Sea Turtles in Bali: Where to See Them in the Wild, Ethically

The short answer

The best way to see sea turtles in Bali is to snorkel with wild ones. Your best chances are around Nusa Penida (Crystal Bay and the reefs near Toyapakeh), Amed (Jemeluk Bay), the Blue Lagoon at Padang Bai and Menjangan Island in West Bali National Park. Green and hawksbill turtles are the species you are most likely to meet.

From roughly April to October, you can also watch hatchlings released at two genuine conservation projects: the Bali Sea Turtle Society hatchery on Kuta Beach and the Turtle Conservation and Education Center (TCEC) on Serangan island. Skip any place that lets you hold, ride or take selfies with turtles.

Photos: Pexels · Pexels License · edited / Pexels · Pexels License · edited

Where to snorkel with wild turtles

Nusa Penida. The reefs off the island's west coast are the most reliable turtle water close to south Bali. Most snorkel trips stop at Crystal Bay or Gamat Bay, where turtles feed on the reef slope. Currents can be strong here, so stay with your guide and the boat.

Amed. On the dry east coast below Mount Agung, Jemeluk Bay has coral starting a few meters from the beach. You can rent a mask and fins for a small fee and swim straight out; turtles are a regular sight along the reef. Tulamben, a short drive north, is better known for its shipwreck than for turtles.

Padang Bai. The small Blue Lagoon beach near the ferry port has a sheltered reef where hawksbills turn up some days. It is an easy add-on if you are taking a boat to Lombok or the Gilis.

Menjangan Island. Inside West Bali National Park, Menjangan's walls are among the clearest water in Bali. Boats leave from Pemuteran and Labuan Lalang. Turtles are possible rather than guaranteed, but the coral alone justifies the trip.

If turtles are your priority, the Gili Islands off Lombok are famously good; see our Gili Islands guide.

Nesting season and hatchling releases

Olive ridley turtles nest on Bali's southern beaches, mostly between about March and September, with hatching from roughly April to October. Because beaches like Kuta are crowded, lit up at night and patrolled by dogs, volunteers move newly laid eggs into protected hatcheries.

Bali Sea Turtle Society, Kuta Beach. This volunteer group runs a small hatchery on the sand near the center of Kuta. It released more than 40,000 hatchlings in 2016 alone. Releases take place in the late afternoon when there are hatchlings ready, and anyone can watch for free; participation works on a donation basis. Ask at the hatchery or check its social channels on the day, because there may simply be no hatchlings.

TCEC, Serangan. The Turtle Conservation and Education Center on Serangan, in south Denpasar, was set up in 2006 to help end the turtle trade. It treats turtles injured by fishing gear or rescued from smugglers, keeps those that cannot survive at sea, and runs a hatchery. Entry is free, a donation is welcome, and a short volunteer-led tour takes 30 to 60 minutes. Adopting and releasing a hatchling has cost around IDR 230,000; check the current amount on arrival.

A good release keeps hatchlings out of tanks and hands, lets them crawl down the sand on their own, and happens in soft light. If staff pass baby turtles around for photos, that is a warning sign.

Serangan and the turtle trade

There is a reason a turtle center sits on Serangan. The island, long nicknamed Turtle Island, was a hub of what was once Indonesia's largest sea turtle trade. Before 2001, more than 30,000 green turtles a year were caught across Indonesia and sold in Bali, for meat and for ceremonies. In 2000, Bali's governor banned the trade, and in 2005 a gathering of senior Hindu priests agreed a roadmap to end turtle sacrifice in ceremonies. TCEC now supplies turtles for rituals without killing them.

The trade has not vanished. In early 2025, police intercepted dozens of green turtles being smuggled in Jembrana and near Pemuteran. Never buy tortoiseshell jewelry or anything made from turtles; it is illegal, and you may not be able to bring it home.

The places to skip

Tanjung Benoa, near Nusa Dua, has several "turtle island" attractions reached by glass-bottom boat. A 2023 investigation by World Animal Protection found turtles in overcrowded, shallow tanks and in shoreline pens where tourists could touch, feed and lift them. Turtles are solitary animals, and being handled stresses them and can damage their shells and skin. Any venue that lets you hug, ride or pose with a turtle is not a sanctuary, whatever its sign says.

How to behave around turtles

• Keep at least two or three meters away, and never touch, chase or grab a shell.
• Do not block a turtle's path when it rises to breathe.
• Wear reef-safe sunscreen or a rash guard, and do not stand on coral.
• On nesting beaches at night, stay back from crawling turtles and use no flash or torches.
• If you find a stranded or tangled turtle, contact the Bali Sea Turtle Society or TCEC rather than handling it yourself.

A turtle that keeps feeding while you float above it is the best sign you are doing it right.