Bali, Indonesia

Country: Indonesia
Type: Muck diving, wreck diving, reef, pelagic (mola mola, manta rays)
Best known for: Liberty wreck at Tulamben, world-class muck diving on black sand slopes, mola mola (ocean sunfish) encounters at Nusa Penida, manta ray cleaning stations
Key dive areas: Tulamben, Nusa Penida, Amed, Puri Jati, Seraya, Padang Bai, Secret Bay (Gilimanuk), Pemuteran, Menjangan Island, Candidasa
Access: Ngurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar); dive areas spread across the island, particularly the northeast coast
Wetpixel coverage span: 2003–2023

Overview

Bali is one of Indonesia’s most accessible dive destinations, combining world-class underwater photography opportunities with well-developed tourism infrastructure. While many divers pass through Bali en route to more remote Indonesian destinations like Komodo, Raja Ampat, or Lembeh Strait, the island itself offers diverse diving ranging from the iconic WWII Liberty wreck at Tulamben to prolific muck diving on black sand slopes and seasonal encounters with ocean sunfish (mola mola) at Nusa Penida (^[1]).

DivePhotoGuide described Bali as “widely traveled through by divers, but often overlooked for the diving and rather used more as an international airport hub,” sending an editor into the field for three months to document the island’s underwater photography opportunities, with a focus on macro species (^[2]). Tim Rock, described as “responsible for penning the first guide to diving in Bali,” co-authored a Bali diving and snorkeling guide with Simon Pridmore that was updated in 2016 and again in 2019 (^[3], ^[4]). “The 50 Best Dives in Indonesia” by Tim Rock and Simon Pridmore, announced on Wetpixel in 2018, highlighted Bali alongside Komodo and Raja Ampat as one of Indonesia’s key dive hotspots (^[5]). A free diving eBook released in 2012 documented sites across the island including Nusa Dua, Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, Amuk Bay, Gili Islands, Amed, Tulamben, Pemuteran, Menjangan Island, and Secret Bay (^[6]).

Indonesia sits at the heart of the Coral Triangle and is “regarded as the world’s best diving destination,” home to “more than 17,000 islands and 85% of the world’s coral species” (^[7]). Scientists have identified Indonesia as “the world centre of marine biodiversity,” with one-eighth of the world’s coral reef area (^[8]).

Key Dive Sites

Tulamben — Liberty Wreck

Tulamben is a quiet fishing community on Bali’s northeast coast that hosts some of the island’s most celebrated dive sites, all accessible from shore (^[9]). The centerpiece is the wreck of the Liberty, a WWII-era vessel that sits from the surface down to almost 40 meters. The wreck is “spectacularly festooned in pink gorgonians and colorful soft corals, boasting an enormous amount of resident fish life and offering exceptional photographic opportunities for wide-angle” (^[10]). Entry is from a pebbly beach, and early morning dives (around 7 am) are recommended to avoid crowds of day-trippers from southern Bali (^[11]). Forum member Herb Ko offered practical advice: “Pack a pair of booties with thick soles. The bottom of my feet are still smarting from walking on the stones on the beach” (^[12]).

Forum member “Reefwreck” described Tulamben as “truly one of the great dive venues that offers a subject-rich environment, ideal for photography” and noted that resorts provided personal dive guides for finding critters (^[13]). Forum member Luiz Rocha described Tulamben as “a great site, very easy diving (it’s mostly shore diving, depending on where you stay), good vis, great marine life (the villagers don’t allow fishing there)” with water temperatures of 29+ degrees Celsius (^[14]).

Wetpixel moderator Mike Veitch and Luca Vaime of Underwater Tribe used the Liberty wreck as a key test location when shooting and testing the Sony A7s II camera underwater. They deliberately pushed the camera’s ISO performance by diving early in the morning, late in the afternoon, and inside the wreck (^[15]). Alex Mustard shot candy crab images on soft coral at the Liberty wreck while reviewing the Nikon D7100 in Subal housing, staying at Scuba Seraya Resort and Mimpi Tulamben during a visit that also included judging the inaugural Indonesian World Underwater Photography Competition (IWUPC) (^[16]).

Jeff and Dawn Mullins, regular visitors to Tulamben since 1980, eventually settled there and led personalized guided tours for photographers. Their book “Reef, Wreck, & Critter” packed “over 130 full-color, jaw-dropping images into just 32 pages,” documenting the Liberty wreck, surrounding reefs, and marine life — all shot with an Olympus point-and-shoot camera (^[17]). Jeff Mullins also contributed gear reviews to Wetpixel from Tulamben, including reviews of the Olympus E-330 with 10bar housing and the 10bar Ultra Compact Focusing Light, with sample images shot at Tulamben and Amed dive sites (^[18], ^[19]).

In 2014, photographer Benjamin Von Wong used the Liberty wreck as the setting for a viral underwater fashion shoot, putting models in white dresses on the wreck at 25 meters depth. Von Wong, who had obtained his dive certification the day before the shoot, described choosing Bali because of a family vacation: “I just kind of took control of the family vacation.” The shoot involved eight dives over two days, with freediver models, support divers, and post-production color correction to compensate for depth-related desaturation (^[20], ^[21]). The shoot later inspired photographer Adam Leaders, who acknowledged Von Wong’s “2 Models, 7 Divers In An Underwater Shipwreck” at the Liberty wreck as his inspiration for a similar shoot in Thailand (^[22]).

Tulamben — Muck Diving and Black Sand Slopes

Beyond the Liberty wreck, Tulamben’s black sand slopes are renowned for muck diving. Filmmaker Evan Sherman described the area as “a roughly four-mile stretch of incredible diving” where “the stars of the show are typically only an inch or two in length and often barely visible with the naked eye.” His film “The Not So Silent World” combined super macro filming of Tulamben’s creatures with creative sound design (^[23]). Sherman’s subsequent film “Bali Close Up” earned top honors at the World ShootOut Underwater Photo Grand Prix in Germany, Video of the Year at the ADEX Voice of the Ocean Competition in Singapore, the Best of Show and Stan Waterman Legacy Award at the Turquoise Bay International Underwater Film Festival, and Silver at Our World Underwater (^[24]).

Seraya Secrets, accessed from a pebbly beach near Tulamben, is a dedicated muck site on black sand. Andrea and Antonella Ferrari described finding “four harlequin shrimp busy feeding on sea stars, an endemic butterflyfish, several beautiful shrimp gobies, lots of boxer crabs, the endemic to Bali and quite spectacular volcano triplefin” and tiger shrimp within the first ten minutes of diving (^[25]). The DivePhotoFest photo workshop was held at Scuba Seraya Resort in Tulamben in October 2007, led by Simon Buxton and Wetpixel moderator Mike Veitch (^[26]).

Alex Mustard led a group dive trip to Bali in 2005 for British travel agent Divequest, covering eight areas: Secret Bay, Menjangan Island, Seririt, Tulamben, Seraya Resort House Reef, Amed, Amuk Bay, and Nusa Penida. He noted that Indonesian black sand macro photography can become repetitive and described his technique of using long exposures to burn in blue backgrounds as differentiation. He also tested the production version of the Magic Filter in Bali’s low-visibility waters (^[27]).

Yansu Junk, divemaster at Matahari Tulamben Dive Resort, gained attention on Wetpixel in 2016 for a photograph of three “Shaun the Sheep” nudibranchs (Costasiella sp.) shot at Segara dive site in Tulamben using a Canon Powershot S110 compact camera with diopters (^[28]). Brad Pryde captured a third-prize image in the Ocean Art Photo Competition 2010 while diving Tulamben, documenting the first recorded instance of reciprocal mating between two different species of chromodorid nudibranchs, confirmed by Dr. Richard Willan, Curator of Molluscs at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (^[29]).

Tobias Friedrich developed his bubble bokeh macro technique at Alam Batu Resort in Bali, working with Doris Vierkotter to create backgrounds that produced the signature bubble effect. He described spending “another week in Bali and second journey to Bali and Flores” to find the right critters for a portfolio using the technique, shooting with a Canon 5D Mark II and 100mm macro lens in a Seacam housing (^[30]).

Nusa Penida — Mola Mola and Manta Rays

Nusa Penida, an island off Bali’s southeast coast, is famous for seasonal encounters with ocean sunfish (mola mola) and manta rays. The Ferraris described diving for mola mola at Crystal Bay: “three meter tall rounded peaceful oceanic giants which visit a few select spots off the island of Nusa Penida to get cleaned of parasites by obliging resident bannerfish.” They encountered three mola mola at 47 meters depth in water as cold as 17 degrees Celsius, noting the experience required dealing with “very strong currents and a freezing” thermocline. They warned divers to “beware of the sudden powerful downcurrents and always bring a sausage” (^[31]).

The Bali Sunfish organization, featured on Underwater Tribe’s podcast in 2018, conducts research including tagging mola mola, pattern recognition studies, and species re-classification work. Researchers Marianne Nyegaard and Jenny Karmy described mola mola as “the largest bony fish in the world” and invited underwater photographers worldwide to submit their sunfish photographs to contribute to ongoing research (^[32]).

A comprehensive manta ray tagging program launched in Indonesia in 2014, with Nusa Penida as one of the initial tagging locations alongside Raja Ampat, Komodo, Berau, and Lamakera. The program was run by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and Conservation International (^[33]). Mike Veitch photographed reef manta rays at “the cleaning station at Manta Point in Bali” and described encountering mantas “all across the country in areas such as Bali, Komodo, Raja Ampat, and Halmahera” (^[34]).

Puri Jati

Puri Jati, on Bali’s north coast, was described by the Ferraris as “certainly one of the world’s best muck diving sites.” The flat black sand bottom yielded “a very rare slender sea moth, several uncommon moray eels and crocodile sand eels, two Ambon scorpionfish, at least one long-armed octopus, a few blackfin lionfish, quite a few spectacular mimic octopi” — including a pair that mated in front of the photographers for the duration of a dive — “several frogfish, robust ghostpipefish, cockatoo waspfish, and a gorgeous blue-ring octopus.” Night diving produced whitefaced waspfish, endemic flying gurnards, cockatoo soles, and unusual shrimp species (^[35]). The Ferraris stayed at the nearby Zen Resort, which they described as “one of the most serene and beautiful resorts we’ve ever seen in a whole life of worldwide travels” (^[36]).

Andrea and Antonella Ferrari separately documented the first-known photographic record of mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) mating behavior at a Bali muck site, observing courtship and mating over 40 minutes. Their observations raised scientific questions about sexual dimorphism in the species, as the male displayed a markedly different livery from the female (^[37]).

Other Sites

• Amed — Northeast coast sites including the Japanese Wreck, used by Underwater Tribe for low-light video testing (^[38]). Jeff Mullins shot schooling batfish images at Amed for the Olympus E-330 review (^[39]). Adelaide-based artist Elizabeth Solich made regular trips to Amed and Tulamben for her underwater photography and conservation artwork (^[40]).
• Secret Bay (Gilimanuk Bay) — A muck diving destination on Bali’s western tip, offering fingered dragonets, thorny seahorses, hairy frogfish, and bobbit worms, though the Ferraris noted signs of overdiving in 2006: they “couldn’t avoid the feeling that Secret Bay – probably quite spectacular in the past – has been severely overdived recently, leading its most interesting denizens to move elsewhere” (^[41]).
• Menjangan Island — Part of West Bali National Park, known for reef and wall diving. Forum member James Wiseman shot wide-angle reef scenes and under/over images at Menjangan during a 2005 Bali trip (^[42]).
• Padang Bai — A beach town on the east coast used as a departure point for Nusa Penida boat dives (^[43]).
• Candidasa — East coast resort area with access to Blue Lagoon dive site, reportedly good for ornate wobbegongs, though the Ferraris found it “very cold and pretty disappointing” (^[44]).

Underwater Photography Community in Bali

Bali School of Underwater Photography

In 2014, Wetpixel moderator Mike Veitch and Luca Vaime established the Bali School of Underwater Photography (BSUP) under their Underwater Tribe brand. The school offered classes ranging from two-day sessions to complete dive safaris around Bali, with “one to one” instruction and small group classes for up to four divers. Bali was chosen because it “hosts the perfect climate for learning underwater photography and classes are run on demand all year round” (^[45]). Veitch had relocated to Bali from Yap, Micronesia, where he had lived for close to three years (^[46]).

Underwater Tribe produced multiple pieces of content featured on Wetpixel from their Bali base, including the OceanLight film testing the Sony A7s II at Bali dive sites (^[47]) and a podcast series featuring guests from the Bali diving community including Garry Bevan, who discussed “the early days of diving in Tulamben” (^[48]). During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Underwater Tribe hosted live webcasts “every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from Bali at 10:30am local time,” with Veitch and Vaime discussing underwater photography news, showcasing diving destinations, and interviewing industry figures (^[49]).

Workshops and Seminars

Prior to establishing BSUP, Bali had attracted underwater photography workshops. In 2006, Tim Rock, Chris Bangs, and Mike Veitch ran a ShootUnderwater.com Digital Pro Seminar in Bali focusing on macro photography (October 8-14), alongside a companion seminar in Yap focused on manta rays (^[50]). The DivePhotoFest workshop at Scuba Seraya Resort in October 2007 was led by Simon Buxton and Mike Veitch (^[51]).

Gear Reviews Shot in Bali

Bali — particularly Tulamben — served as a testing ground for several significant Wetpixel gear reviews:

• Olympus E-330 and 10bar housing (2006) — Reviewed by Jeff Mullins with sample images from Tulamben and Amed (^[52])
• Amphibico EVO port (2010) — Tested by Paul Waghorn in Tulamben with an EVO Housing and Discovery G3 HID light (^[53])
• Nauticam NA-60D (2011) — Field tested by Drew Wong in Bali with equipment supplied via Scubacam Singapore (^[54])
• Nikon D7100 and Subal ND7100 (2013) — Reviewed by Alex Mustard at Scuba Seraya Resort and Mimpi Tulamben, during the same visit where he judged the IWUPC competition with judges Burt Jones, Keri Wilk, and Matt Weiss (^[55])
• Tobias Friedrich Lightroom Presets (2020) — Reviewed by Mike Veitch from Bali, testing underwater-specific presets for image processing (^[56])

DEEP Indonesia Competition

The first annual DEEP Indonesia Photo Competition, co-organized by Wetpixel and DivePhotoGuide, launched in 2006 with over $20,000 in prizes. The competition was held in association with DEEP Indonesia, “Indonesia’s first-ever diving, adventure-travel and water-sports expo.” Judges included Eric Cheng (Wetpixel), Tony Wu (FiNS Magazine), and Berkley White (Backscatter), with winners announced at the DEEP Indonesia Expo in Jakarta (^[57]). By 2010, the competition had grown to over $35,000 in prizes across seven categories, with winners representing eleven countries and prizes including dive travel packages to Bali, Triton Bay, Komodo, Lembeh, Manado, and Raja Ampat (^[58]). The competition continued annually, with Bali and Tulamben frequently appearing among winning images — a 2017 winner, Liang Fu, won with a “Rhinopias” image shot at Tulamben, Bali (^[59]).

Natural Events and Disruptions

Mount Agung Eruption (2017)

In late September 2017, increased seismic activity at Mount Agung, located close to the Tulamben dive area, forced evacuations and closure of all dive resorts in the Tulamben area. Underwater Tribe reported that “all resorts in the Tulamben area are currently closed with their staff and families evacuated to safer areas,” and noted “at this point in time there is no reason not to travel to Bali” as diving in other areas including Candidasa, Padang Bai, Nusa Penida, and Menjangan/Pemuteran continued as normal. They recommended the NGO Solemon for anyone wishing to donate to relief efforts (^[60]). The volcano erupted on November 21, 2017, emitting a thick grey ash cloud. Wetpixel expressed hope “that those members of the Wetpixel community that are close to the mountain are, firstly, somewhere safe” (^[61]).

Lombok Earthquake (2018)

A series of major earthquakes hitting the neighboring island of Lombok in August 2018, with a 6.9 magnitude quake causing 98 fatalities, also produced tremors felt on Bali. Both Lombok and Bali airports continued functioning, with Lombok’s flight schedule increased for evacuations (^[62]).

Bali Bombings (2005)

In October 2005, bombs detonated in Jimbaran and Kuta, killing at least 26 people. The Wetpixel community rallied to check on members in the area, with Drew Wong posting to confirm the safety of friends and expressing frustration that authorities had to “go back to dealing with Jemaah Islamiya.” Forum members including Marli, who had recently visited, noted the devastating economic impact on the Balinese: “The Balinese are such peaceful people, and Bali has suffered so much economically over the past ten years, and particularly since 2002.” Community members described Bali as “one of the most beautiful places on earth with some of the nicest people I’ve ever met” and urged fellow divers not to be deterred from visiting (^[63]).

Conservation

In 2007, Bali hosted its first-ever underwater photography exhibition, “Go Blue Beyond The Reef,” organized by Reef Check Indonesia and marine photographer Adam Powell, aimed at raising awareness about coral reef conservation. Indonesia was described as having “one-eighth of the world’s coral reef area” but facing threats from “destructive fishing practices, coral mining, sedimentation from deforestation and farming, pollution and global warming” (^[64]).

In 2015, Google expanded its Street View program to include Bali among 40 new underwater locations, working in partnership with the XL Catlin Seaview Survey to create “GPS-located digital records” of underwater environments that could “be used as a baseline to monitor change over time” (^[65]).

Teenage sisters Melati and Isabel Wijsen campaigned to ban plastic bags on the island, collecting over 60,000 signatures and securing a memorandum of understanding from the Governor of Bali to eliminate plastic bags by 2018 (^[66]).

The PangeaSeed Foundation launched a Sea Walls public art project in Bali in September 2018, titled “Protect What You Love - Protect Your Island,” featuring fifteen international and regional artists creating ocean-themed murals (^[67]).

Community Connections

A memorial service for Sascha Dambach of Kararu Dive Voyages, who died in a motorcycle accident, was held at Tulamben in April 2009. A multimedia presentation of images was assembled following a call from Berkley White, and Dambach’s ashes were spread at sea (^[68]). A cremation service for Larry Smith, a figure in the dive community, was held in Bali in March 2007 (^[69]).

Bali frequently served as a transit point for Wetpixel expeditions to other Indonesian dive destinations. During the 2009 Wetpixel Ultimate Indonesia expedition, moderators Eric Cheng, Matt Segal, Cor Bosman, Julie Edwards, and Craig Jones passed through Bali, where Drew Wong met them during a layover in Sanur (^[70]). The 2011 Ultimate Indonesia expedition also used Bali as the departure point, with Eric Cheng reporting arrival “back in Bali after spending 25 days aboard the Damai II” diving in Alor and Komodo (^[71]).

Forum travel discussions revealed the practical side of Bali diving trips, with members sharing hotel recommendations in Sanur, Nusa Dua, and Kuta — Steve Douglas sought advice for a December trip, while “bmyates” recommended the Sheraton Laguna Nusa Dua as exceptional value for a five-star resort (^[72]).

Key Photographers

• Mike Veitch — Relocated to Bali from Yap; co-founded the Bali School of Underwater Photography and Underwater Tribe; Wetpixel moderator based in Bali producing content, podcasts, gear tests, and COVID-era webcasts (^[73], ^[74])
• Jeff and Dawn Mullins — Visited Tulamben since 1980, settled there permanently, published “Reef, Wreck, & Critter” guidebook, contributed gear reviews shot in Tulamben to Wetpixel (^[75])
• Alex Mustard — Led group dive trips to Bali from 2005, covering eight dive areas; reviewed the Nikon D7100 and Subal housing at Tulamben and Seraya; judged the IWUPC competition in Bali; tested the Magic Filter in Indonesian waters (^[76], ^[77])
• Andrea and Antonella Ferrari — Documented Bali’s muck diving sites in detail; photographed first-known mimic octopus mating behavior (^[78], ^[79])
• Drew Wong — Field tested the Nauticam NA-60D in Bali; coordinated community response during the 2005 bombings (^[80], ^[81])
• Luiz Rocha — Posted Tulamben galleries and nudibranch photography from film-era Bali trips (^[82], ^[83])
• Herb Ko — Shared extensive Bali macro galleries on the forums in 2005, documenting nudibranchs, frogfish, and critters from Tulamben (^[84], ^[85])
• Evan Sherman — Filmmaker who produced “The Not So Silent World” and award-winning “Bali Close Up” documenting Tulamben muck life (^[86], ^[87])
• Tobias Friedrich — Developed bubble bokeh macro technique at Alam Batu Resort in Bali (^[88])
• Benjamin Von Wong — Shot viral underwater fashion series on the Liberty wreck in 2014 (^[89])

Timeline

• 2005: Forum members post trip reports and photo galleries from Tulamben and Bali dive sites (^[90], ^[91], ^[92], ^[93]). Alex Mustard leads Divequest group trip to eight Bali dive areas (^[94]). October bombings in Jimbaran and Kuta affect tourism (^[95]).
• 2006: Andrea and Antonella Ferrari publish comprehensive Bali dive trip report covering Secret Bay, Puri Jati, Tulamben, Seraya, Nusa Penida, and Candidasa (^[96]). Jeff and Dawn Mullins publish “Reef, Wreck, & Critter” (^[97]). First DEEP Indonesia competition launches (^[98]). Mimic octopus mating behavior documented at Bali muck site (^[99]). ShootUnderwater.com Digital Pro Seminar held in Bali focusing on macro photography (^[100]).
• 2007: DivePhotoFest workshop held at Scuba Seraya Resort, Tulamben (^[101]). Bali hosts first underwater photography exhibition for reef conservation (^[102]). Memorial service for Larry Smith held in Bali (^[103]).
• 2008: DivePhotoGuide publishes underwater photographer’s guide to Bali (^[104]).
• 2009: Memorial service for Sascha Dambach held at Tulamben (^[105]). Wetpixel Ultimate Indonesia expedition passes through Bali (^[106]).
• 2010: DEEP Indonesia 2010 competition awards over $35,000 in prizes including Bali dive packages (^[107]). Paul Waghorn tests Amphibico EVO port in Tulamben (^[108]).
• 2011: Drew Wong field tests Nauticam NA-60D in Bali (^[109]). Brad Pryde’s Tulamben nudibranch photo documents new inter-species mating behavior (^[110]). Ultimate Indonesia 2011 expedition departs from and returns to Bali (^[111]).
• 2012: Free eBook guide to Bali diving released (^[112]).
• 2013: Alex Mustard reviews Nikon D7100 at Tulamben; judges inaugural IWUPC competition in Bali (^[113]).
• 2014: Mike Veitch and Luca Vaime launch Bali School of Underwater Photography (^[114]). Manta ray tagging program begins at Nusa Penida (^[115]). Benjamin Von Wong shoots viral underwater fashion series on Liberty wreck (^[116]).
• 2015: Google adds Bali to underwater Street View locations (^[117]).
• 2016: Underwater Tribe releases OceanLight film shot at Bali sites with Sony A7s II (^[118]). Evan Sherman releases “The Not So Silent World” featuring Tulamben muck life (^[119]). Tim Rock updates Bali diving guide (^[120]). Plastic bag ban campaign gains traction (^[121]).
• 2017: Mount Agung eruption closes Tulamben diving (^[122], ^[123]). Tobias Friedrich develops bubble bokeh technique at Alam Batu Resort (^[124]). DEEP Indonesia 2017 winner shoots Rhinopias at Tulamben (^[125]).
• 2018: Lombok earthquakes produce tremors in Bali (^[126]). PangeaSeed Sea Walls art project launched (^[127]). Underwater Tribe podcast features Bali Sunfish research organization (^[128]).
• 2019: Tim Rock updates Bali diving guide for 2019 (^[129]).
• 2020: Underwater Tribe hosts live webcasts from Bali during COVID-19 pandemic (^[130]). Mike Veitch reviews Tobias Friedrich Lightroom presets from Bali (^[131]).
• 2021: Elizabeth Solich profiles Amed and Tulamben as regular dive destinations for her conservation artwork (^[132]).

References