NUSA PENIDA / MOLA MOLA DIVING
Nusa Penida Diving is diving at a remote island with dry, limestone plateau covering about 200 square kilometers. According to the Balinese, Nusa Penida is a place with strange powers and should be treated with respect. This goes to the diving as well. Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida have more or less the same characteristics with water temperature, which varies from 20 to 27 degrees and the visibility between 10 to 25 meters depending on the weather.
The best time for Nusa Penida Diving is from June to October even though the water temperature can get as low as 20 degrees due to up welling current. The north coast of Penida Island (nusa means island) is a more protected area than the south coast which faces the Indian Ocean. There is less coral growing up on the south coast than on the north coast.
Toyapakeh, which in many people opinion is the best dive on Nusa Penida. The water is clear and the coral rich. The underwater topography here is very nice with great bummies corals and several kinds of beautiful soft corals. The fish life is also excellent, and the deeper areas offer chances to encounter mola mola, giant trevally, marble stingrays, tawny nurse sharks, schooling banner fish and
Gamat Bay site is in a small bay, which gives it a good protection from the swell. There are different types of soft and hard corals. There is also a good variety of fish like sweet lips, butterfly fish, yellow fusiliers, anthias and white tip reef sharks as well as mola-molas and tunas. Crystal Bay site is located on the south end of Toyapakeh strait and the conditions here can be tough. But as Gamat Bay, the marine life here is rich and diverse. This site is especially popular among divers to see mola-molas from July until October.
S.D., Ped, Sental, Tugu and Sampalan the five sites that stretch along the north coast of Nusa Penida are a very popular diving area. The structure of these sites is a slope going down to 30 meters. This area is very well protected from swell and there is less current than on the west coast of Nusa Penida. The coral is abundant and beautiful. There is also a large diversity of reef coral fish like sergeant fish, lionfish, moray eel, triggerfish, parrotfish and anemone fish.
Batu Nunggul, Karang Sari and Malibu Point on Penida east coast are much like the north coast. There are nice hard corals at 20 meters deep. The visibility is a bit better than on the north dive sites. There is also more schooling fish and more sharks as well but the current is stronger than in the north.
Batu Abah on the south east coast, facing the Lombok strait is for more experienced divers. The topography is a slope with strong current. There are here beautiful hard corals and big pelagics like sharks, mola molas and tunas.
Batu Meling , Batu Lumbung , also called Manta Point, Penida south coast sites, are rough with strong swell. There are only few corals here, like leather corals, as well as white limestone. South Penida sites are only interesting to see big fish like sharks, tunas, mantas and mola molas.
On Lembongan Island, you can find Sampalan dive site and also Ental Point which also called Blue Corner is a site for experienced divers as the current here can be strong. The fish and coral life is not particularly rich but in season mola mola can be seen. There are also marble stingray, eagle ray, white tip reef sharks, Napoleon and giant trivially. Jangka Point also called Mangrove Point site has a gradual slope profile and quiet a strong current. There is nice coral to be seen and it is a good area for drift diving. Ceningan Wall site is protected from the swell but still has a strong current. There is a beautiful coral reef with a good variety of fish like parrot fish, sweet lips, banner fish, eagle ray, tunas and white tip reef sharks. This site is suitable for experienced divers only.
Reef Type : flat, sandy-bottom mixed reef, walls
Traveling Time : from Sanur 30-50 minutes by speed boat
Visibility : up to 25 meters
Current : sometimes quite strong current
Coral : beautiful and healthy coral
Fish : superb numbers and variety
Highlights : Mola2 and Manta Ray
Other : some dive sites have choppy condition
Please contact us for more information about about Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan Diving or other Bali diving trips.
