Nusa Penida
Manta rays all year and, in the cold months, the odd-looking mola mola.
At a glance
- Best months
- April to November
- Water
- 16–29°CCan fall to 16–22°C below the thermocline in mola season; bring 5 mm
- Visibility
- 10–30 m
- Current
- StrongStrong and changeable drift currents, with down-currents at some sites
- Certification
- AdvancedMinimum Advanced
- How you dive
- Land-based
When to go
April to November; mola mola season is roughly July to October.
Overview
Nusa Penida and its neighbour Nusa Lembongan lie just off the southeast coast of Bali. The channel between them and Bali carries strong, nutrient-rich water, which brings reef manta rays to cleaning stations all year and, from roughly July to October, the mola mola or ocean sunfish.
Molas come up from deep, cold water to be cleaned on the reef, and they are usually seen between about 20 and 40 metres. During that season, upwelling can drop the temperature below 20°C in an instant, so a 5 mm suit is sensible. Sightings are never guaranteed, and booking several days improves the odds.
Currents here are strong and change quickly, and some sites have down-currents. This is a place for Advanced divers who are comfortable with drift diving. Diving continues all year, but November to March is the rainy season with more variable conditions.
Who it suits
Advanced Open Water. Manta Point can suit calmer days for less experienced divers, but drift sites and mola dives are for confident divers.
What you'll see
Know the risks
- Strong, unpredictable current
- Cold thermoclines
- Mola dives are often deep (20–40 m)
Sources
Last reviewed 2026-10. Where sources disagree we use the more conservative range.