Bali Province - Nusa Penida
- April to December
- Courses
- Nitrox
- DIN & Yoke
- Diving
- 13+ Days
Known as Bali’s 3 sisters: Nusa Lembongan, Penida and Ceningan sits right next to each other approximately 20 kilometers off Bali’s east coast. No matter where you stay, you will be able to dive all the sites of the area. Diving in Nusa Penida’s Marine Protected Area is world-class and is best known for its large residential manta population and the annual mola mola (sunfish) season between July to October. This is when water temperatures can drop to the teens. Strong currents and pelagic encounters of all sorts are possible here. Grey reefs, silver tips, threshersharks and even oceanic white tips have been spotted in these waters.
Bali Province - Nusa Penida
April to December
13 Days From € 1800 / Person
16 Dives From € 600
(Based on double occupancy)
(All Flights Included)
Overview
This package could just as well be called Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Ceningan. The 3 islands are very close together, but Nusa Penida is by far the largest spanning approximately 60 kilometers in circumference – and the Marine Reserve is therefore referred to as the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area.
We have options to stay on either island, but regardless of where you stay, you have access to the same dive sites, and the possibility of visiting each island on afternoon or day trips.
Lembongan and Ceningan are connected by a suspension bridge, and you can take small boats for 10-15 minutes to cross over to Penida.
Bali Province – Nusa Lembongan
Twelve kilometres of the Badung Strait separates Nusa Lembongan from Bali Island. Nusa Lembongan is approximately 8 square kilometres in area with a permanent population estimated at 5,000.
The local Lembonganese are Hindu and visitors will notice little or no difference from the prevailing culture on the Bali mainland, such us temples and Hindu ceremonies.
The attractions here are mostly natural, a.k.a. sunsets, cliff jumps, beaches and mangroves. For example Secret Beach, Devil’s Tears, Mushroom Bay and so on. You will easily get to know about these places when you are here.
Nusa Lembongan is a nice place to explore by foot, with coastal paths linking nearly all the guest houses, hotels and restaurants. Most walks will take less than two hours.
The less developed southwestern area of the island has some spectacular coast paths which provide easy walking, with great views back to Bali, and spectacular sunsets.
You can cross by foot to the small neighbouring island of Nusa Ceningan via a scenic suspension bridge called Jalan Yellow Bridge.
Bali Province – Nusa Ceningan
Nusa Ceningan is the smallest of the 3, nestled between Lembongan and Penida. The vibe is more relaxed and slowpaced than Lembongan, but still offering the luxury of good food and drinks.
There is a notable surf break off Nusa Ceningan which attracts some surfers away from the more crowded breaks on Nusa Lembongan. Plus some amazing coastline. Blue Lagoon is a must-see, for its turquoise nuances.
Viewing the sunset over Bali from the central Ceningan ridge is very much worth the effort.
The water channel between Lembongan and Ceningan is home to many seaweed farms and pristine mangrove forests.
Another key tourist attraction is the Mahana cliff jump. This is located on the south easterly side of Nusa Ceningan at Mahana Point Bar.
Bali Province – Nusa Penida
Nusa means “island” and Penida means “priests” in Balinese.
With a 70 kilometer coastline, Penida is by far the biggest of the 3 Nusa’s. It is much less touristic than Lembongan and Ceningan. With about 40 local villages on the island you will have plenty of “real” culture to experience. Penida’s capital Sampalan is located on the north coast where you also find the ferry port.
The island is known to Balinese people as the island of Black Magic. Long before it became a tourist attraction for its natural beauty, Nusa Penida was once believed by locals to be inhabited by dark spirits, banished to the island by the priests of Bali. Balinese are obliged to come and pray here at least once in their life in order to show respect.
The list is long of but some of the most interesting places on Penida are: The Karangsari holy bat cave; a prestigious Hindu temple called Ped; the beautiful Tembelin canyon with a freshwater lake; the bamboo rock path; the charming beach between the rocks of Last Beach; the views of the south coast of Kelingking beach; the sea crater – Angeles Billabong and Broken beach and the natural swimming pools and sandy beaches of Crystal Bay.
The island is hilly and the highest mountain Mundi measures 503 m. The island has asphalt roads that are made for motorcycle expeditions. The route along the north coast is also suitable for cycling trips. The island is inhabited by about 40,000 natives who are largely Hindu with only a small Muslim community in Toyapakeh village.
Nusa Penida – Diving
You might have heard of the currents and the cold water. It is true. Have you also heard of the stunning visibility, healthy reefs and pelagics? It is all true.
Penida diving is very interesting and exciting. The richness is caused by the Indonesian Throughflow, which pulsates between Bali and Lombok, churning cold water upwellings up from the deep, with nutrients for the Mola Mola and Mantas to feed on. This in turn results in often unpredictable currents and temperatures ranging from 18 to 28 degrees celsius – even during the same dive.
When diving Nusa Penida, all dives will be timed with the best conditions. This will most often mean to begin the dive when the tide has reached its peak from high tide and become slack tide. Many factors play a role for choosing a dive site, including direction of the currents, wind and swell.
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.
However, do not feel discouraged to dive here. Penida has become one of the most popular dive destinations in all of Indonesia, and the dive operators really know their stuff and have intimate knowledge of how to judge the sea conditions.
Dive Site Map
Favourite Dive Sites
The ‘jewel’ of Penida, Toyapakeh means salt water in Balinese and is the richest site in Penida. It is a divers’ favourite as you often find yourself swimming through school after school of colourful fish of every variety, including the red tooth triggerfish, giant trevallies and batfish. It has a steep wall to the south, terraces with huge hard coral formations in the bay and a shelving reef in the north that drops off gently all the way to 190m! The density of coral, sponge and fish life is incredible, even the infamous pygmy seahorse is occasionally spotted here. All this plus occasional larger pelagics such as hammerhead sharks, mantas and sunfish. The dive site is located in the small strait between Penida and Lembongan.
Manta Point is the site that made Penida famous! The plankton rich waters here attract the mantas all year round, sometimes seven or eight at a time, though even one is a fantastic sight. We rarely dive more than 15m deep at this site as along with the main attraction of the mantas, furthermore turtles, nurse sharks, bamboo sharks and blue-spotted rays are regularly sighted at this depth, when the sea conditions are calm and favourable, it’s a dive to be savoured for perfect weather conditions. If the swell is too high, it can have some wild currents.
The three sites of Pura Ped, Pura Mas Gading and Buyuk, are found side by side on Nusa Penida and share similar sloping reef topography. The colourful reef is made even more interesting with big, randomly placed barrel sponges and coral bommies. Schools of redtooth triggerfish, fusiliers, butterflyfish and drummers compete for passing food that rides the ocean currents. Turtles, rays, sea snakes and the occasional mola mola distract divers from the multitude of smaller creatures hiding amongst the corals, such as scorpionfish and frogfish.
Also known as Penida Bay, the ‘Crystal’ in Crystal Bay refers to the fantastic visibility normally experienced here, which can reach over 40m on a good day. Crystal Bay is certainly one of the area’s most popular dive sites and is a favourite of the visiting mola mola (ocean sunfish) from August-October. The rock in the middle of the bay has very steep drop offs to the south and west and an amazing shelf in the north that is carpeted with wrinkled soft corals in the shallows. A healthy reef, an interesting cave, huge table coral and hundreds of fish of all shapes and sizes – there is not much that this dive site cannot offer!
Gamat Bay is a very small yet memorable site off Toyapakeh Strait. The steep, rugged reef slope is rich in hard and soft corals and is colourful down to more than 50m. Gamat is a dive where you don’t want to cover much territory and once you have navigated the slope, there are plenty of bommies, overhangs and small caves to explore as you head back into the shallows. This is a hidden gem, where you will be rewarded by moving slowly and it might be the only site around Penida, that isn’t a drift.
Manta Bay is a shallow bay with a stunning backdrop. Being rich in plankton it attracts manta rays all year round. The dive has a maximum depth of 12m and the coral bottom, with its gullies and swim-throughs, is an interesting distraction from the manta action going on above. Similar to Manta Point, we cannot get to this site every day, but it is closer and more protected than Manta Point, so is fast becoming a very popular dive.
Mangroves is so-called due to its location, right by the mangrove area to the north east Nusa Lembongan. Mangroves offer a healthy sloping coral reef, with small bommies and table corals waiting to be explored for the smaller stuff but often marble rays and other larger species swim past in the deeper water. Sharks are occasionally seen here too. It’s a great site for all levels of diver.
Sekolah Dasar (SD) means ‘primary school’, but when the currents are running, this site is not for beginners. Although less steep than Blue Corner it has large coral heads and currents that drift you past green and hawksbill turtles, marble rays, sea snakes, octopus, white tip reef sharks and the most diverse collection of corals and sponges in Bali. Not forgetting the resident school of batfish at SD that are almost always a certainty.
Ceningan Wall is an impressive coral wall which begins at the foot of the sea cliffs to the north of Ceningan and drops down vertically to a depth of 180m. Currents can be strong here and this site is reserved for experienced divers only. The wall is colourful with dense collections of multi-coloured soft corals and sponges making it fun to explore with plenty of nudibranchs to find. Sweeping out into the current along the wall are inquisitive eagle rays which occasionally join the dive groups for the tour, which winds through schools of oriental sweetlips and sleek unicornfish.
Blue Corner is an exciting site for experienced divers only. The huge expanse of current-swept slopes at Blue Corner provides some dramatic topography. Dropping away to 50m, a series of overhanging terraces hide white tips and large black marbled rays and, as you approach the corner, schools of snapper and jacks regularly pass by. A great site for mola mola (ocean sunfish) during the season and other visitors include eagle rays, wobbegong, tuna and even the occasional shark.
Malibu Point is located on the far east side of Nusa Penida. This dive site is exposed to the open ocean and can experience extremely strong currents. Consequently both the hard and the soft corals are low-lying with plenty of whip corals (always a good indicator of a current-swept area).
The topography is great with table corals and big bommies going to 22m.
Here you can watch schooling fusiliers, Rainbow runners, trevallys and Red-tooth triggerfish, while on the reef itself you will see frogfish, nudis, Leaf scorpionfish, moray eels and so on.
You will also have the opportunity to see Mola-Mola, Manta rays, and perhaps Bali’s widest variety of sharks including White-tip and Black-tip reef sharks, and Thresher sharks. In fact, local people and fishermen believe there is a large shark that patrols this area and guards the temple you can see from here. As Whalesharks are sometimes seen here, that may be the origin of the story.
Season
Mantas are not seasonal but live here all year. The manta sites can be hard to reach if the weather is windy and wavy during December – March.
Mola Mola sightings are most likely between August to October when the water is at its coldest.
November to March is the rainy season, with February seeing the most rain and wind.
In mid-March the wet season ends, meaning that April to June are very good months to visit! Then the ocean is at its warmest – usually with 28 degrees – but you can still have thermoclines with temperatures around 24 degrees! There is also way less crowded here, than during the “Mola season” – especially in May / June.
High season is from July to October.
From July the ocean temperatures start to drop, which is also when the Mola Mola comes up from the depths to feed. Temperatures at the surface can be 28 c, but at 20 meters depth they might be 16 degrees!!
Mola Molas are not the only creatures that visit during these times. All of the dive sites on East Bali are at their best during this time, and this is also when the local fishermen catch most of their big game.
To sum it all up: It depends on what you want. To experience the classic Penida, that you have heard stories about, the best conditions will be between July – October. To avoid the crowds and have warm water, but no Molas – May / June would be a good bet.
It is highly recommended to at least have a 5mm wetsuit and a hoodie – if you visit between July – November. If you want to use your drysuit, be sure to have enough experience with your drysuit to be comfortable in currents.
Included
Included
- International Flights
- 2 nights in a 4* hotel w/ breakfast in Bali
- Airport pick-up transfer in private car
- Boat transfer between Bali and Nusa Lembongan / Penida / Ceningan
- *8 nights in Resort w/ full board and free mineral water + hot water for tea or coffee)
- It is recommended to pre-book the dives in order to secure a space on the dive boat. For further details see the “Accommodation” or “Q & A” menu.
- **Fee to Rejsegarantifonden
- Full package tour – See the benefits of being covered by the Full Package Act and Regulations here
*See the specific accommodation menu for details. At Ceningan Divers all meals are included. At the other places only breakfast will be included.
**A Danish Travel Guarantee Fund covering all European citizens in case of bankruptcy: link
Not Included
- “Visa On Arrival” ~ €30
- Tips for the staff
- Airport departure tax ~ €10
- Personal Travel Insurances
- Dive Packages
- Anything not listed in “Included”
A Domestic Flight or Along the Way:
North Sulawesi
The Lembeh Strait
Muck diving capital of the world. Life has evolved without the ordinary reef fish. One domestic flight away via Jakarta.
West Nusa Tenggara
South Lombok
From the secret Gilis you can dive 2 areas of South Lombok – Belongas Bay: Pelagics! Only a few hours by boat away.
North Sulawesi
Pulau Bunaken
World-class walls full of turtles, exciting drifts, reef sharks and napoleon wrasses. One domestic flight away via Jakarta.
Wakatobi
Wakatobi Resort
Deemed the World’s Best Housereef together with luxury in an island paradise. One private domestic flight away only!
West Nusa Tenggara
Sumbawa & Komodo
The ONLY resort offering day trips to West Komodo, Gili Banta, and Sangean Volcano!! One short domestic flight away!
East Nusa Tenggara
Alor Archipelago
Vibrant coral reefs, strong currents, macro subjects, hammerhead sharks and culture. One domestic flight away via Bali!
Bali – Island of the Gods
Many Tours
Duration Half to Full Day
There are so many things to do in Bali, so instead of listing all of them let us know your interests. Temples, waterfalls, hiking, motorbiking, rafting, cooking, rice fields, coffee etc.
We can tailor make daytrips.
You can visit Ubud, which is a famous town in Balis inland surrounded by rice fields. Here are many many restaurants and souvenir shops and the Monkey forest where the small monkeys roam around and can get a bit nosy around tourists.
Uluwatu Temple is a Balinese Hindu sea temple built at the edge of a 70-meter-high cliff projecting into the sea. A Kecak dance performance based on the Ramayana is performed daily in Uluwatu temple at every 6pm on the cliff-side. The performance which is outdoors also shows the beautiful sunset at the background of the performance
Tanah Lot is one of Bali’s most important landmarks. Its unique offshore setting provides the perfect backdrop for sunset photos. Constructed in the 16th century to honor the Hindu sea god, Baruna, Tanah Lot is one of Bali’s most-visited landmarks.
The Mount Batur hike in Kintamani, Bali is one of the most popular and enjoyable sunrise trekking experiences you can have in Indonesia. It’s not very hard to do the Mount Batur trek from any part of the island, and the guided trek takes you up a still active volcano — Gunung Batur — with a summit elevation of more than 1,700 meters. A perfect way to catch the sunrise. You drive up to around 1200 meters and walk the last 500 meters. Total duration up and down is 2-4 hours.
Combine Landtours of Lombok
The classes are a fun educational and enjoyable way to learn about the Indonesian food and culture for the whole family.
Anggrek Putih / Authentic Lombok offer half day Indonesian cooking classes. Experience the different flavor of “Indonesian cuisine” and learn about the local products. From spicy local “Lombok food” with hot chilies and herbs to the sweetness of Javanese food made with fresh coconut milk, palm sugar and peanuts. Discover the unique flavors and fruity sourness of lime, lemongrass and tamarind.
We make a minimum of 4 dishes each class for minimum 2 – 4 people.
A sample of dishes see below:
– Sate Ayam ( Chicken Satay )
– Fish in Banana Leaf
– Perkedel Jagung ( Corn Fritters )
– Lombok Curry ( Curry Chicken, Fish or Veggie )
– Lombok Soto Ayam ( Chicken Soto )
– Dadar Gulung ( Rolled Pancake )
We organize two days one night trekking to Lombok’s famous volcano which is the second highest volcano in Indonesia attracting thousands of trekkers and climbers.
In 2004 the volcano, Rinjani, won the World Legacy Award and the volcano is recognized as an important eco-tourism destination .
What you will experience: The village of Sembalun. Sunset and Sunrise with beautiful views. Top of Rinjani with its Segara Anak Lake.
Drive to Malimbu Hills – from where you can see the stunning scenery of Mount Agung in Bali and the 3 Gilis. Going down to the beaches, the bays, the cliffs from Nipah Beach and Pandanan Beach.
The trip will pass the Traditional Market, a large public market area. Pass the Balinese Temple and Buddhist Temple near Tanjung, a town by the ocean.
Continue to the traditional villages, Segenter Village. An indigenous Sasak people whom still adhere to non orthodox Islam locally called Islam waktu telu. This village located in the district of Bayan North Lombok still maintain their culture and traditions. The architecture of the houses with their berugak (open sided elevated floor building) is typical houses of Sasak people that can be witnessed with the daily activities of the villagers.
Senaru Village is the main entrance to Gunung Rinjani National Park. The most interesting you can see in the village are the traditional houses – Karang Bajo. The floors are made of clay and the walls are made of thin wood. Also, the roof is made of “Rumbia”.
At Senaru you will experience Lombok’s most spectacular waterfalls . It is popular with both locals and tourists visiting Mt Rinjani National park. It is a short trek through the jungle to reach the Sendang Gile Waterfall and the Tiu Kelep Waterfall.
Q & A
Yes! We time our daily trips so that our guests dive while there is an incoming tide. That way the currents are gentle and divers of all abilities can enjoy the underwater scenery. Our dive groups are small – a maximum of four divers – so that guests are grouped with others of similar ability and dive to their own level of capability and experience.
Great! We can offer you courses from entry level to technical dives.
Contact us for further details.
The prices for PADI OPEN WATER courses roughly start at €285 and takes 3-4 days.
The 3 day course will let you study via e-learning before you get here, which is smart if you want to be better prepared and spend your holiday time diving and relaxing instead of studying.
The 4 day course is the most popular and you start your studying once you get here.
The prices are almost identical.
Please book courses at time of booking the whole trip.
Depending on where you stay.
At the dive resorts Ceningan Divers and Two Fish Divers it is not necessary to pre-book.
At World Diving Lembongan and Hai Tide Beach Resort, we highly recommend booking most of the dives in order to save a space for you on the dive boats.
The same goes for dive courses – you should book those when you make your booking with Pilgrim Adventure.
This is of course to save a space for you, and also to let the dive centers prepare properly.
As the dive sites are spread over a vast area, you will spend most surface intervals on the boat.
Some of the places have included dive equipment in their dive prices. The dive centers have all of the equipment you would need.
Of course it is nice to bring your own if you can.
As a minimum we would recommend to bring your own dive mask – for a good fit of course and best possible comfort under water.
Most dive places in Indonesia use the “International” connection for the regulators 1st stage. If you have a “DIN” 1st stage, please refer to each specific dive center to see if they have “DIN” valves / adapters on their tanks.
Otherwise you can buy a DIN to Intl. converter, which might come in handy every time you dive in South East Asia.
There are now four ATMs on the Lembongan. One at Bali Hai in Mushroom beach, two close to the clinic at Jungutbatu and the original one near the Banjar Desa. They are still unreliable!
There are several money changers springing up on the island but they charge a great deal in commission and give variable rates of exchange.
Make sure you have enough cash to see through your visit before leaving Bali. This is another good reason to prepay the dive packages.
There are several ATM’s throughout Nusa Penida.
Yes you can. Both World Diving and Pondok Baruna accept payment by VISA or Mastercard. In Indonesia there is usually a surcharge of 3% on all credit card transactions.
Nusa Lembongan has a Medical Care Center that provides a high standard of care, treatment and facilities.
On Nusa Penida there is a government hospital.
If necessary, quick boat or helicopter transfers can bring the patient to Bali if higher medical facilities are required.
Nearest hyperbaric chamber is in Bali.
The Nusa Penida islands are a low-risk area regarding malaria. However, do always protect yourself from mosquitos as they can carry other diseases, such as Dengue Fever and Japanese Encephalitis. It is very rare to get something like Japanese Encephalitis, but you must consult with your own doctor about vaccinations before travelling to the tropics.
Dengue occurs year-round in Indonesia, with peak transmission in the rainy season, from November through April. Cases are frequently reported in East Java, Jakarta, and on Bali / Nusa Penida islands.
See our “About” page to know more about prevention of moscuito bites.
For further reading on health: https://www.iamat.org/country/indonesia
