Diving in North Bali: The Coast Divers Keep to Themselves
Ask most divers about Bali and they’ll name Tulamben and Nusa Penida. Fine choices — but the whole northern coastline in between is a string of dive sites with barely a dive flag in sight: national-park walls, black-sand critter heaven, and reefs looked after by the fishermen who live above them. Here’s the tour, west to east.
Menjangan: The Walls
At the far western tip, inside the 19,000 protected hectares of West Bali National Park, Menjangan Island is North Bali’s marquee dive: coral walls dropping steeply into blue, gorgonian fans, reliably calm and clear conditions, and the gentle pace that comes with a marine park. From Lovina it’s a day trip — about an hour’s drive to the little harbor at Sumberkima, then a 30-minute boat ride out. Suitable from beginner level on a good day; genuinely beautiful at any level.
Puri Jati: The Macro Site 20 Minutes From Samastiti Villa by the Sea
Here’s the one the Instagram crowd misses. Puri Jati, twenty minutes from Samastiti Villa Temukus, is a muck-diving site: a gentle black-sand slope that looks like nothing and hides everything. This is where the macro photographers come — for the small, strange, and wonderful that black volcanic sand specializes in. Shallow, calm, and endlessly re-diveable; the kind of site where your third dive finds things your first swam straight past.
The Bukti Pinnacle: Our Secret deive site
An hour east of Lovina, in front of our Villa Seaview Bukti, lies something special: a marine conservation area managed by the local fishermen themselves — and within it, a pinnacle crowned by one of the oldest and biggest coral formations in Bali. Schooling fusiliers wrap around it like weather. And if the day is kind: sharks, turtles, even the occasional napoleon wrasse cruising through.
Almost nobody dives here, because almost nobody knows it exists. The house reef starts a few fin-kicks from the garden of Villa Seaview Bukti — you can snorkel the shallows before breakfast and dive the pinnacle after — every dive supports the fishermen’s conservation work that keeps it alive. If you’re a diver choosing between our houses, this is your answer. We have discovered another 5 dive sites in the area. The boat comes to pick you up straight from the villa seaview and within 5 minutes you are diving! It doesn’t get any easier than that.
Tulamben: The Wreck
Continue east and you reach Bali’s most famous dive: the USAT Liberty, a WWII-era cargo ship torpedoed in 1942 and pushed into the shallows by Mount Agung’s 1963 eruption. It now lies just off the beach at Tulamben — a shore-entry wreck starting a few meters down, fully colonized by coral and swarmed by fish. It’s one of the most accessible great wrecks on earth, diveable by beginners and endlessly interesting to veterans. From Villa Seaview it’s an easy morning trip; go early, before the day-trippers arrive from the south.
Amed: The Slow Dive Coast
Past Tulamben, the string of fishing villages called Amed is Bali’s mellow dive scene: the Jemeluk wall, the small Japanese wreck in the shallows, sloping reefs made for long, unhurried dives, and jukung outriggers lining the beach. If you’re extending your trip after Bukti (see our 7-day North Bali itinerary), a few nights here round out a full northern diving tour.
Making It Work
Base yourself in two halves, the way the coast is laid out: our Lovina beach houses put Puri Jati and Menjangan in easy reach; Villa Seaview Bukti puts the pinnacle at your doorstep and Tulamben and Amed within an easy morning’s drive. Local dive schools in Lovina handle gear and guiding, and our hosts arrange everything — including drivers for the transfer days (no scooters with tanks on your back, please). Book direct with code BOOKDIRECT10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is North Bali diving suitable for beginners?
Very — calm, sheltered conditions are the region’s signature. Menjangan’s easier walls, Puri Jati’s gentle slope, and the Liberty’s shallow sections are all beginner-friendly with a guide. The Bukti pinnacle starts at 12 meters and can have currents so that one is best for advanced divers.
When is the best diving season in North Bali?
The dry season (April–October) brings the most reliable visibility, but the sheltered north diving works year-round — often when the south is blown out.
Can non-divers enjoy the same spots?
Yes — the Bukti conservation area and Lovina reefs are excellent snorkeling straight off the beach, and Menjangan runs snorkel trips alongside dive boats.
Do we need to bring our own gear?
No — dive schools in the area rent full sets. Bring your own mask and computer if you’re particular; everything is available locally. At villa Seaview, we have fins and masks that our guests can use. ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════