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The diving locations at Candidasa and Padang Bai are popular destinations for local dive guides. But beware, some spots are challenging dives with strong undercurrents.
This section contains a list of all the best Candidasa dive sites with essential information for new divers heading to these famous diving destinations.
There are several reasons why divers like to explore these underwater spots.
For example, scuba diving in the southeastern corner of Bali is suitable for most certification levels.
Here's the thing:
Most of Candi Dasa's dive sites have good underwater visibility, usually in excess of twenty (20) metres.
The best months for scuba diving and snorkeling are May until October.
Below the surface, divers will find an impressive, yet rugged, landscape of hard and soft coral formations. Plus, the strong upwelling water movements tend to bring in the large pelagic fish species, including Mola Mola sunfish, and sharks.
For the most part, the scuba locations in Bali offer some of the best blackwater diving experiences that you'll find anywhere in the world.
Plus, having optimum conditions for underwater photographers is another huge attraction to this part of Indonesia and its 17,000 islands.
Some common sightings of unique aquatic animals and plants that you should expect to see when scuba diving or snorkeling in Candidasa and Padangbai, include:
In general, anyone who dives around Padangbai harbour should find some shelter from strong water flows. Hence, some of the local dive shops use these spots when conducting entry-level scuba courses in the bay.
In addition, the clearer visibility that you can expect to find at some of the shallow sections makes them ideal for snorkeling enthusiasts and macro photography aficionados.
Nonetheless, if you dive away from the protection of the sheltered harbour, you may experience a mild current and surge.
The Lombok Strait connects with the Indian Ocean in this region. Thus, it often creates water movements that can be unpredictable and dangerous for novices.
This dive site and snorkelling location takes around 25 minutes to sail from Padang Bai harbour. The water is generally warm at this favourite spot and the fish life is colourful and abundant.
Our guide contains interesting facts and information about the Blue Lagoon dive site, and why this spot is popular with underwater photographers.
Pro Tip: The short video [1:45 seconds] shows the team from Blue Lagoon Snorkeling when they visited Tanjung Jepun Beach and the Blue Lagoon dive site.
If you stay in the south of Bali Island, it will take a little over an hour to reach Padangbai Port by bus. From there, you'll find a number of dive boats heading out to the nearby dive sites on a daily basis.