Coral Garden is on the north coast of Menjangan Island, inside West Bali National Park. Go by boat from the northwest Bali coast. The crossing takes about 20–45 minutes. The boat stops on a mooring, so the entry is short and the surface is usually calm.
The dive starts in a shallow coral garden, around 3–5 m, with bommies and hard coral. The slope then becomes a wall, from about 8 m to about 40 m, covered in soft coral, sponges, and large sea fans. The shallows are also good for snorkelling. Current is usually light, but on the open wall it can become a moderate drift.
Visibility around the island is often long, often 20–30 m, and the water is about 27–29°C. Because the wall keeps going down, agree a depth before the splash. The safety stop in the shallow coral is usually still busy with fish.
- Map coordinate
- −8.09202, 114.52242
- Dive type
- Reef
- Entry
- Boat
- Depth
- About 5–40 m. The shallow garden starts around 3–5 m.
- Water
- Salt water, about 27–29°C
Marine life
Green turtle
Often rest on the coral or graze on the slope. Hawksbill turtles are rarer.
Batfish
A school of batfish is often in the shallow garden, sometimes from the moment you drop in.
Triggerfish
Includes titan triggerfish and clown triggerfish. A titan triggerfish guards its nest fiercely. If one comes over, give way and do not cross the nest.
Angelfish
Angelfish, including emperor angelfish, and Moorish idols move over the hard coral in the shallows.
Moorish idol
Angelfish, including emperor angelfish, and Moorish idols move over the hard coral in the shallows.
Fusiliers
Schools of fusiliers and snappers run along the slope. Parrotfish and butterflyfish live on the hard coral.
Snappers
Schools of fusiliers and snappers run along the slope. Parrotfish and butterflyfish live on the hard coral.
Parrotfish
Schools of fusiliers and snappers run along the slope. Parrotfish and butterflyfish live on the hard coral.
Trevally
Sometimes a group of trevally hunts on the slope. Not on every dive.
Reef shark
Sometimes a blacktip reef shark passes on the wall. Rarer here than at other sites on the island.
Macro life
The shallows, among the anemones and sea fans, are where the small animals are, while snorkelling or on the safety stop. For macro photos, use a macro lens and a focus light, and do not touch a fan.
Clownfish
They guard anemones in the shallow coral garden. They stay by the anemone, so they are easy to watch without crowding them.
Cleaner shrimp
Small shrimp, including glass shrimp, live in the anemones and on the coral. They dance among the tentacles. Do not hold an anemone.
An animal on this list is not guaranteed on every dive.