Diver Level: Open Water
Depth: 10-30m
Average Visibility: 25-30m
Travel Time: 20 minutes
Type of Dive: Bay/Wall
Known For: Mola Mola (July-October), seahorses, sea snakes, octopus, frog fish, nudibranchs

Located on the West Coast of Nusa Penida, Crystal Bay is one of Bali’s most renowned diving sites, especially popular during the July to October Sunfish season. The dive site earns its name from the incredible ‘crystal’ visibility, reaching up to 50 meters on the best days. The bay itself forms a horseshoe-shaped coral reef surrounding a white sandy, sloping bottom. Here, divers can encounter a stunning variety of marine life, including Batfish, Sea Snakes, leaf blower wrasse, and flounder. The area boasts impressive soft and hard corals, such as giant table corals, making it an ideal location for dive training due to its protected waters.

Venturing outside the bay’s sheltered area, alongside a small island, divers will find a shelf and a deep wall. The strong currents in this region bring nutrient-rich waters that support vibrant, healthy coral and abundant marine life. This is where the elusive Mola Mola (Sunfish) can be seen being cleaned by Bannerfish and Moorish Idol. Divers might also spot reef sharks, octopus, nudibranchs, and, with a keen eye, even frogfish or seahorses.

Diver Level: Open Water
Depth: 18m
Average Visibility: 15m
Travel Time: 25 minutes
Type of Dive: Bay
Known For: Manta Rays, Bamboo Sharks, Woebegong Sharks and Mola Mola (July-Oct)

Located on the west coast of Nusa Penida, Manta Bay offers generally easy conditions, though occasional surges can occur. The manta rays here are typically juveniles that come to feed, the site is believed by the Marine Megafauna Foundation to be a nursery for young manta rays, not yet ready to mate. The plankton-rich waters along the limestone coast attract mantas year-round.

The site features a shallow bay with a mix of sandy and coral bottoms, with a maximum depth of about 18 meters. Most of the dive is spent at shallower depths, where you can closely observe the mantas as they feed and sometimes perform for the divers.

Venturing deeper, you can explore gullies and swim-throughs in search of bamboo sharks, wobbegong sharks, and turtles, which are commonly spotted here.

Diver Level: Open Water
Depth: 10-25m
Average Visibility: 15m
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Type of Dive: Bay
Known For: Manta Rays, Nurse Sharks, Bamboo Sharks and Mola Mola (July-Oct)

Located on the southwest coast of Nusa Penida, Manta Point is an exhilarating dive site, though strong currents and big waves mean it isn’t always accessible. A thrilling 45-minute boat ride along dramatic limestone cliffs, reminiscent of a Jurassic Park set, brings you to this incredible location.

Manta Point offers year-round opportunities to encounter enchanting manta rays. The main attraction is a cleaning station formed by a large rock at a shallow depth of 5 meters. The plankton-rich waters attract mantas that circle above, waiting to be cleaned, often swooping in for a closer look at divers. It’s not uncommon to see ‘manta trains’ here, part of the courting ritual of adults, sometimes with up to 30 mantas in one dive!

Venturing into slightly deeper waters may reward you with sightings of nurse sharks, bamboo sharks, numerous blue-spotted stingrays, and during Mola Mola season, the elusive sunfish.

Diver Level: Open Water
Depth: 10-30m
Average Visibility: 25-30m
Travel Time: 20 minutes
Type of Dive: Bay/Steep Slope
Known For: Corals, Macro and Mola Mola (July-October)

Located on the west coast of Nusa Penida, Gamat Bay is one of the smallest dive site around the islands, offering unique charm and a chance to escape from strong currents thanks to its shallow depths. The bay features a sandy bottom adorned with an abundance of beautiful soft corals, gorgonians, and table corals. Divers can enjoy exploring this underwater haven, searching for invertebrates, nudibranchs, and other macro marine life—a true wonderland for photographers.

As you venture out of the bay and onto the steep slope, you’ll encounter large coral bombies and stronger currents. These conditions attract larger marine life, including schools of surgeonfish and batfish, along with reef sharks and turtles. During the season, there’s a good chance of spotting the elusive Mola Mola at depth.

Diver Level: Advanced Open Water
Depth: 20-40m
Average Visibility: 20-25m
Travel Time: 15 minutes
Type of Dive: Wall
Known For: Rays, Nudibranchs, Sharks, Mola Mola (July-October)

Located on the eastern side of Nusa Ceningan, this spectacular wall dive plunges to an astounding depth of 170 meters. The nutrient-rich waters, fed by nearby mangroves and the deep channel, nourish a thriving ecosystem of healthy corals and diverse marine life. As an advanced dive site, it truly reveals its wonders at greater depths and often features strong currents, rewarding experienced divers with a unique and breathtaking experience unlike any other in the area. Drifting along the wall, you’ll discover an abundance of invertebrates, octopuses, and nudibranchs nestled in its crevices. Gazing out into the deep blue, it’s common to spot reef sharks, bull rays, eagle rays, mola mola (in season) and occasional hammerheads.

Diver Level: Open Water
Depth: 5-30m
Average Visibility: 25-30m
Travel Time: 15 minutes
Type of Dive: Bay/Drift
Known For: Corals, Giant Trevally, Barracuda, Scorpion Fish and Mola Mola (July-October)

Located on the northwest coast of Nusa Penida, Toyapakeh, meaning “Salt Water” in Balinese, is renowned as one of the most rewarding dive sites around the islands. From the moment you descend, you’ll understand why—schools of fish surround you, and the site’s spectacular topography unfolds before your eyes. The shallow bay, adorned with an array of hard and soft corals, provides a serene haven shielded from the swift currents of the Ceningan Channel. This tranquil environment allows divers to discover scorpionfish, orangutan crabs, mantis shrimp, blue ribbon eels, and fascinating nudibranchs.

Venturing deeper towards the channel, you’ll drift along a steep slope, gliding past large coral formations. You’ll encounter schools of red-toothed triggerfish, unicorn fish, jackfish, and batfish. Keep an eye out for the impressive barracuda and giant trevally. Typically, the current runs north along the dive site, creating an excellent drift dive. However, conditions can vary, offering a more adventurous dive with shifting directions. On a lucky day, as you descend further down the slope, you might spot larger pelagics such as Mola Mola and eagle rays.

Diver Level: Advanced Open Water
Depth: 5-40m
Average Visibility: 25-30m
Travel Time: 15 minutes
Type of Dive: Wall/Drift
Known For: Corals, Reef Sharks, Barracuda and Mola Mola (July-October)

Located on the northwest coast of Nusa Penida and the southern end of Toyapakeh, this dive site offers a stunning wall dive experience. Beginning at a depth of 5 to 15 meters, the site features a vibrant coral plateau before plunging into a deep wall and the vast expanse of the open ocean. The constant current along the wall provides an exhilarating dive for those with more experience.

The nutrient-rich waters support a thriving ecosystem of both hard and soft corals, teeming with marine life. As you drift along the wall, you’ll discover invertebrates nestled in the cracks, along with sightings of giant moray eels and octopuses. Schools of sweetlips, red-toothed triggerfish, and batfish are common, and you might even encounter blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, groupers, barracudas, and sometimes Mola Mola. On rare occasions, lucky divers have spotted oceanic mantas gliding through the deep channel.

Diver Level: Open Water
Depth: 6-30m
Average Visibility: 20-25m
Travel Time: 15 minutes
Type of Dive: Gentle Slope/Drift
Known For: Giant Pufferfish, Barracuda, Giant Trevally, macro

Located on the northeast coast of Nusa Lembongan, this dive site is aptly named for its proximity to the island’s mangroves. The nutrient-rich waters and thriving ecosystem have fostered a diverse array of corals and abundant marine life, making this one of the most stunning dive sites in the area. The reef’s health and beauty are unmatched.

The currents here vary from calm to very fast, but unlike the other drift dives around the island, this site features a gently sloping reef. This makes it an ideal spot for divers of all levels and a popular destination for snorkelers. Divers can explore a multitude of table corals, anemones, and small bommies teeming with mantis shrimp, nudibranchs, and frogfish.

Additionally, the site is renowned for sightings of giant pufferfish, barracuda, and giant trevally. Occasionally, a reef shark or turtle will join divers, adding to the excitement of the dive.

Diver Level: Open Water
Depth: 5-30m
Average Visibility: 25-30m
Travel Time: 20 minutes
Type of Dive: Slope/Drift
Known For: Turtles, Bat Fish, Reef Sharks

Located on the northern coast of Nusa Penida, SD dive site is named after the local primary school, Sekolah Desar. Along the picturesque stretch of white sandy beach, you’ll find seaweed farmers at work, while beneath the clear blue waters, a vibrant coral reef runs parallel to the shore. SD, along with the neighboring dive sites of PED, Sental, and Buyuk, forms a continuous underwater wonderland along the coast, offering some of the best drift diving in Indonesia.

The currents here vary from thrilling to completely calm, adding an element of excitement to each dive, with conditions sometimes changing mid-dive. The dive site features a moderately steep slope adorned with extensive fields of corals and sponges. Drifting along, you’ll encounter triggerfish, schools of butterflyfish, trumpetfish, angelfish, and a dazzling array of other tropical species. Turtles and sea snakes are frequent visitors, and if you peer into the deep blue, you might even spot larger pelagic creatures (keep an eye our for travelling whale sharks).

As the dive concludes, be on the lookout for the resident school of batfish—a delightful sight to enjoy during your safety stop and a perfect way to end your underwater adventure.

Diver Level: Open Water
Depth: 5-30m
Average Visibility: 25-30m
Travel Time: 25 minutes
Type of Dive: Slope/Drift
Known For: Corals, Turtles, Orangutan Crabs

Situated along the northern coast of Nusa Penida, Pura Ped boasts a dramatic drop-off marked by a temple nestled on the shore. It stands as the second of four prime dive locations spanning this entire coastline. Ped offers divers a slightly steeper slope compared to SD, along with extensive wall diving opportunities. The currents here vary from exhilarating roller coaster rides to serene, leisurely drifts along the site.

Exploring Ped reveals stunning features including sponge barrels, exceptionally long whip corals, and vast stretches of staghorn coral. Schools of triggerfish, sweetlips, unicorn fish, and a myriad of other tropical species described in dive guides abound here. During a gentler drift, keen-eyed divers may spot orangutan crabs, nudibranchs, and leaf scorpion fish hiding amidst the coral formations.

Venturing deeper into Ped sometimes rewards divers with encounters with large pelagic creatures such as eagle rays, reef sharks, and, during the right season, Mola Mola.

Diver Level: Open Water
Depth: 5-30m
Average Visibility: 25-30m
Travel Time: 30 minutes
Type of Dive: Slope/Drift
Known For: Macro, Octopus, Giant Morays, Occasional Pelagics

Located on the north coast of Nusa Penida, Sental is the third of the four dive sites that span the entire length of this coastline. Its topography closely resembles that of Ped and SD, but with a steeper slope and more clusters of large coral bombies.

Renowned for some of the best drift diving in Indonesia, Sental offers an exhilarating ride or a gentle tour past magnificent corals, depending on the day’s conditions. This site teems with schooling tropical fish, including triggerfish, batfish, and anthias. Divers can spot octopuses, giant moray eels, and beautiful ribbon eels hiding among the corals. In the deeper blue, sightings of hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, and the seasonal mola mola add to the thrill.

Diver Level: Open Water
Depth: 5-30m
Average Visibility: 25-30m
Travel Time: 30 minutes
Type of Dive: Slope/Drift
Known For: Reef fish, pelagic swim pasts, Moray Eels

Buyuk, situated on the northern coast of Nusa Penida, is the fourth dive site in a series that spans the entire North Coast. The topography here is similar to the neighboring sites, characterized by its vibrant and diverse coral reefs. The strong currents at Buyuk contribute to the spectacular marine life, featuring impressive sponge barrels, long whip corals, and an array of both hard and soft corals.

When conditions are right, Buyuk offers an adventurous drift dive, sometimes at a thrilling pace. Divers can experience swirling schools of fish and a fascinating variety of macro life, provided the currents aren’t too swift. Giant Napoleon Wrasse and large Barracuda are frequent visitors, adding to the excitement of the dive. Additionally, there are rumoured sightings of Thresher Sharks at greater depths, and during the season, mola mola can also be spotted.

Diver Level: Advanced Open Water
Depth: 25-40m
Average Visibility: 25-30m
Travel Time: 20 minutes
Type of Dive: Wall/Drift Dive
Known For: Reef Sharks, Eagle Rays, Barracuda, Mola Mola  (July-October)

Located on the northwest coast of Nusa Lembongan, this dive site lives up to its name, offering divers the thrill of spotting impressive pelagics in the open blue waters. Ideal for experienced divers, this site promises an exhilarating experience that never disappoints. The dive begins with a series of current-swept terraces, leading around a corner to a dramatic, deep vertical wall. The spectacular topography is complemented by the abundant marine life, including schools of snapper and jacks, large napoleon wrasse, big tuna, eagle rays, marble rays, turtles and reef sharks.

Diver Level: Open Water
Depth: 6-12m
Average Visibility: 15-20m
Travel Time: 25 minutes
Type of Dive: Training Dive
Known For: Ease of diving

Nestled in the shallow waters off the coast of Jungut Batu, Pontoon offers an ideal setting for both novice divers and underwater photographers. The colourful shallows provide a pretty backdrop, showcasing a diversity of reef fish. Whether it’s your first dive or you’re honing your photography skills, Pontoon is a rewarding underwater experience.