Bali Travel Essentials

Posted on November 21, 2025November 21, 2025 by Annabel Thomas

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Bali Travel Essentials: What to Know Before You Visit

If you’re planning a trip to Bali – whether for diving, sightseeing, or a bit of everything – here’s a simple guide to help you prepare. A little planning goes a long way towards ensuring your time on the Island of the Gods is as relaxed and enjoyable as possible.

Entry Requirements

Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months from your departure date and has two blank pages. You’ll also need proof of onward travel.

Most nationalities can enter Bali with a Visa on Arrival (VoA). The paid VoA is valid for 30 days and can be extended once; the free VoA cannot be extended. Travellers intending to stay longer may prefer to arrange a 60-day tourist visa before arriving.

Foreign Tourists Levy: To help preserve Bali’s culture, traditions, and natural beauty, the Bali Provincial Government has introduced a Foreign Tourists Levy. The fee is IDR150,000 per person, paid once per trip.

We recommend settling this online before you travel. You can make the payment through the official Love Bali website or app; once completed, you’ll receive a Tourism Levy voucher with a QR code sent directly to your email. Simply present this upon arrival.

If you prefer to pay on the spot, there is also a payment counter at the airport – although paying in advance is usually the quicker, easier option.

Health & Safety

Bali’s tap water isn’t safe to drink, so bottled or filtered water is the way to go. While Bali is malaria-free, dengue fever does occur, so we recommend a reliable mosquito repellent with a high DEET content.

There are good international medical clinics in south Bali, but treatment can be costly. Bring any essential medication and ensure your travel insurance covers medical care – including dive insurance if you’ll be joining us underwater.

Getting Around

If you’d like to drive a car or scooter, you’ll need an International Driver’s Permit. Traffic can be lively, so many guests tell us they prefer hiring a car with a driver – it’s affordable and far more relaxing.

Money Tips

ATMs are widely available in the south, but limited in more rural areas such as Tulamben. The local currency is Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). If you’re bringing foreign cash, use newer, clean banknotes and exchange money only at reputable places.

Visa and MasterCard are generally accepted, though small surcharges are common.

What to Pack

Bali is very easy to shop in, so pack lightly. Light clothing, swimwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, and any personal medication are the main essentials.

Bali is a welcoming, vibrant island with plenty to discover. With a little preparation, you’ll be ready to make the most of every moment.

Ready to explore Bali’s incredible underwater world?
👉 Plan your next dive with AquaMarine Diving – Bali and see the island from a whole new perspective.

Bali Diving 1 Day Trip

Click below for more Bali Diving Information:

Diving in Bali

Great Reasons to Visit Bali

Posted on October 17, 2025October 17, 2025 by Annabel Thomas

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Great Reasons to Visit Bali – Diving, Culture, Food and More

When people hear that I live in Bali full-time, they usually have one of two reactions — either “Oh wow! Lucky you, permanently on holiday!” or “Isn’t it a big party island?”
The truth is, the real Bali lies somewhere between those two ideas.

From incredible diving and rich culture to stunning scenery and mouth-watering food, there are countless reasons to visit Bali — and every visitor discovers their own.

🌊 1. Incredible Diving

For us at AquaMarine Diving – Bali, this one’s at the top of the list. Bali offers something for every diver — from first-timers to seasoned professionals. You can try a PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience, earn your Open Water certification, or explore speciality courses like Manta Awareness.

Dive sites include the spectacular USAT Liberty Shipwreck in Tulamben, Menjangan Island’s wall dives, the vibrant reefs around Padangbai and Candidasa (often with reef sharks!), and Nusa Penida’s famous drift dives where you may encounter Mola-Mola (Ocean sunfish) and manta rays.

No matter your level, Bali’s underwater world will leave you in awe.

🕉️ 2. Rich Culture

Bali is Indonesia’s only Hindu-majority island, often called “The Island of a Thousand Temples.” Every village has its own temple, each with centuries of history and deep spiritual meaning.

Visitors can witness colourful ceremonies, local processions, and beautifully adorned offerings — a unique blend of faith, art, and daily life that defines the Balinese spirit.

🌾 3. Gorgeous Scenery

Bali is a feast for the senses: lush green rice terraces, crystal-clear waters, majestic volcanoes, and golden beaches. Whether you’re watching sunrise over Mount Batur or capturing temple silhouettes against a fiery sunset, it’s impossible not to be inspired.

Photographers and nature lovers will find endless beauty to explore — from cascading waterfalls to tropical gardens and remote coastal views.

💞 4. Romance in the Air

Bali has long been known as one of the most romantic places in the world. Stroll hand-in-hand along the beach at sunset, share a candlelit dinner by the sea, or enjoy a private couple’s dive together.

With its tranquil atmosphere and breathtaking scenery, Bali is perfect for honeymoons, vow renewals, or simply reconnecting with someone special.

☀️ 5. Peace and Relaxation

For those seeking quiet, head away from the busy south and explore the east, west, or north coasts — or the peaceful foothills of central Bali. These regions offer a more traditional, serene side of island life.

At dusk, as the sky glows pink and the air fills with the sound of distant gamelan music, you’ll understand why Bali is a haven for peace and reflection.

🌞 6. Endless Sunshine

Just eight degrees south of the Equator, Bali enjoys sunshine nearly all year round. Even during rainy season, showers are brief and refreshing. With an average of 200 hours of sunshine per month, you’ll have plenty of time for diving, exploring, or simply relaxing by the water.

(Just don’t forget your reef-safe sunscreen!)

🤝 7. Warm, Welcoming People

The Balinese are some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. Their kindness, smiles, and curiosity make every visitor feel at home. Many speak excellent English and love sharing their island stories.

It’s not unusual for guests to form lasting friendships — another reason so many people return to Bali again and again.

🍜 8. Foodie Heaven

If you love good food, you’ll adore Bali. From spicy local dishes to fresh seafood and vegetarian delights, the island’s culinary scene is both diverse and delicious.

Try satay made from chicken, pork, or fish, sample traditional nasi campur or gado-gado, or enjoy smoothie bowls and gourmet Western dishes at Bali’s many cafés and restaurants.

Discover the Real Bali

Whether you come for the diving, the culture, the food, or simply to unwind, Bali has a magic that stays with you long after you leave.
These are just a few of the many reasons to visit Bali, and once you’ve experienced its charm, you’ll understand why so many visitors return again and again.

Ready to explore Bali’s incredible underwater world?
👉 Plan your next dive with AquaMarine Diving – Bali and see the island from a whole new perspective.

Bali Diving 1 Day Trip

Click below for more Bali Diving Information:

Diving in Bali

Dive Site: Tulamben Area

Posted on April 18, 2025April 19, 2025 by Annabel Thomas

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Tulamben Area: from Muck to Pelagics Enthusiast

Tulamben Area offer a variety of conditions and types of diving. There are, in fact, quite a number of dive sites in the Tulamben Area (ie: outside Tulamben Bay). Most are mainly to the south east, but here we are only detailing the better-known sites. Because these sites are outside Tulamben Bay, they are more exposed and can be affected by currents however they are suitable for all levels beyond beginner.

Some of these Tulamben Area dive sites are popular areas for macro (muck) diving revealing many small critters in easy-to-photograph environments. The best known is Seraya Slope.

Tulamben Area Dive Sites

These Tulamben Area dive sites include Seraya for muck-diving and Batu Kelebit, Palung-Palung, Kubu, and Emerald for other marinelife including reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse and Bumphead parrotfish.

Seraya Slope

As well as the main, central site called ‘Seraya’, named for a nearby resort, this small area also encompasses various individual muck sites. As with all the Tulamben Area dive sites, these muck diving sites have a black sand bottom and little coral growth. Seraya Slope is one of our favourite muck sites for interesting discoveries. The macro life here includes a wide range of shrimps, pipefish, crabs, nudibranchs, and other fabulous creatures.

Kubu

Muck divers will find many nudis and other macro creatures dotted around the black sand slope, together with eels, cuttlefish, Leaf scorpionfish and more.

Two small walls (approx 25m depth with viz of 20m) offer gentle drift-diving past numerous sea fans (with Pygmy seahorses) and a variety of sponges, as well as hard and soft corals. Kubu has the highest concentrations of lionfish and Blue-spotted rays in the Tulamben area.

Palung-palung

Palung-palung is covered in colourful soft corals and alive with butterflyfish, sea fans, swaying Garden eels, hunting day octopus, and large schools of fusiliers. Also, you will quite often see some of Tulamben’s school of huge Bumphead parrotfish munching on the coral and White-tip and Black-tip reef sharks looking for their next meal.

Batu Kelebit

An unusual and exciting site just outside Tulamben Bay that provides opportunities to see pelagics as well as reef life different from that inside the Bay.

Batu Kelebit is basically two large rocks that lie just offshore. As you follow the sloping reef deeper, the dive site becomes more dramatic. You’ll see three steep ridges encrusted with a wonderful diversity of hard and soft corals, fire and table corals, many beautiful sea fans, and sponges.

Emerald

There is a sunken car and some other pieces of artificial reef on the sandy slope – which itself is a natural home to cuttlefish, gobies, Decorated dartfish, Helmut gurnard and nudis. There are some areas of Garden eels too.

Around 20-30m depth, the reef becomes richer with a large number of sponges, including Barrel sponges, and is a good place to see reef sharks. Both Thresher sharks and Eagle rays are (occasionally) seen here. There is a small drop-off with Elephant ear sponges and hard corals, and some large, semi-resident Napoleon wrasse.

AquaMarine Diving – Bali could easily put together a 7+ Day Tulamben Bay and Tulamben Area Dive Sites Safari with 3-4dives/day at a different site each day.

Tulamben Area Day Trip

Click below for more Bali Diving Information:

Diving in Bali