Ceningan dive site is one of our favorite dive sites in Bali. This wall is only fifteen minutes of navigation away from Toyapakeh, on the South coast of Ceningan island. The dive starts in front of Crystal Bay. Depending upon the conditions of the day, the waves and the currents we will choose the entry point and the proceeding for diving Ceningan wall.
The dive starts with a descent on a shallow plateau rocked by the swell. Here are already some lively coral bumps, surrounded by fusilier, moorish idols and clownfish.
A marble ray diving Ceningan Wall
Going further in the blue, a vertiginous and colorful wall goes down. Ceningan wall is an anthology of Nusa Penida’s species. Completely covered by corals, sponges and sea fans, it offers a wonderful and bright-colored diversity.
Sometimes challenging because of it geographic location, currents gives however a massive asset to the fauna & flora development. Ceningan is an emblematic site for macro life. There is the possibility to spot various species of Nembrotha, Chromodoris, Flabelina nudibranchs. But also Zanzibar shrimps & Pigmy Seahorses. Drifting along the wall, it seems that morray eel, scorpionfish and stonefish found their idealic environment.
To know more about the marine fauna in Bali you can read this guide of Nusa Penida diving.
Even if it is hard to take a break watching that hypnotizing and wonderful wall, the deep blue is offering many surprises. There are schools of giant Trevally, Tunas, Batfish. And with a bit of luck, families of white-spotted eagle rays. And when the water gets colder, our dear Mola Mola !
Diving Ceningan requires concentration and rigor because of the currents. But currents and thermoclines are precisely what bring all the sediments and phytoplankton which create and preserve such awesome spots as Ceningan wall. Indeed, such a diversity of colors and life is here really well preserved.
A pure delight for the divers.
Moray eel on Ceningan wall
During my holidays in Nusa Penida, I already experienced some dive sites with Warnakali when Yann started talking about Ceningan wall. A simple description of the site was enough to tease me completely. Bingo ! The next morning, Yann told me the conditions were great to dive that famous wall the very same day ! A solid briefing and there we go !
The visibility is stunning and I already see some silver flash of a school of Barracudas, that’s a good start I thought. The magic really kicks in when I faced that vertiginous wall. Colors are unbelievable. I spotted here some species of nudibranchs I never saw before. Beyond the exceptional beauty of the site, I really enjoyed being able to work on my drift diving skills under Yann’s supervision.
Marion, octobre 2019
Diving Ceningan Wall inspired me an extravagance that I like to use to describe this dive site : Picasso came here with his palette, paintbrush and tin of paint, and he left everything there. That’s how Colorized Guernica was born.
Like every dive instructor, I often dive on the same spot, with a particular affection for some of them. The life is here so rich & dense that I never get bored. Around the three islands, with such a diversity of sites, Ceningan is with Gamat Bay & Batu Bolong, a spot that marked Warnakali’s history.
Some conditions are required to jump in this water here. Obviously the sea conditions first, but also the group of divers I’m guiding here. They have to fully trust me as it can be challenging. And because conditions here can change very fast.
Nudibranch on Ceningan Wall
It is always a special occasion when I go diving Ceningan wall. A last dive after spending some days, weeks, months with your students, from Open Water course to Dive master training.
Watching them super focussed and concentrated before entring the water, asking me if they got the capabilities to dive here. Yes you can, I would not bring you here if you weren’t able to do so. Their reply is always the same : « If you say so, there we go ! »
And then, at the end of the dive, that hand shake before surfacing, like a goodbye to those waters. Or let’s say a « see you soon again ». Once back on the boat, their smiles talking about the colors and what they just saw.
It is also a pride time for my students, giving me their logbooks to sign & stamp it. The pride of having dived Ceningan with ease, like a way of thinking « you were right, I can do it ! »
That is certainly how I remember every single course. Each one got its own history with Ceningan, what generally sum the days we spend together up, between teaching & lightness. This is the magic of this job.
Yann, IDCS
Type of dive : drift
Depth : 5-40 m
Visibility : 15/30 m
Current : mild to strong
Access : 15 min navigation
Flora : Coral, sand substrate
Fauna : Mola-mola, eagle ray, marble ray, nudibranch.
Best time of the year : all year