Diving Bali

Amuk Bay - Candi Dasa

3 kilometres southeast from Candi Dasa, Amuk Bay, lies the little rocky islet of Gili Tepekong that has some of the most spectacular scuba diving Bali has to offer. Tepekong is just 100m wide, the coral walls are steep, the water is cold, and the current can be strong but, for an experienced diver, drifting with an up to 5 knot current through Tepekong's canyon is an unforgettable and dramatic underwater experience.

Lying to the southwest of Tepekong, the canyon starts at 24m and drops to 32m. The canyon is also known as "The Toilet" as the currents can be very strong with down-pull into the canyon when there is surface swell. However, the clear rushing waters are sure to bring you teeming encounters with white-tip reef sharks and huge schools of big-eye trevally and rainbow runners, as you hang on to the boulders.

East and north of Tepekong you can dive to 25m and the relatively protected sloping reef is dominated by table corals, gullies and boulders, fallen from above.

In the shallower diving waters the overhang at the bottom of Tepekong's walls is a great place for rock groupers, Napoleon wrasse and schools of yellow-ribbon sweetlips.

2 kilometres southeast from Amuk Bay, lies Gili Mimpang, a cluster of 3 exposed rocks. The atmosphere here is often charged and alive with action. White-tip reef sharks patrol the scattered rocks and boulders and pelagic fish such as tuna and sunfish are commonly seen. Pink squat lobsters can be found in the barrel sponges. Bali scuba diving has alluring, colourful charms as well as more dramatic action packed encounters.

The dive bottoms out at 30m, and you'll come across bumphead parrotfish, longfin bannerfish as well as schooling batfish. Acropora table corals and leather corals dominate the shallows with blue-spotted sting rays and black-blotched sting rays occupying the surrounding sand patches.

Candi Dasa Reef Basics: Walls and canyon, teeming with fish
Depth: 5 - 32m
Visibility: 10 - 20m
Currents: Can be very strong
Surface conditions: Can be rough
Water temperature: 19 - 24°C
Experience level: Intermediate, except canyon - advanced only
Number of dive sites: 5
Diving season: All year round, but can be difficult June to September
Distance: ~55 km northeast of Kuta (1½ hrs)
Access: Dive Bali resorts

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