Amed – Bali Diving   Amed is a quant town along the North East coast of Bali. It is perfectly situated as a home base for divers interested in exploring the rich underwater flora and fauna of the area. The North East coast is the most famous area of Bali for diving and boasts many popular dive sites. Although many folks refer to Tulamben as the place to be, the neighboring town of Amed offers more highlights for most visitors. Located approximately two and half hours from Denpasar, Amed is nestled along the coast of the extinct Seraya Volcano. The area is ringed by black sand beaches and ..read more

Porcupinefish – Animal Spotlight Pufferfish are a well known family of ocean dwellers. These uniquely shaped fish come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colours. They are from the Tetraodotformes order which includes closely related families such as triggerfish, filefish, boxfish, and even mola. However, the coolest looking of all surely is the porcupinefish. Porcupinefish are the true stars of this family with their oversized heads and giant bulbous eyes. Their distinct look makes them easy to distinguish when encountering one in the water. They are mainly found in inshore tropical and temp ..read more

Lembeh Creatures We recently hosted our 10th Anniversary Photo Workshop at NAD Lembeh Resort back in July. Prior to the event we were there for the “Photo Fun Week” where we also jumped in the water with our cameras. During the workshop we don’t dive with cameras and the Fun Week allows us to see what critters are hanging out before the workshop starts. This year we enjoyed four days worth of diving to photograph the always inspiring wildlife in Lembeh. With the great guides of NAD on hand we were able to photograph a long list of great critters. We have selected a few highlight shots to share ..read more

Gobies – Animal Encounters Often overlooked but never far from site, gobies are one of the most common residents on a coral reef. In fact, gobies are the largest family of fish with over 2000 species worldwide. Found in all sorts of environment, including brackish and fresh water, it’s almost a guarantee to find a goby when diving in Indonesia. In Bali we dive in a variety of environments, from coral reefs to black sand sites. All of these sites offer exciting encounters for the goby lover. These tiny fish range in size from a mere 1 cm to over 30 cm in length. They mainly spend their lives o ..read more

There is truth behind the idea that something can be so ugly it’s cute. One animal that certainly fits this philosophy is the humble frogfish. Frogfish are a favorite encounter amongst divers whenever encountered. For a fish that is known for blending in and rarely moving, they have become a much sought after critter for divers. In fact, the frogfish is one of the most requested critter encounters our guides receive. A Charismatic Critter? Frogfish are a short and squat bottom dwelling fish that have perfected the art of camouflage. They can be found throughout tropical and subtropical seas a ..read more

Bali Nudibranchs – A Favourite of Divers Nudibranchs are a favorite critter for many divers. In fact, nudibranchs are so popular that hundreds of books, websites, and social media pages exist to celebrate them. What is a nudibranch I hear you ask? In lay terms, a nudibranch is basically a garden slug that lives underwater. In a more technical sense, they are a member of the mollusc phylum with their common name nudibranch meaning “naked lung”. There are over 3000 species of nudibranch and they are found throughout the worlds oceans. They also inhabit depths from the shallows to deeper than 80 ..read more

Sidem – A Bali Dive Site in the Tulamben Area Tulamben is one of the more popular diving areas in Bali. When we use the term Tulamben, we refer to the greater area encompassing areas outside of the main bay. Basically, any of the sites within a 15 minute drive of the Liberty Wreck are considered “Tulamben” diving. One of the sites further to the south east is a popular site named Sidem. Nestled in a quiet bay, Sidem consists of a rocky beach littered with local boats and shaded with large trees. A traditional Balinese Hindu temple sits among the tall trees adding a sense of peace to the area ..read more

Komodo Liveaboard August 2023 We are happy to announce a new liveaboard trip to Komodo in August 2023. This 9 night trip is on the wonderful Samambaia liveaboard and runs from 21-30 August 2023. Komodo is one of the top diving locations in the world and August is one of the best times to visit. This trip will start and end in Labuan Bajo. This means there is only one short domestic flight needed either from Bali or Jakarta. The schedule will visit the top sites in the National Park as well as outlying areas. Top sites in the Komodo area include Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, Shotgun, Batu Bolong ..read more

Have you heard of the coconut octopus? This incredible creature, also known as the veined octopus, is a species of octopus that has the ability to use all kinds of shells as a home or in defense. The octopus likes to find a comfy shell and carry it around, a sort of “mobile home”. It will hide inside the shells when resting or when hiding from predators.   Coconut Octopus – Where do they Live? The coconut octopus is a small species of octopus, growing to about 20 cm in length. They are native to the Indo Pacific region and we encounter them quite often in Bali. They typically live in sha ..read more

Emperor Shrimp – A Touch of Light in a Dull World One animal that often gets mistaken for another is the synaptid sea cucumber. These elongated cucumbers are often mistaken for worms. They typically are found on sandy bottoms and boast a dull colour. However, if you look closely at these cucumbers you may spot a touch of brightness. The bright and colourful Emperor Shrimp is a commensal hitchhiker often found on the larger specimens. These crustaceans are full of character and deserve a few minutes of your time to observe their behaviour. They spend their time picking detritus off the surface ..read more