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A wonderful place to relax after a day's diving at Scuba Seraya.

The plunge bath at Scuba Seraya.

The pool at Mimpi Menjangan

Room at Puri Santrian

Anemone Fish. Sue Merrifield.

South-East Asia

BALI

Rich reefs and marine diversity in the land of temples

Menjangan Island's amazing walls (Alexander Mustard)

One of the most beautiful and culturally rich islands in the world, Bali is a seemingly endless exotic festival of colour and pageantry. Bali’s friendly people, with their natural smile, have welcomed travellers from around the world for many centuries. Culturally, Bali is unsurpassed. The Agama Hindu Dharma, practiced in Bali, is based on a complex ritual calendar and gives rise to a series of ceremonial events marked by dance performances, lavish and colourful temple rituals, and the wearing of amazing costumes. All this makes Bali a great choice for divers with non-diving partners. Non-divers can enjoy excursions to experience Bali’s fascinating culture as well as have free time to relax and unwind.

The small, exotic island of Bali is world famous for its beautiful landscapes and rich cultural heritage, but its world class diving is a much better kept secret. Dive sites such as the Liberty Wreck at Tulamben have been rightly famous for years, and photographs taken here have filled many coffee-table books. Add to this some great ‘small creature’ dive sites (frequently referred to as ‘muck diving’ sites), discovered in the last few years, that rival the best in the world, and offshore reef dives that produce regular encounters with Manta Rays, and in Bali we have a diversity of superb and recently discovered diving to rival anywhere in the world.

THE MENJANGAN AREA

Hidden away on the northwest coast next to the Bali Barat National Park is the small town of Menjangan. From one’s first glimpse, from the adjacent mainland, it is clear that Menjangan Island is going to provide great diving. Steep craggy walls and grottoes dominate the reefs, which are draped in red, pink, orange and yellow sea fans. This environment is home to a profusion of all the usual tropical reef fish as well as turtles and the occasional reef shark. The dramatic scenery and good visibility make this an ideal location for wide angle and reef fish photography. For the dedicated macro enthusiast, or the keen fish watcher, this area is also home to pygmy seahorses: both the Barbiganti Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus barbiganti) and an attractive, naked-looking variety known locally as the ‘Plucked Chicken’ pygmy seahorse (a type of H. denise)! Menjangan is, however, also rightly-famous for its wall diving, with gorgonian-clad walls beginning at 26 metres and ending at 60 metres. These steep, craggy walls are filled with cracks, crevices and grottoes with good populations of sea fans, whip corals, sponges and soft corals. Schooling Bannerfish, butterflyfish, groupers, frogfish, triggerfish, sweetlips and the occasional reef shark make for exciting yet easy diving and plenty of photo opportunities. There are only rare sightings of larger fish around Menjangan due to the island’s protection from cold currents coming in from the sea. Although the best diving in Bali is said to be April to November, Menjangan island area can be dived year round as it offers some of the most protected diving in Bali. The clarity of the water can be amazing and is at its very best in October and November, when 50 metres plus can be experienced. A mild current of about one knot is usual.

Secret Bay is a more poetic name than Gilimanuk Bay, which is adjacent to where the ferries dock that ply backwards and forwards between Bali and Java. Secret Bay, about 20 minutes by road from Menjangan, is about 2 kilometres wide and a mere 3 to 12 metres deep. This fascinating place, being the only bay off the narrow Bali Strait, forms a catch tank for many juvenile or larval fish. A reef just outside the mouth of the bay creates a channel through which the nutrient-rich waters sweep. The channel is lined with volcanic black and silver sand where plump, healthy fish enjoy the cooler water (about 25°C). Few large or pelagic species are found here, hence the safe haven for the juveniles! This is macro diving for the enthusiast or underwater photographer with rare marine species but no rich coral growth. Night diving at Secret Bay is a unique experience with cephalopods in all shapes and sizes and crustaceans wandering in search of something tasty to eat. Visibility is limited, and the topography flat and featureless, but don’t be fooled into thinking that this means that the diving is not exciting. Secret Bay is famous with critter-hunting underwater photographers and fish watchers for turning up, on their first dive here, creatures that have eluded them for years. The flat, dark sandy seabed is home to a multitude of nudibranchs, seahorses, cuttlefish, octopuses (including the Mimic Octopus), ghost pipefish, frogfish, seamoths and scorpionfish.

THE TULAMBEN AREA

Tulamben, situated on the northeast coast of Bali, has on its doorstep what many proclaim as ‘the best shore dive in the world’, the Liberty Wreck (or Tulamben Wreck), a US Liberty ship torpedoed by the Japanese in WWII. Lying just 30 metres from the water’s edge on a sandy slope, the hull is clothed with encrusting sponges, honeycomb oysters, soft corals, tunicates and crinoids and is the habitat for a vast range of fish life including a dense school of resident jacks, schooling Bumphead Parrotfish, stingrays, cornetfish, triggerfish, Coral Groupers, Scribble Filefish, rabbitfish, surgeonfish, numerous species of butterflyfish, clownfish, gobies and blennies, sergeant majors, bannerfish and pufferfish. Many coffee-table-book photographs were captured right here on this wreck. Photographers can never go in with the wrong lens here! A little further along is a sandy slope with a low-lying reef which attracts octopus, moray eels and mantis shrimps, along with schools of reef fish. Rare and even new species of animals are encountered from time to time. The slope leads to a drop-off with good coral formations, sea fans, barrel sponges and soft coral, offering good wide-angle photo opportunities. Night diving on the wreck is very special during the full moon with Spanish Dancers, luminous flashlightfish and that amazing tropical phenomenon, phosphorescence. This must be one of the best places in the world for a varied and easy night dive! This picturesque wreck is covered in soft corals, seafans and a moving shroud of fish. Fish life on the Liberty Wreck is incredible in diversity and friendliness. For many photographers this site is known simply as the best place to photograph fish in Southeast Asia. There is everything from the large school of circling Bigeye Jacks to groupers, snappers and sweetlips, as well as all the typical smaller reef fish and a range of oddball critters. Have a look at Australian photographer Roger Steene’s fantastic book Coral Reefs to get a flavour of the diversity found at Tulamben. This is one of those dives where photographers can never go in with the wrong lens (or enough film)!

A visit to Tulamben also offers divers the opportunity to sample several new ‘critter diving’ sites in the area. New sites are being discovered all the time and the very few photographers who have dived them come out of the water raving. At a newly discovered dive spot on Bali’s east coast it is quite common to see more than one species of Rhinopias (scorpionfish) on a dive as well as multiple ghost pipefish, frogfish and the fascinating boxer crab that holds stinging anemones in its claws to use for its protection. One recently discovered site here is phenomenal for nudibranchs: Australian photographer Michael Aw counted no less than 41 species on one afternoon dive, breaking his personal record of 28 previously set in Lembeh Strait! Another newly discovered dive site on the north coast is probably the best spot on Bali for both Mimic and Blue Ring Octopuses, but this site also seethes with all the ‘usual’ specialities, such as seahorses, assorted scorpionfish (including Ambon Scorpionfish), frogfish and, of course, a multitude of invertebrates.

August to October is the Sunfish season in Bali. Sunfish (Mola mola) are without doubt one of the most bizarre and mysterious fish in the ocean. Sunfish not only hold the record for the most eggs produced by any vertebrate (one ‘small’ 1.4metre female has over 300 million eggs), they are also the heaviest bony fish (a 3.1metre-long, 4.2metre high specimen weighed 2.2 tonnes)! Enquire locally for possible Sunfish excursions.

MIMPI RESORT, MENJANGAN

Situated on the northwestern coast of Bali at the foot of Mount Agung, lies the Mimpi Resort. Each air-conditioned room has a private outdoor shower, so divers can enter their room via the shower, without first going through their room! The resort, built in attractive Balinese style, is set in attractive tropical gardens and has a swimming pool. Semi-detached Patio Rooms have cool marble floors, high wooden ceilings, private terraces and a natural (communal) hot spring pool in the garden in front of the rooms. Courtyard Villas are more spacious and have very pleasant bathrooms with wooden sink tables and open showers walled by natural stone which open on to a private garden. Each villa’s courtyard is walled with its own garden and traditional bale bengong, a natural stone tub for private hot spring bathing. Six Courtyard Villas also have a private plunge pool. The hotel has a small spa centre, a swimming pool, restaurant and bar.

Price: from about £31 per night. Includes: room and breakfast accommodation on a twin/share basis in a Patio Room at the Mimpi Menjangan Resort. The following dive menu is available for pre-booking: 2-tank dive at Mimpi Lagoon: from about £30; 2-tank dive at Mimpi Channel: from about £35; 2-tank dive at Menjangan Island: from about £42; 3-tank dive at Menjangan Island: from about £56; 2-tank dive at Secret Bay (the famous ‘muck dive site’, including road transportation): from about £47. Dive rates are based on a minimum of two divers. If you are travelling alone and if you should be the only diver going to any given dive site on any given day, there will be a supplement of US$30 for each such day, payable locally. Night dives can be arranged locally. Transfers: from about £16 from/to Denpasar airport or a Denpasar area hotel; from about £15 to Scuba Seraya; from about £16 to Candidasa. These transfer costs are based on 2 people. Double rates apply for single travellers. Deposit: £200.

Single Occupancy Supplement: from about £31 per night.

SCUBA SERAYA

Opened in 2003, Scuba Seraya is a small and comfortable hotel, situated 3 kilometres outside the town of Tulamben in northeastern Bali. The resort is situated by the sea and has its own small, but private beach. There is a choice of accommodation between semi-detached Maisonette Rooms and individual and very spacious Villa Deluxe Rooms. Maisonette Rooms have an air-conditioned bedroom, a semi open bathroom and a front porch with day bed. The rooms have a partial sea view. Villa Deluxe Rooms have a large bedroom with attached bathroom, private garden with marble-lined hot tub and a kitchenette area with refrigerator along with a large day bed in a separate covered area of the garden. All these rooms face the sea.

The resort has its own dive centre and offers diving in the Tulamben region, including the Liberty Wreck (which is much more conveniently dived from a boat, rather than from the stony beach). Guided shore diving is available.

Price: from about £57 per night (from about £19 per night without diving). Includes: room and continental breakfast accommodation in a Maisonette Room at Scuba Seraya; 2 boat dives per day, dive guide. (Guided shore dives can be arranged locally for an extra charge.) Transfers: from about £16 from/to Denpasar airport or a Denpasar area hotel; from about £21 to Mimpi Menjangan; from about £13 to Candidasa. These transfer costs are based on 2 people. Double rates apply for single travellers. Deposit: £200.

Single Occupancy Supplement: from about £19 per night.

HOTELS IN DENPASAR AREA

SANUR SATIVA COTTAGES: This pleasant hotel comprises mostly detached bungalows in Balinese style. Rooms are well-appointed with en-suite facilities, air conditioning and a balcony or veranda overlooking the landscaped swimming pool. The Rose Restaurant serves European, Chinese and local specialities, while the unique William Bar, a sunken bar in the pool, provides drinks and light snacks. Other facilities include safety deposit box, 24 hour reception, room service, money changing facilities, fax service and car rental. This hotel is very well situated for Benoa Harbour and therefore very suitable for overnight accommodation either before or after a liveaboard cruise. The cost is from about £20 per night bed and breakfast on a twin/share basis in a Deluxe Room (or from about £33 per night single occupancy). Airport transfers are not included: local taxis are freely available and relatively inexpensive.

PURI SANTRIAN HOTEL: This luxury beach-front hotel is built in local style and has a superb swimming pool and other leisure facilities, including both a 24 hour coffee shop and a restaurant. The cost is from about £39 per night bed and breakfast (plus afternoon tea) on a twin/share basis in a Santrian Club Room. The single occupancy rate is double. Airport transfers are not included: local taxis are freely available and relatively inexpensive.

THE WATERGARDEN: Tucked away near the small town of Candidasa, the romantic and quietly situated Watergarden Hotel has bungalow-style cottages set amidst a colourful and well-tended tropical garden complete with waterfalls, and lily ponds. You will be welcomed on arrival with a tropical fruit cooler before being shown to your room. The spacious, air-conditioned Deluxe Bungalows have ceiling fans, private bathrooms and telephones. The shady verandas have easy chairs and a coffee table. With its setting amongst the water lilies and lotus flowers, this is an idyllic place to relax and unwind during a longer stay on Bali (please note that the Watergarden is not convenient for overnight stays prior to a liveaboard cruise or a visit to Wakatobi). You may choose to take breakfast on your veranda or in the Watergarden Café. The hotel has a salt-water swimming pool, laundry service and a tour and travel desk, from where you may arrange local outings. Full restaurant facilities and room-service are offered throughout the day. Recently voted one of the top ten most romantic hotels in Bali, the Watergarden Hotel is a truly delightful place to stay. The township of Candidasa and the sea, with its pleasant sandy beach, are just a five minute walk away. The cost is from about £24 per night room-only in a Deluxe Bungalow on a twin/share basis. The single occupancy rate is double. Airport transfers are not included and cost from about £13 one way for two people or from about £26 one way for one person.

FLIGHTS: Prices from about £842 to Denpasar. There are daily flight connections to Denpasar. We will quote you the airfare applicable, based on routing, season, current fare levels and booking class availability. Our quote will include all taxes and fuel supplements applicable at the time of quotation, as well as our service charge. The usual airfare deposit is £300.

STOP-OVERS: These are available in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, depending on flight routing.

COMBINATIONS: As all liveaboard cruises to Komodo & The Nusa Tenggara and holidays to Wakatobi are routed via Denpasar, Bali, why not combine a visit to Bali with a visit to one of these extraordinary places? Talk to us about the possibilities.

Huge Mola mola: one of the largest fish in the ocean (Alexander Mustard)