Snorkeling In Bali Complete Guide – Best Spots And Helpful Info

Snorkeling in Bali allows you to discover underwater wonders: vibrant corals, artificial reefs, shipwrecks, and rich marine life, including colorful fish, sea turtles, and manta rays.

The best thing about Bali’s snorkeling spots is that most are on the island’s less touristy side. If you are like us and don’t like to spend time in overcrowded places, look at the following areas: Amed, Tulamben, Pemuteran, Menjangan Island, Padang Bai, and the Nusa Islands. We enjoyed these places because they have beautiful black and white sandy beaches with rich coral gardens near the shore. This summary includes information on the best snorkel sites in each area along with some helpful information on the weather and tours to help you organize your trip and find Bali’s top underwater attractions!

Bali Snorkeling Overview

Best Spots:

• Tanjung Benoa Beach – Nusa Dua
• Blue Lagoon Beach – Padang Bai
• Virgin Beach – Karangasem
• Amed beaches: Kembali Beach Reef, Jemeluk Beach, Lipah Beach, Bunutan Reef, Japanese Shipwreck
• Tulamben USAT Liberty Wreck
• Menjangan Island National Park
• Pemuteran Biorock
• Nusa Penida Island

Things To Know About Snorkeling In Bali:

• You find the best snorkeling on the island’s East, Northeast, and Northwest sides
• South Bali beaches are not suitable for snorkeling
• Best is to come in the dry season, between April and September
• You can snorkel at most sites on your own, or join snorkel tours that can be booked locally or online

Which Part Of Bali Is The Best For Snorkeling?

The magical island of Bali has a varied landscape, fantastic flora and fauna and it is truly a paradise above and under the water, too. But you need to know a little about the island’s characteristics to decide what Bali beaches are the best for snorkeling.

The most popular tourist areas like Kuta, Jimbaran, Seminyak, Sanur and Nusa Dua have wide sandy coasts. There is either no coral around them, or the reef is too far from the shore. This means, that South Bali beaches are not good for snorkeling. There is only one site with basic snorkeling, the Tanjung Benoa reef near Nusa Dusa. (You can read about this site below.)

The beaches in Southwest Bali, such as Padang Padang, Dreamland, or Uluwatu, have big waves and strong currents. They are good for surfing, but again, not for snorkeling.

The best Bali snorkeling beaches are on the island’s East, Northeast, and Northwest sides. The sea is calm in these areas, and there are vibrant coral reefs in shallow water close to the shore, offering perfect conditions to explore the underwater world!

Snorkeling In South Bali – Nusa Dua

Snorkeling in Bali is very limited on the island’s southern side due to currents and the coast’s characteristics. The only place you might consider visiting is the Nusa Dua snorkel point at Tanjung Benoa Beach.

Personally, we didn’t like this spot because there is very little marine life to see here compared to the other Bali snorkel sites. However, it is a good spot to visit if you are a first-timer or looking for a place to take your kids near Nusa Dua where the water is calm and shallow.

East Bali Snorkeling – Padang Bai Blue Lagoon and Virgin Beach

The East Coast of Bali has two snorkeling beaches, Padangbai Blue Lagoon Beach and White Sand Beach (Virgin Beach).

Blue Lagoon Beach – Padang Bai

Padang Bai is a popular transit area in Bali as it has a big harbor where speedboats and ferries depart and arrive from and to Lombok and the Gili Islands. The most popular beach is the Blue Lagoon, which is a beautiful beach and a good snorkeling spot.

It is best to visit Padang Bai Blue Lagoon is the morning, when the water is calm. The sea often gets rough in the afternoon, resulting in strong currents and unsafe conditions.

The Blue Lagoon Reef is not the best snorkeling beach in Bali, but there is a lot to see. The Reef starts close to the shore. You can even see many fish, eels and even turtles here. Snorkel gear can be rented on the site if you don’t have your own.

Virgin Beach – Karangasem

The White Sand Beach (also known as Pantai Pasir Putih or Bias Putih) is a small white sandy stretch in Karangasem Regency. This beach became popular because of the whitish sand that is rare to find on Bali’s East and North coasts. Despite the increased number of visitors, it is still considered a hidden beach. It is just 20 km from Padang Bai, 10 km from Candi Dasa.

The underwater life is similar to Blue Lagon Padang Bai: the reef starts approx. 5-10 meters from the shore, where you can observe tropical fish, sometimes even turtles.

Snorkel gear can be rented at the warungs on the spot, but for practical and hygienic reasons, we always recommend having your own equipment, at least a mask and snorkel.

Snorkeling in North East Bali – Amed And Tulamben

Amed and Tulamben are popular regions to visit among tourists who seek a relaxed holiday with stunning scenery rather than a resort experience on the busy southern side of the island. You will find here the majestic Agung Volcano and the island’s most beautiful black sandy beaches. In addition, Northeast Bali is the best region for snorkeling in Bali!

Amed

If you ask me where snorkeling is the best in Bali, it is Amed. We found healthy reefs with easy shore access, shipwrecks, and rich sea life, including stingrays and turtles here. The best we loved about Amed is that the black sandy bottom gives a magical tone to the corals and makes the colors more vibrant, so our underwater photos turned out fantastic!

For more information, read “Where to snorkel in Amed” post where we share more details on each location.

Snorkel Around The World Tip: We think that the reef in front of the Kembali Beach Bungalows is the best Bali snorkeling spot, with healthy corals and many sea turtles around! If you are looking for a nice hotel, check it out!

Tulamben

This tiny village, Tulamben, lies next to the Agung volcano and is famous for the 125 m-long USAT Liberty wreck. The wreck is visited mostly by divers, but it is good for snorkeling, too, as its top lies only 5 m (15ft) deep. You will see many fish and colorful coral growing on the wreck.

There is no buoy at the Tulamben shipwreck. Therefore, it is a bit tricky to find it. Follow the signs to Tulamben Wreck Divers Hotel and the road will take you to the beach. Try to go as early as possible because the sea is calmer in the morning.

This shipwreck is much bigger than the Amed Japanese Shipwreck. The body itself is in better condition; therefore, it can offer a more dramatic snorkeling experience. If you have time, it is worth a trip to Tulamben!

When snorkeling in Tulamben, don’t miss out on visiting the Coral Garden, just a few hundred meters from the shipwreck. The reef starts close to the shore. By calm water, this shallow coral garden offers easy snorkeling, with many different fish species to see. The spot features some undersea status, too.

North West Bali Snorkeling – Menjangan Island And Pemuteran Bay

The west side of Bali is the most quiet part of the island. It takes a long time to get there. Therefore, most tourists skip visiting this area, meaning you find uncrowded beaches, unspoiled nature, and a more authentic local feeling here. The snorkeling spots here are Menjangan National Park and the Pemuteran Biorock.

Menjangan Island National Park

The Menjangan Island National Park is a small island located in Bali Barat National Park, 8 km off the coast of Bali. Since it is a protected marine reserve, you find preserved coral gardens and a diverse ecosystem here.

On top of the beautiful underwater scenery, you can spot different sea and shorebirds here. The park is the habitat of the Barking Deer, so you can even observe a deer bathing in the sea here.

It is not possible to stay on the island because it is a national park area. The easiest way to visit it is by joining a Menjangan snorkel tour from Pemuteran.

Pemuteran Biorock

Pemuteran is a small fishing village that became home to the largest artificial reef project in the world! The Pemuteran Biorock is a complex conservation project started by the local community in 2000. Now, the total length of the installations is more than 300 meters, forming a trail in shallow water that both snorkelers and divers can enjoy.

The bay where this installation is located is usually free of currents; therefore, it is a safe spot for beginner snorkelers, too. Biorock Pemuteran is located right in front of Taman Sari Resort. It is a unique and interesting Bali snorkeling spot that we recommend visiting if you are in the area.

Nusa Islands Snorkeling – Manta Rays And Pristine Reefs

The 3 Nusa Islands, Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida are just 20 km off the southeast coast of Bali. These three heavenly islands feature impressive beaches and excellent snorkeling for water lovers.

Although the most visited is Nusa Lembongan, we recommend staying in Nusa Penida if your priority is exploring the undersea world. Not only because you can do manta snorkeling, but also because there are vibrant coral reefs around the island.

The island has a tropical climate, which means the weather is hot and humid all year round. There are two seasons in Bali: a long dry season from April to September and a rainy one from October to March.

We don’t recommend coming in the rainy season if snorkeling in Bali is your priority. The sea can be very rough, resulting in unpleasant and unsafe conditions. Due to rain, wind, and currents, the water is often murky, with limited visibility.

Of course, it is not raining 24/7, and you might be lucky to enjoy some completely dry days, but to be on the safe side, we recommend scheduling your Bali snorkel trip for the dry season.

The weather is pleasant from April till September, with less chance of rain. July and August are the driest months, but keep in mind that this is the high season! Bali snorkeling is good in these months, but expect more tourists and crowded beaches, not to mention higher room rates and excursion prices.

We love traveling in the shoulder seasons: in May, June, and September you will find pleasant weather and lower prices!

Author’s Tip: Bali’s popularity has grown in recent years, and many people complain about traffic jams and crowded places. If you are looking for a destination that is more quiet but also has superb coral reefs, read our Lombok snorkeling guide!

Bali Snorkeling Tours – Tips And Prices

There are superb offshore snorkel spots in Bali that you can visit on your own, but some places are accessible only by boat (or it is more convenient to visit them this way), so let us share our experience on the tour conditions and prices.

First of all, in Indonesia, you need to accept that as a tourist, you often pay more than locals. Sometimes even official price lists (boat tickets, for example) have local and tourist sections. The only thing you can do is try haggling.

Excursion and snorkel trip prices always change depending on the season, weather, and the seller’s mood. But generally, Public Bali snorkeling trips are available from 80-100.000 IDR per person. These are shared boats with sometimes 30-40 people on them.

We recommend choosing smaller boats with a maximum of ten people for comfort. Such tours are around 150-200.000 IDR per person for a 2-4 hours long snorkeling tour. The best option is, of course, to go on a private snorkel trip. We think that the price of a 3-4 hours long private trip should be approx 500-600.000 IDR.

If you like this Bali snorkeling guide, don’t forget to share it with your friends 🙂

Inspired? Pin it!