Menjangan
Menjangan Island, roughly 2km in length by just over half a kilometre in width, is one of the best known dive locations in Bali.
It is also part of the Taman Nasional Bali Barat (see Trekking in the National park)
and has an unique deer species the "Mouse deer" (Tragulus Javanicus)
which is one of the smallest deer species in the world.
Staying on the island is possible but only at a high-end and quite expensive resort. Going there is usually part of a day excursion
leaving with a boat from Labuhan Lalang (20 minutes) or taking a dive/snorkel trip from one of the dive operators in Pemuteran.
For divers only, we personally think making the trip to Menjangan island from Pemuteran makes way more sense.
General dive conditions:
The dive sites around Menjangan island are between 30 to 40 minutes away from Pemuteran. Currents and waves are mild because of its sheltered location and the
visibility is generally very good.
Type of diving is mostly wall-diving. Currents can get strong between the channel between Bali and the
west tip of the island or going round the East tip.
Located so close to the straits between Bali & Java, deep water marine life are a regular occurrence. During the rainy season is
the best time to have a chance to see Manta Rays and hopefully the majestic Whale Shark. Turtles, Napoleon Wrasses, Groupers, big Barracudas and Sharks are
all regular sightings.
The common encounters are Snappers, Batfishes, Sweetlips, Angelfishes and Fusiliers. And of course there are the Frogfishes, Pipefishes, many interesting
Nudibranch, Scorpionfishes, Lionfishes, Leaf Scorpionfishes, Crocodilefishes and Cuttlefishes.
Amongst the rarer sightings are Dolphins and Potato Cods.
Coral Garden / Temple point / Pos III - [1]
White sands with many Coral formations and loads of small fish life. Post III
also offers a long jetty and a path leading in land to the renovated temples at the back of Menjangan.
A good place for a break but doesn't offer any beach to speak of. If going to the temple always observe the cover up rules, wrapping a towel around you is enough.
Always check if it's ok to enter; if you are not sure take a look from outside the temple walls.
Snorkeling here is also excellent and it makes a good alternative to post II when the wind picks up in the summer, as the island offers a lot of shelter.
Pos III / Bat Caves - [2]
Shear drop-off going all the way round to Post II. The wall is a little way out from the island like most of the diving around
Menjangan. The reef tops off at 5 metres and slopes gently towards the island.
The shallow parts around the island towards to the Bat Caves are also home to Triggerfish in the breeding season,
which usually starts at the beginning of the rainy season. Going around the island the current picks up.
The Bat Caves get their name from the hundreds of bats living in the caves along the East side of the island.
These caves are shallow and only accessible via snorkeling since boats are too big to go in.
Pos II / the Caves - [3]
The wall runs deep on this side of the island, Manta Rays and Whale Sharks have been seen here during the rainy season. Big Barracudas hang out
here together with Surgeonfishes, Snappers and Grouper all hiding in the many crevasses and over hangs.
It also offers some good snorkeling, as you can follow the edge of the drop off catching bubbles, enjoying the abundant marine life and vibrant Corals. Further along you
reach a mooring buoy, halfway along the drop off. Depending on the way the current flows you either start here or end here. The wall
continues a good distance beyond this buoy with loads of special marine life.
Pos I - [4]
Here is the main ranger station with jetty, one of only three points where you can actually get ashore.
Not the best location on the island for diving having only a sandy bottom sloping from 16-18m down into the deep. The Coral running east towards the mangrove makes
the location good for breaks and snorkeling. Loads of small fish can be found around here.
Eel Garden / Blue Lagoon - [5]
Steep Wall, one of the better dive sites around Menjangan. Beside many small marine life also Pygmy Seahorse's. As you head along the
wall towards the channel, the top of the reef gently slopes down to meet you while you drift along and into the channel.
Big fish like Sharks, Trevally, Napoleons and Groupers like to hang out here. As the reef comes down to meet you at 20+m you have two choices:
you can either turn in and left, which will bring you into Blue Lagoon or continue on into the Eel Garden itself.
Towards the Blue Lagoon you'll find the Pygmy Seahorse's and continuing via a sandy slope you'll meet the trigger-happy Titan and Yellow margin Triggerfish.
Further along the wall brings you to a small Coral mound that swings round to a sand ridge. This ridge is the garden itself and the
entrance to the channel between Menjangan and Bali; this is where you'll find the bigger fish when the current is running.
On good days you can go further into the "Aquarium"; lots of everything all not deeper than 12 metres.
Anchor Wreck - [6]
The back of Menjangan from here till Post III is all very similar. Looking out towards Java and the tip of Bali it offers a beautiful
variety of steep slope and wall. All dropping into the blue and backed by open Bali Sea. Excellent Coral cover, many fish, Turtles, Sharks
and critters.
In the summer the back of the island is also the best place to get out of the winds that come up from the South and make
for choppy/rough conditions in the afternoons. This is common July through August till mid September. The site itself is named after the
anchor sitting in 5m of water at the top of the reef.
The wreck seems to be an unknown 19th century trading vessel of about 25m.
Following the anchor chain down to the first pieces of the wreck at 27m. The slope flattens out at about 37m and the majority
of the ship is scattered diagonally in 40m or deeper. Best time to plan this dive is during slack tide since there is no protection against
the currents.