Divers have long flocked to Bali’s many dive spots, as it holds a myriad of gorgeous and exquisite marine life.
Here are some of our favourites!
Mola Mola (Oceanic Sunfish)
The Mola Mola is a sight to behold indeed. An average Mola Mola is about 2.5 meters long, and weighs about 1000 kg. Its sheer size and the fact that it has a dorsal fin may have frightened the wits out of more than one surfer who might have mistaken a horizontally basking Mola Mola for a huge shark.
Surfers should not fear, however, the Mola Mola, is a gentle giant and feeds primarily on jellyfish. They are considered to be rare and usually live at cold depths of the sea, surfacing only during July-October. A good place to find them would be at Crystal Bay.
Manta Ray
The Manta Ray is certainly a huge draw to divers, and many flock to dive spots such as Manta Point in a bid to locate schools of these graceful rays seemingly flying through the water.
Barracuda
The fearsome giant Barracuda can be found in many dive spots around Bali. This opportunistic predator has fangs as sharp as the piranha and kills prey by dashing in and ripping out chunks of flesh. They are occasionally dangerous to humans but generally will not attack. Barracuda are attracted to shiny objects, possibly that resemble the glint of fish scales, and it is thus wise to remove such objects around them.
Wobbegong Shark
Source: Flickr
There are quite a few species of sharks that can be found in the waters of Bali, including Black tip reef sharks, and even an occasional Hammerhead shark. However, our favourite shark is the Wobbegong Shark, a type of carpet shark which mostly feeds on the ocean floor.
Although they are docile and will not attack unprovoked, this should by no means embolden divers to touch them. They will bite in defence and once having bitten, they tend to cling on.
Besides the big four of mola mola, rays, barracuda and sharks, there is so much more that Bali’s dive spots have to offer. We’d love to hear from you. What was your most memorable sighting?
See our villas near diving spots
