Crystal Bay Nusa Penida

Crystal Bay sits on the northwest side of Nusa Penida, across the strait from Bali, and is one of the better known dive and snorkel spots on the island. It is best known as one of the more reliable places in the area to encounter the Mola mola, or oceanic sunfish, which show up seasonally in the colder months, along with reef fish and coral in the sheltered bay. Depths run from shallow water near shore down to a sloping reef further out, and conditions can shift quickly because of currents and upwelling that pull in the cooler water the sunfish favor. Because of that current and the occasional strong surge, parts of the site are better suited to more experienced divers even though the bay itself looks calm from the surface.