Menjangan Island has some of the clearest water and least crowded reefs in Bali. It lies inside West Bali National Park, about four hours from the airport, which is too far for most day trips from the south.
The reef starts in waist-deep water and drops into a wall within a few metres of the shore. Snorkellers can therefore see the drop-off from the surface, which makes the island as rewarding for snorkelling as for diving.
Water conditions
Visibility is regularly 20 to 30 metres and can reach about 50 metres in good conditions late in the dry season. The water temperature is 27 to 29 degrees throughout the year, and currents on the sheltered side of the island are mild. Conditions on a given day depend more on the wind than on the season.
The sites
Boats use several named sites around the island. A half-day trip usually visits two.
Coral Garden
A shallow, sheltered site and usually the first stop. It has extensive hard coral with parrotfish, angelfish and anemonefish, and is the best site for first-time snorkellers.
Eel Garden
A sandy slope where hundreds of garden eels rise from the seabed and withdraw as swimmers pass overhead.
The Drop-Off
The steepest section of the wall, with sea fans and barrel sponges. The water below is deep, but most of the marine life is in the top few metres.
Anchor Wreck
Mainly a dive site. An old anchor can be seen from the surface and the surrounding reef is good, but the wreck itself is below snorkelling depth.
Marine life
Reef fish are seen on every trip: parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, anemonefish, sweetlips and large schools of fusiliers along the wall. Green turtles are seen on most trips. Blacktip and whitetip reef sharks swim along the drop-off and pose no danger to snorkellers.
Smaller species such as nudibranchs, octopus and cleaner shrimp can be found among the coral by swimming slowly.
Getting there
Boats leave from Labuhan Lalang, inside the national park, and from Pemuteran, twenty minutes east along the coast. The crossing takes about half an hour, and trips run in the morning.
A standard half-day trip includes the boat, a guide, and a mask, snorkel and fins. The marine park fee is not always included, so please check when booking. Guests who have their own well-fitting mask are advised to bring it.
The sheltered sites do not require strong swimming, and the boats carry buoyancy vests. Please tell us when booking if anyone in the group is not confident in deep water, so that suitable sites can be chosen.
How it compares with the rest of Bali
Amed is easier to reach and can be snorkelled from the beach, but the reef is smaller and busier. Nusa Penida has manta rays, but much stronger currents and rougher sea conditions. Menjangan takes longer to reach and requires a boat, but there are usually only one or two other boats on the reef.
Protecting the reef
The reef is in better condition than most in Bali because it lies inside a national park and has been protected for decades. Visitors are asked to help keep it that way:
- Wear a rash vest where possible, and use reef-safe sunscreen.
- Do not stand on, hold or push off the coral.
- Keep your fins up and behind you, especially in the shallow coral gardens.
- Watch turtles from a distance and do not follow them.
When to go
April to October is the best period, and September and October usually have the clearest water. In the wet season crossings can be cancelled at short notice because of wind, so allow a spare day if snorkelling is the main reason for your visit.