DIVE SITES
The following represent some of the premier dive sites easily accessible from World Diving Lembongan:
Toyapakeh
Located at the north end of the channel between Nusa Penida and Nusa Ceningan.
The ‘jewel’ of Penida. Toyapakeh, which means ‘salt water’ in Balinese, is the richest site in Penida. It offers a steep wall to the south, terraces with huge hard coral formations in the bay and a shelving reef in the north. The density of coral, sponge and fish life is incredible and on a good day it has all this plus the large pelagics (hammerhead sharks, mantas and sunfish have been spotted here).
Manta Point
Nusa Penida
The site that has made Penida famous. Very regular sightings of adult Manta Rays, Turtles and Nurse Sharks make this site on the exposed south side of the island stunning, but the sea conditions have to be favourable, so it is definitely a dive to be savoured.
Blue Corner AKA Jurassic Point
Nusa Lembongan
Dropping away to 50 metres, a series of overhanging terraces hide White Tips and large Black Marbled Rays and, as you approach the corner, schools of Snapper and Jacks regularly pass by. This is also where, if you're lucky, you may spot the bizarre Mola Mola (Sunfish).
Sekolah Dasar
This is located on the north coast of Nusa Penida.
Sekolah Dasar means 'primary school', but when the currents are running, this site is not for the novice. Less steep than Blue Corner, but with larger coral heads, the currents here wind you past Green and Hawksbill Turtles, Marble Rays, Sea Snakes, Octopus, White Tip Reef Sharks and the most diverse collections of corals and sponges in Bali.
Penida Bay
Also known as Crystal Bay, this is located at the south end of the channel between Nusa Penida and Nusa Ceningan.
This bay deserves its nickname of Crystal Bay as the visibility here is often 30m+. The rock in the middle of the bay has very steep drop offs to the south and west and an amazing shelf in the north that is carpeted with wrinkled soft corals in the shallows. World Diving guides have found this site to be just as reliable for spotting Mola Mola in August and September as Blue Corner.
Ceningan Wall
Located on the east side of Nusa Ceningan.
The nutrient rich waters flowing out of the mangroves feed dense collections of multi-coloured soft corals and sponges on the north tip of Ceningan. Sweeping out into the current along the wall inquisitive Eagle Rays occasionally join the dive groups for the tour which winds through schools of Oriental Sweetlips and Sleek Unicornfish.