to spot Mola-Mola are between June and October, during the colder months when the water temperature drops to 20°C. You can find them in two main places: all around Nusa Penida, but with the the highest chances in Crystal Bay or on the dive sites in the north of Nusa Penida (SD Point, Pura Ped, Santal, Buyuk) but also in Candidasa area around the dive sites of Gili Mimpang and Gili Tepekong. We recommend having at least the Advanced Adventurer certification to be able to go to 30 meters depth or even the deep specialty (up to 40 meters) because Mola-Mola are mostly encountered in deep water.
- Whitetips sharks: They usually rest inside the caves and we have plenty of whitetip sharks around the Gili islands off the coast of Candidasa, so the best dive sites in Bali for diving with sharks are Gili Biaha, Gili Tepekong, and Tangked Cave. But you can also spot some of them in the Padangbai area in Tanjung Sari or even in Tanjung Jepun dive sites. It is also possible to encounter whitetip sharks in the deep part of the USAT Liberty ship wreck in Tulamben or near the Boga wreck in Kubu. As for the mola mola, you increase your chances to see sharks if you have the advanced adventurer certification, as they usually rest around 25 meters deep.
- Blacktips sharks: These sharks don’t lay to rest on the ground like the whitetips, so they are usually harder to see, but they can be spotted in the same dive sites. In addition, some other dive sites with good chances to meet them are Bat Cave in Menjangan, Pyramids Wall and Deep Blue in Amed, or even Coral Garden, Alamanda, and Emerald Bay in Tulamben.
- Turtles: They can be seen almost everywhere in Bali but the best places to dive with turtles around Bali are on the north of Penida (Santal, Pura Ped, SD Point, Mangrove but also Crystal Bay on the west of Nusa Penida), Jemeluk Bay and Lipah Bay in Amed, Coral Garden in Tulamben, Tanjung Jepun in Padangbai, Garden Eels and Coral Garden and Pos II in Menjangan.
- Sting rays: The most common stingray around Bali is the blue-spotted stingray. They like a sandy bottom where they can bury in. The best diving places in Bali to see sting rays are on the sandy area of Manta Point in Nusa Penida, Tanjung Jepun in Padangbai, and Coral Garden in Tulamben, but it is easy to meet them in all the dive sites with a sandy bottom.
- Napoleon wrasse: Not as impressive as the mola mola, which is the biggest bony fish, but encountering the Napoleon wrasse can still be a memorable experience. Three of them are residents on the USAT Liberty shipwreck, but you have better chances to see Napoleon Wrasses early in the morning or in late afternoon. Other dive sites where you can spot Napoleon Wrasses are Crystal Bay in Nusa Penida, Gili Mimpang in Candidasa, and Garden Eels in Menjangan Island.
- Whale sharks: Don’t expect too much as you need to be at the right place at the right moment so probabilities to sopt whale sharks are not so high but the best dive sites in Bali to try your luck to encounter Whale sharks in Bali are all around Menjangan island but also sometimes in the north of Nusa Penida (SD Point, Pura Ped, Santal, Buyuk), in Candidasa or even in Tulamben (Drop-off) and Amed (Pyramids wall, Jemeluk wall, Deep Blue).
All the dive sites with a wall or a strong slope, facing the open water ocean, are ideal to increase the chances for spotting elusive and rare pelagic animals, so our recommendation for the best diving places for big marine life are definitely Nusa Penida and Candidasa.For experienced divers looking for big marine life, check out our Big Fish Package :
Muck diving and macro life around Bali
Although Bali is not as famous as Sulawesi (Bunaken and Lembeh Strait), Alor, or Raja Ampat (Papua) for divers looking for super rare macro species, Bali has something unique to offer and discover, especially for macro lovers. Many amazing dive sites all around Bali offer excellent muck diving opportunities, some of them with species that are difficult to spot elsewhere.
Muck diving is a form of diving that focuses on exploring sandy, muddy, and silt-covered bottoms in search of unusual and hidden marine life.
From the smallest nudibranch like the Donut Nudibranch (Seraya, Tulamben), the Pikachu Nudibranch, the Sheep Nudibranch (Melasti, Tulamben) to the elegant Spanish Dancer (USAT Liberty shipwreck, Tulamben during night dives), the Gloomy Nudibranch (in many dive sites in Tulamben and Amed), Blue Dragon Nudibranch (Tulamben or Secret bay, Gilimanuk or Puri Jati, close to Lovina) or the more commun Chromodoris and Hypselodoris family’s ones, Bali is home of hundreds of different species of nudibranchs and seaslugs.
If you are more into crustaceans, you will be delighted to know that we have some of the rare critters too. The colorful spotted pattern of the Harlequin shrimps (Sidem, Melasti and Seraya in Tulamben during night dives) makes them a highlight in the crustacean family. Another iconic critter is the Orangutan crab (Blue Lagoon and Tanjung Jepun in Padangbai or North of Penida). But then you can also easily spot Sexy Shrimps, also called Dancing Anemone shrimps, Porcelain Crabs, in a lot of dive sites around Tulamben and Padangbai, as they live in symbiosis with anemone, same as the Hairy Squat Lobsters, which live on the giant barrel sponges.
The cephalopod family is not left out either. The best dive site in Bali to spot them is, without contest, Puri Jati! With their amazing camouflage abilities, they are hard to spot but the Mimic Octopus, the Coconut Octopus and the Bobtail Squid can be found during night time in Tulamben (Coral Garden, USAT Liberty shipwreck, Melasti, Sidem, Seraya) and Amed (Ghost Bay, Jemeluk bay, Pyramids). For the rarest Blue Rings Octopus and the Flamboyant Cuttlefish, the top dive sites in Bali are the same as for other cephalopods, with also Blue Lagoon and Tanjung Jepun in Padangbai, but prefer night time and cross your fingers!
Included in what is generally considered macro, we also have Frogfish, although some Frogfish can be large. Frogfish can be difficult to spot because of their perfect blending with sponges, which makes Frogfish belong to the macro category. The varieties of shapes, colors, and sizes are wide but the best places to dive with frogfish in Bali are Blue Lagoon, Tanjung Jepun, and Jetty in Padangbai but also Candidasa area (Gili Tepekong, Tangked Cave), and when the current is not too strong in the north of Nusa Penida too.
Then comes the fish related to the Scorpionfish family with the highly sought after Rhinopias (Blue Lagoon, Tanjung Jepun and Jetty in Padangbai) and the Leaf Scorpionfish (Blue Lagoon in Padangbai or USAT Liberty shipwreck and Coral Garden in Tulamben) which are loved by the macro life enthusiasts.The diversity of macrolife is as large as talking about all the iconic ones is hard but for sure we can’t miss the Seahorse family. The easiest seahorses to spot in Bali are the Banded Pipefish (Drop-Off in Tulamben or Turtle Neck in Padangbai or Pyramids in Amed) and the Spiny or Common Seahorses (Blue Lagoon in Padangbai and Jemeluk Bay in Amed). The Pygmy Seahorses are both easy and hard to find because they live attached to the same sea fan coral all their life, blending with it, so better you choose a well-experienced guide to bring you directly to the right spot, but for this, we recommend having the Advanced Adventurer or even the Deep Specialty certification. The best dive sites around Bali for Seahorses are Seraya, Drop-off, Coral Garden in Tulamben and Pyramids Wall in Amed.
The Ghost Pipefish can be seen in Seraya, Melasti, Sidem, Coral Garden and the USAT Liberty Wreck in Tulamben or Ghost Bay in Amed, and even in Secret Bay in Gilimanuk.We end the wide subject of Macrolife’s best diving places in Bali with the beautiful Mandarinfish. Super famous thanks to his amazing colorful pattern and the difficulty in spotting it. Usually, you can only see Mandarinfish during nighttime, but the best dive sites for spotting mandarinfish in Bali are Puri Jati, close to Lovina, and Secret Bay in Gilimanuk.
Did you know that macro life makes underwater photographers happy? You can learn more about it here or by booking an Underwater photography specialty course.
As a conclusion, the best dive destination in Bali for macro life is in Tulamben area. Below you can find a list of the must-see dive sites in Bali for macro life :
- Seraya, Sidem and Melasti and Coral Garden but also the less known Batu Belah, Batu Ringgit, Batu Nitih, Kuwanji in Tulamben;
- Ghost Bay, Pyramids and Jemeluk Bay and even Japanese shipwreck in Amed;
- Blue Lagoon, Tanjung Jepun and Jetty in Padangbai;
- Puri Jati and Secret Bay in the north and northwest of Bali;
- Tangked Cave and Gili Tepekong in Candidasa or Nusa Penida are less cited because the possibility to enjoy macro dives depends on the current, which is often too strong to make the most of it.
Here is an encyclopedia where you can learn about species and more specifically, about pygmy seahorses.
Wrecks around Bali
The most well-known wreck is, without a doubt, the famous USAT Liberty shipwreck in Tulamben. It is a must-see dive site whether you are a beginner or an experienced diver. It is often listed in the top 10 best dive sites for wreck diving worldwide, so it has surely his slot on the 10 must-see dive sites around Bali. Located in Tulamben, in the north of Bali, the USAT Liberty is a wreck that has a lot to offer. Its history, linked to World War II, already makes it a site of interest. Located only 40 meters from the shore, and with a depth ranging from 5 to 28 meters, this huge shipwreck, more than 120 meters long, makes it both an easy and beginner-friendly dive site, but also very interesting for experienced divers. Even though the wreck is partially destroyed and entirely covered in coral, it is always an exciting feeling to dive on a site steeped in history with such rich fauna and so accessible, because wrecks are usually far from the shore and very deep. It is not possible to enter the lower levels of the ship because they are filled with sand, but the cargo room is accessible even to beginners. The USAT Liberty also has many swim-throughs accessible to certified divers, which might give you goose bumps! While it’s true that this wreck looks more like an artificial reef than a real boat, some parts allow you to recognize the boat. Also, you can still see the engines, some steering wheels, and the cargo room, but if you’re a certified diver, it’s mainly the front of the boat that offers a breathtaking view. Regarding the marine life on the Liberty Wreck, you can enjoy macrolife but also big groupers, Napoleon wrasses, even sometimes sharks and turtles, schools of sardines, big mouth mackerel fish, barracudas, sweetlips and all the tropical species.
If you’re looking to feel like an explorer, perhaps a dive on the Boga Wreck in Kubu village, on the north of Bali, will fulfill you. This 45-meter-long wreck, reserved for advanced adventurers or deep divers (depth ranges from 18 to 36), will make you feel small compared to the view you see when you first spot the boat. Less crowded than the USAT Liberty shipwreck, this commercial fast boat, which was deliberately sunk in 2012 to create an artificial reef, is still in very good condition, even though coral and life have already begun to inhabit it. Boga Wreck offers two long swims of 15 m at the intermediate level and 30 m at the deep level, which will delight you. Regarding marine life, Boga Wreck is good to enjoy both macro life and big marine life.
The third well-known wreck around Bali is also in the north, close to Amed. It’s the Japanese wreck. Nobody knows the true story of this boat, but it’s widely accepted that it was a Japanese patrol boat sunk during World War II, and even some sources suggest it was a fishing vessel from Java. Don’t expect to experience the same thrills as on the Boga Wreck; the Japanese Wreck is more of an easy and chill dive. The conditions on the Japanese Wreck are usually good because the wreck rests inside Lipah Bay, which offers protection. The Japanese wreck is shallow, from 4 to 12 meters and easily accessible from the shore, so it’s ideal for beginners. But it still provides a memorable experience as all the hull of the ship is fully covered by corals and sponges, as it is also on the reef further. The Japanese wreck in Amed attracts a lot of marine life and colorful small fish or macro life. Don’t miss this dive site as it is an underrated place, less crowded with stunning, healthy corals.
Here, with Nico Dives Cool, we offer a 3 days diving package in the north of Bali “Wrecks and Thrills”, with which you can enjoy the three most famous wrecks in Bali.
The last notable wreck is Anker or Anchor Wreck. This one is located on Menjangan Island. As for the Japanese wreck, its history is blurry. It gets its name from the main anchor that rests in the shallow part, around 6 meters. As it was a wooden cargo boat from the 19th century, the ship is now destroyed and split into different parts. You can still see the cargo the boat was carrying (copper sheets and bottles). Even if a beginner can explore the shallowest part of the plateau, the deepest part of the ship is around 50 meters so it is better if you are an advanced adventurer or a deep certified diver. The good visibility on this dive site makes it easy to see the white sandy bottom at 50 meters, even by staying at 30 meters.
Then, you might see some other wrecks of commercial speedboats around Bali, like in Tanjung Jepun in Padangbai or the Pacha wreck in Amed but these ones are not revealing as wreck diving.
In conclusion, if you are planning to dive in Bali, you should consider diving wrecks, as they are some of the best sites around Bali and you can also learn and explore more by taking the Wreck/Advanced or the Wreck Specialty Course.
Currents and drift, stunning coral reefs and schools of fish around Bali
Bali’s strong currents, particularly around the Nusa Penida or Gili islands in Candidasa area, make it a popular destination for drift diving. These currents are a natural phenomenon, driven by the Indonesian Throughflow, a massive oceanic current that flows through the archipelago, and they bring nutrient-rich water and diverse marine life to the area.
Even though the currents can be strong, if you dive with an experienced guide who knows the sites and conditions, there’s no risk. You can also improve your confidence and comfort by taking a drift specialty course.
Once you’ve mastered this skill, you’ll never want to go back. You go neutrally buoyant, above coral fields with such dense cover that it’s impossible to even see the substrate below! No need to fin; you just go with the flow and enjoy fish TV.
Often, all three go hand in hand: current, beautiful and healthy coral reefs, and schooling fish of varying sizes! It is because nutrients brought by the current keep coral reefs in excellent health and attract schools of fish.
The current often washes the sediment, offering crystal clear water conditions, but it also sometimes brings cold thermoclines, so be ready!
The best dive places in Bali to experience the current and watch stunning corals and schools of fish are :
- North of Nusa Penida (SD, Pura Ped, Santal, Buyuk) but also north of Lembongan (Mangrove). They offer both stunning corals with huge staghorn coral fields and colossal bummies of hump corals, schools of butterflies fish, banner fish, anthias, mackerel fish, fusiliers, snappers.
- Candidasa area and the Gili islands (Gili Tepekong, Gili Biaha, Gili Mimpang) also offer some of the strongest currents. Even if corals are beautiful, the coverage is not as impressive as in the north of Penida. But you can still enjoy super long black corals and great sea fan corals, or gorgonian coral. In Gili islands’ case, currents attract more schools of fish like barracudas, jackfish, trevallies, bumphead parrotfish, batfish, and unicornfish.
- Mejangan Island is also super famous and offers some of the best drift dives around Bali. More than clear, the soft white sand you can find there brings brightness, which even improves visibility. The coral formations are big and cover all the slopes. The current is usually less strong than in Nusa Penida or Gili islands, so you can enjoy schools of fish in a more relaxed atmosphere! You will encounter plenty of banner fish, anthias, mackerel fish, fusiliers, snappers, and barracuda.
Here you can find a table that sums up the main information so you can make your own ranking depending on your preferences. And you can find more detailed information about the dive site on the corresponding section on our website.
We have diving packages and diving safari around Bali depending on what you like we’ll be happy to help you create your own customized diving safari!
Ultimate-Bali-Dive-Guide-English-PDFWritten by Anais Pucci, a French SSI scuba diving instructor, passionate about diving and the underwater marine life, currently working at Nico Dives Cool Bali.
