Top 10 Freediving Locations in Bali (Beginner & Advanced)

Bali is a freediving paradise thanks to its warm, clear waters and diverse marine life. From sheltered coral bays on the east coast to thrilling drift sites around Nusa Penida, Bali offers something for every skill level. This Bali freediving guide highlights the best freedive spots in Bali, combining beginner-friendly reefs with advanced vertical walls and wrecks. We cover each location’s features – depth, visibility, marine life – and even a local tip or attraction. Whether you’re searching for “freediving in Bali” or simply curious about the “best freedive spots Bali,” read on for an engaging tour of the island’s top dive sites.

1. Amed (Jemeluk Bay) | Best Spot Freedive in Amed

Amed is a laid‑back village on Bali’s calm eastern shore, famous for its clear water and vibrant coral gardens. Shaped by Mount Agung’s backdrop, its beaches have gentle slopes ideal for freedivers. Marine life is rich here: pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, clownfish and even green turtles are common sights. The water is usually very calm, making Jemeluk Bay perfect for beginners practicing breath-holds.

• Depth: About 5–30 m on reef slopes.
• Visibility: 15–25 m (often excellent in dry season).
• Marine Life: Colorful coral gardens; tropical fish, seahorses, nudibranchs; reef sharks and turtles in deeper sections.

Travel Tip: After diving, visit nearby Tirta Gangga water palace (a short drive north) or enjoy fresh seafood at beachside warungs in Amed Village.

2. Tulamben (USAT Liberty Wreck) | Top 10 Bali Freediving Sites

Tulamben (north of Amed) is world-famous for the USAT Liberty shipwreck, which lies just off the black-sand beach. The 120m Liberty wreck sits in very shallow water (5–30 m) and is covered in bright corals and marine life. It’s literally a shore-dive: you can enter the water from the beach and swim out to explore the wreck. Visibility is excellent, and freedivers of all levels can glide around the ship’s caverns and tunnels. Schools of jackfish, bumphead parrotfish, moray eels, and even turtles and reef sharks patrol the wreck.

• Depth: 5–30 m (accessible entry from shore).
• Visibility: 20–30 m in good conditions.
• Marine Life: Soft corals, sponges, anemones; schooling fish (barracuda, jacks), turtles, moray eels.

Travel Tip: Plan your dive around sunrise or sunset for the calmest waters. Nearby attractions include hiking on Mount Agung or snorkeling in the calm Coral Garden just upcoast.

3. Nusa Penida (Manta Point) | Bali’s Best Freediving Destinations

Just a short boat ride from Bali, Nusa Penida is famous for adrenaline‑pumping freedives. Strong currents allow exhilarating drift dives, carrying you over reefs and cliffs at depths of 20–40 m. The highlight is Manta Point (and nearby Manta Bay), where graceful manta rays gather year-round. Freedivers drift “bluest water” to encounter these giants – and, seasonally, the big mola mola (sunfish) at Crystal Bay. The dive sites are deep (often >25 m) and the currents are strong, so Penida is best suited to advanced freedivers. Surrounding this island, visibility can exceed 30 m in calm months.

• Depth: 10–40 m (drift wall dives).
• Visibility: Often 20–30 m.
• Marine Life: Manta rays, reef sharks, trevally; seasonal mola mola (July–Oct); abundant reef fish and healthy hard corals.

Travel Tip: Book a guided boat trip early (mornings are calmest) and combine dives at Manta Point, Toyapakeh Wall and Crystal Bay. On land, don’t miss Penida’s panoramic Kelingking Cliff or Angel’s Billabong.

4. Nusa Lembongan (Blue Corner & Lembongan Bay) | Freediving Paradise Spots in Bali

The island of Nusa Lembongan (just north of Bali) is a top freedive training ground. One star site is Blue Corner, known for its dynamic currents and abundant marine life. Strong surge here attracts turtles, reef sharks and large jacks. Nearby Mangrove Point has soft coral gardens teeming with tropical fish. For beginners, Lembongan Bay is calm and shallow. Freediving Lembongan offers something for everyone – and there are several local freediving schools to provide gear and instruction. Legend Diving describes Blue Corner as “great for its currents and marine life,” and notes Lembongan Bay is “perfect for beginners with its calm waters”.

• Depth: 5–30 m (varies by site).
• Visibility: 15–25 m.
• Marine Life: Green and hawksbill turtles, reef sharks, schools of fusiliers; macro creatures (ghost pipefish, nudibranchs) among the corals.

Travel Tip: After diving, explore the island’s Devil’s Tear cliff or relax on Dream Beach. The famous Yellow Bridge connects Lembongan to neighboring Nusa Ceningan (Secret Bay) if you want more adventure.

5. Pemuteran (Biorock Reef) | Bali Freedive Highlights

On Bali’s remote northwest coast, Pemuteran Bay is very popular with freedivers and scuba divers alike. Here lies the world’s largest Biorock coral reef restoration project, with hundreds of artificial reef structures. These mushroom‑shaped reef towers sit in very calm, shallow water (~10–15 m). The result is a super‑healthy reef bursting with colorful fish: snappers, butterflyfish, damselfish and more. Because it’s shallow and sheltered, Pemuteran is ideal for all levels of freedivers. Underwater visibility is often 15–20 m, and the sandy patches between reefs have tiny macro life (blennies, crustaceans) to spot.

• Depth: Very shallow (~5–15 m), easy shore entry.
• Visibility: 10–20 m.
• Marine Life: Tropical reef fish, crustaceans, flatworms; soft and hard corals on every structure.

Travel Tip: Stay in Pemuteran village and visit the beach “Cube Houses” or snorkel the nearby Pulau Menjangan. The Bali Barat National Park surrounding Menjangan is a highlight of the region.

6. Padang Bai (Blue Lagoon & Bias Tugel) | Best Freedive Locations in Bali

Padang Bai is a busy east Bali port, but also a freediving hub thanks to easy access to multiple sites. Its most famous site is Blue Lagoon, a shallow bay (5–20 m) with clear turquoise water and lots of coral life. According to dive guides, Blue Lagoon is ideal for novices and advanced divers, with abundant reef fish and even black tip reef sharks. Just nearby, the north bay (Bias Tugel) is a sandy clearing great for finding octopus, stonefish and other macro critters in the muck. All of Padang Bai’s sites have gentle conditions (little surge) in the mornings.

• Depth: ~5–25 m (Blue Lagoon coral reef); shallower sandy areas for macro.
• Visibility: 15–25 m.
• Marine Life: Nudibranchs, seahorses, octopus and frogfish on the sandy bottom; reef fish, turtle and occasional small shark on the coral reef.

Travel Tip: Combine freediving with a visit to the White Sand Beach (good for the view) or the ancient Pura Goa Lawah temple. Morning dives are best before afternoon winds pick up.

7. Menjangan Island (West Bali National Park) | 10 Best Places to Freedive in Bali

Menjangan Island, part of Bali’s west national park, is a freediving gem often overlooked by tourists. Its outer wall plummets to 30–50 m, with exceptionally clear water – often 30–50 m visibility in dry season. The site features lush hard corals, giant gorgonians and a high density of marine life. Schools of fusiliers, snappers and groupers patrol the reef, and divers often spot turtles and eagle rays. Menjangan’s calm lagoon side is also very beginner‑friendly, while the drop‑off walls (reachable by a short swim) are for advanced divers. Overall it “has steep coral walls, clear water and relatively little current, making it perfect for relaxed diving”.

• Depth: 10–40 m (reef slopes and walls).
• Visibility: 20–50 m (best in May–Oct).
• Marine Life: Schools of reef fish, moray eels, scorpionfish; frequent turtles and sometimes reef sharks.

Travel Tip: Reach Menjangan by boat from Pemuteran early in the day. After diving, explore the dry forest trails or beaches of Bali Barat NP, or head to the nearby Banyuwedang hot springs.

8. Lovina (Dolphin Bay) | Must-Visit Freediving Spots in Bali

Lovina on Bali’s quiet north coast is better known for dolphin-watching than coral reefs, but it’s still a rewarding freedive spot. Before sunrise, hundreds of small boats venture out to see spinner dolphins – many freediving schools can join these gentle creatures at the surface. The water off Lovina is calm and clear, ideal for freediving. Its reefs and wrecks are shallow (5–15 m) and home to tropical fish, reef coral and even turtles. Visitors often combine the dolphin tour with snorkeling on a nearby reef: “the water is very clear with the beauty of the coral reef” and many reef fish, starfish and turtles.

• Depth: 3–15 m (shallow reefs and wrecks).
• Visibility: 10–20 m (usually good in the morning).
• Marine Life: Spinner dolphins (on early morning boat tours), reef fish (angelfish, butterflyfish), moray eels, turtles, occasional reef sharks.

Travel Tip: Book a dawn “dolphin trip” from Lovina Beach and jump in for freediving with the pods. On shore, check out nearby Banjar Hot Springs or the Buddhist Brahma Vihara Arama monastery.

9. Sanur (Shallow Lagoon) | Bali’s Top Freediving Destinations

Sanur’s calm, shallow lagoon on Bali’s southeast side is a popular freediving training site. Like Amed, it offers warm, glassy water and sandy bottom entries. The depth is very limited – mostly 3–10 m – making it ideal for beginners. As one guide notes, Sanur has “extremely calm and sheltered waters thanks to its shallow lagoon,” making it a great place to learn freediving in a stress-free environment. You’ll see small reef fish, nudibranchs and occasionally octopus in the patch reefs.

• Depth: 3–10 m (mostly shallow).
• Visibility: 10–20 m (very stable, day or night).
• Marine Life: Macro life (nudibranchs, seahorses, juvenile fish) on the sandy reef patches; harmless creatures like sea cucumbers.

Travel Tip: Sanur’s beachfront promenade has shops and cafes; it’s easy to rent gear or join a freedive course here. After diving, relax on Sanur Beach or dine at a seaside warung with sunset views.

10. Secret Bay, Nusa Ceningan | Top 10 Freediving Destinations in Bali

Secret Bay (Banjar Nyuh) on Nusa Ceningan is renowned among freedivers for its muck diving. It has a sandy-mud bottom with scattered corals and statues, full of macro critters. Underwater visibility is often lower (5–15 m) due to the muck, but the biodiversity is incredible. Freedivers here can find ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimp, pygmy seahorses and other tiny treasures. In fact, Bali’s muck sites – including Secret Bay – are “full of macro life: from harlequin ghost snails to tiny seahorses”. Secret Bay is calm and shallow (~5–12 m), perfect for macro photography and fun dives.

• Depth: Very shallow (1–12 m).
• Visibility: 5–15 m.
• Marine Life: Rare macro creatures (ghost pipefish, sea moths, tiny nudibranchs, seahorses); occasional turtle or manta gliding overhead near the reef edges.

Travel Tip: To reach Secret Bay, cross the Yellow Bridge from Lembongan to Ceningan. After your dive, don’t miss the Blue Lagoon cliff jump point or a meal at one of Ceningan’s cliffside cafes with ocean views.

Conclusion - Top 10 Freediving Spots in Bali

From beginner-friendly bays to adrenaline-fueled walls, Bali’s freediving sites span the spectrum of underwater adventure. This Bali freediving guide has covered the island’s top 10 locations, each with its own unique appeal: freediving in Bali truly offers something for everyone. Remember that conditions can vary, so always check the weather and dive with a buddy or a qualified local instructor. Whether you’re inspired by crystal-clear drift dives with mantas or laid-back reef dives with turtles, these best freedive spots in Bali promise an unforgettable experience under the waves.

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