Crystal Bay

Crystal Bay (Penida Bay)

Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia

  • Advanced
  • Strong current
  • Best Jul to Nov

Crystal Bay is an advanced dive site in Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Dives run from 5 to 40 m, in strong current. The best months are July to November. Marine life here includes mola-mola, black-tip reef shark and wobbegong shark. 48 dive shops on Scubalo run trips here.

Updated

Conditions at Crystal Bay

Max depth
40 m
Depth range
5–40 m
Current
Strong
Level
Advanced
Depth profile: dives from 5 m to 40 m.

About Crystal Bay

Crystal Bay, on the southwest coast of Nusa Penida at the southern end of the Ceningan Channel, is Bali's best known place to see mola mola, the ocean sunfish, which can grow over 2 metres.

The small bay is sheltered and very clear, with visibility reaching 30 to 50 metres. A sandy slope starts at 10 metres and runs towards the channel, with hard coral reefs on either side from 5 to 6 metres. A rocky island with a temple sits in the middle of the bay.

The reef turns into a steep wall dropping deep towards the channel. In season, mola mola rise from 20 to 70 metres to cleaning stations along it. There is also an underwater bat cave at 20 to 24 metres, where divers can surface inside while bats sleep overhead.

Besides mola mola, the site has turtles, reef sharks including wobbegong, leopard and thresher, eagle rays, moray eels, frogfish, banded sea snakes and plenty of reef fish. It is rated advanced for unpredictable strong currents, sudden downcurrents and cold thermoclines, especially near the drop off.

When to dive Crystal Bay

Best months: July, August, September, October, November.

Season

Right now
Mola mola season
July to mid November, peaking August to October, when cold upwellings bring sunfish to shallow cleaning stations.
In mola season
Water drops to 16 to 22°C, with thermoclines as low as 16°C. Bring a 5 to 7 mm wetsuit.
Warm season
December to May, around 28°C.
Transition
May to July and November, 22 to 26°C with cold thermoclines to 19°C.
Visibility
20 to 30 metres on average all year, even in the rainy season.
Tip
Dive early in the morning for fewer boats and calmer water.

Marine life at Crystal Bay

What divers report seeing here. Tap one to see where else it turns up.

Type of diving

Location

Questions about Crystal Bay

When is the best time to see mola mola at Crystal Bay?

July to mid November, peaking from August to October, when cold upwellings bring ocean sunfish up to cleaning stations along the wall. Expect cold water, 16 to 22°C, and bring a 5 to 7 mm wetsuit.

Is Crystal Bay suitable for beginners?

Crystal Bay is rated advanced because of unpredictable strong currents, sudden downcurrents and cold thermoclines near the drop off. Come with experience in current before diving it.

How deep is Crystal Bay?

Reefs start at 5 to 6 metres and a sandy slope at 10 metres runs to a wall that drops very deep. Mola mola rise from 20 to 70 metres in season; the bat cave is at 20 to 24 metres.

What else can you see at Crystal Bay?

Turtles, wobbegong, leopard and thresher sharks, eagle rays, moray eels, frogfish, banded sea snakes and reef fish, plus a bat cave where you can surface among sleeping bats.

How do you get to Crystal Bay?

Take a fast boat from Sanur to Nusa Penida, around 30 to 45 minutes. Most divers book through shops on Nusa Penida or on a day trip from Bali.

Reviews

Be the first to review Crystal Bay

Dived here? Tell other divers what it was like: the visibility, the current and what you saw.

Dive shops that go to Crystal Bay

48 shops in the directory run trips here.

Dive sites near Crystal Bay

All dive sites in Nusa Penida

See all 48 shops