Lembongan Island Bali
Lying across the Badung Strait from Sanur is Bali's premiere scuba diving destination - the clear waters of Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida islands. With its adjacent deep water trenches, the main attraction of diving at Lembongan Island is the common encounters with the curious and otherwise very rare oceanic sunfish, or mola mola.
Safety Warning
The current can be very strong and unpredictable around Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan. Having 4 knots of current is not rare and most of the dives are drift dives. Diving there is NOT recommended for beginners and inexperienced divers. See Below for more information.
Depth: 8 - 40m
Visibility: 20 - 45m
Currents: Can be very strong
Surface conditions: Can be rough
Visibility: 20 - 45m
Currents: Can be very strong
Surface conditions: Can be rough
Blue point or Jack Point
excellent snorkelling destination on Nusa Penida and interesting shallow sites which can be enjoyed by divers of all levels of experience. If you descend below 12 metres however, the currents become strong and more experienced divers can enjoy a great ride over unusual corals.
Keep an eye to the deep water as sunfish and white-tip and black-tip reef sharks are regular visitors to this dive site. Given the possibility of strong currents it is a good idea to have your own safety sausage and a signalling device for attracting attention at the surface. Expect to encounter chilly thermoclines in the deeper water.
Scuba Diving
The water around Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan is usually quite cold due to cold water coming from very deep. Sometimes it can go as low as 22°C and even right down to 16 °C! So it is better to dive there with a 5 mm full wet suit! The coldest months are from June to October and hottest ones are from November to February.
The water is also very clear among the best visibility around Bali. This clear water is due to the strong current sweeping the area.
But if you know how to deal with the current it can offer you unforgettable drift diving memories of literally flying over the reef! You should always be guided by an experienced guide and try not to question his judgement as they know the area very well. If the conditions are good it can be amazing dives but if not careful, it can rapidly become a nightmare and there have been cases of accidents in the past. But this is this current which brings big fishes and clear water ;-)
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