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AquaMarine Diving – Bali (PADI 5 Star Gold Palm Resort 6344) was established in 1999 by Annabel Thomas (PADI Instructor 462621) and has been under continual ownership and management by Annabel and Wayan Suanda (PADI MSDT 460177), AquaMarine’s Director of Diving Operations, since that time. AquaMarine is the only British owned dive company in Bali, and Indonesia's first Project AWARE Go ECO Operator.
Reasons to choose AquaMarine Diving – Bali:
- AquaMarine only offers diving at Bali's better dive sites.
- Our dive staff are employed full-time and have minimum PADI Divemaster certification (50% are PADI Instructors).
- Maximum ratio of 1 dive guide for 4 divers.
- We have the three best custom-built dive boats in Bali (further information below).
- Minibuses customised for maximum space and leg room (further information below).
- Emphasis on safety and enjoyment.
Itinerary: 13 days/12 nights/27 Dives (including 3 Night Dives) at 7 different dive locations /
Half-board / Traditional Indonesian Rijstafle (Buffet) Dinner / Beach Barbeque Lunch /
2 Complimentary Massages / Airport Transfers
We at AquaMarine Diving – Bali created this ‘13D/12N - 27 dives - Best of Bali Dive Safari 2011’ exactly as we would wish a “full circle” Safari to be created for us if we were visiting Bali as scuba-divers. The itinerary includes both shore- and boat-diving, and encompasses a wide variety of dives: walls, muck, wrecks, reefs, drifts, with opportunities for macro and wide-angle photography. Nothing has been included ‘for the sake of it’. At these sites you’ll see fantastic hard and soft corals, great density and diversity of marinelife – from large pelagics such as Manta rays and Mola-Mola (Ocean sunfish) in season, to the tiniest juveniles and pygmy seahorses. The pre-planned timing of dives ensures you’ll see the maximum possible with the best conditions (as far as we can predict conditions J ). Resorts have been chosen for ambience, location, facilities and value for money.
Other Fixed Start Date 2011 Best of Bali Dive Safaris: 8D/7N - 14 dives – “north coast”
7D/6N - 11 dives – “east coast”
2011 Fixed Start Dates:
Trip No Trip No Trip No Trip No
01 27 Mar – 08 Apr 06 05 Jun – 17 Jun 11 HS 14 Aug – 26 Aug HS 16 23 Oct – 04 Nov
02 10 Apr – 22 Apr 07 19 Jun – 01 Jul 12 HS 28 Aug – 09 Sep 17 06 Nov – 18 Nov
03 24 Apr – 06 May 08 HS 03 Jul – 15 Jul 13 11 Sep – 23 Sep 18 20 Nov – 02 Dec
04 08 May – 20 May 09 HS 17 Jul – 29 Jul 14 25 Sep – 07 Oct 19 04 Dec – 16 Dec
05 22 May – 03 Jun 10 HS 31 Jul – 12 Aug 15 09 Oct – 21 Oct 20 HS 18 Dec – 30 Dec
Day 1 Arrival in Bali
Sun – approximately 1 hour to clear Immigration
Optional: VIP Meet & Greet Service (see ‘Arrival and Departure’ below)
Transfer by AquaMarine to Sanur (south east Bali, 20mins)
Overnight Superior/Deluxe Room at Parigata Resort & Spa
www.parigatahotelsbali.com/?page_id=2
Day 2 Rest & Relaxation (please see ‘Optional Land Tours and Activities’ below)
Mon Overnight at Parigata Resort & Spa
Day 3 Early Breakfast
Tue 07:00 Check out for transfer to Labuan Lalang (north west Bali, 3hrs 30mins)
Transfer by local boat to Menjangan Island (30mins)
2 Day Dives at Menjangan Island (wall diving), lunch on board
Traditional Indonesian Rijstafle (Buffet) Dinner
Overnight Patio Room at Mimpi Resort Menjangan
www.mimpi.com/menjangan-the-resort.asp
Day 4 09:30 Meet at Mimpi Menjangan restaurant for direct boat transfer to Menjangan Island
Wed 3 Day Dives at Menjangan Island, lunch on board
Overnight at Mimpi Resort Menjangan
Day 5 08:00 Check out for transfer to Seririt (north Bali, 1hr 30mins)
Thu 3 Day Dives at Puri Jati (muck diving)
Box lunch at AMD-B Puri Jati dive facilities
Transfer to Tulamben (north east Bali, 2hrs)
Complimentary Voucher for 10 minute foot or neck/shoulder massage
Overnight Patio Room at Mimpi Resort Tulamben
www.mimpi.com/tulamben-the-resort.asp
Day 6 07:00 – 1 Early Morning Dive on the 120m USAT Liberty Shipwreck
Fri Breakfast
10:00 – 2 Day Dives in Tulamben Bay (wall and reef diving)
Lunch
19:00 – 1 Night Dive on the USAT Liberty Shipwreck
Overnight at Mimpi Resort Tulamben
Day 7 07:00 – 1 Early Morning Dive on the USAT Liberty Shipwreck
Sat Breakfast
10:00 – 2 Day Dives in Tulamben Bay
Lunch
19:00 – 1 Night Dive in Tulamben Bay
Overnight at Mimpi Resort Tulamben
Day 8 09:30 Check out for transfer to Amed (north east Bali, 30mins)
Sun 2 Day Dives in Amed on the 20m Japanese Wreck
Lunch
1 Day Dive on Amed Reef
Transfer to Candidasa (east Bali, 1hr)
Complimentary Voucher for 30 minute massage
Overnight Deluxe Garden View Cottage at Rama Candidasa Resort & Spa
www.ramacandidasahotel.com/
Day 9 08:30 Transfer to Padangbai (15mins)
Mon (07:30 for Trips 08-16 for Mola-Mola [Ocean sunfish] season)
3 Day Dives at Nusa Penida inc Manta Point (reef/drift diving), lunch on board
Overnight at Rama Candidasa Resort & Spa
Day 10 08:30 Transfer to Padangbai
Tue 2 Day Dives at Mimpang/Tepekong and Blue Lagoon (reef diving)
Beach Barbeque Lunch
18:00 – 1 Sunset Dive at Blue Lagoon
Overnight at Rama Candidasa Resort & Spa
Day 11 08:30 Check out for transfer to Padangbai
Wed 2 Day Dives at Gili Biaha (conditions permitting) and Gili Selang (reef diving), lunch on board
Transfer to Ubud (central foothills, 1hr 45mins), visiting Goa Lawah Temple en route
Overnight Deluxe Room at Pertiwi Resort & Spa
www.pertiwiresort.com/
Day 12 Rest & Relaxation in Ubud (please see ‘Optional Land Tours and Activities’ below)
Thu Overnight at Pertiwi Resort & Spa
Day 13 12:00 Latest checkout from Pertiwi Resort & Spa
Fri (late check, subject to availability, at additional charge)
Transfer to the Airport/south Bali (1hr 15mins)
Diver Price USD1800/diver based on double/twin share occupancy
USD450/person single room supplement
Non-Diver Price USD1525/person based on double/twin share occupancy
High Season USD118/person accommodation supplement
GENERAL INFORMATION:
INCLUDED:
- Airport transfers
- Land Transport by air-conditioned minibus (see ‘Land Transport’ below).
- Boat transport (see ‘Boats’ below).
- Accommodation with daily breakfast.
- Diving as per itinerary (excludes Non-divers).
- Lunch and unlimited bottled water on diving days.
- Beach Barbeque Lunch on Day 10
- Traditional Indonesian Buffet Dinner on Day 03
- English-speaking dive guide (PADI Divemaster or above, maximum ratio 1:4)
- Tanks/weightbelt, mask/snorkel, booties/fins
- MSIG Diver Medical Insurance
- Free use of beach towels
- All local taxes, fees and porterage
- 2 Complimentary Massages (Tulamben and Candidasa)
NOT INCLUDED:
- BCD, wetsuit, regulator, dive computer USD5/item/day (payable in Bali)
- 15l tank USD5/tank/day (payable in Bali)
- Nitrox USD5/tank/day (available Days 06, 07, 08, 10 and 11 only; payable in Bali)
- Visa on Arrival (if required; USD25 at the time this document was issued)
- Airport Departure Tax (Rp150,000 at the time this document was issued)
- Drinks, personal purchases and dinner (except on Day 03 Traditional Indonesian Buffet)
- Lunch on non-diving days
- Cancellation insurance
HOTELS
- All accommodation has air-con and private bathroom with hot water. All resorts have swimming pools.
- For single divers not wishing to pay for single occupancy, AquaMarine Diving - Bali will allocate a twin room to be shared with another guest of the same gender.
BOATS
- Menjangan Island boats provided by the local community within the West Bali National Park.
- All other Boat Dives are done using AquaMarine Diving - Bali boats which are, without a doubt, the three best custom-made dive boats in Bali. Each boat uses four-stroke Suzuki engines and has a 3-person boat crew, on-board toilet, cushioned seating, non-slip floor mats, roof for protection from sun and wind/rain, sundeck with mattress for sun bathing, hot chocolate/coffee/tea, marine radio communication, life jackets, life rings, fire extinguisher, O2 kit, first aid kit, exit ladder, ample tank storage space.
LAND TRANSPORT
- The interiors of our six Isuzu Elf minibuses were custom-designed to provide maximum leg room. Each AMD-B minibus carries 6 passengers plus driver and guide - other companies carry 12 passengers in the same space.
OPTIONAL LAND TOURS & ACTIVITIES
- AMD-B offers Set Itinerary Land Tours or can follow the route of a Land Tour you choose to make yourself.
- Activities available in Bali include surfing, white water rafting, bungy jumping, golf, trekking, kayaking, cycling,
beach horse riding, Bali Safari & Marine Park, Bali Bird Park, Bali Safari Park and Waterbom.
OTHER INFORMATION
- We welcome groups (including non-divers). (Please contact us for customised Safaris)
- The nearest Recompression Chamber is at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar (Bali’s capital). There are a number of international standard hospitals in Bali which can assist visitors with non-diving related issues.
- AquaMarine Diving – Bali actively supports Project Aware www.projectaware.org and encourages guests to do the same. If you wish to make a donation, let us know how much and we can issue an invoice for you.
PLEASE NOTE
- All PADI courses from Scuba Diver to Master Scuba Diver (and many Specialties) are available with advance booking. The PADI Enriched Air (Nitrox) Specialty may be conducted on Day 02.
- AquaMarine’s 1 Day Introductory Adventure Diving Programme is available for non-divers wishing to try scuba.
- Oxygen and First-aid Kits are on-board all AMD-B boats and minibuses. All dive staff, drivers and boat crews are trained in First Aid and primary care, and regularly attend refresher seminars.
- You are covered by MSIG insurance while diving with AMD-B; however we encourage you to take out annual DAN (Divers Alert Network) coverage. To help DAN, please quote AMD-B’s tracking code DS-0239.
- AMD-B reserves the right to change dive itineraries for safety reasons (which may include divers’ abilities, weather conditions, local ceremonies or any other unforeseen circumstances).
- If clients decide for any reason to not use any/all/part of the pre-booked services, there will be no compensation/reimbursement, nor are those services transferable.
- If you bring your own dive gear, you are required to bring booties and open-heeled fins. Minimum 3mm full wetsuits. We also require the use of dive computers (available to rent for USD5/day).
- You are required to show your certification card and logbook to your dive guide on the first day of diving.
- Diving & Flying: Please ensure you allow a minimum of 24 hours between your final dive and any flight.
ARRIVAL and DEPARTURE
- Generally it takes approx 1 hour to clear Immigration and collect luggage. When multiple flights are landing and in High Season, Immigration formalities may take longer. AMD-B can book the VIP Meet & Greet Service for you: as you enter the terminal you will be met by your guide who will then have your Visa on Arrival processed (saves you queuing), while you collect your luggage. USD30/person at the time this document was issued.
- When you exit the terminal it can be very crowded, look to your right. Your driver will be holding a Yellow A4 sign with your name on it.
DIVE SITES – SUMMARY
Days 03-04: Menjangan Island: Starting your AquaMarine Diving – Bali Dive Safari at Menjangan Island (part of West Bali National Park), located just off Bali’s north west point, enables you to experience the island’s first internationally-known dive location. Looking back to the mainland during the half-hour local wooden outrigger boat journey, you can see exactly how mountainous Bali actually is – something not visible from south Bali’s more densely populated areas.
Menjangan Island is famous for its coral walls with easy conditions, warm waters and great visibility that can reach 50m+. Due to the white sand and good visibility, there is usually a lot of sunlight to bring out the bright colours of the schooling fishes surrounding you. The walls are covered with a multitude of gorgonian fans, soft corals and sponges. We frequently see batfishes and Big-eyed trevallys, as well as turtles and barracudas. There are only occasional sightings of large pelagic fishes as the island is protected from the cold currents coming in from the open sea.
Day 05: Puri Jati: For those who’ve wondered but have yet to try it, and those who adore it – today you will dive Bali’s current muck-diving hotspot! Visibility is 5-25m, and the water warm. A wide, gentle brown sand slope with patches of seagrass and tufts of lavender soft corals hiding many juvenile batfishes and lionfishes, rare fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods (including Wonderpus, Blue-ring and Mimic octopus), and fascinating sand dwellers including unusual Mantis shrimps, Fingered dragonets, various ghostpipefishes, seahorses, seamoths, demonstingers, Cockatoo flounders, Veiled melibe nudibranchs, soft coral cowries, stargazers, the list goes on…
Days 06-07: Tulamben Bay: The small village of Tulamben (Bali’s most famous diving area) is where you are most likely to meet internationally recognised underwater photographers. Being on Bali’s northeast coast, the bay receives very plankton-rich waters from the major ocean current that moves from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. This, coupled with the fact that the three main dive sites provide totally different physical environments, means Tulamben contains a stunningly diverse underwater ecosystem.
World-famous for the 120m USAT Liberty shipwreck (possibly the world’s easiest wreck dive); The Drop-off/Wall, an old lava flow from Mount Agung, at the opposite end of the bay from the Wreck (about a 10 minute walk between the two sites), and the Coral Garden which is a shallow reef running along the middle section of Tulamben beach. Tulamben Bay offers incredible shore-diving with very easy conditions - perfect for divers of all levels.
You will see just about everything in any Indo-Pacific Reef Guide book when you dive in Tulamben Bay. The resident marinelife includes a huge school of Big-eyed trevallys, Leaf scorpionfishes, Bumphead parrotfishes, Pygmy seahorses, minute anglerfishes, neon nudibranches, ghost pipefishes, shrimp/goby sets, through to garden eels and multi-coloured clouds of anthias and damsels and schools of sweetlips, batfishes, fusiliers and butterflyfishes. The variety is amazing. Then there are the invertebrates, the hard and soft corals, black corals, sponges with crinoids, sea fans and tunicates.
The beach is fist-sized black volcanic rocks that become sand in the shallows which, along with the plankton in the water, accounts for the relatively low visibility (12-25m). The black sand brings out the colours of the corals, gorgonians, fishes and other marinelife – great for uw photography.
As Tulamben Bay provides shore-diving and is rarely subject to currents, we are able to offer more dives per day than at other sites on this safari – in addition to which, you will get to experience for yourself Tulamben’s magical night-diving.
Day 08: Amed: The quiet fishing village of Amed (more accurately: Jemeluk Bay) is 30mins drive south of Tulamben Bay. The beaches are sand, the water temperature can be affected by thermoclines, and visibility is usually 14-22M.
Amed Reef (12-22m) offers many different kinds of sponges and gorgonians, and marinelife that includes everything from White-tip reef sharks, Napoleon wrasses, occasional big trevallys, butterflyfishes, bannerfishes, snappers, fusiliers and triggerfishes to gobies and shrimp as well as anemones with attendant clownfishes, schools of barracuda and Blue-spotted rays. Many different kinds of parrotfishes, angelfishes, surgeonfishes and moray eels.
3km south-east of Amed, the quiet little bay of Lipah is home to the wreck of a 20M steel freighter. The wreck lies at 6-12m, between a reef and the sand bottom, and is encrusted with sponges, gorgonians and coral bushes. The sloping reef is lovely, particularly in the bottom (15-20M) section, with soft corals, gorgonians and sponges. The shallowest section contains Table and Staghorn corals and is home to damsels and anthias as well as schools of many kinds of fishes.
Day 09: Nusa Penida: Nusa Penida is the largest of three islands lying off Bali’s east coast. Due to ocean currents, the water here is fairly cold but often startlingly clear, with gorgeous corals and prolific fishes, occasional turtles, sharks and in mid-July to November each year, Mola-Mola (the weird and wonderful Ocean sunfish).
AquaMarine offers nine dive sites at Nusa Penida, the majority of which are drift dives. Please note the currents are not always predictable therefore you need to listen to your guide’s briefing and follow him underwater.
Sental, Ped & SD: These three sites encompass the coral reef that runs the length of Nusa Penida’s north coast and offer great drift diving. Toyapakeh is Nusa Penida’s most popular dive site as it is partially protected from currents and has good visibility with rich coral. Diving Crystal Bay, just off Ceningan Channel, provides a good chance to see Mola-Mola (Ocean sunfish), White-tip reef sharks and Eagle rays, and Leopard sharks if you are lucky.
Manta Point is on southwest Nusa Penida where the coastline features dramatic limestone cliffs that descend straight into the ocean. Although it can be surgy, there is rarely a current; there is a sandy bottom at 12-18m. In addition to a high-90-something percent change of seeing Manta rays, you may also see other pelagics such as tuna and Tiger mackerel.
Amuk Bay on the south side of Bali’s eastern point, with Padangbai to the south and Candidasa to the north, is 6km across. Just outside Padangbai is Blue Lagoon, a treasure trove of marinelife. Tepekong and Mimpang are islands outside the bay, Biaha is a little to the north, and Gili Selang is off Bali’s eastern tip. All offer some of Bali’s most breath-taking diving but, due to sometimes unpredictable conditions, with the exception of Blue Lagoon, these sites need to be treated with respect. Biaha is however the favourite dive site of Annabel Thomas, founder and owner of AMD-B.
Mimpang, Tepekong and Biaha are all surrounded by remarkably healthy reefs, but they are generally low-lying due to the current that sweeps the east coast of Bali bringing nutrients to these reefs and accounting for the diversity of their marinelife. You will find a vast number and great diversity of fishes, abundant sharks and frequent pelagic visitors set against a dramatic backdrop of craggy black walls with beautiful, healthy corals and often superb visibility.
The water can be cold, although it is precisely this that makes these sites what they are: 100km south of Bali, extremely cold water wells up from a deep basin to replace the water taken away by currents to the west of Bali. This upwelling brings with it some of the marinelife for which this area is famous.
Day 10: Mimpang/Tepekong: Mimpang (best known for Shark Point) consists of three large rocks that break the surface and several others below, which run in a ridge: to the north towards Bali and to the south (the richer end) dropping into deeper water. Although Mimpang is only 1km from Tepekong, the conditions at the two sites are frequently not the same. Therefore, if you cannot dive at Mimpang and go to Tepekong instead, you may well be able to do your second dive at Mimpang.
Despite its sometimes strong currents, Tepekong (a 300m long rock) offers spectacular diving as it has, on its southwest tip, The Canyon with its stunning, craggy black stone walls. If there is the usual swirling current, you can still see and feel the drama of the site, but your view will be somewhat obstructed by the huge schools of sweetlips, snappers and big-eyed trevallys, Bumphead parrotfishes, unicornfishes, batfishes, groupers, sharks (usually White-tip reef sharks) and other pelagics - which may include tuna and Mola-Mola (Ocean sunfish) in season.
And don’t forget the Beach Barbeque Lunch for the Sunset Dive! Grilled fish, satays, salads and Balinese vegetables and sauces.
Blue Lagoon is a small bay with a steep white sand beach, located just outside Padangbai. The topography is not spectacular: white sand bottom, which slopes gradually to 22m, has scattered rocks, soft corals and a huge area of Staghorn coral. The fish life however is amazing! A large Napoleon wrasse lives here, as do several kinds of unusual reef sharks, stonefishes, morays and Blue ribbon eels, nudibranches, rays, squid and octopus, stargazers, cuttlefishes, crocodilefishes and Leaf scorpionfishes in every hue. We have also seen Rhinopias (eschmeyeri and frondosa), ghostpipefishes, seamoths, Flamboyant cuttlefishes, Solar-powered nudibranches, Cockatoo waspfishes and more! Also great for snorkelling and highly recommended for Night-diving.
Day 11 Gili Biaha AquaMarine is one of only a few companies to offer dive trips to this small crescent-shaped island. Some of Bali’s most stunning diving: vast numbers and great diversity of fishes, abundant sharks and frequent pelagic visitors, set against chiselled black walls with beautiful, healthy corals and often superb visibility. There is a beautiful and healthy reef around the island, a rocky slope on the north side and a rugged black wall around the southern part. This rugged black wall, with the breaking waves above, is absolutely beautiful in places and at times it is almost as if the fishes are superfluous - but not quite! Divers can expect to see anything from Mola-Mola (Ocean sunfish) to nudibranchs! The inside area of the crescent has a cave large enough for six divers, in which White-tip reef sharks often sleep. The protected area outside the cave has interesting corals with many commensal shrimp and crabs, and is home to anglerfishes, leaf scorpion fishes, octopus, cuttlefishes and nudibranches.
Gili Selang This small island on Bali’s eastern point offers both protected reef-diving and drift-diving with big fishes action. The interesting and rich sand slope to the north of the island has some stands of hard branching corals and occasional bommies, the deeper areas of the slope are more protected and therefore home to sea fans, soft corals, barrel sponges and coral bushes. Along this sand slope you may well see White-tip reef sharks and Bumphead parrotfishes.
