Snorkeling in Bali: The Best Spots, Prices and Conditions

The short answer

The best snorkeling in Bali is not off the beaches of the south. It is in the east around Amed and Tulamben, in the northwest at Menjangan Island, and off Nusa Penida, where you can swim with manta rays. For an easy half day closer to the south, Blue Lagoon at Padang Bai is the pick.

If you only have time for one trip, choose by what you want. For calm, clear water straight off the beach, go to Amed. For the most pristine coral walls, go to Menjangan Island. For big animals, take a boat around Nusa Penida.

Amed and Jemeluk Bay

Amed is a string of quiet black-sand fishing villages on the east coast, about two and a half to three hours' drive from the south, and it is the easiest place in Bali to snorkel independently. At Jemeluk Bay, the reef starts a few meters from shore, sloping from about 1 meter to 12 meters before dropping off along a wall. You will see parrotfish, butterflyfish, clownfish in their anemones and, on lucky days, turtles. Lipah Beach, a few minutes east, is similar and sheltered.

The other highlight is the small Japanese wreck at Banyuning, a small, coral-covered wreck lying in about 2 to 12 meters of water just off a pebble beach. Its top can be less than a meter below the surface at low tide, so go at mid to high tide.

Gear rental from beachside warungs costs around IDR 50,000 to 100,000 (USD 3 to 6) per day, and parking is a few thousand rupiah. Local fishermen will take you out on a jukung, a traditional outrigger, for a couple of hours to several spots; agree on the price first. Go early. The water is usually glassy from about 7 to 10 am, and the wind picks up later.

Tulamben and the USAT Liberty

Ten minutes north of Amed lies one of the most famous wrecks in the world, and snorkelers can see it too. The USAT Liberty, a 125-meter US Army cargo ship, was torpedoed in January 1942 and beached at Tulamben. Tremors during the 1963 eruption of Mount Agung shifted it off the beach, and it now lies on a slope about 40 meters from shore, between roughly 5 and 30 meters deep.

From the surface on a clear day you can make out the shallowest parts of the hull, covered in coral, with schools of fish and divers drifting below. Enter carefully over the large smooth stones; booties help. Visibility varies with swell, so the morning is best. It is more of a curiosity than a coral garden for snorkelers, but it is a remarkable thing to float above.

Menjangan Island

The small uninhabited island of Menjangan, inside West Bali National Park, has Bali's healthiest walls. The reef drops vertically from a shallow top, so snorkelers float over coral at 1 to 5 meters and look down into deep blue water, often with visibility well over 30 meters.

Boats leave from Labuan Lalang, about 20 minutes away, or from Pemuteran, about 30 minutes further east. The park charges foreigners an entrance fee on top of the boat cost, which has been around IDR 200,000 on weekdays and more on weekends, so check before you go. Full packages with boat, park fee, guide, gear and lunch from a local operator cost around IDR 2,400,000 for one or two people. It is a long day trip from the south (around four hours each way), so most people stay a night or two in Pemuteran, where the house reefs and the Biorock coral restoration project are worth a snorkel too.

Nusa Penida and Crystal Bay

Nusa Penida is where you go for mantas. Shared boat trips from the island typically visit Manta Bay or Manta Point, Gamat Bay, the Toyapakeh wall and Crystal Bay, and cost around IDR 250,000 to 350,000 (USD 15 to 21) per person. Full-day tours from Sanur or Ubud, including fast boat and transfers, cost considerably more.

This is open-ocean snorkeling. Currents around Nusa Penida can be strong and change quickly, and the water off Manta Point can be rough. Always wear the life jacket offered, stay close to the boat and listen to the crew. On the island you also pay a local tourist fee of IDR 25,000 per adult, and marine park fees may apply; these are usually included in tours. For the manta details, see our guide to manta rays and mola mola in Bali.

Blue Lagoon, Padang Bai

Next to the ferry port at Padang Bai, about an hour's drive from Sanur, a small white-sand cove called Blue Lagoon has a sheltered reef just off the beach, with surprisingly good fish life and, some days, a hawksbill turtle. You can rent gear on the beach and swim out, or join a short boat trip that combines Blue Lagoon with nearby Tanjung Jepun. Conditions are best in the morning and can turn choppy when the wind picks up.

Season and conditions

The dry season, roughly April to October, brings the clearest and calmest water, especially in the north and east. August to October is excellent for visibility, though the water around Nusa Penida gets noticeably cold. In the rainy season, December to March, runoff can cloud the water near river mouths, and onshore winds can bring rubbish into the bays on Nusa Penida and the south coast. Mornings are better than afternoons almost everywhere.

Snorkeling safely and respectfully

• Never snorkel alone, and check currents with locals before entering.
• Wear a rash guard and reef-safe sunscreen; the equatorial sun burns fast.
• Do not touch, stand on or kick the coral, and never chase turtles or mantas.
• Watch for boats, especially at Padang Bai and Nusa Penida.
• Booties help at stony entries in Amed and Tulamben.

For what can sting, see jellyfish and dangerous sea life in Bali, and for turtle sightings, sea turtles in Bali. If you want to go deeper, our diving guide covers the scuba side.