Destination Bali6 3

8/4/2019 Destination Bali6 3

1/5

DestinationBy Andrea & Antonella Ferrari

Weve just returned rom two weekso incredible diving in Bali, where

AquaMarine Diving - Bali planned an

entertaining and varied dive saari or

us. We travelled in a comortable, air-

conditioned minibus that had space

or all our scuba gear, cameras, dive

books and plenty o cold drinks, and

we were accompanied by a jolly driver

and a seasoned dive guide. Heres our

trip diary:

A n guaan anng a h ga

n h unl Hnu pl -

ng h un aun Ubu

Dive Safar i i n the Is land of t he God


2/5

38

From NusaPenida toSecret BayFrom NUsA PeNidAto secret BAy

On the rst day, we travelled rom our

hotel to the beach o Padangbai. There,

we hopped on a boat with our guide

Ketut to get our rst sighting oMola

mola in the cool waters o Crystal

Bay at Nusa Penida. At the right time

o year, Mola mola also known as

oceanic sunsh can be ound at a

ew spots o the island o Nusa Penida,

where they visit cleaning stations

maintained by resident bannersh.

Down deep, we encountered strong

currents and chilly 17C water, but

it didnt deter us. We had a priceless

rendezvous with three gentle oceanic

giants. Mola mola arent easy photo

subjects, and the diving conditions

werent ideal, but these unique

sh were truly a sight to behold.

Ater Nusa Penida, we headed north

along the picture-perect coast to

Secret Bay, one o the best muck diving

destinations in Bali. Our three dives

there with a break or a delicio us

mee goreng lunch on the beach

brought us ngered dragonets,

thorny seahorses, hairy rogsh and

even bobbit worms (in three inches o

water)! Still, we couldnt help but eel

that Secret Bay has been over-dived

recently, perhaps causing some o the

more interesting denizens to move

elsewhere (temporarily, we hope). Little

did we imagine what wonders awaited

us at our next stop the mysterious

black-sand slopes o Puri Jati.

A n bbal qu (Euprymna sp.)

n s Ba

th paula Lb W n

tulabn a v n b
http://www.finsonline.com/


3/5

40

Dark Wonders

Three distinct species o the

oceanic sunsh are presently

recognised within the amily

Molidae, all belonging to the order

Tetraodontiformes, the same as

triggersh, boxsh, puersh and

porcupinesh. Mola mola, the

oceanic sunsh proper, can reach

a weight o more than two tonnes

and a height o about three metres,

despite eeding exclusively on

gelatinous zooplankton. Females

produce up to 300 million eggs in

a single ovary the largest-everrecorded number o eggs in a single

vertebrate.

These gentle blue-grey, disc-

shaped giants are occasionally

encountered in temperate or cold

waters worldwide, oten close to the

dArk WoNdersHappily settled in the elegant and

rened settings o Balis Zen Resort, one

o the most serene and beautiul resorts

weve ever seen, we quickly geared up

on the long, deserted black-sand beach

to enter the quiet waters o Puri Jati.

The at or at most gently sloping

black-sand bottom, decidedly mucky

in stretches and dotted with small

thumbnail-sized white coral colonies,

was alive with hundreds o brightly

coloured and surprisingly obliging sand

divers, while scores o minuscule veined

octopus peered rom empty shells or

rom under the sand itsel.

We took our time and were rewarded

with the sight o a rare slender seamoth,

several moray eels, crocodile eels, two

Ambon scorpionsh, at least one long-

armed octopus, a ew blackn lionsh,

a pair o courting mimic oc topus (that

mated in ront o us!), several rogsh,

robust ghost pipesh, cockatoo waspsh

and even a gorgeous blue-ring octopus

inside a discarded wallet.

surace, but they are reliably sighted

o the island o Nusa Penida in Bali

rom August to October, when they

visit the steep walls o Crystal Bay in

numbers.

They can be approached while

being cleaned by bannersh and

the occasional adult emperor

angelsh. Divers who want to get

really close have to move slowly

and cautiously, as sunsh are

easily spooked. Despite what most

brochures say, Crystal Bay is not orbeginners. Besides diving in cold

conditions, the currents are strong

and requent. Weve experienced

several washing machines and

downcurrents that may have put

less experienced divers and their

dive guides in trouble.

Diving

withMolas

th n Bal vng a hug an

unfh (Mola mola) n h -l wa

cal Ba a Nua Pna

a. Unqu nun n Pu Ja: h f-v

un ang pu

(Thaumoctopus mimicus)!

b. A a nun n Pu Ja: h ln

ah (Pegasus volitans)

. Qu , fn lgan n h bauul

Zn r n nhn Bal

. A n blu-ng pu (Hapalochlaena

lunulata) un n a wall (!) whl

vng a Pu Ja

a.

b.

c.

d.
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4/5

SpectacularSerayaSecrets

All employees and shareholder s o have chosen we abstain rom consuming sharkn.

saY no to shaRK Fin

JeNNy W. y. LeeResort Manager

With its verdant terraced rice paddies,

rolling hills and towering volcanoes,

Bali is an incredibly scenic island. The

countryside is dotted with beautiully

ornamented temples, and visitors are

welcome to witness ceremonies i they

ollow some simple rules and good

manners. Balinese are warm, riendly

and spiritually rich; their ancient

Hindu culture nestles harmoniously in

predominantly Muslim Indonesia.

Similarly, Balis underwater landscape

oers great diversity rom clear

Our night dive was ruitul too

several species o white-aced

waspsh, ying gurnards, cockatoo

sole, and numerous weird-looking

shrimp species, some o which weve

never seen or photographed beore.

In short, Puri Jati is a must i youre

diving in Bali, both or its bonanza o

uncommon underwater subjects and

the loveliness o Zen Resort, a place

perect or recharging batteries both

your strobes and your spiritual ones!

sPectAcULArserAyA secretsIt was difcult to leave Puri Jati, but

our next stop was by no means less

interesting. Staying or a couple o

days at Mimpi Dive Resort, we had the

opportunity to dive the amed Liberty

Wreck in Tulamben and the nearby black-

sand slopes o Seraya Secrets. Both are

simply amazing!

The wreck, dating back to World

War II, is huge and easily accessible.

Its spectacularly estooned in pink

gorgonians and colourul sot corals,

boasting an enormous amount o

resident sh lie and thereore oering

exceptional photo opportunities

D i v e s a F a R i soceanic walls and exceptionally

colourul coral gardens to mysterious,

shallow muck dives. Enter the concept

o a Dive Saari. The idea is simple but

brilliant the local dive operator

works out an itinerary that best suits

your needs and time schedule, then

books hotels and boats in advance,

provides you with an experienced dive

guide, a driver and an air-conditioned

minibus.

This way, you experience the absolute

best Bali has to o er without having to

worry about coordinating everything

yoursel checking rates and

services o numerous dive shops, boat

availability, hotels, timetables and so

on. Its a simple idea, and it works!

th a pa fl Bal a

nwn wlw a an n bl

h bauul innan lan.

a. th a h all, un

n saa s, h lvl

g hp (Phyllognathia

ceratophtalmus)

b. Anh vw h bauul

an al abl Lb

W n tulabn

. t h a pbbl bah

saa wh luul

fhng ba.

a.

b.c.

or wide-angle enthusiasts. Just

remember to dive there as early as

possible (likeseven in the morning)

to avoid the crowds o day-trippers

rom Kuta and to get more than one

dive in. Entry is through the sur rom

the pebbly beach, but dont worry, all


5/5

June - October

Bali - Komodo

November - April

Thailand & Burma

Similans - Richelieu Ro

Mergui Archipelago

October - April

Similans - Richelieu Ro

Phi Phi Islands - Hin Da

44 45

your gear will be carried or you in act

youll be amazed at how strong so me

o the local lady porters are, carrying

tanks and piling BCDs on their head,

yet walking ever so graceully on the

pebbled beach!

Sharing the same entrance style rom

a rough pebbly beach Seraya Secrets

has black sand, ne silt and a ew anaemic

coral heads, but oh boy what a site! In the

rst ten minutes, we were treated to our

harlequin shrimp busy eeding on sea

stars, an endemic butterysh wed never

beore seen, several cute shrimp gobies,

lots o boxer crabs hiding among pebbles,

a couple o rare wrasses, lots o lionsh,

the endemic-to-Bali and spectacular

volcano triplen (a male with attending

emale harem), and other goodies such as

nudibranchs, seahorses and juvenile sh.

The icing on the cake was a pair o glorious

tiger shrimp posing on a white sponge.

We moved on to Candidasa to stay at

the Water Garden Resort or the last part

o our trip. At Blue Lagoon, we ound

imprints o wobbegong sharks in the sand

under the coral ledges, but much to our

disappointment, we didnt see the actual

sharks. Then it was back to Nusa Penida

or more encounters with Mola mola.

We spent our nal day sightseeing

around Ubud, a scenic and culturally

rich town nestled in the hills. We stayed

at Champlung Sari Hotel, set in the lush

countryside near some beautiully ornate

Hindu temples.

It was a wonderul trip to a truly amazing

island, which as the clich goes, has

something or everyone: riendly people,

great ood, rich culture, works o art, and

breathtaking scenery.

From tHe AUtHorswww.reefwonders.net

Weve allen in love with Bali s beauty,

the richness o its culture, and the

sweetness and kindness o its people.

The diving is wonderul rare species

and something or everybody. Its a

destination not to be missed!

Andrea & AntonellaFerrari

sPeciAL tHANks to the ollowing parties or theirassistance in preparing this eature: Singapore Airlines,

AquaMarine Diving - Bali, Poppies Cottages, Zen Resor t,

Mimpi Resort, The Water Garden, and Champlung Sari

Hotel. And to our guide Ketut and to our good riend Alan

J.Powderham or diving with us!

a. r-pha wa lnfh (Dendrochirus

brachypterus) n a llw png a

saa s

b. A n n saa

s whh qu a lwh

h luul halqun hp

(Hymenocera elegans). A nh n n saa

s a all al bx ab

(Lybia tessellata) ang gg

. A bla-a hp gb (Stonogobiops

nematodes) png u buw a

saa s

Many major airlines y to Bali rom international

gateways. Awair, Garuda Indonesia, Mark Air and

Merpati all run domestic services.

Tropical climate, with diving possible all year

round. The preerred season alls between May

and November. Although the water temperature

is generally warm it can become chilly. A 3mm to

5mm exposure suit should sufce.

For most countries, visas are issued on arrival at

Denpasar airport. The ee is currently US$25. There

is also a departure tax, payable only in the local

currency, currently Rp100,000 or international

departures and Rp20,000 or domestic.

Domestic GSM network and international roaming.

Internet access widely available.

230V, 50Hz.

Indonesian Rupiah. US$ also accepted in

some situations. Although the majority o the

Balinese people do not expect to receive a tip,

it is considered courteous to round up bills orappreciated services to the nearest Rp5,000.

Generally considered malaria-ree. Mosquito

repellent to keep biting insects away might be a

good idea.

GMT + 8 hrs

IN

DONESIA

KUTA

GILIMANUK

LOVINA

TULAMBEN

PADANGBAI

CANDIDASA

DENPASAR

NUSA PENIDA

UBUD

a.

b.

c.

d.

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Fact File

AVG rAiNFALL (cm)AVG temP
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Destination Bali6 3