EEL GARDEN
Menjangan is the dive destination known for having some of the most beautiful wall dives found in Bali. Its drop-offs descend from 20 to 60 metres deep and offer an incredible biodiversity, notable for its gorgonians. The traditional Balinese boat will moor up to a buoy, and once you backroll into the water and descend you will find yourself on a shallow coral reef plateau. The water is clear, and already you notice the quantity of fish and coral. As you slide down the wall, the dark blue below captivates you, the giant gorgonians reveal their bright hues of red, orange, and yellow, and the oddly shaped and tubular sponges transform into a sandy slope. On this slop you pass by hundreds of hypnotizing garden eels that undulate back and forth.
POS 2
Next to one of the island’s tiny piers, which are also used as the national park’s control stations, is where you can climb down from the boat to enjoy lunch on the small beach at the water’s edge. After lunch, back to the ocean we go. Once underwater, you descend onto a spectacular wall that descends to depths greater than 60 metres, and contains small alcoves, caverns, and vertical fissures that run through the reef. The atmosphere here is distinct as the sun behind you casts mood shadows , the infinite blue is dark in color, and certain large caverns become illuminated cathedrals thanks to openings in the ceiling that create natural skylights. This particular lighting attracts the interest of most ambiance photographers and makes for some stunning images.
Among the dozens of cavern-like openings along the wall, we search for “electric clams” (Ctenoides ales), which are a species of bivalve mollusk. This mollusk is actually quite difficult for most divers to spot, although its exterior is bright orange-red, and lined with long fine tentacles of the same color. Just inside the opening of the mollusk, there is a strip of blue and white iridescence that can only be seen by the light of an underwater torch, but reminds us of an electric arc.
This site can be a bit more exposed to currents and is often considered to be a drift dive. Thermoclines are also a possibility and can sometimes bring with them larger fish like manta ray, whale shark or sun fish (Mola mola). This dive endsovertop of a shallow coral plateau that borders the entire island.
PURI JATI
Situated not far from Lovina, this safari site is loveable and enjoyable to dive. Even this dive location is similar to Seraya, Gilimanuk or Lembeh, it has its own unique characteristic. The topography of this spot is dark volcanic sand with some seaweed and soft coral. The mimic octopus and other rare species of octopus occupy this place. Sometimes the dolphins come out to suprise you. Fabulous diving stories regularly come from divers who have already dived there. Puri Jati is also famous for its underwater photography. Macro photography is able to be taken there even in the night. With capturing frogfish, dragonets, seahorses, nudibranches, ambon scorpion fish and devil fish, your entire diving experience will guide you to an unforgettable memory. Atlantis International crew will accompany you to have an attractive safari experience.
KAPAL BUDAK
The name of this site comes from an ancient wooden boat whose name and history are unknown. It seems that the boat may have been transporting slaves at the beginning of the 19th century, as “kapal” means “ship” and “budak” means “slave”. Two anchors are encrusted into the sediment and sand, one of them at 6 metres, and the other at 32 metres deep. What remains of the boat is found between 35 and 50 metres deep, but the ship itself is hardly recognizable as it’s completely overgrown in coral. The dive begins along a wall blotted by rifts and recesses which is colonized by an abundant marine life. As this is often a deeper dive, be careful to watch closely your depth gauge and no-decompression limits. Lucky divers might see eagle rays, whale shark, or even sun fish (Mola mola).