Explore Candi Dasa
Candi Dasa, a small village located on the eastern coastline of Bali, offers adrenaline-pumping dives in the Lombok Strait. The best dive sites in the area are found around the four tiny rocky islands of Gili Tepekong, Gili Biaha, Gili Mimpang, and Gili Selang. Accessed by a short boat ride from Candi Dasa, the islands offer stunning deep walls, swim-throughs, and caves for those who want to experience the true force of the ocean. Worth the risk, the cool waters have seen reef sharks, wobbegong sharks, cat sharks and hammerhead sharks all gliding in the current. In the right season, there is even the chance to see the incredible ocean sunfish.
There are many experienced dive guides in Candi Dasa dive resorts and dive centres ready to help you experience the enthralling dive sites. Due to the fierce currents, dive courses are more suited for sites at nearby Padang Bai however these testing sites are sure to improve your buoyancy and trim! To experience many dive locations throughout Bali, liveaboards are ready to pick you up after your thrilling adventure scuba diving in Candi Dasa.
Dive Activity
Diving in Candi Dasa
The scuba diving in Candi Dasa showcases remarkable wall dives decorated with swim-throughs and caves at Gili Biaha and Tepekong dive sites. The rocky islands have a unique topography which you can admire as you pass swiftly in the current. Due to the location of the islands, almost every site is a drift dive with only a few sites giving you a chance to catch your breath and take time to appreciate the areas macro life. One of these more relaxing sites can be found on the southern side of Gili Selang.
Top Wildlife Sightings in Candi Dasa
Candi Dasa diving is famous for the many species of shark that patrol the water. The white-tip and black-tip reef sharks, as well as the rare wobbegong shark, the very rare catshark and hammerhead, have all been spotted by adventurous divers. When it is the right season, the giant oceanic sunfish drops by to leave you in awe at just how strange and wonderful life can be in the underwater world. When you get the chance to observe the coral, you’ll find it is very healthy and a host to an array of octopus, nudibranch and mantis shrimp.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
107 Sightings
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 200
Alamy-WaterFrame
Moray Eel
103 Sightings
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18
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Alamy/BIOSPHOTO
Ocean Sunfish
35 Sightings
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25
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 600
iStock/ultramarinfoto
Wrasse
16 Sightings
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9
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7
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iStock-June Jacobsen
Whitetip Reef Shark
180 Sightings
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26
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37
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16
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 28
Udo Kefrig
Clownfish
134 Sightings
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 80
iStock/Extreme-Photographer
Stingrays
87 Sightings
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 130
Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek
Butterfly Fish
83 Sightings
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22
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 40
iStock-wrangel
Triggerfish
79 Sightings
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20
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 90
Shutterstock-Rich Carey
Angelfish
73 Sightings
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7
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20
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The best Months to dive in Candi Dasa
Candi Dasa diving is best during Bali’s transition between the wet and dry seasons. During these months, in April and October, the winds are generally weaker and the seas calm. In August through to October, the water is cooler inviting mola mola and hammerhead sharks to the dive sites near Candi Dasa.
