Visibility > 10 - 30 m
Level > Beginner - Advanced
Currents > Moderate in the Bay. Can be strong near the islands
Depth > 5 - 40+ m
Temperature > 20 - 29 °C
Highlights > Schools of sharks, occasional sunfish
Number of dive sites > 7
Best time to dive > All year. Rough in Jun-Sep. Sunfish in Aug- Sep.
Sunfish @ Amuk Bay
About Amuk Bay
Candidasa is a relaxed costal town on Bali's east coast. Accommodation and restaurants are plenty and ranges from high end to the modest. The vibe in is much more laid back than in the tourist hotspots further south.
On the other side of Amuk Bay, at Padang Bai, the atmosphere is even more relaxed. Padang Bai is a classic backpacker beach town and accommodation and eating is fairly cheap. If you are planning a trip to Lombok or the Gili Island there's a ferry connection from Padang Bai.
Diving Amuk Bay- Padang Bai to Candidasa
The dive sites around Padang Bai are very good for beginners, as the location inside the bay keeps the water calm. Turtles, black rays, schools of batfish, nudiebranch, frogfish and different kinds of sharks are among the many species you'll have a good chance of encountering.
Outside Amuk Bay, closer to Candidasa, you'll find four small rocks named Mimpang and the two small islands, Gili Biaha and Gili Tepekong. The waters are rougher up here and the dives are deep, so you need to have quite a few dives under your belt before diving here. However, if you have the necessary experience, this is where you can find some of Bali's very best diving. The crystal clear waters, a wide variety of sharks and occasional sunfish are among the many highlights.
Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida are accessible by boat from Amuk Bay and most dive operators in the area offer trips to the two islands.
Popular dive sites in and around Amuk Bay
Tanjung Sari
Tanjung Sari is located just north of Padang Bai. Here you may dive with all kinds of sharks - cat-, nurse, reef- and wobbegong sharks can be sighted. You'll also have a good chance of spotting a frogfish as well as crabs, shrimps and nudiebranch.
Padang Bai Channel
The noise of the ferries leaving or coming from Lombok above you might be a little disturbing, but there is nothing wrong with the marine life. Turtles, sharks, rays, devil fish and sunfish in season are among the many species that you might encounter in The Channel.
Gili Biaha
At Gili Biaha a shark cave is one of the highlights, but be careful if you are considering entering as currents can be very unpredictable. An indicator of whether it is safe to enter is the blow hole on the surface. If it sprays water you definitely shouldn't enter and even if it isn't, care should be taken as conditions can change quickly. Inside the cave, white tip reef sharks are often resting. Lobsters and lionfish live in there too.
Tepekong Canyon
This is a drift dive where the usually strong current will take you by large, black, coral-covered steep walls. Sharks are definitely one of the highlights at Tepekong, as you often can see dozens of sharks circling the waters around or above you.
Dive operators in the area
- Water worx dive center - Located in Padang Bai with german and english speaking instructors.
- Geko Dive - Operating since 1997 Geko Diva has been a long time favorite in Padang Bai.
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