Bali is a well preserved Indonesian island that is renowned for its stunning coral reefs and scenic beaches. Due to the diverse underwater ecosystem comprising of over 900 species of aquatic plants and animals, Bali hosts many popular globally rated dive spots. In addition, the well established dive tours and excursions make it easy for both new and experienced divers to move from one dive spot to another without any hitch. If you are planning to visit Bali, here are some of the most important dive sites you should explore.
USS LIBERTY WRECK
The USS Liberty Wreck is one of the most accessible dive sites in Bali. This popular dive wreck lies on the black sand slope, in the shallow water, about 30 metres from the shore. Every inch of the 120-metre long shipwreck is adorned with soft or hard corals or covered with colourful sponges. When you dive into the USS Liberty wreck, you will see a wide variety of marine creatures and schools of fish including surgeonfish, angelfish and wrasse swimming around it. Although the wreck has been broken up since it sank during World War 2, you can still see the anchor chain, guns, broilers and toilets, that were part of this United States Army Transport (USAT) ship. This dive site is open to both experienced and new divers throughout the year.
THE WALL
At the opposite end of the Tulamben bay, facing the USS Liberty wreck, you will see another amazing dive site called The Wall. Formed by an ancient lava flow off Mount Agung, The Wall is just about 10 minutes from the black stony beach. At the point where the dive begins, there is a steep slope with flounders, and nudibranchs. As you move deeper into the site, you will see diverse kinds of shrimps, crinoids, scorpionfish and ghost pipefish. Due to the large amount of plankton in the water, visibility is much better early in the morning. Diving early in the day will give you an opportunity to see black tip and white tip reef sharks, large wrasse, bumphead parrotfish and the big moray eel.
CORAL GARDEN
At the mid-section of Tulamben beach, there’s a relatively shallow reef, which has five corals, anemones, tube and barrel sponges. Coral Garden has a wide variety of fish which include a large number of blue ribbon eels and the octopus. Diverse kinds of anemone fish and shrimp also inhabit this attractive coral reef while some large fish like the black tip shark and the bumphead parrotfish also come here. At night, the Coral Garden offers you a chance to see flashlight fish and spanish dancers. This is one of the best dives spots to visit, if you are interested in night diving in Bali.
AMED
Amed is located in the northeast of Bali and it hosts the Jemeluk Bay where you can find vibrant reefs comprising staghorn coral, tube sponges, barrel sponges and gorgonian fans. The popular fish species found here include Indian triggerfish, bluefin trevally, saifin tangs and cardinalfish. Other exciting creatures also cruise around here such as the blue ribbon eels, sting rays, scorpionfish, lionfish, moray eels and the red octopus.
Bali is an excellent place to enjoy amazing underwater experiences. Beginning with the dive spots highlighted here, you can explore the unique treasures off the Island of Bali. The wide range of marine creatures and beautiful coral will keep your eyes and your camera busy throughout your stay below the water surface.
