A SMALL island to the north of northwest Bali, part of West Bali National Park. Its name means Deer Island an uninhabited island described as having beautiful reef flats. It was in 1978 that Menjangan became Bali's first internationally-known dive location with the best diving.

Unfortunately that is no longer true. However, these reef flats are now showing strong signs of recovery and will, in all likelihood, come back with much greater diversity than they had before. On a more positive note, Menjangan is actually famous for the wall-diving and these walls were unaffected by the above problems.

The tiny adjoining island is accessible in 30 minutes by boat and suitable for all season, undemanding diving where magnificent underwater vistas (up to 50 m visibility) will surprise even the most seasoned diver. It is rich with all kinds of sponges, sea plants, coral and fish. This area is considered the diver's paradise in Bali. With the exception of the west part of the island the coral growth starts at a half-meter deep water.

On the whole Menjangan is a most recommended dive site for all levels of divers alike this is truly paradise. Menjangan's underwaterworld surely belongs on the list of the world's top dive sites. On a more positive note, Menjangan is actually famous for the wall-diving. The walls descend to varying depths 26 to 60 m. The walls offer the greatest diversity of gorgonian fans in Bali.

They generally start at 10 meters with the flat coral reefs offering gentle conditions and lots of sunlight. These are full of medium and small fish. The walls are full of small nooks and crannies, overhangs, and bigger cavelettes, crevasses, etc. They are covered with soft corals, gorgonian fans, sponges.

Menjangan Island have several dive sites, the popular are the Garden Een, Pos II, and Anker Wreck, such as:

Post I

You can either start from the jetty and swim to the east or from a boat that drop you right in the channel between the Menjangan channel. This dive sites is big, covering more than 6 ha underwater lives, partial drop off, slope and flat area. Generally visibility is around 20 m or better. You can expect to be companied by some friendly batfish through out your dive.

Sometimes there's some current in the channel, and that's the time when you have a chance to see some big pelagic, such as tuna, sharks, some dolphins (at the surface). Generally the diving is relaxing and there are many things to see. The area near the jetty is also excellent for training.

Post II

Located on Menjangan's most south-easterly point, Post II can be beach-entry or boat-entry, and drift-diving. Post II is a sandy passage, you could see the coral wall on the left and the right side. Both side of this area is the most interesting area at Menjangan and also known as the best place to see turtle in the right season. From the passage you'll find and area with nice overhang and very good area for silhouette underwater photography.

If you swim to the west, you will find underwater structure with small cavern and drop off. It serves excellent natural framing for underwater photographer and videographer, with some silhouette. To the east, there are more fishes to see, drop off, big gorgonians and sometimes current. At some shallow reef, you can find schools of jack fish. Deeper than 40 m, is the place to see bigger marine lives.

Very occasionally we find that the current is actually heading west. Almost immediately you find an area where, if the conditions are right, you can see pelagics. Descending slowly along the wall, the diversity of reef fish is remarkable: angelfish, anthias, chromis, gobies, scorpion fish. The surface of the wall is full of crevasses, cracks and overhangs which hide many treasures. There is the occasional cave too.

Budak Wreck

Located east of Pos I, the depth of the wreck starts at 35 m and down to 50 m. It is an old wreck and full of kind of metal plated and schools of yellow strip snapper two resident white tip sharks are among the marine lives you'll probably see. Some artifacts left untouched. The wreck itself is not big, but it's deep, with normal air, you probably can explore the wreck in just 10 to 15 minutes. Visibility is generally from 15 to 25 m.

Peti

North site of Menjangan, east of Budak Wreck, lays a slope of coral reef, and partial drop off in some area, abundant reef fish, such as anthias, butterflyfish and angelfish. The dive is relatively easy and not deep. You will start from a traditional boat and back roll into the water before descending to around 15 to 25 m. The structure of the shallow reef is also very beautiful with some white sandy bottom.

The Anker Wreck

No one knows the name of this small wooden boat, even if it had one, or what brought it to the area. The wreck is actually named for the anchor that still lies about 6-8 m from the surface. You follow the anchor chain down the steep slope to the flattened remains of the shipwreck, which lie across of sand

There is a second anchor at the point where the site becomes a sand slope. It is here that you see the first parts of the wreck, dark against the white sand. Across the site you will find copper sheeting and bottles. There are still some parts of the boat which remain out of the sand, and which are covered in gorgonians, a sure sign of little or no currents at the site. The wall to the west is rich with many overhangs, cracks and caves.

Garden Eel Point

Starting this dive from the most north-western tip of Menjangan Island, following the wall southwards towards the Menjangan channel, you will see some of the most healthy and diverse coral on Menjangan. The cracks and breaks in the wall are filled with a great diversity of reef fish. If conditions dictate that you cannot enter at the north-western tip of the island, you will enter closer to Garden Eel Point.

Gradually following the wall down from the top to 25 m, where it becomes a white sand slope, you find a big gorgonian fan with long-nose hawkfish. It is also known for sightings of white tip reef shark, small schools of barracudas, turtles, and napoleon fish. From Garden Eel Point you head south to a coral garden. This area gives us big-eyed trevally, titan triggerfish, clownfish in their anemones and a surprisingly number of scorpionfish.

The Deep Reef

Pemuteran is a small collection of resorts located on the beach and the access point for Menjangan Island. Slight current, good variety of fish and abundant soft corals make this a good dive and snorkel area. With some good observation skill, you may find ghost pipefish, leaf fish and several types of beautiful nudibranch. To dive at this place, divers require to have good buoyancy control to be able to make safety stop from a float.

The diving here is on 0,5 km wide coral-covered banks or mounds that go from the sand floor. The top coral cover is a mixture of hard, soft and fire corals with some sea fans and sponges deeper. No currents to speak of and visibility is usually good, but varies quite a bit due to shallowness (wave action stirring up the bottom, run-off after rain).

From April to October gives good conditions, but during December until March conditions are usually poor. Due to the easy conditions, and close proximity to the resorts, you can night-dive at Pemuteran - not only on these coral mounds but also on the reef just off the beach.

Illustrations of Menjangan Island Dive Site

Type of Dive : Boat-diving, Wall-diving, Drift-diving
Visibility :15 - 30 meters. Excellent to superb
Current : Mild current
Temperatures : 28° - 29° C
Depths : 5 - 40 metres
Level : Open water
Highlights :Coral walls and grottoes, turtles, barracudas, big eyed trevally, batfish. Very good numbers and variety, abundant soft corals. Good number fish, only average variety
Conditions :Vertical and craggy wall. Beautiful vertical walls, warm water, white sand. Back-roll entry. This island has many different points to dive from depending on the divers skill and objectives. One site includes a bed of sea snakes and resident sharks.