Bali Dive Sites: Nusa Penida – Gamat Bay

Protected Dive Site at Nusa Penida

Gamat Bay Dive Site

Located on the west coast between Toyapakeh and Crystal Bay, Gamat Bay is quite small but is one of the few dive sites at Nusa Penida where you don’t have to just ‘go with the flow’ as the bay is quite protected. But, once you head down the steep slope at the mouth, you are again drift diving.

The bottom of Gamat Bay is mostly sand, coral patches and bommies. There is a profusion of colourful soft corals, with gorgonians and hard corals (including table corals) everywhere.

These shallow areas are lovely, full of reef fish, some quite rare, commensals, nudibranchs, and could take your whole dive, particularly if you are a photographer (although it can be surgy). Visibility is usually superb within the bay.

Rich Part of the Slope

The very rich 10-20m part of the slope also has big bommies that provide some protection from the current.

The larger fish life here is fairly diverse with some large specimens of surgeonfish, grouper and unicornfish. Overhangs and a couple of small caves provide resting places for White-tip reef sharks and turtles (also sometimes seen in the bay itself).

Can be a reliable place for sightings of Mola-Mola in season.