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Snorkeling and Diving in Nusa Penida: Discovering the Best Spots
Do you know that Nusa Penida is not just the cradle of deluxe yachts designed and built by Fortune Yachts Bali? It is also the highlight of diving in Bali!
Our spectacular island offers more than astonishing natural views and beach amenities. It can be your unforgettable place of strength with its diving and snorkeling opportunities. Let’s explore them in our blog to highlight the best places for your snorkeling, free diving or scuba diving experience.
Why Choose Nusa Penida for Diving and Snorkeling Activities
First, what’s so special about Nusa Penida from a diving point of view? We have five main reasons to claim it the best place on Earth to dive deep.
1. Nusa Penida’s climate is a perfect match for all-year-round diving and snorkeling. Like all tropical areas, it has wet and dry seasons, yet both are suitable for diving, as the average water temperature near the island’s shores is about +27 °C (80.6 °F) and rarely drops below +16 °C (60.8 °F).
2. Clear coastal waters of the ocean near Nusa Penida offer excellent visibility to divers and snorkelers, even during the wet season when the temperature rises to its peak.
3. Nusa Penida is famous for its rich coral reefs with both hard and soft corals, growing whimsically and shaping the underwater landscape. So far, these reefs are the cradle for the most spectacular biodiversity.
4. Do you know that Nusa Penida is a unique diving place because of the significant manta ray population its waters host? It is the only spot on Earth where you can see gorgeous manta rays year-round. Suppose you are lucky enough to visit the island during the proper season (typically from July to October), and you see manta rays. In that case, you will have a chance to observe the migration of mola-mola, also known as sunfish. Let’s add to that numerous octopuses, bamboo sharks, dolphins, and over five hundred fish and clam species, and you get the most colorful and intense marine life to explore during your diving.
5. At last, Nusa Penida is a one-fits-everyone diving spot. Here, both novice divers and pros can get an exciting experience and enjoy spectacular underwater sites. As for snorkeling, even children are welcome to try this fantastic activity in the coastal waters of the island. So, it’s an excellent idea for family vacations to sail to Nusa Penida.
Snorkeling in Nusa Penida: Best Spots
Snorkelling is among the most-loved attractions on Nusa Penida. Its clear waters and calm currents at the proper season allow snorkelers to observe the richness of local marine life and explore its vibrant underwater landscapes. Although almost every beach area in Nusa Penida fits snorkeling goals, there are five best spots you should visit without any doubt. You can visit some of them during a single tour, but we recommend staying for a while and trying each one separately to get the most immersive experience and enjoy it fully.
1. Crystal Bay is an iconic place for both divers and snorkelers. Its crystal waters enclose the beauty of a long coral reef growing right from the shore. You can swim there on the top of the reef at a depth of 5–8 meters. Besides, after you take off your snorkeling gear, you can enjoy eye-pleasing beach views and beach attractions there.
2. Manta Point is the #1 spot in Nusa Penida, and it provides both diving and snorkeling opportunities. Here, you can swim with manta rays, dolphins, and sharks in a safe, relaxed environment. It’s the best site for novice snorkelers and kids, as the bottom depth is no more than 15 meters.
3. Gamat Bay is a beach area where you can snorkel in calm, warm waters and enjoy the richest marine life hosted by coral reefs. It can be your best choice if you are only starting your snorkeling experience.
4. SD Point is also a combo for diving and snorkeling. And if you love both activities, you can enjoy them all in one place. Due to warmer water in this part of the island, you can swim there all year round, and the intensity of local marine life is truly amazing.
5. Toyapakeh is the next stop on our map, and that is the place we can call the gate to Nusa Penida. Most boats and yachts arrive at this harbor, and besides getting your first impressions, you can explore its reefs during snorkeling.
Diving Options in Nusa Penida: Where to Dive Near a Paradise Island
Let us introduce you to the top 5 diving spots in the vicinity of Nusa Penida. Each of them provides unique, specific features you won’t find anywhere else.
1. Manta Point is an indisputable staple spot for divers in Nusa Penida. Just from its name, you can guess what awaits you there. It’s the best place for manta ray observation, located on the southwest coast of Nusa Penida. As part of the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area, it hosts numerous species, including reef and bamboo sharks, octopuses, and various fish. Although you won’t see great coral reefs there, its vibrant marine life doesn’t leave anyone indifferent. If you manage to meet a ‘manta highway’ during your dive, you will never forget this spectacular event.
2. Watching mola-mola is among the most special attractions in Nusa Penida, and Crystal Bay is the best spot for this. Here you can combine your relaxed beach time with diving right from the bay's shore. Here, a long, continuous, and exceptionally spectacular coral reef grows under the water, and you can explore it from top to bottom. If you schedule your visit in July-October, you can see huge groups of mola-mola, the iconic fish of the Indian Ocean. However, all year round you can also meet pods of dolphins in Crystal Bay.
3. Located between Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan, Mangrove is one of the best diving sites in the area. You can get there either on your yacht or by boat with one of the local diving operators. Mangrove is appreciated by advanced divers due to its exceptionally rich marine life and its cold waters, as the temperature there is lower than in Crystal Bay or Manta Point. Please, take into account that Mangrove has strong currents, and it is better to check for cautions before you dive there.
4. PED is one more iconic diving site which is especially appreciated for its drift diving opportunities. It is located near the village of Ped, famous for its sacred temple, so you can get a great combo of diving and on-shore excursion to its landmarks. PED hosts rich marine life including turtles, so, if you dreamed about swimming with turtles, it is definitely your chance to make this dream true.
5. SD Point is located nearby PED in the north of Nusa Penida. It is the place where divers come for the most incredible drift diving experience. Its slow unidirectional currents, huge coral reef, and lots of fish species make SD Point a staple name on the island’s diving map.
Some Tips for Nusa Penida Divers and Snorkelers
Once you decide to visit Nusa Penida for diving, we offer you to start with some tips to follow.
Decide on the season properly. Although you can dive in Nusa Penida all year round, there are wet seasons (from November to March) and dry seasons (April-October). During wet months, water is warmer, and the crowds are fewer, so if you love to dive without lots of people around you, it’s your chance. However, visibility is poorer at that time, and tropical rains can be annoying. The best diving season in Nusa Penida is from March to October, but in recent years, the number of divers has increased considerably during dry seasons.
If you want to see the fabulous mola-mola fish, the best time for it is from July to October when the temperature is at its lowest rate. Besides, you can see this fish during deep dives at the depth of 30 meters or more (Crystal Bay or Mangroves are the best spots for it).
Please, plan your diving only after PADI certification. Your safety depends on your skills even in such a safe place for diving as Nusa Penida.
During the mola-mola season, water temperature can decrease to +16 C, and it is cold enough for long dives, so do not forget your 5 mm wetsuit.
With all these recommendations, we wish you a happy diving experience in Nusa Penida.
Let’s Summarize
Although Nusa Penida is not a staple divers’ spot worldwide, its recognition constantly grows because of incredible local nature and marine sites. Moreover, it is highly appreciated by diving and snorkeling enthusiasts and professionals due to the opportunity to see manta ray and mola-mola fish all year round. Today, its infrastructure for divers and snorkelers constantly and persistently develops. This contributes greatly to the popularity of Nusa Penida as a diving/snorkeling spot.
One more reason to choose this island for your diving and snorkeling vacations is its location. You can get there from Bali on your yacht easily and let behind all the overcrowding and buzz most tourists are annoyed by on Balinese diving resorts.
So, if you love untouched marine life, and you want to immerse yourself in the underwater tropical world at once, Nusa Penida awaits you!