By Blaise Jaeger — master scuba diver based in Nusa Penida – Updated on September 5, 2026
Yes, there are sharks in Bali — and after years of diving here, I’ve seen plenty. Most are harmless reef sharks such as blacktips, whitetips and bamboo sharks, with rare visits from whale sharks and even a great white once filmed at Nusa Penida. Shark attacks are extremely rare, so sharks shouldn’t keep you out of the water.
Around Nusa Penida, where I dive, the sharks you are actually likely to meet are small, shy and bottom-dwelling — and finding them is a matter of knowing which rocks to look under. Bali and Nusa Penida are world-famous for their incredible diving experiences, particularly for encounters with majestic Manta rays and the awesome Mola Mola (ocean sunfish). However, these waters also host a variety of shark species, which, although less commonly spotted, provide thrilling and unique encounters for divers. Whether you are an experienced or a first-time diver, the chance to see these fascinating predators in their natural habitat makes for an unforgettable underwater adventure. In this guide, we will explore the different types of sharks found in Bali, particularly around Nusa Penida, the best locations to see them, and essential safety tips.
Types of Sharks in Bali
Bali’s waters host a variety of shark species, including:
- Bamboo Sharks – Commonly spotted at Manta Point, Nusa Penida, these small, bottom-dwelling sharks are harmless to humans.
- Whitetip Reef Sharks – Commonly seen around coral reefs, and around Nusa Penida usually resting under a rock or a coral ledge in about 18 metres of water. Curious but harmless to humans.
- Blacktip Reef Sharks – Frequently spotted in shallow waters, they are known for their distinctive black-tipped fins.
- Grey Reef Sharks – More elusive but often found in deeper waters near drop-offs and underwater pinnacles.
- Wobbegong Sharks – Also known as carpet sharks, they camouflage well among the reefs and, like the whitetips, tuck themselves under rocks during the day.
- Hammerhead Sharks – Occasionally spotted near the Gili Islands and around Nusa Penida, especially between June and November.
- Thresher Sharks – Far more regular around Nusa Penida than most guides suggest. They are seen along the north coast, and across all the dive centres working the island at least one thresher is spotted in a typical week. Unmistakable, with a tail as long as the rest of the body.
- Whale Sharks – Though rare, these gentle giants have been spotted in Bali’s waters, particularly near Nusa Penida.
- Great White Shark – The only shark on this list that could pose a real threat, and the one you are least likely to meet: two confirmed sightings around Nusa Penida in the last ten years. The most recent was on March 12, 2025, at Ped, on the island’s north coast.
The Great White Shark Spotted at Nusa Penida (March 2025)
Bali’s most extraordinary shark sighting in recent memory happened on March 12, 2025, at the Ped dive site, on Nusa Penida’s north coast. A roughly 5-metre great white — heavily scarred and believed to be a pregnant female — glided past a group of divers at around 22 metres. It was filmed by Fabian Clinton, a Swedish divemaster diving the island as a visitor, who kept eye contact and stayed calm as it passed, ready to gently deflect it with his fin if needed.
It wasn’t the island’s first: a great white was also seen at Crystal Bay, on the other side of Nusa Penida, in September 2019. Two confirmed sightings in ten years is the honest measure of how likely this is. Brendon Sing, co-founder of the conservation charity Shark Guardian, made the point that great whites are a cosmopolitan species and have probably been transiting these waters for a very long time — what has changed is that every diver now carries a camera. Nobody predicted either sighting, and no dive centre can plan one: both came down to luck.
So should this change how you dive Nusa Penida? No. Encounters like these are exceptional — divers should not expect to see a great white in Bali, and every other shark you are likely to meet here is harmless.
Best Places to See Sharks in Bali
If you’re looking to encounter sharks in Bali, here are some of the top dive sites:
- Nusa Penida – Known for strong currents, this area attracts pelagic species, including occasional hammerhead sharks, whale sharks and thresher sharks.
- Gili Tepekong Biaha & Mimpang – Located off Padang Bai, these sites are famous for sightings of whitetip and blacktip reef sharks.
- Menjangan Island – While more famous for its stunning coral reefs, reef sharks are sometimes seen here.
- Tulamben & Amed – Although known for the Liberty Shipwreck, these sites also offer occasional shark sightings.
How a guide actually finds you a shark at Nusa Penida
Around Nusa Penida, whitetips and wobbegongs are not something you swim into in open water. They spend the day tucked under rocks and coral ledges, often at around 18 metres, and they are frequently juveniles sheltering there while they grow. So a good guide doesn’t scan the blue for you — he goes and looks under the rocks, and he knows which ones. At Crystal Bay I knew two of them, a whitetip and a wobbegong, under two different rocks just above the first corner, at about 18 metres. Both were gone by the middle of August, and that is the part worth understanding: these sharks never stay more than a few weeks under the same rock. So the rock matters far less than the guide — he is the one who knows where they have moved to this month. There was another whitetip under a rock at Toyapakeh, again at around 18 metres. Ask your guide before the dive whether he wants to try — it costs nothing, and it is the single biggest difference between seeing a shark here and not.
Where I’ve personally seen sharks around Nusa Penida: bamboo sharks on dives at Manta Point (the most recent on 18 June 2026), whitetips and a wobbegong at Crystal Bay, a thresher shark once at Ped, and a whitetip inside the White Tip Cave at Gili Biaha. My most memorable encounter, though, was a whale shark at Manta Point — the kind of moment you dive for years hoping to see.
Bamboo sharks — like almost every shark you’ll meet around Nusa Penida — are harmless. But the one I filmed at Manta Point on 18 June 2026 was actively hunting and swam right below me and then alongside me. Even knowing it posed no danger, I’ll admit it got my heart racing — and yes, I kept filming the whole time.
Whale Sharks in Bali and Nusa Penida
Whale sharks do pass Nusa Penida, but rarely — in my experience about once a year. There is no season, no reliable site and no dive centre that can promise you one. Below are the four encounters I have on video, filmed between 2019 and 2025 at four different dive sites, in four different months.
Two of them are mine. The other two were filmed by divers from Dune Penida. Here they are in order, with their dates.
That is the honest picture: a whale shark at Nusa Penida is luck, not a product. If a centre sells you a whale shark trip in Bali, ask them for their dates.
Are Sharks in Bali Dangerous?
No — with one exception you will almost certainly never meet. Whitetip reef sharks, blacktips, wobbegongs, bamboo sharks, whale sharks and thresher sharks do not attack people. They are shy, mostly small, and far more interested in getting away from you than in coming closer. The only shark in these waters capable of harming a diver is the great white, and Nusa Penida has recorded two of those in ten years.
When diving or snorkelling, it’s essential to respect their space, avoid sudden movements, and never attempt to touch or chase them. That is a courtesy to the animal rather than a precaution for you.
When was the last shark attack in Bali? Very few have ever been recorded. Bali has seen only around five shark incidents since 1990, none of them fatal, and almost all near the surf breaks of Uluwatu and the Bukit peninsula — not at the calm dive sites around Nusa Penida. The last serious incident was in 2016 at Balian Beach, on the island’s west coast. For divers and snorkellers around Nusa Penida, the risk is effectively negligible.
What actually deserves your respect underwater
Sharks are the animal people ask about. They are not the animal to think about. After hundreds of dives here, this is the honest list.
- Jellyfish — not a problem at Nusa Penida. The jellyfish in these waters don’t sting. They are also what the Mola Mola come to eat, which is part of why the ocean sunfish shows up here at all.
- Lionfish, stonefish and scorpionfish — venomous, and the real reason for the one rule that covers everything: don’t touch anything. They don’t chase you. People get hurt by putting a hand down, not by being attacked.
- Titan triggerfish — common here, and the only fish that will actually come at you. Not out of aggression: they are defending a nest. The territory is a cone with the nest at its point and the surface as its wide base — which means swimming up keeps you inside it. You get out of it by moving away horizontally, keeping your fins between you and the fish. In practice it is rare.
- Banded sea kraits — very venomous, and completely harmless in the water. There are plenty around Nusa Penida. On land they will bite — an ear, the skin between your fingers. In the sea they don’t feel threatened and they never attack. Watching one hunt, threading between the rocks, is one of the good moments of a dive here.
Tips for Diving with Sharks in Bali
At Dune Penida we do brief divers on sharks — but as something to hope for, not something to worry about. My own rule, after many encounters, is simple: stay calm, keep looking directly at the shark, and kick gently backwards to give it space. It’s exactly what the diver who filmed the great white at Ped did — composure, eye contact, no panic.
- Always dive with a certified and experienced guide — and tell him before the dive that you’d like to look for a shark.
- Stay calm and keep your eyes on the shark — don’t turn your back or thrash; if one comes close, face it and back away with slow fin kicks.
- Do not feed or provoke sharks.
- Be mindful of your body position to avoid startling them — a whitetip resting under a rock will leave if you crowd its exit.
- Stay calm and enjoy the experience of observing these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.
Final Thoughts
Bali offers incredible opportunities for shark encounters, making it a must-visit destination for divers and marine enthusiasts. By understanding the behavior of sharks, respecting their environment, and supporting conservation efforts, you can enjoy a safe and responsible experience while witnessing one of nature’s most fascinating predators in action.
Additional resources
If you’re interested in learning more, be sure to check out our additional resource about Bali and our Nusa Penida Travel Guide. You can also dive deeper into the incredible marine life of the region with our dedicated pages on manta rays, mola mola (ocean sunfish), and nudibranchs, all commonly encountered around Bali and Nusa Penida. And if you have any questions about scuba diving in Bali or Indonesia, don’t hesitate to reach out—we love connecting with divers and aspiring divers alike and sharing our passion for these extraordinary underwater worlds.
Want to dive with them? Ask Roy
Roy is an Indonesian dive instructor at Dune Penida who knows the daily conditions, currents and marine life around Nusa Penida — including which rocks the whitetips are using this season. Tell him your certification level, experience and dates, and he’ll help you plan the right dives. First time diving? See our guide to a discovery dive in Nusa Penida.
About this guide
This guide was created by Blaise Jaeger together with Roy, dive instructor at Dune Penida and underwater photographer. Blaise is a PADI Master Scuba Diver with more than 700 logged dives, including hundreds around Nusa Penida since first discovering the island in 2015 and opening Nusa Penida’s first PADI dive centre in 2017.
Roy has been diving around Nusa Penida for many years and contributes local knowledge, seasonal observations and underwater photography to many of the guides published on this website. He also contributed many of the photographs featured in this article.
Together, our goal is simple: to provide accurate, experience-based information that helps divers safely discover the exceptional marine life and dive sites of Nusa Penida.
Nusa Penida Diving Guide
Complete Nusa Penida Diving Guide: best dive sites, manta rays, Mola Mola season, drift dives, conditions, PADI courses and practical travel advice.
Best dive sites in Bali
20 best dive sites in Bali around Nusa Penida, Padang Bai and North Bali: discover manta rays, oceanic sunfish, sharks, drift dives and vibrant coral reefs.
Nusa Penida travel guide
Complete Nusa Penida Travel Guide: how to get there, where to stay, best beaches, temples, viewpoints and practical tips to plan your island adventure.
Frequently asked questions
Are there sharks in Bali?
Yes. Bali’s waters are home to several shark species — mostly harmless reef sharks (blacktip, whitetip and grey reef), plus bamboo sharks, wobbegongs and occasional whale sharks, especially around Nusa Penida. Shark attacks are extremely rare.
Are there sharks near Nusa Penida?
Yes, and more often than most visitors expect. Whitetip reef sharks and wobbegongs rest under rocks at around 18 metres at sites like Crystal Bay and Toyapakeh, bamboo sharks are regular at Manta Point, and thresher sharks are seen along the north coast most weeks. All of them are harmless.
Is it safe to swim and snorkel in Nusa Penida?
Yes — sharks are not the hazard here. No shark incident has ever been recorded around Nusa Penida, and the species present do not attack people. The real thing to respect is the current, which can be strong at Crystal Bay and along the north coast; always snorkel with a boat and a guide who reads the tides.
Are there jellyfish in Nusa Penida?
Yes, and they don’t sting. The jellyfish in Nusa Penida’s waters are harmless to swimmers and divers — and they are one of the reasons the Mola Mola comes here, since the ocean sunfish feeds on them.
What types of sharks can you see in Bali?
The most common are reef sharks (blacktip, whitetip, and grey reef), especially around Nusa Penida and the Gili Islands. Divers may also encounter bamboo sharks, wobbegongs, thresher sharks and occasionally whale sharks. A great white shark was once spotted in Nusa Penida.
When was the last shark attack in Bali?
Shark attacks in Bali are extremely rare — only about five since 1990, none fatal. The last serious incident was in 2016 at Balian Beach, on the west coast. Almost all have occurred near Uluwatu’s surf breaks, not around the Nusa Penida dive sites.
Can you see whale sharks in Bali?
Yes, whale sharks are sometimes spotted in Bali waters, though not on a regular basis. The best chances are in Nusa Penida.
Can you see thresher sharks in Nusa Penida?
Yes — thresher sharks are the pelagic species you are most likely to meet here. They are seen along Nusa Penida’s north coast, and across all the island’s dive centres at least one is spotted in a typical week. They are deep-water hunters, entirely harmless, and unmistakable thanks to a tail as long as their body.
Was there ever a great white shark at Nusa Penida?
Yes, twice in the last ten years. One was filmed at Ped on 12 March 2025 at around 22 metres, and another was seen at Crystal Bay in September 2019. Both were one-off encounters that no dive centre could have predicted.
Are there great white sharks in Bali?
Great white sharks are extremely rare in Bali. One was filmed at Ped, Nusa Penida in March 2025, and another was seen at Crystal Bay in 2019 — but sightings are exceptional and not something divers should expect. Most shark encounters are with smaller, reef-dwelling species.
Are there tiger sharks in Bali?
There is no confirmed record of one. In years of diving Nusa Penida and running a dive centre here, I have never heard of a tiger shark in Bali — not a sighting, not a report from another centre. The one story people repeat is a 2023 video from Nyang Nyang, near Uluwatu, of a large shark attacking a dugong close to a surfer: nobody was bitten, and the species was identified by the surfer who filmed it, never formally confirmed. Tiger sharks exist in Indonesian waters, but they are not part of what you meet around Bali or Nusa Penida.
Is it safe to dive with sharks in Bali?
Yes, diving with sharks in Bali is generally safe. The species commonly found here are not aggressive toward humans. As with all marine life, divers should respect the animals and maintain a safe distance.