By Blaise Jaeger — PADI Master Scuba Diver based in Nusa Penida, diving Batu Bolong with Dune Penida · Updated on July 2, 2026
Batu Bolong means “hollow stone”. The shape of this rock is so iconic that we used it as the inspiration for our Warnakali logo. Getting ready to dive Batu Bolong is always a special moment — a mix of excitement and concentration — because it’s one of the most legendary dive sites in Bali. From Toyapakeh, we navigate about 30 minutes toward Manta Point to reach it.
I’ve been diving Batu Bolong with the Dune Penida team for years, and here I share everything you need to know about this exceptional — and demanding — site. 👉 For the big picture, see our complete guide to the best dive sites in Bali & Nusa Penida, and the neighbouring sites of Crystal Bay, Manta Point and Gamat Bay.
Batu Bolong at a Glance
| Type of diving | Drift, deep, wall, pelagics |
| Level | Very experienced divers only |
| Depth | 8–40 m |
| Highlights | Thresher sharks, eagle & marble rays, Mola Mola, big fish schools |
| Current | Strong (negative-entry site) |
| Water temperature | 18–22°C |
| Visibility | 10–15 m |
| Best time | Year-round (Mola Mola July–October) |
| Time from Toyapakeh | ~30 minutes by boat |
What Level to Dive Batu Bolong?
Batu Bolong is a site for very experienced divers only. The strong currents, the reduced visibility and the negative-buoyancy entry — with no reference but the compass during the first minute — leave no room for improvisation. You need an Advanced Open Water certification, solid drift- and deep-diving experience, good air consumption and full trust in your guide.
If you’re building up your experience, this is not the place to start — choose Manta Point or the sheltered part of Crystal Bay first, and come back to Batu Bolong once you’re truly comfortable in current. Whatever your level, you always dive Batu Bolong with a local guide who reads the day’s conditions — and who will call the dive if they aren’t right.
The Entry & the Descent
To choose the entry point, your guide first reads the currents and their strength, then the waves and the wind. We usually start with a negative-buoyancy entry, because the currents can be strong and you need to reach the bottom quickly. The descent is fast, but we never lose sight of the compass — orientation here is essential.
Schools of gold-band fusiliers and surgeonfish escort us down to the coral rock — the starting point of the site and the reward for a perfectly controlled, safe descent.
Sharks, Rays & Mola Mola at Batu Bolong
It’s right there, in the canyon between our reference rock and the main one, that we can observe thresher sharks, families of eagle rays and marble rays, and — for the luckiest — a hammerhead shark. The Dune Penida team even saw a whale shark here on March 5, 2023.
On the main wall, a bump makes the perfect lookout to admire massive schools of batfish, gold-spotted trevally and grouper — and sometimes the Mola Mola. We may even meet a passing manta ray. Turn your back to the blue and the wall itself is just as stunning: octopus, harlequin shrimp and nudibranchs (Nembrotha, Chromodoris, Flabellina) keep us company. You can dive deeper into the region’s species on our pages about sharks and nudibranchs.
Around the Rock: the Second Half of the Dive
This is where the second part of the dive begins: we set off to go around the rock. Drifting along the wall, we stay focused until we reach a shallow terrace downstream, where we can spot nudibranchs and frogfish. We finish the dive and do our safety stop drifting in the open ocean — and finally our boat, Buraq 3, picks us up with a big smile.
Dive Batu Bolong with Roy
Batu Bolong is an advanced dive with a negative entry and strong currents, so the guide makes all the difference. Roy is a dive instructor at Dune Penida who dives this rock in every condition: message him directly and he’ll tell you honestly whether the site suits your experience, pick the right day for the sharks and the Mola Mola, and keep the group safe from the negative entry to the safety stop.
Words from Our Divers at Batu Bolong
I remember the first time I dived Batu Bolong, this mythic rock, and the thrill of a Nusa Penida site where few people go. The moment I jumped in, the sheer amount of life struck me — a school of surgeonfish literally escorted us from the entry all the way to the rock. Then a family of curious marble rays played around us for several minutes. Ascending along the wall, my eye was drawn again to the blue, where schools of batfish, bannerfish and surgeonfish crossed paths. I don’t remember seeing so much life in a single glance anywhere in the world; a thresher shark even joined the party. In the shallows, the sun lit up the coral garden and its smaller creatures — crabs, shrimps and nudibranchs. Batu Bolong is so untouched that the fauna behaves differently: the species seem as curious about us as we are about them. A very special moment in a diver’s life.
Marion, October 2019
Definitely one of the most prestigious dive sites in Nusa Penida. “Impressive” and “unpredictable” are the words that describe it best. From the negative entry to the safety stop drifting in the ocean, tens of thousands of fish surround us. Lucky are those who dive Batu Bolong in their lifetime and enjoy those delicious, priceless minutes. Any species can show up here — how could you stay unmoved before such an aquatic ballet? Sometimes you don’t even know where to look, afraid of missing something. We say every dive is unique, and those words ring even truer in this buzzing universe. When someone asks me where to go, my answer is immediate: Batu Bolong.
Loïc, March 2020
An instructor’s crush — Yann, PADI IDCS: “It’s no coincidence that Batu Bolong is the Warnakali logo. I remember my very first dive here — five years ago I wasn’t a guide, let alone an instructor, and I’d waited years to dive it with the right guide. It was worth the wait, starting with a Mola Mola. Batu Bolong is where the word ‘guiding’ takes on its full meaning: the currents, the low visibility, the negative entry with nothing but the compass in the first minute — all while never losing sight of everyone’s safety. A minute can feel very, very long. As I always say in my briefing: stay in my fins and all will be fine; if not, we end the dive. But I’ve never had to cancel one. Whatever the sea offers, it’s impossible to leave this site without seeing abundant life. No other site fulfils my divers more. The best of Penida is here, nowhere else.”
Why Dive Batu Bolong?
Batu Bolong is one of the most prestigious — and most demanding — dives in Nusa Penida. Between its negative entry, its strong currents, its big pelagic encounters and its untouched, buzzing marine life, every dive here is impressive and unpredictable. It’s reserved for very experienced divers, but for those who dive it correctly, it remains an unforgettable highlight of Bali diving.
Batu Bolong Diving FAQ
What level do you need to dive Batu Bolong?
Batu Bolong is for very experienced divers only. Expect a negative-buoyancy entry, strong currents and low visibility — an Advanced Open Water certification and solid drift experience are essential.
What sharks can you see at Batu Bolong?
Thresher sharks are the classic encounter, with hammerhead sharks for the luckiest. The Dune Penida team even recorded a whale shark here in March 2023.
Can you see Mola Mola at Batu Bolong?
Yes, mainly between July and October, along with eagle rays, marble rays and big schools of batfish, trevally and grouper.
Is there strong current at Batu Bolong?
Yes — the current is strong, which is why the dive starts with a negative entry. It’s a technical drift reserved for experienced divers.
How deep is Batu Bolong?
The dive ranges from about 8 to 40 meters, with cold water (18–22°C) and visibility usually between 10 and 15 meters.
How long does it take to reach Batu Bolong?
About 30 minutes by boat from Toyapakeh, heading toward Manta Point.
Plan your trip to Nusa Penida
If Batu Bolong has sparked your curiosity, take a deeper look at everything the island offers. Plan your stay with our complete travel guide to Nusa Penida, and for divers our Nusa Penida diving guide covers seasons, temperatures, currents and certifications. You can dive Batu Bolong and many other exceptional sites with Dune Penida Dive Center, a PADI 5★ center based on Nusa Penida. Dive deeper into the region’s marine life on our pages about manta rays, mola mola, sharks and nudibranchs.
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About the author
Blaise Jaeger opened Nusa Penida’s first PADI dive centre in 2017 — the one whose logo is inspired by the Batu Bolong rock — and has dived this legendary site countless times. A PADI Master Scuba Diver based on the island, he shares first-hand, safety-first guides to diving Nusa Penida.