Diving and travelling in Bali
A collaboration between Tabiara (travel guides) and divefever (dive-site atlases by a divemaster).
Tulamben, Amed, Nusa Penida and the Gili Islands each need a different base, boat and day plan. Here is how the two guides split the work: Tabiara for arrival, areas and dive-free days, divefever for the dive sites themselves.
Below the surface: the Liberty wreck off Tulamben from the shore, mantas off Nusa Penida all year, sunfish from July.
One trip, two guides
The travel guide covers what happens on land. The dive atlas covers each site from entry to exit.
Above water · Tabiara
Bali Travel Guide – Complete Master Guide (PDF)
Arrival at Ngurah Rai, six areas compared, ten day routes for 3, 5 or 7 days.
- Ubud, Sanur, Seminyak, Canggu, Jimbaran, Sidemen
- Drivers, ride-hailing and Bali's slow roads
- English, Spanish or German edition
Under water · divefever
Tauchatlas Bali und Gili-Inseln
A dive-site atlas for Tulamben, Amed, Nusa Penida and the Gilis, written by a divemaster: entry points, wind rose, sample dive weeks.
German-language edition
The four dive areas and how you get there
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Tulamben
Shore dive · east coast
The Liberty, a US Army transport torpedoed in 1942 and beached here, slid off the beach when Agung erupted in 1963. The Coral Garden in front of the beach is shallow.
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Amed
Shore or jukung · east coast
You dive from the beach or from a jukung, the local fishing boat. Jemeluk bay lies in the wind shadow and suits beginners.
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Nusa Penida
Boat from Sanur
A provincial marine protected area. Mantas all year, sunfish mainly July to October. Do not touch or feed them, and never approach from behind or below.
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Gili Islands
Fast boat from Serangan or Padang Bai
The Gilis belong to Lombok. All diving there is from boats.
Which month for Bali
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Dry season, calm seaTransition or rain, diving worksPeak rain, rougher sea
Water stays at 28 to 29 °C all year. December to March brings the north-west wind and more rain; February often has the roughest sea. July and August are the busiest months. Sunfish appear at Nusa Penida from July.
Everything for Bali on land
Each title also works on its own.
Bali Travel Guide – Complete Master Guide (PDF)
Bali Itineraries – 10 Day Routes + 3, 5 & 7-Day Plans
Where to Stay in Bali – Best Areas Compared
Bali Airport to Hotel Guide – Arrival & Transfers
Bali Travel Confidence Kit – Getting Around & Problem Solvers
Bali Offline Place Guide – 23 Curated Places (PDF, CSV, HTML)
Bali Travel Planner – Printable PDF + Excel Budget Workbook
Questions people ask
When is the best time to dive in Bali?
In the dry season from April to October, with calm seas and the best visibility. You can dive all year; from December to March expect more rain and, in February, rougher water.
Where can beginners dive in Bali?
Jemeluk bay in Amed, sheltered from the wind, and the shallow Coral Garden off Tulamben are the usual beginner sites.
Where do you see manta rays in Bali?
Around Nusa Penida, at Manta Point on the south coast and Manta Bay in the west, all year round.
Is the divefever atlas available in English?
No, the dive-site atlas is published in German. The Tabiara Bali guides come in English, Spanish and German.
More dive-and-travel articles
Practical articles on diving and travel in Bali, Koh Samui and on the Great Barrier Reef.
divefever is an independent shop. Its dive-site atlases are published in German; Tabiara guides come in English, Spanish and German. Seasons and rules change, so check them with your dive centre and official sources before you travel.