Bali Scuba Diving

Blue Lagoon in Padang Bay, Bali, is a top beginner dive site perfect for scuba certification and learning dives. It features a shallow coastal reef with a sandy bottom, vibrant coral bommies, and a gentle slope teeming with colorful hard and soft corals. Divers encounter a surprising variety of marine life including small tropical fish, turtles, reef sharks, and occasional sightings of manta rays. The calm conditions and rich biodiversity make it ideal for new divers seeking easy, safe, and scenic underwater experiences.

Manta Point Nusa Penida is one of the most famous dive sites in Bali and worldwide, located off the southwestern coast of Nusa Penida. This iconic dive spot, known as a top manta ray cleaning station, attracts large reef manta rays year-round, typically with wingspans of 3-5 meters, that visit to have parasites removed by smaller reef fish. At Manta Point Nusa Penida, divers and snorkelers experience breathtaking underwater scenes with a sandy bottom, massive coral formations, and boulders where manta rays gracefully glide between the shallows and cleaning stations. The site regularly offers encounters with 10-20+ manta rays per dive, making Manta Point Nusa Penida one of the most reliable locations for manta ray sightings globally. The dramatic limestone cliffs of Nusa Penida plunge straight into the ocean around Manta Point, creating a stunning backdrop. Besides mantas, the rich marine biodiversity at Manta Point Nusa Penida includes bamboo sharks, blue-spotted stingrays, reef sharks, nudibranchs, and occasionally rare sightings of Mola mola (sunfish) or whale sharks. Manta Point Nusa Penida is suitable for divers of all certification levels and even snorkeling, thanks to its shallow cleaning stations. However, divers should be aware that currents and swell can vary, making conditions challenging at times. For snorkelers, there is also a nearby Manta Point II (New Manta Point) with similar features but generally smaller mantas and calmer waters.

The USAT Liberty wreck is one of Bali’s most famous and accessible dive sites, rich with history and marine life. Originally built in 1918 as a United States Army cargo ship, the Liberty served in both World War I and II. On January 11, 1942, during World War II, it was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in the Lombok Strait while transporting rubber and railroad parts. Severely damaged, the ship was towed toward Singaraja in North Bali but began taking on water, forcing its beaching at Tulamben to salvage its cargo. For about 20 years, the ship remained beached, becoming a familiar landmark. In 1963, the eruption of Mount Agung triggered earthquakes and land shifts that pushed the ship off the beach into the sea, breaking it in two. The wreck now lies underwater approximately 40 meters from the shore, with depths ranging from 5 meters at the stern to about 30 meters at its lowest point. It rests parallel to the shore, making it easily accessible for divers and snorkelers of all experience levels. Over decades, the Liberty has formed a thriving artificial reef, covered in coral and inhabited by more than 400 marine species, including notable residents like the bumphead parrotfish. Its unique history combined with vibrant underwater life makes the USAT Liberty wreck a must-visit dive site in Bali