Mantas and others

I was actually hoping to see a Mola Mola (Sunfish) but it seems they were all hiding from me in Bali. Netherless I caught up with about 6 or 7 Manta Rays at Manta Point and lotst of other interesting stuff on the dive sites around Bali. It just feels great to be in the water, not for training, not worrying about anyone else just absorbing the nitrogen and the amazing underwater world. Thanks Minni!

Manado

Manado is the capital of the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. It's a bit difficult to get there but Manado and the nearby Bunaken Island and Lembeh Strait are a paradise for scuba divers. Coming here on business I had the chance to stay an extra day and do some diving around the fascinating 600m deep walls of Bunaken Island. Definitely worthwhile with amazing five star dive sites.

Diving in Bali

Bali is an Indonesian island lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island. The island is surrounded by beautiful coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand. The beach town of Padangbai in the south east has both and this was the area I choose for some diving.







As you can see on my photos Bali is one of the top diving destinations in the world. Beautiful corals, encounters with Manta Rays and Sharks but also a wealth of macro organism like Pygmy seahorses make any dive trip worthwhile. In the North near Tulamben you can also find the wreck of the USS Liberty. Plan your dive trip around August to October for your best chance to see the fantastic Mola Mola or Sunfish.

Nyepi in Bali

Nyepi is the Balinese "Day of Silence" that falls on Bali's Lunar New Year on 26th of March 2009. Observed from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for self-reflection and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is restricted. The main restrictions are: no lighting fires (and lights must be kept low); no working; no entertainment or pleasure; no traveling; and for some, no talking or eating at all. The effect of these prohibitions is that Bali’s usually bustling streets and roads are empty, there is little or no noise from TVs and radios, and few signs of activity are seen even inside homes. The only people to be seen outdoors are the Pecalang, traditional security men who patrol the streets to ensure the prohibitions are being followed.
Even tourists are not exempt; although free to do as they wish inside their hotels, no one is allowed onto the beaches or streets, and the only airport in Bali remains closed for the entire day. The only exceptions granted are for emergency vehicles carrying those with life-threatening conditions and women about to give birth.