Nico Dives Cool Bali

Technical diving in Nusa Penida: Drift Dives, Manta Rays and Mola-Mola Hunting

We can do tech dives all along the North side at the dive sites named Buyuk, Sental, Pura Ped, and SD Point. All of those dive spots are situated along the same reef, which is five kilometers long and is the best place to do nice, long tech drift dives in Nusa Penida.

We have to check the current direction first to make sure we have enough distance for the drift. We generally drift at about 30 meters deep, and we watch the blue and the deep for Mola-Mola, sharks, big tuna, and trevally. When we spot something nice, we go down to 40–50 meters to see it. The Mola-Mola likes to get cleaned along that slope in deep water between 35 and 50 meters. By tech diving, we are increasing our chances of spotting the fabulous and very rare Mola-Mola sunfish.

When the bottom time is finished, we ascend along the prestigious coral wall and complete the decompression obligation on the stunning, colorful coral reef. We will be looking for turtles, frogfish, and schools of fish. Thousands of damselfish swim over the top of the hard coral, there are anemones everywhere, and the live coral is very impressive.

Tech Diving at Crystal Bay

This dive site needs to be done at the right time. We must check the tide tables and enter the water at the correct moment. It is also important to check the surface conditions. We recommend using a technical DPV, as the diving conditions can be unpredictable and change quickly. Having a DPV can help the tech team avoid aborting the dive.

We start our tech dive inside Crystal Bay, then find the slope and keep it on the right shoulder. We swim along the slope at 25 meters deep, looking for sea snakes, turtles, cuttlefish, and schools of butterflyfish. Then we find a crack in the slope where we like to hide if the current is coming into the bay. We can follow the crack down to 40 meters and wait for the Mola-Mola. Inside the crack (a small wall), we can see big lionfish, Wobbegong sharks, octopus, and schools of sweetlips.

If conditions are good, we continue the dive down a huge slope to 40 or 50 meters. At the bottom of the slope, there is an edge or a step; the sand begins at 60 meters below that step. We also have a deep rock on the sand, parallel to the slope, where the Mola-Mola likes to get cleaned. The top of that rock is at 45 meters. The Mola likes to show up at different places along the slope between 30 and 50 meters, and particularly likes to get cleaned on the deep edge at 40 to 50 meters. When we have finished our planned bottom time, we ascend along the slope and return to the bay to complete our decompression obligation.

Tech Diving at Blue Corner

This is one of the best places to spot the Mola-Mola. We recommend using a technical DPV to increase the chances of having a successful tech dive.

We will start the dive with a drift toward the wall. It is important to be 100% ready before entering the water to save time at the surface and start the tech dive quickly. As soon as we start the dive, we have to swim down to 15 meters and start drifting toward the wall at “Blue Corner.” During the drift, we will look for turtles, tuna, very healthy coral, trevally, and schools of fish. At the end of the drift, we will see the big wall starting at 18 meters. At that point, it is important to swim a bit harder to reach the wall and hide behind it to avoid being swept away by the current.

Behind the wall, the current will stop, and we will be at 30 meters. We will be looking for Mola-Mola, marble rays, thresher sharks, and eagle rays playing at the top of the wall. We will follow the wall down to 50 meters to look for Mola-Mola. When the planned bottom time is finished, we ascend to the top of the wall at 18 meters, then swim inside the calm bay behind Blue Corner. The bay is a huge coral garden, very colorful and full of sea life and turtles. It is the perfect place to complete the decompression obligation.

Tech Diving at Manta Point Walls

We will start the tech dive at the Manta Ray cleaning station to ensure we get to see manta rays. Then, we will dive on the coral plateau where we will look for black and brown banded bamboo sharks, frogfish, mantis shrimp, octopus, schools of fish, and more manta rays coming very close.

At the end of the sloping plateau, we will find a small wall running from 25 to 35 meters, where Mola-Mola like to come to get cleaned. At the foot of the wall, at 35 meters, we can see many stingrays, one above the other, hiding in the sand; we can also see small caves where bamboo sharks and lobsters like to hide. After visiting the first wall, we will keep the reef on our right shoulder and swim toward the second wall. Both walls are quite similar; each is a coral plateau surrounded by a wall. These two walls are good spots to see the Mola-Mola getting cleaned. This is a nice place to do a tech dive if the current is too strong at other dive sites around Nusa Penida on that day.

Our Tech Protocols

Built on precision. Our protocols are designed by tech divers who respect the depth.

● Depth Limits: Max 60 meters on Trimix; max 50 meters on Air.
● Gas Planning: Our protocols limit Air to a maximum of 50m; Normoxic Trimix is mandatory for any deeper profile to ensure total mental clarity. For those prioritizing absolute situational awareness, we offer the flexibility to transition to Trimix starting from 40m.
● Configurations: Full support for Twinsets, Sidemount, and CCR.
● CCR Support: We are AP Inspiration specialists. Sofnolime (Sorb), Trimix, and Oxygen fills are available.
● Gas Blending: Precision fills of Trimix and custom Nitrox/Deco gases up to 100% O2 from a reputable, high-standard station with strict filtration.
● Safety: We are located in Sanur, with quick access to the hyperbaric chamber in Denpasar.

Requirements & Booking

● Certification: Proof of Tech certification (SSI, TDI, PADI TecRec, IANTD, GUE, etc.).
● Insurance: Must cover technical diving depths.
● Check-out: A shallow check-out/weight-check dive may be required, depending on your recent experience.

Ready to go deep?