The Fascinating Mola Mola: A Guide to Nusa Penida’s Ocean Sunfish

What is Mola Mola fish ?

Divers from all corners of the world flock to dive in Bali, and more specifically in Nusa Penida, to encounter the famous Mola Mola fish, also known as the sunfish. We have encountered so many of them while diving with the Dune Penida diving center that we wanted to share our photos and passion for this incredible marine animal with you.

In this article, we will also explore the unique characteristics of this fascinating species and the threats it faces in its natural environment.

How big can a Mola Mola sunfish get ?

The Mola Mola is one of the largest bony fishes in the world. In fact, it can reach an impressive size of over 3 meters in length and weigh up to 2 tons. It also has the characteristic of growing throughout its life. It measures only a few millimeters as a larva. Juvenile sunfish measure about 60 centimeters in length. They grow rapidly and reach their adult size in just a few years.

What does a sunfish look like?

The Mola Mola sunfish has a distinct and easily recognizable appearance thanks to its round and flattened body. Its skin is thick and often dotted with spots. The color of its skin varies from silver-gray to dark brown, often with golden or silvery highlights. The dorsal and anal fins are short and very far apart, giving the impression that the sunfish has no tail.

Its shape and appearance as a prehistoric animal are striking and unforgettable, especially when you encounter a sunfish weighing over a ton in Nusa Penida underwater!

Where to find Mola Mola sunfish ?

The Mola Mola is found in temperate and tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Atlantic Ocean. However, the sunfish is known for its particularly abundant presence around the island of Bali in Indonesia, and more specifically around the neighboring island of Nusa Penida.

The sunfish is a pelagic fish. It primarily inhabits depths of up to 600 meters. However, during July to October, one can regularly observe the sunfish close to the surface in Bali. Researchers have confirmed that it follows the seasonal upswings of cold water which brings with it nutrients – a phenomenon known as upwelling.

Mola Mola or sunfish ?

Its name comes from the Latin mola which designates a millstone, a large round stone, flat and gray. Like for example the wheel of the old water mills. Its round shape would also have inspired its name in English (sunfish). But also in Italian (pesce luna), in Spanish (pez luna) in Portuguese (peixe lua) in German (mondfisch) or in French (poisson lune).

What do Mola Mola eat ?

Sunfish eats mainly jellyfish, but also on zooplankton, squid and small crustaceans. And since this diet is poor in nutrients, it must consume a large amount. A 120 kilo sunfish should thus ingest 70 kilos of jellyfish every day to cover its calorie needs!

Due to its diet, the sunfish is considered an important link in the marine food chain, helping to control the population of jellyfish and other marine animals. Scientists have also studied the sunfish’s immune system, which allows it to efficiently digest toxins present in jellyfish, in order to find ways to use them to develop treatments for jellyfish stings in humans.

The parasites of the Mola Mola fish

More than 40 species of parasites can live on and under the skin of a sunfish. This would also explain its seasonal urge to shallower depths. Where the cleaning fish, such as the banner fish, help it to get rid of its parasites. The sunfish also sometimes exposes its flanks to the surface to allow seabirds to feed on its parasites. We even saw a small one at Tugu jumping over the surface of the water in what would be an extreme attempt to dislodge the parasites from its body.

Is the ocean Mola Mola fish an endangered species?

One of the main threats to the sunfish is overfishing, as its flesh is considered a delicacy in certain cultures. Unsustainable fishing practices can also lead to the accidental capture of sunfish in nets. Fortunately, many countries have implemented regulations to limit the fishing of ocean sunfish.

If you encounter a sunfish, it’s important to remain still and avoid touching it. These fish have a protective layer of mucus that can be easily removed by human touch, leaving them vulnerable to infection.

When can you see Mola Mola in Bali ? and where ?

The sunfish season runs from July until October, in conjunction with upwelling. With the right guide, the probability of seing one is close to one in three.

You may meet them at any diving site in Nusa Penida island. But the most famous site is Crystal Bay dive site. The configuration of the site makes it possible to approach the channel located between Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembogan while being protected from the current, sometimes violent. We usually stand by one of the rocky points of a small island off the bay. It’s called the second corner.

The search for a sunfish is like a quest. And this is where all the talent of your guide will be expressed. A good guide will indeed bring you to the best place to watch it, while staying safe.

If you feel the thermocline and if you see a school of banner fish waiting for something, look in the blue, a sunfish should not be very far away.

How deep should you dive to see a Mola Mola?

To observe a Mola Mola in Nusa Penida, it is generally recommended to dive to a depth of around 20 to 30 meters. This is why it is recommended to be certified as an Advanced Open Diver to maximize your chances of seeing it. It can happen to see them close to the surface. At the beginning of August 2024 I was looking for a Mola at 35 meters deep in Crystal Bay. And I found it by going back to … 5 meters deep. So our other open water divers and even those who were doing a first dive saw it too!

However, the exact depth at which you can observe a sunfish will depend on many factors, such as the season, water temperature, visibility and the presence of food. We have already seen some close to the surface, and even jumping out of the water! And others much deeper …

Our best dives with Mola Mola

My first encounter

You will probably remember all your life your first Mola Mola ! In my case it was on September 1st, 2017. I had just returned to Nusa Penida from Paris. After a couple of days looking for one we matched the perfect conditions, at Crystal Bay. I had my GoPro with me and when I saw the dive instructor going into the blue, I said to myself : Bingo! At 25 meters, my first one.

The show is magical, and time stands still. I have seen many more afterwards!

Sunfishs come in threes

Some time later we were diving Ped with guests. At the end of the dive we felt the thermocline. A first sunfish comes to us. The guests are happy. Then a second, everyone is very excited. But when we saw the third one, everybody were super thrilled. The guide of another group who was next to us made a somersault underwater!

14 Mola Mola fish in Bali

October 8, 2018. There three of us at Gamat Bay. There is no current which is quite rare and the dive instructor has the intuition that it is worth going towards the blue, in the channel. And there …

Let’s hear from let Marion :

“During a dive there we stopped to admire one sunfish, then two, then three, until we realized we were on Sunfish highway, surrounded by fourteen of them ! Lucky you want to say? It all depends on the guide! So get your fins! ”

The combo Mola Mola – Manta Ray

September 14, 2023. The previous day, we spotted a whale shark at Manta Point with Dune Penida dive center. So, we really wanted to see it again… We jumped in the water directly to the Manta Point wall. We were diving with Fhon, a friend and dive instructor from Phuket, who had brought her big camera. We saw the first Manta ray, then a second one.

And then, Karl, Dune Bali and Dune Penida course director, started making big signs. He had spotted a sunfish. We swam towards him and saw a second one! Fhon took this beautiful photo and only realized afterwards that both sunfish were in her picture. She was so focused that she had only seen one! You can watch my video at the end of this article.

3 Mola Mola at Sental Dive Site on July 20 2024

As we descended into the depths, we encountered the thermocline, and the water turned chilly. The sight of numerous bannerfish eagerly waiting to clean the majestic Mola Mola from their parasites pushed us to dive deeper. Our excitement soared when we first spotted a graceful marbled ray gliding by. Moments later, not one, but two magnificent sunfish appeared before our eyes! And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, a third sunfish joined the spectacle.

These gentle giants were incredibly calm, allowing us to stay at 37 meters deep for a few precious minutes, observing their serene presence. Eventually, they decided to return to the deep blue, leaving us in awe of the experience. Sunfish season runs from July to October, and we’re thrilled to see them frequently now with Dune Penida Dive Center. Don’t miss this chance to witness these incredible creatures up close!

4 sunfish and a Manta Ray

August 31, 2019. Célia, who joined the dive center the whole 2019 season as an instructor, brings her guests to Manta Point. And there, bingo again : 4 beautiful sunfish with a Manta ray ! Christine and Jean-Philippe, dive master trainee with Warnakali dive center, took some awesome photos.

There are other places to see sunfish in Bali

November 13, 2019. We go on a short trip to Gili Tepekong, in front of Padang Bai. It’s a nice boat ride from Toyapakeh in Nusa Penida, where our boat is based. I will long remember the first dive in the morning, which was clearly not a long, calm river. But also the second, with a giant sunfish who followed us for almost the entire time of the dive.

Ready to meet your first Mola Mola ?

Dune Penida diving center will be happy to guide you on the different diving sites of Nusa Penida and Bali. You may see sunfish all year round, but if you want to maximize your chances of meeting one, schedule your trip between July and October. And try to plan several days of diving, because the odds are not 100 %.

Some centers will offer you to dive at Crystal Bay every day until you meet one. But whatever the beauty of the site, you will quickly get tired of the second corner of Crystal Bay. And as you may have read above, it is possible to find it on all the diving sites in Nusa Penida. It is just a matter of selecting the right dive guide.

The chance are low to meet a sunfish during a discovery dive, because we find him usually below the 12 meters maximum depth for discovery divers.

However, if you are certified, we can take you on a search for a fun dive or a diving safari. It is also quite possible to take advantage of open water, advanced open water, rescue diver or dive master training to meet the sunfish. As well as all the incredible flora and fauna of Nusa Penida. Some very beautiful dives in perspective in any case !