Diving Batu Bolong, Nusa Penida
Batu Bolong means “hollow stone“. The shape of this rock is indeed iconic which is why we used it as an inspiration for our logo. Getting ready to go diving Batu Bolong is always a special moment, a mix of excitation & concentration. Because this is one of le most legendary dive site in Bali ! From Toyapakeh, we will navigate 30 minutes in the direction of Manta point.
The entry point
To choose the entry point, your guide will first analyze the currents & their strength, but also the waves & the wind. We usually enter the water and start the dive with negative buoyancy entry. Because the currents can be strong and you need to reach the bottom pretty fast.
Schools of gold-band fusilier and surgeonfishes will escort us deep to find the coral rock, starting point of the site & consequence of a perfect & safe descent.
Sharks, Rays and Mola Mola are also diving Batu Bolong
It is right there, between our reference rock & the main one that we will be able to observe thresher sharks, families of eagle rays & marble rays, and for the luckiest one hammerhead shark. The Dune Penida team also recently saw a whale shark there on March 5, 2023!
There is on the principal wall a bump which makes the perfect lookout to admire massive schools of batfish, gold-spotted trevally, grouper and sometimes Mola Mola. We may even meet some manta rays passing by. The observation of the wall is also stunning. Octopus, Harlequin shrimp, nembrotha, chromodoris, flabellina will be with us.
To know more about the marine fauna in Bali you can read this guide of Nusa Penida diving.
Good bye Batu Bolong
There is where the second part of the dive start, going around the rock. Drifting along the wall, we remain focus to arrive on a shallow terrace where we can spot some nudibranch & frogfish. We will end the dive and do our safety stop drifting in the open ocean. And finally, our boat, Buraq 3 will pick us up with a big smile.
Words of our guests diving Batu Bolong
Marion, october 2019
I remember when I first dived Batu Bolong, this mythic rock. What an excitement to dive a site where not much people go. As soon as I jumped in the water, I felt the particularity of this site. A school of surgeonfish accompany us from the enter until the rock. An unforgettable entry !
After that, during a few minutes, a family of intrigued marble ray played around us. During our ascent along the wall, I was again attracted by the blue, where schools of batfish, banner fish& surgeonfish were cruising. I can’t remember having seen that much life during my different dives around the world. A thresher shark also came furtively to join the party. When we were in the shallow part, the light of the sun underlined the beauty of the coral gardens, allowing us to observe some smaller animals : crabs, shrimps & nudibranchs.
Batu Bolong is such an untouched spot that it allows us to see a different behavior of the fauna. It seems like species are curious about us. A very special moment in a diver’s life.
Loic, mars 2020
Batu Bolong is for sure one of the most prestigious dive sites of Nusa Penida. I think impressive & unpredictable are the words that define it the best. From the negative entry until the safety stop drifting in the wide blue, dozen of thousands of fish are surrounding us. Lucky are the ones diving Batu Bolong in their life, enjoying those delicious and priceless minutes.
You may see every kind of species here. How could you stay insensitive while admiring such an aquatic ballet ? Sometimes it is hard to watch in a direction by fear to miss something. We use to say that every dive is unique, those words are even more true while spending your time diving in this buzzing universe. When I’m asked where to go, without any hesitation I answer Batu Bolong !
Instructor’s crush at Batu Bolong
It is everything but a coincidence if Batu Bolong is the logo of Warnakali.
I could have written “the diver’s words” as I have been waiting a really long time to dive this site with the right guide. The Mola Mola that started the dive with us and the dive site itself were worth the wait. 5 years ago I wasn’t a guide, even less a diving instructor.
If it is true that there is a huge difference between diving and guiding. This is even more relevant when diving Batu Bolong. The currents, the low visibility, the negative entry without any reference excepting the compass during the first minute. I have to focus on all that without forgetting your safety. A minute can be a really long time. As I always mention it in my briefing, stay in my fins and it will be alright. If not, we will have to end the dive. But I never had to cancel a dive. Thanks to everyone for that.
Anyway, whatever conditions the sea offers, it is impossible to leave this site without seeing a bountiful amount of aquatic life. I have never reached the surface without a bunch of good surprises. No other dive site fulfill more my guests. This is the must of Nusa Penida, nowhere else. Back on the boat, words of my guests are endless, living again this precious time they spent. Something memorable for the ones who dived it correctly.
Batu Bolong dive site characteristics
Depth : 8-40 m
Visibility : 10/15 m
Temperature : 18/22
Current : strong
Access : 30 min navigation
Flora : Coral, sand substrate
Fauna : Mola-mola, thresher shark, hammerhead shark, eagle ray, marble ray, travelly, mahi mahi (dolphinfish), frogfish, harlequin shrimp, octopus, nudibranch.