AquaMarine Diving - Bali "Discover The Secret"

amed l tulamben l menjangan island l padangbai l candidasa l nusa penida l nusa lembongan l muck & macro

DISCOVER THE SECRET AQUA

MAR

O INEDIVING.C

AquaMarine Diving - Bali’s British ownership together with the expertise of our local dive staff make an unbeatable combination. We are dedicated to ensuring you experience PO Box 2098, Kuta the best quality diving possible - whether it’s Bali 80361 - Indonesia a single Day Trip or a fully-inclusive intensive Tel +62 361 738020 underwater macro-photography Safari. In Fax +62 361 738021 terms of safety and personalised service, we info@AquaMarineDiving.com are unrivalled.

Bali’s world-class diving combined with the fantastic selection of topside activities and places to visit make the perfect holiday destination for both divers and non-divers.

Photos ©Krauss, Postlethwaite & Ferrari

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AquaMarine only offers Bali’s better dives: Nusa Penida - drifts; Padangbai - sharks and pelagics; Tulamben - Liberty wreck and reefs; Menjangan Island - walls; Puri Jati and Secret Bay - muck-diving.

Please visit our website, or e-mail us, to find out more about our personal service, PADI courses, and custom-made diving packages (to include accommodation, tours and land activities).

AquaMarine is also an agent for other reputable dive resorts and liveaboards throughout Indonesia.

BEYOND BALI

2011/2012

bunaken l gili islands l lombok l komodo l lembeh l raja ampat l maluku l wakatobi

Introduction to Bali Bali is world-renowned for its complex Hindu culture, colourful ceremonies, magnificent volcanic and coastal scenery as well as the artistic and welcoming nature of the Balinese themselves. Surely there cannot be a more fascinating island on the planet!

Cover photos clockwise from top left: Bali reef ©Ferrari Clownfish ©Tierney Manta ray ©Bogard Pygmy seahorse ©Tierney Right: Ricefield at Jatiluwih Village ©Ferrari

PUBLISHER AquaMarine Diving - Bali WRITER & EDITOR Annabel Thomas DESIGNER Pandu Adnyana

AquaMarineDiving.com

With so much to do topside, divers may be sceptical when told that the diving here is spectacular … however Bali repeatedly draws internationallyrecognised underwater photographers and journalists from around the globe.

Bali is situated in the heart of the Indo-Pacific, the world’s richest marine biogeographic zone. The island therefore receives very plankton-rich waters and so contains a stunningly diverse underwater ecosystem as well as many totally different physical environments.

The pelagics seen include Manta rays, Whalesharks and, from July to midNovember, Mola-Molas (the weird-butwonderful Ocean sunfish).

There are more than 2,000 species of reef fish in Bali’s waters, and then there are the eels, crabs, lobsters, turtles, starfish, shrimp, and nudibranchs … in addition to Mimic octopus and Wonderpus, Ambon scorpionfish, Rhinopias, Mandarinfish, Pyjama and Banggai cardinalfish, ghostpipefish, Pegasus seamoths and Flamboyant cuttlefish to name just a few.

The reefs contain profuse hard and soft corals, Gorgonian and other seafans, coral bushes, and sponges including some massive barrel sponges...

Bali’s dive sites offer great diversity: vertical walls and sand slopes; steel and wooden shipwrecks; limestone shorelines and black, volcanic outcrops; peaceful bays and ripping currents; deep, coral-covered ridges, shallow seagrass beds and big bommies, as well as both shore- and boat-diving.

re t c e s e h t r e v o d i sc for yourself! .... so why not come and

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Menjangan Island Part of West Bali National Park, Menjangan Island was Bali’s first internationally-known diving location.

Famous for wall-diving with easy conditions, Menjangan Island is 30 minutes by boat from mainland Bali and offers warm waters with stunning visibility that can reach 50m+. The island’s white sand beaches provide good and well-protected snorkelling opportunities.

DIVING: Boat-diving. Wall- and Drift-diving VISIBILITY: 15-30m CURRENTS: Mild DEPTHS: 5-40m MIN LEVEL: Open Water HIGHLIGHTS: Coral walls and grottoes. Pygmy seahorses, Bigeyed trevallys, turtles, batfishes.

Garden Eel Point, Anker Wreck (small C19th wooden boat) CONDITIONS: 30mins boat ride from mainland Bali. Beautiful vertical walls, warm water, white sand. Back-roll entry. Menjangan, being wall-diving, has Bali’s highest rate of DCS so: be a SAFE (Slowly Ascend From Every dive) Diver and do your safety stops.

Surface intervals can be taken on the uninhabited island

Far right: Lionfish ©Krauss Right: Reef & anthias ©Postlethwaite

In 1997/98 Menjangan Island’s reef flats suffered from a population explosion of the coral-eating Crown of Thorns starfish and from coral-bleaching after El Nino; the walls however were unaffected.

The walls go from 10 to 26-60m+ and are full of nooks and crannies, overhangs and

crevasses with soft corals, sponges and Bali’s highest concentration of Gorgonian seafans (some with pygmy seahorses).

The fishlife is prolific and turtles are regular visitors.

Although Whalesharks may be sighted, pelagics are fairly rare here as the island is protected from the cold ocean currents felt at some other Bali dive sites.

There are various dive sites around the island. The main three are Garden Eel Point, Pos Two and the small wooden Anker Wreck (35-50m) where the calm conditions and good visibility can make it easy to forget that this is a deep dive.

OFFSHORE ISLAND ON BALI’S NORTHWEST POINT

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Tulamben Bay The small village of Tulamben, famous both for its black volcanic sand and the 120m USAT Liberty shipwreck, is quite rightly Bali’s most popular diving location.

Tulamben is also the place in Bali where you are most likely to see internationally-recognised underwater photographers and journalists.

This, together with the different physical environments within the bay, gives Tulamben a remarkably diverse underwater ecosystem.

Tulamben Bay, like the rest of Bali, is situated in the world’s richest marine biogeographic zone: the Indo-Pacific. Due to Tulamben’s location on Bali’s northeast coast, the Indonesian Throughflow (the major ocean current that moves from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean) supplies the bay with very plankton-rich waters.

The 120m USAT Liberty shipwreck lies 20m offshore and offers extraordinary density of marinelife, which includes Clown frogfish (juvenile and adult), Bumphead parrotfish, a huge school of Big-eyed trevally, Leaf scorpionfish, and Hippocampus bargibanti (pygmy seahorses). Wonderpus may be seen during early morning dives. The wreck offers magical night diving with flashlightfish, Spanish dancers and cephalopods.

The Coral Garden, which runs eastwards from the Liberty shipwreck, provides wonderful shallow dives where you’re limited by air supply rather than bottom time. You can expect to see a wide selection of marinelife from Thecacera nudibranchs, Harlequin shrimps and Boxer crabs, to frogfish and Ribbon eels in all stages of development.

DIVING: Shore-diving. Wreck-, Wall-, Night- and Deep-diving; photography. Palung-Palung, Batu Kelebit and Emerald Point are a 5mins outrigger journey from Tulamben Bay VISIBILITY: 15-30m CURRENTS: Zero to mild DEPTHS: 3-40m (av depth 18m) MIN LEVEL: Introductory: suitable for every level and interest.

HIGHLIGHTS: 120m shipwreck (I thoroughly recommend Early Morning and Full Moon Night Dives); extraordinary diversity of marinelife; huge school of Big-eyed trevally; beautifully coloured wall. Fantastic photographic opportunities and colour contrast with the black sand. AquaMarine’s first choice for our special 1 Day Introductory Adventure Diving Programme.

Great snorkelling.

CONDITIONS: Black sand slope.

The black stones can make entry and exit tricky when there are waves present.

Left: 120m USAT Liberty wreck ©Ferrari

During last year’s rainy season, the reef flats of The Wall/Drop-off (at the eastern end of the bay) suffered from some run-off, however 4

NORTHEAST BALI

Right clockwise from top left: Chromodoris ©Kraus Anemonefish ©Fatherree Pygmy seahorse & yellow frogfish ©Postlethwaite

deeper on The Wall/Drop-off are sponges and Gorgonian seafans (one of 3m) - and you may see reef sharks.

Due to the beach entry, Tulamben is also great for snorkelling and for the 1 Day Introductory Adventure Diving Programme.

Please note Tulamben has a stony, rather than sandy, beach.

Slightly north of Tulamben is Kubu with plentiful Gorgonian seafans, bommies with beautiful soft corals, scores of nudibranchs, and where conditions always seem to be calm!

Five minutes east (by local outrigger) are the sites of PalungPalung/Alamanda, Batu Kelebit and Emerald Point. Within the Tulamben area, these are the sites where you are most likely to see pelagics including, on rare occasions, dolphins.

(Please also see “Muck Diving” page 13 for information on Seraya Slope, 5 minutes drive south from Tulamben Bay) The journey to Tulamben takes you through beautiful Balinese countryside, past rice terraces, along the coast, via rural villages, with great views of Mount Agung: Bali’s most revered volcano.

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Amed

Amed was traditionally dependent on salt-panning and fishing and, despite the arrival of tourists, has retained that feeling making it a place where people stay for weeks at a time.

While the fishlife here is superb, some coralbleaching occurred in 1998 and although the reef is rapidly recovering, we cannot yet tell when it will reach its former glory.

Conditions here, from the sandy shore or using an outrigger boat, are easy, with good visibility.

Amed Reef (depth 12-22m), with many different kinds of sponges and Gorgonian seafans, is home to marinelife that includes lobsters, shrimp and goby sets, Blue-spotted rays, pygmy seahorses, and schools of fish from anthias to barracuda.

White-tip reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, Giant trevally and large schools of bannerfish, snapper, and fusilier can be found at Amed Wall (1035m). The deep slope after the wall is rich in invertebrates with crinoids and commensals.

Lipah Bay (3km southeast of Amed), a small black sand bay, is home to The Japanese Wreck, a 20m steel freighter wreck (5-15m) that is encrusted with sponges, Gorgonian seafans and coral bushes, and inhabited by anthias, parrotfish and angelfish. The deeper slope has interesting seafans and is often dotted with a wide variety of nudibranchs.

The small island of Gili Selang on Bali’s eastern point has some protected areas with big bommies and low-lying, healthy corals where you may see White-tip reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses. The more exposed areas can have strong currents but can provide the opportunity to see large pelagics.

(Gili Selang can also be reached by fast boat from Padangbai, pages 8-9).

Amed Ghost Bay’s artificial reef can yield Ambon scorpionfish, Ornate and Robust ghostpipefish, Mimic octopus, Wonderpus, frogfish, stonefish – we’re never sure quite what we’ll find there!

DIVING: Shore- and Boat-diving (outriggers fit 2-3 divers). Reefand Wall-diving VISIBILITY: 15-25m CURRENTS: Zero to mild DEPTHS: 10-35m MIN LEVEL: Introductory HIGHLIGHTS: Pretty coral formations including an artificial reef; density and variety of fish; great snorkelling site; occasional reef sharks CONDITIONS: Black sand beach sloping into the water, coral reefs and a wall.

Left: Napoleon wrasse ©Postlethwaite Above: Blue ribbon eel ©Silcock

NORTHEAST BALI

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Padangbai & Candidasa Amuk Bay – with Padangbai to the south and Candidasa to the north – has some of Bali’s best diving locations and may be Bali’s premier location for sharks.

Mimpang is three rock pinnacles that break the surface. The southern, deeper end is known as Shark Point and offers a spectacular wall with profuse corals, many fish and the opportunity to see pelagics.

There are often thermoclines around 20m.

The breath-taking diving at Tepekong, a 300m long rock, is for experienced divers only due to the steep walls, cold water and (often strong) currents. In Tepekong’s famous Canyon, with its swirling waters and dramatic, craggy walls, there are huge schools of fish such as sweetlips, possibly Mola-Mola (Ocean sunfish) in season, White-tip reef sharks and turtles.

The Blue Lagoon area, just outside Padangbai, is a treasure-trove of marinelife that includes reef sharks, Rhinopias, cuttlefish, Leaf scorpionfish, frogfish, lionfish, nudibranchs and a huge area of Staghorn coral. It is a good choice for AquaMarine’s 1 Day Introductory Adventure Diving Programme, and offers excellent Night-diving with Cat sharks, Spanish dancers, crustaceans, basketstars and hunting cephalopods to be found.

(Please also see Muck-diving: Jepun page 13) 8

EAST COAST BALI

DIVING: Boat-diving. Reef- and Wall-diving VISIBILITY: 15-30m CURRENTS: Zero (Blue Lagoon) to strong and unpredictable DEPTHS: 10-40m MIN LEVEL: Introductory (Blue Lagoon). Advanced and experienced elsewhere HIGHLIGHTS: Sharks!

(Mimpang/Tepekong/Biaha); cuttlefish, Leaf scorpionfish, Crocodilefish (Blue Lagoon); Tepekong’s Canyon and Wall; many big pelagics.

Beach Barbeque: 2 dives at Biaha/Blue Lagoon/Tepekong/ Mimpang; lunch of grilled fish, satays, salads and Balinese vegetables (and sauces) served on the white sand beach - this is a very popular Day Trip!

CONDITIONS: Blue Lagoon: easy diving, gentle white sand slope, excellent marinelife.

Mimpang, Tepekong, Biaha: currents can be tricky. Sometimes thermoclines around 20m.

Top left: Scorpionfish ©Tierney Left: Rhinopias eschmeyeri ©Tierney Top right: Jellyfish ©Silcock Far right: White-tip reef shark ©Silcock

Biaha, a little to the north, offers some of Bali’s most stunning diving (it’s my favourite site). Here you will find a vast number and great diversity of fish, sharks and frequent pelagic visitors set against a backdrop of chiselled black walls with beautiful, healthy corals and often superb visibility. At the cave you can find anything from Nembrotha nudibranchs to sleeping White-tip reef sharks. Biaha is best dived at slack high tide and can be quite surgy.

It is essential your Divemaster has extensive experience at Mimpang, Tepekong and Biaha because not only can conditions change without warning - both up and down currents are quite common.

(Please also see Gili Selang, page 7)

All of the fantastic Bali dive sites described in this booklet have been included in AquaMarine’s ‘Best of Bali Dive Safaris’.

©Postlethwaite

13 days/12 nights - 27 Dives 8 days/7 nights - 14 dives 7 days/6 nights - 11 dives AquaMarine created these Safaris exactly as we would wish them to be put together if we were divers visiting Bali.

The itineraries include: - shore- and boat-diving - walls, muck, wrecks, reefs, drifts - macro and wide-angle photography - opportunities to see Bali’s famous topside attractions

Nothing has been included ‘for the sake of it’.

Fixed start dates (guaranteed with minimum two divers) Bali’s three best custom-built dive boats Minibuses customised for maximum space and leg room Maximum ratio of 1 PADI Divemaster (or above) for 4 divers Emphasis on safety and enjoyment.

Pre-planned dive times ensure you’ll see the maximum possible with the best conditions - as far as we can predict conditions You’ll see fantastic hard and soft corals, great marinelife density and diversity: from large pelagics such as Manta rays and Mola-Mola in season, to the tiniest juveniles and pygmy seahorses.

Resorts were chosen for location, facilities and value for money.

For further information (and to enquire for customised Safaris for your group), please e-mail Diving@AquaMarineDiving.com

Nusa Penida & Nusa Lembongan Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan offer drift-diving in mild to strong currents. The water can be chilly but is often startlingly clear, with gorgeous corals, prolific fish, turtles, sharks and, from July to mid-November, Mola-Mola (Ocean sunfish).

The three main north coast sites SD, Ped and Sental have many soft corals and fish such as sweetlips, lionfish, moray eels, scorpionfish and reef sharks, in addition to turtles, nudibranchs and crabs.

Toyapakeh, Nusa Penida’s most popular dive site, has good visibility and rich, impressive coral formations with big bommies. The profusion of colourful soft corals provides hiding places for many kinds of marinelife including Ribbon eels, Banded sea snakes, turtles and nudibranchs.

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Late afternoon you may be lucky enough to see Mandarinfish.

shark (please see photo on the right) – yes really, I’m told it’s only found in Bali.

Gamat Bay, although a small area, with its soft corals, Gorgonian seafans and hard corals (including table corals) is full of reef fish and some quite rare commensals and nudibranchs. On the outside slope are big bommies, overhangs and small caves, which provide resting places for larger fish. Gamat Bay is also known as a cleaning station for Mola-Mola in season.

Manta Point on Penida’s southwest coast has dramatic limestone cliffs descending straight into the ocean. The surge can be strong but no currents. The Mantas are 2-4m wide and seen at 5-10m depth.

Mola-Molas, Bamboo sharks, Shark rays, tunas, Tiger mackerels and dolphins may also be seen. The smaller fish include other rays and unicornfish; you may see Reef octopus and Nembrotha nudibranchs.

Crystal Bay is best known for sightings of Mola-Mola (please see sidebar) in the July to mid-November season when water temperature can go down to 19C! While the bay itself is quite beautiful with a good number and variety of fish as well as gorgeous corals, it also has a Bat Cave: enter from underwater, surface inside the cave (which is open to the sky) and watch the bats overhead. On the deep wall after the Bat Cave you can often see Eagle rays and (if you are lucky) the Bali Wobbegong

OFFSHORE ISLANDS ON BALI’S EAST COAST

Southwest Penida has two Manta Points, both of which have dramatic limestone cliffs descending straight into the ocean.

Manta Point I, the further site, has slightly larger Mantas (2-4m width), but can be surgy and is not always reachable due to waves. Neither site has currents, and at both sites the Mantas are seen at 5-10m depth. Mola-Molas, Bamboo sharks, Shark rays, tunas, Tiger mackerels and smaller rays may also be seen.

Mola-Mola

DIVING: Boat-diving. Drift-diving, Manta Point, Mola-Mola (seasonal) VISIBILITY: 15-40m CURRENTS: Mild to strong and unpredictable (inc up/down currents) DEPTHS: 6-40m MIN LEVEL: Open Water with some experience HIGHLIGHTS: Mola-Mola (Ocean sunfish) in season, Eagle and Manta rays, sharks. Many pelagics. Large schools of sweetlips, bannerfishes, unicornfishes and scorpionfishes.

Turtles.

CONDITIONS: There are dive sites all around Nusa Penida’s north and northwest coasts. Very good varieties of hard and soft corals; slopes and drop-offs. The water can get pretty cold. Being drift-diving, it can be challenging to take photographs here.

There are occasional thermoclines.

Left: Manta ray ©Postlethwaite Right: Coral bommie ©Postlethwaite Above: Bali Wobbegong shark ©Ferrari

Far right: Mola-Mola ©Ferrari Far right background: Jacks ©Krauss

Malibu Point on southeast Penida lies on a very steep slope, with table corals and big bommies. Marinelife here includes rays, big trevallys and huge schools of Rainbow runners. This is Penida’s best location to see a variety of sharks.

Batu Abah on the far side of Penida is known for Mantas and Mola-Mola.

Note: A fast, sturdy boat is required to reach Batu Abah in a reasonable time.

Lembongan’s Blue Corner, although deep, is a very popular drift dive, the highlight being a wall that is usually full of fish, sharks, big Napoleon wrasse, sometimes Eagle rays and Mola-Mola.

This site is for more experienced divers.

SEASON

I believe Mola-Mola (Ocean sunfish) are in Bali’s waters year-round (recorded as deep as 360m) but generally only come up to recreational diving depths from July to mid-November.

Mola-Mola are the world’s heaviest bony fish, can be 3.5m in height, reach 2,300kg, and have up to 300 million eggs. You can see their unusual shape in this photo (‘mola’ is Latin for ‘millstone’) and believe it or not, their closest relatives are pufferfish, porcupinefish and filefish.

Their diet, like that of turtles, is mainly jellyfish so plastic bags pose a big hazard to Mola-Mola.

Up to 40 kinds of parasites live on Mola-Mola and it is while they are being cleaned by schools of Longfin bannerfish that we are able to see them stationary for any length of time.

The most likely sites to see Mola-Mola are at Nusa Penida and outside Padangbai/Candidasa although there have been rare early morning sightings on the USAT Liberty shipwreck in Tulamben Bay. 11

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Muck Diving & Macro Photography Secret Bay/Gilimanuk (northwest Bali) Secret Bay was Bali’s first and so best-known muck location. 2km wide, 3-12m deep; the only bay off the narrow Bali Strait (where currents can reach 7 knots), it acts as a large catch-tank for many larval and juvenile fish, and rare marine species.

The water is cold; the fish fat and healthy! Unusual nudibranchs, Banggai cardinalfish, gobies, Ambon scorpionfish, filefish, puffers, dragonets, pipefish, juvenile Batavia batfish, Mimic octopus, Hippocampus kuda and many other organisms.

Elsewhere juveniles hide to avoid predators, but here in Gilimanuk there are very few large fish, so juveniles have no need to hide. The bottom is fine sand with patches of algae and seagrass, some branches, coconuts (housing for octopodes!), cans, etc. Night-diving yields Bobbit worms, cephalopods, crustaceans, and frequent surprises!

The Puri Jati area (north Bali) Bali’s current hotspot for muck-diving, PJ itself is a wide, gentle, brown sand slope with patchy seagrass, seapens and 20cm tufts of lavender soft coral. Vis is 5-25m, and the water warm. Frequent sightings of Common and Mimic octopus (some mating as pictured), pairs of Ambon scorpionfish, Flying gurnards, Emperor shrimp, Blue-ringed octopus, frogfishes, unusual Mantis shrimps, Fingered dragonets, wide variety of ghostpipefish,

seahorses, seamoths, Demon stingers, Cockatoo flounders, Veiled melibe nudibranchs, juvenile batfish and lionfish, crustaceans, cephalopods and sand dwellers, soft coral cowries, various large shells, pelagic tunicates, the list goes on!

Seraya Slope (northeast Bali) About 5 minutes south of Tulamben Bay, this black sand slope offers Rhinopias, Harlequin/ Coleman/Tiger shrimps, yellow-spotted frogfish, Boxer crabs (although very difficult to find them out in the open with the goatfish around!), ghostpipefish, stonefish, anglerfish, seahorses, many nudibranchs, and a school of barracudas.

Jepun (east Bali) An extension of Blue Lagoon, Jepun yields Leaf scorpionfish, Solar-powered nudibranchs, many varieties of ghostpipefish and frogfish, Pegasus seamoth, Flamboyant cuttlefish, Rhinopias (eschmeyeri and frondosa), shrimps, crabs, Thorny seahorse, shrimpfish and Cockatoo waspfish.

AquaMarine also has some unpublicised muck and macro sites we’d be delighted to show you, please ask for further details.

Underwater photographers/videographers should request one of our dedicated spotter guides.

From the top: Mating Mimic octopus ©Ferrari Ornate ghostpipefish ©Bogard Harlequin shrimp ©Bogard

BALI’S MUCK AND MACRO DIVE SITES

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Activities It is difficult to know where to start when listing Bali’s topside activities as they range from bird-watching walks and Balinese cookery courses to downhill cycling tours through Bali’s heartland and the ever-popular surfing as well as world-renowned golf courses. You can study puppetry or make your own batik sarong, learn the Balinese gamelan (xylophone) or try Balinese dancing.

Whitewater rafting is available and you can horseride on the beach or through the rice fields. Several companies offer Daytime and Dinner cruises. Watersports abound: fishing, wind-surfing, para-sailing, banana-boating. There are also the Bird and Reptile Parks, Safari Park, Butterfly Park and the Elephant Park.

Bali is, these days, the spa capital of Southeast Asia with many hotels boasting their own spas and many independent spas throughout the island. Holidays are the perfect time to indulge yourself: treatments for jetlag and sunburn are usually available!

Shopping and therefore bargaining (hard) is a way of life here, whether it’s for handicrafts, furniture, paintings, stone and wood carvings, fabric and soft furnishings, clothing, jewellery; whatever you need, it’s here in Bali. There are many cargo companies, too...

But perhaps the most enjoyable and educational activity of all is to learn about and experience Balinese culture. Deeply rooted in daily activities, ceremonies (such as tooth-filing) to mark each stage of this life can be witnessed all over the island. Visits to beautiful and spectacularly located temples are within 1-2 hours of most hotels in Bali.

Come and experience

The Island of the Gods for yourself

- you’ll find it hard to leave!

Dive Trips: From south Bali, ‘Day Trips’ do take a full day as they include road travel.

Prices include pick-up, 2 dives and lunch.

Or book a Safari (dive/accom package) to reduce road travel and allow more diving.

Religion/Culture: Bali’s population is 95% Hindu. The religion incorporates animistic beliefs and a sense of the supernatural. As religion and culture are intertwined here, life has a different focus and speed from that in the West.

Dress code: The modestly-dressed Balinese are very forgiving about tourists’ attire but please don’t walk around in Speedos/a bikini. When entering temples, wear a sarong and sash, note the temple guardian statues are similarly attired.

Pack natural fabrics and pack light - there are cheap clothing shops all over Bali!

Money: In south Bali all hard currencies can be exchanged; less easy elsewhere.

USD must be pristine and post-1997.

[Moneychangers: When you receive your Rupiah, count it yourself and then do not put it down! Some charge commission.]

Mastercard and Visa: widely accepted in south Bali and upmarket hotels/shops.

Some places take AmEx and Diners Club.

There is usually a 3% surcharge.

Visa/Entry requirements: Citizens of ASEAN countries receive a free 30 day visa-on-arrival (VOA). Citizens of most other countries pay USD25 for a 30 day VOA that can be extended for a further 30 days. Please check beforehand that your nationality is eligible for VOA. If not (or if you want to stay longer than 60 days), you must get a visa before arriving.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your stay and have several empty pages; you must be able to show an onward ticket out of the country.

Tipping: Not part of Balinese culture but now common in tourist areas. Most restaurants charge 10% service and 10% government tax so a total 21% increase.

I suggest you tip when you receive great service and whatever feels appropriate.

Airport tax: International = Rp150,000; domestic = Rp30,000 (subject to change).

Children: All Balinese people adore children consequently they will be welcome everywhere. Watch out for the strong undertows, particularly on Kuta/ Legian/Seminyak beach.

Health risks: Minimal - although there’s always the risk of Bali Belly, which can usually be avoided by not drinking the tap water and being careful what you eat.

Electricity: 220volts.

Climate: Rainy season is officially October-March, but varies yearly. There is diving year-round; the best months are April to October. Remember to apply high protection sunscreen frequently.

Language: English is widely spoken in the south and even in some rural villages.

Hyperbaric chamber: Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar (the capital).

Bali’s southeast coast: The diving around Sanur and Nusa Dua/Tanjung Benoa is poor quality and therefore only for people who just have to Get Wet! 15

I STRAIT L Garden Eel Point

BA

1. When planning your holiday, choose resorts Menjangan Island and liveaboards that have environmentallySecret Bay conscious policies; (Muck Diving) look for any awards Gilimanuk Harbour they may have received. Ask: Do they actively contribute to the sustainability and preservation of the topside and Melaya marine environments?

Anker Wreck

4. Educate yourself about seafood and the source of the seafood that you eat. Check www.fishonline.org. Do not patronise restaurants that serve Shark Fin Soup and Napoleon wrasse. Be aware that any live reef fish have often been caught using sodium cyanide – poisonous to you and to the reefs.

5. Buy your dive gear from manufacturers that contribute to the welfare of the ocean. Contact the company directly if you are unsure.

6. If you see pictures showing animal harassment or articles that are ecologically offensive, please write to the publisher. They exist because you pay to see or buy their products so tell them when they are wrong.

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I SEA

Pemuteran Puri Jati (Muck Diving) Celukan Bawang Harbour

Lovina

Seririt

B U LELENG

Tam

JE M B R ANA Pupuan

2. Encourage your guides to act responsibly; often they are simply over-zealous in their desire to please.

3. Be sure to streamline your equipment, make sure you are correctly weighted, and watch your buoyancy when diving near a coral reef or other sensitive environment. Be careful not to kick sand onto, stand on, or touch coral.

BAL

Pos 2

NEGARA

T A B ANAN

Dive Tourist

Being a Responsible Soka

Keram

Research and decide for yourself on the issue of captive dolphins and whales.

7. Increase your knowledge about the environment, above and below water, by attending (marine) ecology programmes.

Participate in eco-tourism and research diving expeditions.

8. Use operators who employ local people thereby providing them with education and training, as well as bringing direct and indirect benefits to their communities.

Dive Site Temple Mountain Harbour Airport

Kubutambahan

Tejakula

SINGARAJA

9. Discuss with local people the environmental issues affecting the area. Show respect for their traditions and culture. All grassroots efforts start from just one or two people having an idea.

Les

Mt. Batur

Buyan Lake

Tulamben Mt. Abang

Kintamani

mblingan Lake

Bedugul

Penelokan Batur Lake

Bratan Lake

10. Never throw anything into the sea and set an example by not removing shells, corals or fish (alive or dead).

If you collect rubbish while diving, be careful it hasn’t already been adopted by local marinelife such as an octopus in a broken bottle.

Kubu Point USAT Liberty Wreck Seraya Slope (Muck Diving)

B ANGL I Mt. Batukaru

Mt. Agung Amed Besakih

Tampaksiring

Penglipuran BANGLI

AMLAPURA

G I AN Y A R Tenganan

Sangeh

K L U NG K U NG UBUD

SEMARAPURA

Mengwi

mbitan

TABANAN

Sanur

Kuta Ngurah Rai International Airport

Jimbaran Pecatu Uluwatu

BA

Seminyak Legian

SERANGAN ISLAND

D

G UN

Biaha

Blue Corner Toyapakeh SD

Remember: More than seven-tenths of the world’s surface is covered by water; we need it for our very survival. All education, for yourself or for children, is an investment for the future.

Ped Sental

NUSA LEMBONGAN Gamat Bay Crystal Bay

Malibu Point NUSA PENIDA

Manta Point 1 Nusa Dua

13. Tell others about your experiences, good and bad; never be afraid to lead by example.

Tepekong

STRAIT

Manta Point 2

Benoa Harbour

Ujung

Goa Lawah

Tanah Lot

DENPASAR

Candidasa Blue Lagoon Mimpang

GIANYAR

B AD U NG

Padangbai

12. Donate time and/or money to conservation efforts at home and overseas. Support Gili Selang Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) such as Marine Parks.

Japanese Wreck

K A R ANGASE M

ANAN

11. Report environmental damage, or practices that could be damaging, and encourage responsible behaviour such as the use of permanent moorings, even if it means a longer surface swim.

Batu Abah

“In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand and we will understand only what we are taught.”

Baba Dioum, Senegalese Conservationist 17

Beyond Bali

Raja Ampat

TIMOR LESTE WEST TIMOR

Bali is not the only place in Indonesia with phenomenal diving therefore, to ensure we can provide a comprehensive service for our clients, AquaMarine Diving – Bali now acts as an agent for other reputable dive resorts and liveaboards in Indonesia.

In south Lombok AquaMarine offers DiveZone for the possibility to see schooling Hammerhead sharks; and Manta Dive in the backpacker haven of the Gili islands on Lombok’s northwest point.

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In north Sulawesi we represent many dive companies including Black Sand Dive Retreat on Lembeh Strait (muck and macro diving) and Tasik Divers for Bunaken Island (wall-diving). In southeast Sulawesi we offer Wakatobi Resort and Liveaboard.

AquaMarine offers several liveaboard options in Komodo National Park, including Mermaid Liveaboards’ Bali-Komodo-Bali itinerary. Very few operators dive the Maluku Islands; AquaMarine represents several of them including Dive Damai.

These days, for clients wanting to dive Raja Ampat in West Papua, we represent a number of resorts and liveaboards including SMY Ondina.

AquaMarine Diving - Bali is proud to be an agent for these and other resorts and liveaboards here in Indonesia.

Email Tours@AquaMarineDiving.com for more details and information on our current Special Offers. By booking through AquaMarine you will be eligible for discounts, free add-ons and/or upgrades.

Misool Island ©Krauss

Bunaken Island In 1989, thanks to the efforts of the delightful (and very patient: he taught me to dive!) Dr Hanny Batuna, Loky Herlambang and Ricky Lasut, more than 75,000 hectares of reef was made into the Bunaken - Manado Tua Marine Park in northern Sulawesi.

The five islands that make up Bunaken Marine Park are surrounded by deep trenches (6km+), which ensure a constant flow of nutrient-rich waters to the reefs making them home to over 1,500 species of fish and 300 species of coral. Here you’ll find a higher concentration of marinelife than on the Great Barrier Reef.

The dramatic bluewater wall dives are packed with corals ranging from hard, branching species through to whip corals, providing the perfect habitat for sharks, sea snakes and huge turtles, as well as schooling fish such as tuna, barracuda, jacks, and butterflyfishes. And, of course, the smaller critters such as nudibranchs, Leaf scorpionfish, crabs, pipefish, seahorses, tiny gobies and shrimps.

Visibility varies from 10-25m; temperatures from 25-28C. There was some damage by fishermen in the past but the North Sulawesi Watersports Association (NSWA) has worked hard with local communities to establish no-fishing zones and implement non-destructive practices.

In Manado Bay, pods of dolphins, Pilot whales and Sperm whales are regularly seen. This is arguably the planet’s most unique and rich marine environment.

Lembeh Strait Already established as one of Indonesia’s premier “Muck Diving” destinations, Lembeh is developing and growing beyond its exotic critter-diving reputation.

DIVING: Sand is the popular choice but Lembeh also has rubble, bommies, walls, pinnacles and wrecks VISIBILITY: Generally 8-15m, but is clearer towards the north of the Strait DEPTHS: Max 30m, but most sites are best at 5-15m MIN LEVEL: Beginner HIGHLIGHTS: Variety. Odd and beautiful benthic (bottomdwelling) creatures. A rich selection of frogfish, octopus, nudibranchs, shrimp, seahorses, pipefish, and so on.

CONDITIONS: Sheltered conditions mean excellent diving year-round. If seasonal winds affect any sites, there are plenty of alternatives. Some sites are affected by current, but an experienced guide should know where the current-free conditions are at any given time.

Right: Tiger shrimp ©Bruce Moore

Though the black sand sites remain the top draw, there are five shipwrecks (two of them Japanese WWII ships) and an impressive array of underwater topography, including pinnacles and verdant soft and hard coral gardens.

This variety in a compact location with 40+ dive sites is what continues to draw repeat visitors year after year with different months offering different seasonal critter attractions in sheltered conditions.

What is considered rare elsewhere is relatively common here, including critters such as Hairy frogfish, Mimic octopus, Mandarinfish, Devilfish, Flamboyant cuttlefish, ghostpipefish, Tiger shrimp, seahorses, Rhinopias and much more, including newly-identified species such as the Lembeh frogfish, pygmy pipehorses, Pontohi pygmy seahorses, Crinoid cuttlefish and Brown Mimic octopus.

There is a tremendous variety of frogfish, venomous fish, snake eels, crustaceans, shells and nudibranchs, with every dive offering an opportunity to find a species new to science.

There’s something here for everyone, even the most jaded of divers, learning about the critters and their habits in shallow, easy conditions perfect for photography.

Lembeh uses a tag system similar to Bunaken.

BEYOND BALI

21

Lombok From relaxed diving in southwest Lombok to exciting adrenalin dives in Belongas Bay, South Lombok offers something for everyone, no matter what your interests.

DIVING: Boat diving. Drift and Macro diving VISIBILITY: Up to 20m TEMP: 26-30C CURRENTS: Zero to strong DEPTHS: 10-35m MIN LEVEL: Open Water but some sites only suitable for very experienced divers.

HIGHLIGHTS: The Magnet and The Cathedral. Schooling Hammerhead sharks, Manta rays, abundant macro life. Pristine reefs CONDITIONS: Good year-round but best between May and September Below: Surface interval Right: Reef scene ŠGerald Nowak

South Lombok offers pristine reefs, a multitude of dive sites and amazing marine diversity. The variety is breathtaking. You can dive the boulders at Batu Mandi or at Batu Gendang with schools of sweetlips; Kuta Lombok provides an upmarket dive vacation while (in season) Belongas Bay has Hammerhead sharks, Manta rays and more.

Conditions vary throughout the bay of Sekotong from easy and relaxed within the bay itself to exciting and adventurous around BangkoBangko and further south.

The reefs in southeast Lombok are totally undamaged, and in addition to the many colourful reef fish, there is an abundance of macro life, crabs and lobsters to be found. With a little luck, you will also see pelagics cruising through the blue water.

Two of the better-known dive sites in southeast Lombok are The Cathedral and The Magnet where mackerel, tuna, barracuda, Napoleon wrasse, Eagle rays, White-tip and Black-tip reef sharks are frequent visitors, along with schooling Hammerhead sharks.

Aside from these two world-class dive sites, the area offers pristine reefs, plentiful macro life, and an abundance of fish to be found nowhere else around Lombok.

BEYOND BALI

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The Gili Islands The Gili Islands are renowned for coral-fringed white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters and an unhurried pace.

Situated 3km from the northwest Lombok and a 20 mins flight from Bali (although a fast boat direct from Bali to Gilis is quicker), the Gili Islands comprise three islands that pride themselves on having no motorised transport to break their peaceful serenity, so making them the perfect island getaway.

Gili Trawangan (pop 2,000) has become the main destination and although it is famous for diving, also offers horse riding, kayaking, surfing, spa treatments and a wide range of superb cuisine.

Gili Air (pop 1,750) could be described as Trawangan 10 years ago, with its peaceful beachfront restaurants, friendly locals, and relaxed atmosphere allowing the dive centres to offer a more personal experience.

Accommodations to suit every budget, from simple bamboo huts to luxurious villas.

There are 16 dive sites around the Gili Islands offering diving for all levels of diver. With their relaxed pace and affordability, divers from around the world come to the Gilis to complete a

wide array of dive certifications from Open Water to Instructor level.

A select few of the dive centres carry a Platinum rating and offer both SSI and PADI certifications.

Established to maintain the diversity of Gili Trawangan’s unique undersea life, the Gili Eco Trust was established in 2002 between dive establishments and local fishermen, and has been instrumental in the implementation of the internationally-recognised Biorock programme.

The island is now home to 27 Biorock reefs that provide sanctuary to a multitude of rare indigenous marinelife and corals.

Top: Anemonefish ŠJames White Bottom left: Green sea turtle

DIVING: 15mins to dive sites.

Drifts, walls, slopes, canyons, sea mounts, muck dives VISIBILITY: 15-30m CURRENTS: Zero to strong DEPTHS: 6-30m COURSES: Beginner to Instructor HIGHLIGHTS: Turtles everywhere, reef sharks, schooling trevally and thousands of species of fish. Smaller inhabitants include pygmy seahorses, pipefish, frogfish and more. Around the full moon, schools of Bumphead parrotfish CONDITIONS: Warm water, great vis, drift, multi-level, guided dives. Proximity of dive sites allows for surface intervals at the dive centre, exploring the island or relaxing on the beach

BEYOND BALI

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Komodo National Park Komodo National Park comprises Komodo, Rinja, Padar and many smaller islands, the macro areas of Sangeang Volcano and Sumbawa, and the barrier reef of Moyo Island.

Komodo’s northern sites are sometimes subject to strong currents but offer the chance to see schooling White-tip and Grey reef sharks, large schools of Giant and Blue-fin trevally, Big-eye jacks and even dolphins all hunting together. At quieter times, massive Napoleon Wrasse in good numbers and Eagle rays come in from the blue.

DIVING: Boat diving. Wall and Drift-diving. Macro diving.

VISIBILITY: 5-30m TEMP: North: 27-28C; South: 22-24C CURRENTS: Mild to very strong DEPTHS: 5-40m MIN LEVEL: Open Water HIGHLIGHTS: Manta rays, macro species, Cannibal Rock, large pelagics.

CONDITIONS: Good year-round but the northeast monsoon from late November to February can reduce visibility.

Top: Cuttlefish ©Armin Trutnau Right: Viking nudi ©Armin Trutnau Top right: Komodo dragon ©Armin Trutnau

There are sea fans alive with pygmy seahorses, and sunset and night dives bring Mandarinfish and Stargazers, as well as Coral Cat sharks and Bamboo sharks.

Sites in the middle of the Park offer special creatures like Sea apples and Sea pears and a host of robust sea cucumbers in various colour combinations. Fire urchins on night dives provide Zebra crabs and rare Coleman shrimps.

In the south is the world-famous site Cannibal Rock in Horseshoe Bay, Rinja; home to some rare nudibranchs, several species and colours of Rhinopias, and a host of frogfish. This gentle waterway can become alive with krill bringing whales, dolphins and rays into the bay.

There are several Manta aggregation sites where divers can fly with literally squadrons of these magnificent creatures.

BEYOND BALI

27

Maluku Conveniently nestled between Sulawesi, West Papua and Timor, and containing four different seas, the Maluku archipelago is one of Indonesia’s least explored diving areas.

Diving: Boat diving. Wall, Reef and Muck diving Visibility: 25-30m Temp: 25-28C Currents: Mild to strong Depths: 5-35m Min level: Beginner.

Highlights: Healthy reefs, abundant marine life, large pelagics, outstanding muck diving, numerous caves and arches.

Conditions: Only accessible from October to November and April to May outside the monsoon season

Below: Coleman shrimp Right: Juvenile boxfish ŠAllard Vander Graaf

Hundreds of islands ranging from sheer volcanic mountains to powder-white sand and coconutfringed beaches, the Maluku offer a range of ecosystems with varied diving to match. The Banda Sea is the deepest and most exposed of all seas in Indonesia, hence only accessible during the months of October to November and April to May when the monsoon is not in full swing.

Two chains of small islands arc from the eastern end of Nusa Tenggara (Lesser Sunda Islands), offering unparalleled diving on walls and coralrich slopes with frequent sightings of pelagics.

A couple of volcanic peaks in the middle of the sea are home to a dense colony of sea birds and numerous sea snakes underwater.

Further to the north the island of Ambon and the surrounding area host a full array of diving opportunities from outstanding muck diving to numerous caves and arches. The west coast of Halmahera is another interesting destination in itself, where passages between islands create currents that promote healthy reefs and an abundance of marinelife.

The Maluku also offer a unique cultural background for those with a keen interest in history. Here you can walk through nutmeg and clove plantations, visit ancient Dutch and Portuguese forts, or simply enjoy the pleasant feel of the former colonies.

BEYOND BALI

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Misool

Raja Ampat According to several scientific studies, Raja Ampat is home to the world’s richest reefs. It is a vast archipelago located at the heart of the Coral Triangle, just off the famed Bird’s Head Peninsula of West Papua, Indonesia.

This area of astounding marine biodiversity boasts the majority of the world’s reef-building corals. In an area the size of two football fields, scientists recorded more than six times as many coral species as live in the entire Caribbean.

World-renowned fish expert Dr Gerry Allen has twice broken his own record for numbers of fish species recorded on a single dive. Raja Ampat is home to more than 1,200 fish species including the newly-discovered ‘walking’ Epaulette shark.

In recognition of this spectacular natural treasure, several Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) were recently established and Raja Ampat now uses a tag system similar to Bunaken National Park.

This remote area has one of Indonesia’s lowest population densities, which is reflected by the pristine state of Raja Ampat’s reefs. You will dive a wide selection of coral-covered walls, reef flats, caverns and swim-throughs, sea mounts, placid lagoons, sprawling coral gardens, current-raked pinnacles, and bluewater mangroves.

While the most obvious attractions are colourful soft corals, behemoth Gorgonian fans, pulsating

clouds of small fish, and abundant macro life, strong currents and plenty of food make the area attractive to bigger fish as well. You can expect to see schools of Horse-eyed jacks, barracudas, Mobula and Manta rays, and Wobbegong and reef sharks.

Visibility is generally 25m+, with temperatures around 26-28C (78-82F). Raja Ampat is most easily accessed by flights into Sorong, West Papua. With the recent increase in dive resorts and liveaboards in the area, Raja Ampat is now available to all budgets.

DIVING: Shore-dives and a multitude of boat-dives, including drifts, walls, slopes, lagoons, caves, swim-throughs, sea mounts, pinnacles, bluewater mangroves, WWII wrecks VISIBILITY: 10-30m CURRENTS: Zero to strong DEPTH: 3-30m+ COURSES: Dive courses may be available with advance notice HIGHLIGHTS: The world’s richest reefs in a largely pristine state.

Fantastic soft corals abound, as do massive Gorgonian fans and hard coral gardens. Reefs are teeming with life, from the tiniest pygmy seahorses to circling Manta rays. Surface intervals are spectacular too as most of Raja Ampat’s islands are uninhabited CONDITIONS: Warm water, variable visibility, currents strongest around full moon

Left: Pristine corals ©Ricard Buxo

BEYOND BALI

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Wakatobi & Beyond Southeast Sulawesi has fast become the destination for divers seeking pristine coral reefs that seem to stretch endlessly.

The many miles of some of the world’s finest underwater scenery are perfect for long, slow, scenic dives. With staggering walls, dramatic drop-offs, slopes, isolated pinnacles and knife-edged ridges, the variety of sites offers photographers great wide-angle and macro opportunities.

Ranging from resident Giant and Bluefin trevallys in the shallows, to schools of Neon fusiliers and unicornfishes just off the reef, the fishlife in these clear waters is sure to delight. On the reefs themselves, a world of fantastic tiny critters awaits.

Looming sea mounts astound with their vibrant reefs and vast hard coral gardens ringing them in the shallows. Schooling barracuda, jacks, fusiliers and sometimes sharks & Eagle rays can be seen.

The low-lying palm-fringed Eastern Islands are in open-ocean and comprise Wangi-Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia and Binongko. Throughout these “Wakatobi” 32

BEYOND BALI

islands the diving consists of dramatic drop-offs abounding with seafans and gigantic sponges. There are giant canyons, enormous overhangs, ravines and reef crests.

Famed for night-diving due to the brilliantly coloured corals and resident marinelife, the reef edges attract great numbers of fish while the coral gardens bristle with large bommies, tubastrea corals (green daisy coral trees), large table corals shelter stingrays as well as invertebrates and crustaceans.

The pristine white sand beach of Hoga Island in the Kaledupa region is the research base for Operation Wallacea, where volunteer students and scientists study the area’s fantastic diversity.

The Tomia region is home to a protected reef system where seagrass beds stretch out to reefs where even the reef top coral cover flourishes. Here the local islanders, in collaboration with Wakatobi Resort, established a community-based reef management project ensuring complete protection for 20kms of reef.

Consequently the reef teems with rare and much sought-after critters including 6 species of pygmy seahorses.

The diving around Binongko is on precipitous walls with giant black coral bushes. There are dramatic caverns and precarious-looking overhangs where fishes hang in the mild currents. The reef tops are rocky and home to multicoloured soft corals.

Pasarwajo Bay at Buton Island is an amazing muck-diving site for macro lovers: Cockatoo waspfishes, Leaf scorpionfishes, stonefishes, Inimicus (Demon stinger), Bobbit worms, Bobtail squid, Marble snake eels, Ornate ghostpipefishes, frogfishes, cowfishes, Mimic and Blue-ringed octopus, Flying gurnards, strange crabs, anemones, nudibranchs and fire clams can all be found in less than 10m of water.

Although remote, the often long journey to Wakatobi is undoubtedly worth it.

The area can now be reached by charter plane from Bali. Liveaboard diving is also available in the Wakatobi area.

amed l tulamben l menjangan island l padangbai l candidasa l nusa penida l nusa lembongan l muck & macro

DISCOVER THE SECRET AQUA

MAR

O INEDIVING.C

AquaMarine Diving - Bali’s British ownership together with the expertise of our local dive staff make an unbeatable combination. We are dedicated to ensuring you experience PO Box 2098, Kuta the best quality diving possible - whether it’s Bali 80361 - Indonesia a single Day Trip or a fully-inclusive intensive Tel +62 361 738020 underwater macro-photography Safari. In Fax +62 361 738021 terms of safety and personalised service, we info@AquaMarineDiving.com are unrivalled.

Bali’s world-class diving combined with the fantastic selection of topside activities and places to visit make the perfect holiday destination for both divers and non-divers.

Photos ©Krauss, Postlethwaite & Ferrari

M

AquaMarine only offers Bali’s better dives: Nusa Penida - drifts; Padangbai - sharks and pelagics; Tulamben - Liberty wreck and reefs; Menjangan Island - walls; Puri Jati and Secret Bay - muck-diving.

Please visit our website, or e-mail us, to find out more about our personal service, PADI courses, and custom-made diving packages (to include accommodation, tours and land activities).

AquaMarine is also an agent for other reputable dive resorts and liveaboards throughout Indonesia.

BEYOND BALI

2011/2012

bunaken l gili islands l lombok l komodo l lembeh l raja ampat l maluku l wakatobi