Where to Snorkel and Dive in Bali

 Bali is a great place to snorkel and dive. 

1) North West Bali - Menjangan Island. (The Marine National park).

 

The nicest place in Bali for snorkeling and diving. You have to go there with a park ranger. There are 2 parts of the island for snorkeling. One part is for the fish and another part is for the live corals. Very pretty. Water is quite clear. You can see sea cucumbers, clown fish, starfish, sea urchins, etc. 

3) North East Bali - Tulamben

 

This is one of the most popular sites in Bali for snorkeling and diving. Here you find the wreck of the USAT Liberty. The wreck is only appr. 40-50 meter from the coast at a depth of 5 - 30 meters. The entrance to the water can be a little difficult, because the beach is covered with black stones. In combination with the waves, you have to be very careful with entering the water. You can just swim to the wreck straight from the beach. If visibility is not very good, you mayn't see very much. Better for diving. 

4) North East Bali - Amed

 

There is a Japanese Wreck and there are also a few places to snorkel there. But you have to go early. Once the currents become stronger (after 9.30am), you may not see anything. The sand is black in this area (volcanic sand), so when the currents stir up everything, it can look very murky as opposed to areas with (white sand), so there you can't see very much. Diving is also possible. Amed is famous for the soft coral. The hard coral is destroyed in the late nineties by El Nino. Parts are now recovering.

This is an update to this area as it is being dismissed to easterly by the above. There are many places to snorkel in the Amed area, not just the Japanese Wreck, which is known for its soft coral. Yes it is good if you can get in early for your snorkel especially near the wreck as the wind gets up during the day. Other areas that are great for snorkeling include Jemeluk Bay and Vienna Beach and the area off Bunutan Beach.  The main advantage of snorkeling in Amed is that in a space of about 8-10km of driving you can see so many different aspects of coral, both soft and hard, and the variety of fish is incredible. Generally the visibility is better in the morning and during the drier part of the year. The currents are variable depending on the tides and phases of the moon, though if you are not sure ask a local and they will advise if you should venture out too far. It is highly recommend that a visit to Amed is a must if you are into snorkeling.

East Bali - Labuan Amuk turn off is about 1 km past the Padang Bay turn off (going east). There are several locals here who have all the gear and boats and know the reef backwards. It is best to go straight here as if you book from Candi Dasa or from Padang Bai, they will take you on a long boat trip to the reef at Labuan Amuk - look for the sign the submarine. 

5) East Bali - Candi Dasa

 

Mimpang (Shark point), Tekekong (Canyon and reef) and Biaha (cave) are three very nice places for diving. Nearby Biaha is also Pasir Putih (White Sand Beach) which is a nice place for snorkeling. When you want to go to Pasir Putih, you can find many transports in Candi Dasa, who bring you to the beach. At the three islands you find very healthy coral and you often see bigger fish like sharks, tuna, mola mola (in season) and other big pelagic. Some days of the month the current can be a little tricky, but the dive centers in Candi Dasa are familiar with the area.

5) East Bali - Padang Bai

 

Bias Tugal, Temple, Blue Lagoon and Jepun are nice places for diving. Healthy coral and lots of fish. Bias Tugal and Jepun are also nice for snorkeling. Like everywhere in Indonesia, the current can sometimes be tricky, but the local dive centers in Candi Dasa and Padang Bai are familiar with the area for diving and snorkeling 

6) East Bali - Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan

 

There are 3 islands side-by-side. The bigger island is named Nusa Penida and the smaller one Nusa Lembongan. The third island is between Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan and is called Nusa Ceningan.  This is the smallest island. At Nusa Penida are the nice places for the average qualified divers diving SD, PED, Sental and Pertamina. For the the more experienced diver are there also Toyapakeh, Crystal Bay and Gamat Bay. Famous is Manta Point, were you can find Manta Rays the whole year round.

On Nusa Lembongan the most dive spots are for the advanced diver. The area to snorkel in Nusa Lembongan is quite small, but there is quite a lot of fish.

No matter how experienced you are as a diver, listen to your experienced dive leader, because the currents can be unpredictable around Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan  

  

source:http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Travel-g294226-c55509/Bali:Indonesia:Where.To.Snorkel.And.Dive.In.Bali.html

Ungasan Hidden Beach - Bali

Located in an isolated area in Ungasan Village, this beach offers its exotic view and features. This beach is much different with others in Bali. Several meters from its beach lines are a high exotic rock! So if you want to go to the beach you have to go down to the valley. But just don't worry in some of the area, the Government of Bali or local society or the owner of property in that area has made an easy helpful path for those who want to go down to the beach. All are easy and safeties as long as you are patient to reach the beach.

Some local people may offer you drink something. Receive it if you are thirsty. They provide some cold drinks such as Coca Cola Cock, Sprite, Greensand and some others for those come and go to the beach.

The beach itself has white sand and directly faces to Indian Ocean. Very beautiful, clean and has a good wave for surfing. When you are standing at the top of the beach’s rock you will realize how difficult to control your willing to go down (to the beach). The view from the top of the rock is very exciting and full of inspiration.

Source: http://baliwww.com/bali/fastfinder/nusadua/ungasan.htm

Kecak Dance

Kecak is a form of Balinese dance and music drama that developed in the 1930s in Bali. It is performed primarily by men, although by 2006, a few women's kecak groups exist

Also known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, the piece, performed by a circle of 150 or more performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, percussively chanting "cak" and throwing up their arms, depicts a battle from the Ramayana. The monkey-like Vanara helped Prince Rama fight the evil King Ravana. Kecak has roots in sanghyang, a trance-inducing exorcism dance.

Kecak was originally a trance ritual accompanied by male chorus. In the 1930s, Walter Spies, a German painter and musician, became deeply interested in the ritual while living in Bali. He adapted it as a drama, based on the Hindu Ramayana and including dance, intended for performance before Western tourist audiences.

This adaptation is an example of what James Clifford describes as part of the "modern art-culture system" in which, "the West or the central power adopts, transforms, and consumes non-Western or peripheral cultural elements, while making 'art,' which was once embedded in the culture as a whole, into a separate entity." Spies worked with Wayan Limbak, who popularized the dance by arranging for performances by Balinese groups touring internationally. These tours have helped make the Kecak internationally known.

I Wayan Dibia, a performer, choreographer, and scholar, suggests, by contrast, that the Balinese were already developing this form when Spies arrived on the island. For example, during the 1920s, the well-known dancer I Limbak had incorporated Baris movements into the cak leader role. "Spies liked this innovation," and he suggested that Limbak "devise a spectacle based on the Ramayana," accompanied by cak chorus rather than gamelan, as would have been usual.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kecak

Sanur Beach

Sanur Beach is a beautiful white sandy beach with calm and warm seawater located in east part of Denpasar Town. The beach location in eastside and south part of Sanur Village is an edge of Indonesia Ocean. This place has famous since long time, especially when the happening of the Puputan Badung war on 20 September 1906, where that moment the Dutch colonist land its army in this coast. There is a stone monument found in this place as an inscription of Sri Kesari Warmadewa King with the palace in Singhadwala year 917, whereabouts now there are in Blanjong, southern part of Sanur Beach.

Sanur Beach is first time introduced by Belgium artist called A.J. Le Mayeur and his wife named Ni Polok which remains in Sanur since year 1937. He has performed his own masterpiece painting exhibition and start introduces Sanur as a tourist place in Bali. In south-east side, we can see the bunch of Nusa Penida Island and eastside we can see beautiful panorama of Bali strait with its Agung Mount as a backdrop. The tropical atmosphere sweep entire of Sanur Beach that makes it as an ideal place for relaxation. It is also blessed by the breathtaking view of sunrise that one is the fascination for tourist to visit and stay in this place.

Sanur Beach is located only 4 km from downtown of Denpasar and it can be easily reached by car or motorcycle. It is many visited by foreign and local tourists especially on the weekend and holiday season. At the night of full moon, many people come to this place for relaxation, swimming or enjoy the beauty of coast. The Le Mayeur Museum is one of the art museums in Sanur also a lot of drawing the tourist enthusiasm to visit this place. As a tourist place in Bali, Sanur Beach is one of the alternative places to perform the event from local, national and also international. For example events are held in this place like Kite and Jukung Race. Other tourists facilities can be found in this place are the existence of hotels with international standard. The several of this tourism facilities are mixed with other facilities for local resident are making the good combination tourist area which is different like Nusa Dua that is a closed area. The art shop, accommodation from cheaper hotels until five star hotels, bar and restaurant are quite a lot available in this place.

source:  http://www.balistarisland.com/Bali-Interesting-Place/Sanur.htm