Thursday, March 11, 2010

ODYSSEY SUBMARINE BALI

"Odyssey Submarine", the one and only submarine in South East Asia, is definitely your best choice to explore the pristine Bali underwater.
With the normal diving site up to 90ft deep and for 45 minute ride in this unique vessel, you will be taken to the most breathtaking and rarely visited underwater world, and you will surely be able to observe and have firsthand experience of the tropical marine fauna, such as octopus/squids, napoleon, yellow jack and many other brightly colored fish as well as the unusually beautiful flora and delicate corals.
During the whole adventure, safety is assured in this highly sophisticated vessel because of its constant contact with the surface support craft, besides, your voyage will also be smooth and effortless as your professional pilot and co-pilot will guide you. In other words, your adventure with "Odyssey Submarine" will certainly be the most memorable experience in your life.
The Odyssey Submarine dive Amuk Bay in Padang Bai, twice a day. Dive I at 9:30am and Dive II: 11.30am. Pick-up time from Nusa Dua, Kuta and Ubud area is about 1.15 to 2 hrs before the dive.
For futher information : Odyssey Submarine

SEA WALKER SANUR

Did you ever think of walking at the bottom of the ocean and did you wonder what goes on in there ? - Now ... you can do it!
You can walk right on the bottom of the ocean and witness the sea life of all kind. As a safe and exciting underwater adventure Sea Walker is a unique diving system providing an opportunity to observe the underwater world up to a depth of 15 feet without certification, and without getting your hair wet.
Participants actually walk on the bottom, rather than swim while numerous exotic fish and sea life surround them. Guest will have 20 minutes of actual underwater time to a maximum depth of 15 feet. A large, full face window in the Sea Walker helmet offers a close-up view of the amazing creatures from below.

Note: Guests with heart or lung problems, on medication, pregnant, asthma or other respiratory ailments, etc. are not allowed to dive.
For further information : Sea Walker

THE BEST PLACE SURFING SOUTH BALI

PADANG GALAK
Travel through Sanur and turn off onto the new by pass road (called Ketewel By Pass) on the far side of Sanur. Padang Galak is the first place you come to after turning onto the By Pass road. Park your car at the edge of the road and walk through the rice padi field. There are a couple of warungs where you can leave your belongings. There are plenty of peaks along the break.
The beach has black sand beach and the break works best in the wet season when Kuta etc. are onshore. The black sand can get really hot to walk on. Popular with Japanese surfers so sometimes can get a little crowded. Padang Galak is a beach break with standard right and left waves that will suit all levels of surfers. The break generally suits all tides and works best on a South West or Southerly swell of 3ft - 8ft with winds from the North West or West.

KERAMAS
Travel through Sanur and turn onto the new by pass road that is known as the Ketewel By Pass and keep traveling north along this road through Ketewel, Pabean and Saba until you reach Keramas. When you reach Keramas (approx 15-20 mins depending on traffic) you will see a small blue sign on the right hand side of the road with Keramas painted in yellow and this takes you down a dirt track. Keep your eyes open as it can be hard to find.
Keramas is a traditional beach break with rights and left world class waves that are powerful and fast but fun. This break is more suited to experienced surfers. Tides are best at mid and high tide with a swell from 3-5 ft up to 8ft and the wind is best from the West on a North West or Easterly swell. If Keramas isn't working there are three other beaches are within walking distance and the breaks on these may be working so worth checking out. Generally not crowded, friendly and relaxing with great waves.

LEBIH
Lebih Beach, situated in Lebih village, about 9 km south of Gianyar city must be the best-known beach in Gianyar. It has good waves for surfing and an abundance of tasty seafood served along the shore.

THE BEST PLACE SURFING TABANAN AREA


BALIAN
Balian is on the west road that travels to Medewi and Java (G-Land). It is a great place to stop off and have a surf on your way to Medewi or Java. About 1.5hrs after leaving Denpasar area you will see a broken surfboard on the left hand side of the road with Balian written on it. Follow the road for about 5 minutes and park at the warung at the top of the cliff.
The break is made up of reef and rocks and has a quality right & left hand wave producing a ride of about 150 meters on a good day and is suitable for all levels of surfer. The break can work on all tides and optimum swell size is from 3ft - 8ft. The lefts are usually longer and better shaped than the right handers. When you enter the water you will be taken out by the current to the right. Do not try to master the current because you simply will not succeed. After a 50 meters offshore paddle to the left it's a long paddle to the peak but you will be rewarded with some very long rides. Balian is a nice quiet spot, not crowed and a typically beautiful Bali surf break but, like Medewi surfing must be done in the early morning as by mid to late morning the onshore winds will begin to blow the surf out. When you enter the water you will be taken by the current to the right. Do not try to master the current because you simply will not succeed. after about 50 meters offshore paddle to the left. It's a very long paddle to the peak but at the same time you get very very long rides.

MEDEWI
To reach Medewi you have to drive north west from Kuta for around 2.5 hours in hellish traffic conditions. As this is the main traffic artery between Java and Bali it is always clogged with cars, vans, trucks, buses and motorbikes so the best option is to leave very early in the morning and beat most of the traffic. There are also a number of good breaks at the river mouths along the way, and you will rarely see anyone surfing them. Leaving Kuta head through Denpasar and follow the signs to Tabanan and keep following the main road north west.
Season - Wet & Dry Seasons - Early mornings are best as the winds can blow the surf out by midday.
Swell Direction - South
Ideal Wave Size - 4 - 6ft
Best Winds - Early morning with light winds
Break Popularity - Usually no crowd problems, probably due to the distance from the main tourist areas on the Southern Peninsula. Also many only make a day trip as there is no nightlife available but the locals are very friendly - even in the surf. When working the Medewi waves will give you long ride but does not offer many tube sections.

THE BEST PLACE SURFING KUTA AREA

AIRPORT LEFT
As the name implies, Airport lefts is in front of the northern side of the airport runway in Tuban, about 1.5kms south of Kuta Reef and approx 1km from the beach. Hire one of the local boats to get there, and save your energy for surfing.
Season - Dry Season (May-September)
Swell Direction - South
Ideal Size - at 4-5 ft - Airport Lefts begins to close when it gets bigger than this.
Best Winds - South East Trade Winds
Break - This break is a favourite of Japanese surfers so it can get crowded, and is a favourite with Japanese surfers. The waves are not a super powerful and the wave only runs for about 70 mtrs.

AIRPORT RIGHTS
Airport Rights is on the southern side of the airport runway and the wave can not be seen from the Kuta/Tuban area. The only way to reach this break is by hiring one of the local boats and do expect to pay a little more than for the other breaks in the area as its a lot further out.
Season - Dry Season (May - September)
Swell Direction - South
Ideal Size - 3 - 6 ft
Best Winds - South East Trade Winds
Break - When the swell is big on the reefs along the Kuta stretch it's worth taking a trip around to Airport Rights as it does take a bit of big swell before this break starts to work. With a high tide in the morning and a big swell to go with it, the chances are that this break will be working. Airport Rights is a classic right hand wave with rides up to 100mtrs or more. When it's working in the 2 - 4ft range you can generally expect it to be crowded.

KUTA REEF
Kuta Reef is located approx 800mtrs offshore, just to the left of the Discovery Kartika Plaza Resort. Hire one of the local boats to get out to the break. For a few dollars they will take you out and then return and pick you up when you're finished surfing (sometimes best to make a pre arranged time for a pickup with the boat operator that takes you out).
Season - Dry Season (May - September)
Swell Direction - South
Ideal Size - 4 - 5 ft is the best and also better on a middle to high tide
Best Winds - South East Trade Winds
Break - Kuta Reef is a very popular break and due to its convenient and central location it is not hard to find 60 - 70 surfers in the water. Have patience and pick you times and you will end up with a fun surf. When conditions are right, Kuta Reef produces a world class lefthander with waves traveling for up to 200 mtrs or more with some good barrel sections.

CANGGU
Canggu is situated on the southern coast between Seminyak and Tanah Lot. If you travel by car there is only a very small carpark so can be more convenient with a motorbike. This reef break has a regional classic wave that should be sampled while in Bali. It has both lefts and rights but the lefts are much better than the rights and the waves can be very fast but the ride is short. Works best on the mid and high tides with a swell size of 5-6ft. Surfing hazards are the rips and rocks in the surfing area. A number of locals surf this break so be prepared for a little attitude from some of them. The surf can blow out if the wind picks up and the break can get crowded at high tide as it only supports about 25 surfers. The warung at the beach has a toilet and there is also a well where you can wash off after the surf. The warung also serves basic food and drinks.

PERERENAN
A rocky outcropping seperates Canggu from Pererenan. About 1km north is large parking area. That's the spot. In a good swell there are two breaks. The first is good right. And close by another right-fast but good. Best at mid tide and up to 6 foot. Over 6 foot it's not so hot, with close outs which break further out. Water can be dirty because of nearby rivers.

THE BEST PLACE SURFING NUSA DUA

GEGER (NIKKO HOTEL)
The first peak is closest to the Temple, which is located on the southern point. This Right-hander offers a steep peaky takeoff and huge walls and barrels.
The Second Peak located around 150metres north is also a Peaky take off that begins the long right hander with barreling, steep walls and fatty sections to play with.
The Third Peak is also located around 150metres north again is usually the most popular peaks this also offers everything you could want from a wave all in one speedy sections that wind up barreling and then if you make it through this section you will be rewarded with a long winding wally section.
All in all the most consistent and satisfying right-hander in Bali. It is the best on either side of low tide, but still a great wave on high tide as well.

NUSA DUA
To get to this reef you have to drive in to the town itself and then weave your way south, there are a couple of other good waves in this area also so it pays to do a bit of exploring.
Season - Wet Season (October - April)
Swell Direction - South
Ideal Size - 4 - 8 ft
Best Winds - West North West
Break - Nusa Dua is a popular break in the wet season so can get crowded. Best thing with this break is that the actual reef stretches over a very large area and there are at least three or four take off spots to surf. Even though this is a popular break in the wet season it is not as crowded as the popular dry season breaks as it is also a low season for visiting surfers. The waves are powerful with good tube section but be warned that the break usually has a very strong current running and this usually works against you and gives you a lot of work to do to stay on your take off point. The reef is almost a kilometer offshore so it is better to hire one of the local boats to reach the break in comfort.

SRI LANKA
A short bowling right hander located a short paddle offshore from Bali Club Med Resort. Sri Lanka provides its best waves on mid tide and medium-large swell.

THE BEST PLACE SURFING EAST COAST BALI

SERANGAN
Take the by pass to sanur and make a you turn after Makro, then left and just go straight ahead. After you have spent Rp.1000 for parking, just ask for the way to the surfbeach. Once there you will find one of the most diverse spots at all with a big choice of waves. Often very crowded, which can make it a nightmare. You will find three breaks-perfect for beginners right through to the most experienced. Don't forget booties-sharp coral.

SANUR
Sanur and Tandjungs and Hyatt are the three main reefs at Sanur. To get there just follow the By Pass main road to Sanur and then turn right at either of the two sets of traffic lights in Sanur. From any of the beach areas you should be able to see at least one of the reefs. Hyatt Reef is, as the name implies, out the front of the Bali Hyatt Resort.
Season - Wet Season (November - April)
Swell Direction - South
Ideal Size - 4 - 6 ft
Best Winds - West South West
Break - The breaks in the Sanur area require a lot of big swell to get them working properly. It there is huge swell at Nusa Dua you will find some perfect right handers along the Sanur reefs. Be warned that the local surfers are very 'wave hungry' and also not too happy about sharing their 'home break' and they can make it difficult for any newcomer, especially when the waves are under 5ft and this can make it difficult to get waves.

HYATT REEF
Best avoided on an outgoing tide Hyatt reef is 1km offshore and can provide great right handers. Located on the edge of the channel that drains all water from Sanur lagoon the Hyatt Reef is the best surfed mid tide-incoming.

THE BEST PLACE SURFING SOUTH ULUWATU

NYANG NYANG
Nyang nyang is an exposed reef break that has reasonably consisten surf. Nov-April(Wet Season) provides optimum time of year for waves. The best wind direction is from the north. Tends to receive distant groundswells and the optimum swell angle is from the southwest. A right hand reef break. Best around mid tide. Sometimes crowded. watch out for roks.

GREEN BALL
To get to the break at Green Balls, head out towards Uluwatu and follow the signs to the Bali Cliff Resort at the intersection at Balangan. Green Balls is just the other side of the Bali Cliff Resort and but be warned that there are over 600 steps to get to the bottom of the cliff.
Season - Wet Season (November - April)
Swell Direction - South
Ideal Size - 4 - 6ft Uluwatu always seems to have waves and rarely goes flat. All conditions seem to work.
Best Winds - West North West
Break - The Green Balls break is at the bottom of a cliff so just follow the staircase down to the bottom. No problem getting down but remember that after you have been surfing for a couple of hours the return trip back up the steps will be quite a bit harder. There are usually people around that you can pay to carry your gear for you. Because of these factors the break is never crowded.

THE BEST PLACE SURFING IN ULUWATU

PADANG PADANG
The jewel in the crown of Indonesian surfing. A powerful Pipeline type lefthander that only breaks on big swells. A one person wave, Padang often gets crowded with surfers seeking the perfect barrel. Tempers can get frayed so keep your cool.

BINGIN
Short left hand tube ride, then shuts down onto dry reef on the inside section. So good, that Bingin is almost always crowded. Best between 2-5ft.

IMPOSSIBLES
Long walling lefthander surfable through all tides, Tends to section offon small swells-however, when impossibles gets over 6 ft it can straighteen up into a long high speed wall.

DREAMLAND
Short left and right peak break on reef shelf just off the beach. Requires a low tide and larger swell to break properly-Without the right conditions dreamland can be a hoax.

BALANGAN
Walling lefthander that can sometimes provide long rides given the right swell direction. On a small swell it's best at high tide . On a big swell the waves move out off the reef and provide open faced high speed walls

SULUBAN
located a few kilometers from the north of Uluwatu is one of the ideal beach for a surf.

THE BEST DIVING SITES LOMBOK

Lombok next door to Bali the island of Lombok, which has established its own name diver's world. Here on Lombok you can dive from any of the 3 famous Gili's where the conditions are easy and the average depth is 18 meters, with up to 40 m visibilities. You can also dive the recently discovered"Project South(Teluk Sepi)"

SENGGIGI
This former fishing village is now the center of tourism on Lombok with big variety of shops, a wide range of accommodation and restaurants. Many people say it is like Kuta used to be 25 years ago, so it's really worth a visit. There are already six divesites that Senggigi dive operators visit, and more are being discovered all the time.


THE GILI ISLAND
Situated in the North West of Lombok, Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan are surrounded by white sandy beaches. There are no cars here only quaint horse drawn carriages. Just a one hour trip from senggigi. Gili Trawangan is the 'Party Island' while Gili Air stands for peace and tranquillity. Coral has suffered from bleaching, but the fish life is profuse at some sites.

TELUK SEPI
Pioneered by Dream Divers in 2001, these sites are renowned for their 100% pristine corals and fantastic marine life. Due to strong currents, some of these pinnacles are for exprienced divers only. During the dry season large schools of Hammerheads have been seen.

THE BEST DIVING SITES BALI


PADANG BAI
This dive site is cooler than most others and visibility can be quite low. The waters in this area are shallow and currents are slow. A good location for a refresher dive not far from the beach. The sites are reached by small local outriggers. What's more. padang Bai is charming little village with water's edge restaurants serving the freshest seafood.
Reef type flat,sandy bottom mixed reef, walls
Access 10 to 15 minutes by boat
Visibility 6 to 15 meters
Current gentle. Rarely 1 knot.
Coral verying outcrops
Fish good variety.
Highlights Titan Triggerfish,sting rays
Other underwater canyon, steep coral wall


CANDI DASA
A very good dive site with plenty of sea life. The island of Tepekong, Gili Mimpang and Gili Likuan can have strong currents and downdrafts. Sometimes unpredictable with cooler temperatures. a3mm wetsuit is advisable. Large species of fish have occasionally been sighted.
Reef type flat,sandy bottom mixed reef, walls
Access 10 to 15 minutes by boat
Visibility 6 to 15 meters
Current gentle. Rarely 1 knot.
Coral verying outcrops
Fish good variety.
Highlights Titan Triggerfish,sting rays
Other underwater canyon, steep coral wall

CEMELUK
An excellent dive site for sea life. Probably the best in Bali with superb coral walls carrying a large variety of coral species. The area offers a teeming variety of fish and rates in comparison with Eastern Indonesia dive site. A must if you dive in Bali.
Reef type coastal reef, and slope and walls
Access 5 minutes small boat or from the beach
Visibility 10 to 20 meters
Current gentle
Coral excellent variety, best hard coral in Bali
Fish exciting numbers and variety
Highlights the deep wall provides a rich
Density of fish, the corals are close to the beach

TULAMBEN
A very popular divesite. The USAT Liberty, a 10,000 tonne ship lies just off the beach between nine and thirty meters. There is plenty of sea life at swallow depths with good visibility for photographs. Access from the beach over rocks can be difficult when there is tidal surge, so boots are recommended.
Reef type ship wreck of the "Liberty", walls
Access 10 to 15 minutes by boat
Visibility 12 to 15 meters
Current, no current
Coral encrusting animals on wreck, fine coral wall
Fish superb numbers and variety
Highlights night diving at full moon, fish feeding
Other can be crowded in the middle of the day


AMED
Amed was traditionally dependent on salt-panning and fish and, despite the arrival to tourists, it has retained that asmosphere making it popular for longer stays. The road winds along the coast giving spectacular views and there is wide choice of accommodation for all bugdets. It's more pratical to visit Amed by car or bike, as there is very little public transport. While the fish life here is superb, in 1998-an El Nino year some coral bleaching occurred and although the reef is recovering, we cannot yet tell when it will reach its former glory.

Conditions here, from shore or boat, are easy, with good visibility, Amed Reef(depth 12-22 meters), with many different kinds of sponges and gorgonians and goby sets to schools of barracuda and Blue spotted rays. White tip reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse and big trevally are some times encountered, in addition to large schools of bannerfish,snapper and fusilier can be found at Amed wall(10-35m). The deep slope after the wall is rich in invertebrates with crinoids and commensally.
Reef type flat,sandy bottom mixed reef, walls
Access shore or boat
Visibility good
Current gentle. Rarely 1 knot
Coral many kinds of sponges and gorgonians
Fish good variety
Highlights Titan Triggerfish,sting rays
Other underwater canyon, steep coral wall


LIPAH BAY
3km southeast of Amed. A small blacksandy bay, is home to a 20 meter steel frieghter wreck(depth 6-12m)that is encrusted with many sponges, gorgonians, coral bushes and in habited by cloud of damshels and altheas, and parrotfish and anglefish. The deeper slope is recommended.

GILI SELANG
On Bali's eastern point, has at time, like all exposed sites, ripping currents. Selangis therefore a site for experiencied divers only. Here you may encounter Manta rays and dolphins, along with quite low lying, healthy corals with many Moray eels and schooling fish. Gili Selang can also be reached by fast boat from Padang Bai.


MENJANGAN ISLAND AND SECRET BAY
Highly recommended site with excellent visibility up to 50 meters.
Beautiful coral walls and excellent configurations in the reefs. You can enjoy dives at depth of 5 - 7 meters, or vertical walls descending 30 - 60 meters. Take a full day on the crevasses, caves and grottos, and an old wreck at 40 meters. It's a long drive for a day trip, so plan to stay overnight. There's good accomodation aviable on the mainland.

Reef type flat,sandy bottom mixed reef, walls
Access 30 minutes by boat
Visibility 25 to 50 meters
Current gentle.
Coral abundant number, variety, soft corals
Fish good number, average variety
Highlights ship wreck of the"Anker"
Other large variety of parrotfish



NUSA PENIDA
The temperatures can be cool at the dive sites of Ceningan and Lembongan island because of wellings. Several hours by boat from Bali but well worth the trip as coral and sea life is in abundance here. These are drop off dives and currents can be swift along with surges. It is advisable to be with an experienced guide, who can ussully find alternate sites if conditions get too tricky. Bring gloves and a 3mm wetsuit.
Reef type drop off, steep slopes
Access 45 minutes to 11/2 hours by boat
Visibility 15 to 30 mters
Current can be very strong, more than 4 knots.
Coral excellent variety of hard corals
Fish abundant variety, lots of pelagics
Highlights sweetlips schools, huge hawksbill turtle, sharks, manta and ocean sunfish
Other current are unpredictable and often fierce, temperatures can get very low


TIPS FIRST TIME VISITORS

ATTITUDE
Good mannners are very important to Indonesian people, and since you will be treated as an honored guest in this country, it is only right to repay that courtesy by showing respect for the traditions and culture. Never touch somebody heead unless you become a very close friend, don't touch people with your left hand and don't stretch out your feet to the direction of nearby person. When a you're traveling around if something goes wrong, you will have accept that there is no such thing as a"disaster". Maintain your sense humor. Relax and let yourself roll with the punches rather than getting will not be understood unless something really heavy is happening. Also refusals should be made by claiming to be presently satisfied and leaving a later option open. Always asking if an intended action is allowed will assure you the appreciation of the people involved and generally permission granted.

CULTURE
Bali is Hindu society and ceremonies are part of daily life. Try not to step on offerings and be patient, when you come upon a religious procession either while you're driving or walking in the street. If you attend ceremonies, keep in mind that these are serious occasions and you should treat them with respect. Always cover your legs with a sarong or long pants. Don't walk in front of people praying and never sit higher than the priest. Women during menstruation and anyone with a bleeding wound are not allowed to enter a temple. Some ceremonies go on for many hours. Don't feel that you have to stay untill the very end. It is perfectly OK get up and leave at any point, provided you do this without creating a disturbance.

DRESS CODE
The balinese, while modestly dressed themselves, are very forgiving when it comes to tourists' attire, however walking around town in speedos or a bikini is not really appreciated. When entering temples you are required to wear a sarong and sash, you'll see that the temples themselves are similarly attired. If you have to visit a goverment office, long sleeves, long trousers/skirt and shoes are advisable. Pack light, natural fabrics and don;t pack too many clothes, as there are cheap clothing shop all over Bali.

AIRPORT TAX
International = Rp.150.000 Domestic = Rp.50.000
Rp: Indonesia Rupiah (IDR)

TIME ZONE
Indonesia has three time zone. Bali is GMT+8hrs

CLIMATE
The rainy season is officially October-March, but it varies yearly. There is diving year round although the best seasons are April and May and September till November. Remember to apply plenty of sunscreen even on cloudy days.

ELECTRICITY
220 volts. Bring a plug adaptor with you.

MONEY CHANGERS
When you receive your rupiah,count it yourself and then do not put it down! Note : some money changers charge commission and what you receive will not be that is quoted on the boards outside their shops. You will be better off changing money only at those outlets which specialize in changing money and not retail shops which offer money change facilities as an extra.

ATMs are now widespread, particularly in the most heavily touristed areas. Note that those machines dispensing Rp.50.000 notes restrict you to Rp.1.250.000 per transaction, whereas those that dispense Rp.100.000 notes allow you Rp.2.500.000 per transaction.

CREDIT CARD
Mastercard and Visa are widely accepted in south Bali and all upmarket hotel/shops. Some places take American Express and Dinner Club.
You may encounter a 3% surcharge for creditcard use.

 

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