Manta Rays
Nusa Penida is famous for its Manta rays. Only 40 minutes away from Bali, you can experience the dance of these majestic giants! Dive with manta rays surrounding you and coming close up and personal! One of the most magical moments in diving, undoubtedly.
Bamboo sharks
Manta point is also frequently visited by bamboo sharks. These gentle but big (1,5 to 2m) elasmobranchs are another of the significant wow factors of diving Nusa Penida.
Octopuses
What attracts the bamboo sharks are the octopuses (which they like to eat), and there are plenty of them around. If you are lucky enough to come during one of the mating seasons you will see them doing their lovers' dance, colours vibrating and tentacle-like arms furling and unfurling. Perhaps the most fascinating animal in the underwater animal kingdom, don't miss this incredible diving encounter.
Sea turtles
When you dive Nusa Penida, especially the North and east coasts, you are almost guaranteed to bump into a sea turtle, most probably a hawksbill turtle but green turtles are also found. The most turtles we counted on one dive was 13...
Mola Mola
You might need to be a little lucky to see them when diving Nusa Penida but from May to October, as cold currents rise, these prehistoric deep sea dwellers come up to shallower waters in search of cleaning stations to rid them of their parasites. Those months have the highest chance to see them though there are Mola Mola sightings year around.
Sea snakes
The banded sea krait is a common sight in Nusa Penida diving, These extremely poisonous but also extremely chilled snakes can often be spotted snaking their way along the reef or ascending to the surface for a breather.
Scorpionfish, Stone fish, Leaf scorpionfish, Lionfish etc
Crystal bay seems to have a contingent of relatively easy-to-spot stonefish, and scorpion fish are seen on every site, The odd colourful leaf fish may also be spotted lazily swaying in the current as well as different species of lionfish floating by.
Frogfish
With a good eye, you may be able to see either a giant or warty frogfish hanging out on the reef. Good spots include Crystal Bay and Toyapakeh but also, occasionally, Manta Point, Karang Sari and others...
Hairy squat lobsters
These super cool little critters hang out in barrel sponges' sinews. They appear bright purple underwater with their orangy-pink bodies and mauve hairs. Super fun to see even if you are not into macro diving.
Orangutan crabs
Hiding in amongst the long or bubble polyps of coral and occasionally anemones, these super cute reddish furry crabs will endear you with their scurrying and scruffiness. Aptly named after their homonymous ape compatriots with which they share a striking resemblance (it's the long legs and orange fur), you can spend many a fun dive in Nusa Penida searching for them (and finding them).
Nudibranchs
Penida has a great many species of these colourful little slugs! Explore Nusa Penida diving and see how many species you can find!
Morays of many types
Whether you prefer the giant moray, the honeycomb moray, the peppered moray, the yellow margin moray, the snowflake moray or the ribbon eel (and more), you can find them all in Nusa Penida. Frequently seen free-swimming, moray eels will most probably be encountered on most scuba dives in Nusa Penida.
Incredible coral and other cool benthic creatures
The variety and health of the coral will amaze you. Be they table, encrusting, massive, whip; hard or soft; the colours, variety and vibrance are world-class. Alongside these beauties, you will find huge sponges, anemones galore, sea squirts and colonies of crinoids. A feast for the eyes and an explosion of colours, not to be missed!
Check out the dive sites in Nusa Penida to give you a taste of what to expect!
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