Diving at Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida is an exciting dive day with usually crystal clear water, stunning coral and marine life, and diverse underwater topography.

Nusa Penida Diving

This is the place to see majestic manta rays, mola mola in the season and do some epic drift dives. We stay on the boat during our dives and enjoy dramatic scenery above and below the water as we travel around the island’s waters.

Highlights

nusa penida diving offers amazing coral bommies like this one

Who wants to dive with manta rays at Nusa Penida?!

The topography at Manta Point is dramatic: rocks, cliffs and slopes, with some coral, but the main attraction is the mantas. Surge and plankton blooms can affect this dive site, impacting visibility, but more plankton = more mantas!

Our manta friends are reliable; we see them around 85% of the time we dive there. We also often see blue spotted rays, mantis shrimps, octopus and a friendly bamboo shark.

Things to see

Expect the unexpected at Nusa Penida, with vibrant, healthy coral and abundant marine life.

We often see manta rays, mola mola (June – October), stunning coral formations, abundant schooling reef fish, peacock mantis shrimp, nudibranchs, wobbegong sharks, moray eels, giant pufferfish, blue spotted rays and octopus.

Conditions

Nusa penida diving offers the chance to see mola mola sunfish like this one

Currents: tidal, can be very strong; at Manta Point surge and waves.
Temperature: June – October 18 – 26 degrees. November – May 25 – 28 degrees.
Suitable for: snorkellers, Discover Scuba divers (with additional pool training), to experienced divers. Not advised for open water students.
Depth: manta rays 3 – 20m, mola mola often 30m, drift dives 12 – 20m.

How Much?

Let’s Go Diving!

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Other Dive Sites

diving at Nusa Penida offers amazing opportunities to see stunning coral and practice your photography

Crystal Bay

Crystal Bay is famous for clear water and seasonal mola mola, but also intense and sometimes unpredictable currents.

Timing is critical when diving this site. We dive along a sloping reef, which turns into a dramatic wall heading out of the bay.

Corals are beautiful here, and the reef is teeming with life – turtles, octopus, wobbegong sharks, nudis, sea snakes and great macro in the sandy bay.

Beautiful napoleon wrasse seen when diving at nusa penida

Drift Dives

Drift dives at Mangroves, Toyapakeh, and SD are over sloping coral reefs, going with the current and coming up for a boat pickup. This can be an exhilarating style of diving with swift currents and excellent visibility.

Be prepared for stunning coral, sometimes huge bommies and sponges, thousands of schooling reef fish, turtles cruising by.

These dive sites are tidal, so we need to choose our timing carefully.

Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area

The marine life and underwater ecosystems surrounding Nusas Penida, Lembongan and Ceningan are protected by the creation of the Nusa Penida MPA which was established in 2010. All guests wishing to partake in marine tourism activities in this protected area must pay a fee of Rp100,000 per person, we include this in the cost of your trip.

Nusa Penida Diving Code of Conduct

In addition, when enjoying the stunning marine life here, you must agree to dive and snorkel in accordance with the MPA Code of Conduct.

We care so much about our marine environment, that if you choose not to follow these guidelines, unfortunately you will not be permitted to dive with us.

You’ll be asked to agree:

Not touch coral or any other marine life
Not enter cleaning stations (your guides will help you)
Not approach manta or mola mola from behind or chase them
Not block marine life escape routes
Stay at least 3m away from manta or mola mola
Pay attention to instructions from your guide

QUESTIONS?

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What’s included in the price?

Three dives – transport (pick up and drop off at your hotel), equipment including a dive computer, and a 3mm or 5mm wetsuit as required, tanks and weights, speedboat, lunch, snacks, water and your guide (maximum ratio of two guests per guide), and marine park fee.

What is the pickup and return time?

Approximately 6:30am pickup and 5pm return time.

What’s the ratio of guests per guide?

We usually dive with a maximum of two guests per guide, occasionally more with experienced divers.

What’s for lunch? Do you cater for vegetarians and vegans?

We eat lunch on the boat after dive two. Guests can choose from Nasi Goreng, Mi Goreng, Nasi Campur or a sandwich. All lunch options can be provided as vegetarian or vegan options. We can cater for guests with lactose or gluten intolerance. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee no cross-contamination in the case of those with celiac disease.

Can I do two dives?

Yes, however, you may be sitting on the boat with FOMO, waiting for the other divers to do their third dive. Pricing for two dives is similar to three as most of our expenses stay the same regardless of how many dives you do (e.g. the boat charter).

What are the surface conditions like?

As with temperature and visibility, surface conditions are highly variable across the dive sites at Penida and at different tide times. The crossing from Bali can sometimes be choppy in the channel area, and Manta Point can be subject to waves and surge. If you get seasick, we recommend you take an anti-seasickness pill the night before and again in the morning before your pick-up.

What type of boat do you use?

We use a speedboat, customised for divers, for our trips to Nusa Penida. It’s equipped with emergency oxygen, life jackets and a marine toilet.

How many people are on the boat?

12 – 15 people, depending on the boat (including guides).

Can snorkellers come along?

Yes! Snorkellers are very welcome and usually get great views of the manta rays, turtles, and beautiful coral. Check out more details here.

Will we have a chance to explore the beaches?

We focus on the epic diving at Penida, so the boat will not dock during your dive day.

Can my non-diving, non-snorkelling friend come along for the ride?

Please don’t do this to your friend. Even the one with the iron stomach will likely vomit if left on the boat all day.

How About?

Advanced Course

Padangbai

Tulamben

Candidasa