What about the current situation? Drift Diving in Lembongan

Sooo...you are a drift dive enthusiast?

Well you have come to the right place then! Here on our small trio of islands that make up the Nusa Islands, we can make every dive a drift dive if that's what your after.

Want current? We got it.

Why do we have current around the Nusa islands?

We are situated in the archipelago of Indonesia. The major ocean currents  squeeze through the narrow channel of all the Indonesian islands . This is known as ´the Indonesian Throughflow´. And is the reason we have not only epic drift dives but also the most biodiverse marine life in the world. We are situated in between Bali and Lombok, where the southward ocean current drives through the narrow channel of of the Lombok Strait. This current then splits at the north of the Nusa Islands and creates back eddies on the south side. Essentially this means that we have a lot of water movement flushing around. Upwellings of cooler, nutrient rich water brings a lot of awesome marine life to dive with, including  the Mantas and the Molas.

Read ahead to find out more about some of our favourite  drift diving sites. Whether you’re adrenalin chasing or prefer slow, chilled drifting, we will have something to get you excited to back roll!

Lembongan Sites

Blue Corner

Low and behold, the sight that we aptly named our dive centre after (as it is located directly in front of our shop!) This is one of our favourites. But the conditions have to be right with the tides and swell to dive here. Otherwise we’d get washingmachined (or potentially a free trip to Bali!)

Being on the corner of the reef,  you have the possibility of very strong and wild currents. There is a lot of mixing going on which means more nutrients, which means more big fish. Which also means you have the possibilities for EPICNESS when diving at the right time, with safe operators and guides (like out Blue Corner team).

With the possibility to see larger pelagics, tuna, marble rays and of course MOLA, experienced divers will be frothing at the mouth at this site.It is one of the sites that in season (July - November) Mola Alexandrini, the almighty bumphead sunfish, congregate to be cleaned. The record number of Mola seen at Blue Corner Reef by our divers is 18!! Yeah no joke.

Someone has some good karma.

As mentioned this is this is a more advanced site and requires a little more experience to handle safely. So, we only take Advanced divers with 50 + dives who we have seen can look after themselves in currents.

ToyaPakeh

An all time favourite, ToyaPakeh is one of the most beautiful reefs with corals for days. There is barely a sandy patch in site at this reef! The current will either push toward the channel or the pontoon. And that will determine where the boat drops you and which part of the site you will dive. . Drifting at this site gives you the possibility to see anything and everything, with fields of acropora and  huge schools of trevally and red tooth triggerfish.

The current can be mild or quite strong here, so the guides will always take care to assess the site before deployment! There is also an end to these dive sites when drifting as once you reach a certain zone it is important to pop up that safety marker buoy and end the dive before drifting into any tricky spots!

Ceningan Wall

Oh Ceningan my good friend. It has been a while since I have seen you! When will you chill out for me to come and experience your 180 meter wall drop off?

Steep Limestone cliffs that mark the side of Ceningan (the island between Lembongan and Penida), drop down into this gorgeous wall that experienced divers will love. The deep channel between Ceningan and Penida upwells nutrients to this reef,  sustaining this wall of paradise and makes it possible to see some awesome creatures! It also means there can be strong up and down currents. An exhilarating ride indeed. The speed of this drift can be pretty exciting!

Crystal Bay

On the west side of Penida this site has beautiful blue water usually with great visibility, coral gardens and current! There are two corners to this site, which at certain times can have very strong current (andddd cleaning stations for Mola). Depending upon your certification level,  you may dive here or in the shallower coral gardens (great for photography!)

North Penida sites

PED / Sekolah Dasar (SD) / Buyuk

Offering mild to strong drifts these sites are perfect for divers of all  levels with a variety of marine life to see as you cruise along the sloping reefs. Deep dives here have a good chance of finding Mola and also the occasional shark or eagle ray!

And for non-adrenaline junkies and people who like to set their own pace for exploring

 Manta Point and Manta Bay

So those back eddies on the south coast of Penida we mentioned in the beginning. They swirl up nutrients in the water creating a beautiful habitat for (insert drum roll) MANTAS.

Not a drift dive as there is no current here, but rather small surge (not so lazy diving) . . but again. DIVING WITH MANTAS. Yep it never gets old.

Dive on slack high tide

Any of the above sites can have greatly reduced current when dived at slack high tide.

One thing is for sure. We will have a dive site to suit your style! If you'd  like to get the most out of what we have to offer, we recommend becoming advanced open water certified so you can not only go deeper (#findthemola) but be more competent and comfortable diving in currents. Learning the correct positioning and methods for drift driving and also improving your buoyancy skills will make your dive much more enjoyable!

So. What are you waiting for? Come and seek your drifting desires in the Nusa Islands. In the meantime we will crack open a Bintang for you.