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📷 Harvey Clements · Pexels

PADI Hammerhead Bali Dive

3.9 — based on 17 community signals
4.2 12 species 28 contributors

Hammerhead diving year-round in Bali. Strong currents, schooling sharks, and healthy coral make this an advanced spot.

⭐ Best for advanced divers chasing chasing pelagics.

updated 4 months ago
Difficulty
Advanced
Pelagic hotspotAdvancedOnlyCurrentVaries

At a glance

Activity
dive
Difficulty
advanced
Best months
Year-round
Marine life
Scalloped hammerhead

Top operators here

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Map

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PADI Hammerhead Bali Dive location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
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Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
3.6 kn
Wave
1.36 m
Water
25.8°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: ESE (64%)
Now: ENE (70°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 1.73m

Next: High at 01:00 (+0.92m)

+1.1 m0 m-0.7 m
▲ 01:00 · +0.92m ▼ 08:00 · -0.46m ▲ 14:00 · +0.26m ▼ 19:00 · -0.2m
Sat 19Sun 20Mon 21Tue 22Wed 23Thu 24Fri 25
UV9 · very high Air PM2.59 · good 06:10 18:15
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-19 9.5 1.44 9 0mm
09-20 8.9 1.88 9 0mm
09-21 9.4 2 9 0mm
09-22 9 1.74 9 0mm
09-23 8.4 1.6 9 0mm
09-24 8.6 1.54 9 0mm
09-25 8.2 1.44 9 1mm
⚠ Coral bleaching: Watch — favorable conditions

About this spot

Hammerhead Bali Dive is a thrilling site where you can encounter schooling scalloped hammerheads in their natural habitat near Tanjung Tengkulung. The dive draws experienced divers for powerful pelagic action and a chance to observe these iconic sharks up close. Currents can be strong, so solid buoyancy control and open-water experience are essential. The reef structure supports diverse coral and fish life, though coral health in the region warrants attention. Water conditions vary seasonally, but the site remains accessible throughout the year. Visibility can fluctuate with tides and weather, so check local forecasts and dive operator reports before heading out. The area is not within a marine protected area, but responsible diving practices help preserve the ecosystem. Local dive operators know the site well and can brief you on entry points, current strength, and the best times to spot hammerheads. Bring a dive computer and plan your depths carefully. The experience level required reflects the pelagic nature of the dive and unpredictable conditions—this is not a site for new divers.

📖 Guide: Diving in Indonesia: 323 Sites, Mantas to Micro-critters

Best months

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Marine life

Scalloped hammerhead

Dive types

Pelagic / blue waterReef

Trip essentials

Everything you need before you pack — checklist, sun, logistics.

Trip checklist

  • 🛂 Visa-free or visa-on-arrival
  • 📜 C-card + dive insurance (DAN)
  • 📔 Dive logbook
  • 🧴 Reef-safe sunscreen SPF 50+
  • 🔌 Plug type C/F · 230V adapter
  • 💊 Seasickness meds + ear drops
  • 📱 Offline maps + emergency contact

Quick facts

  • 🌓 Moon First quarter · 47%
  • GPS
Sustainability disclosures
🌍 CO2 footprint LHR ↔ 12532km · ~2882kg · €52

From your departure country

United States
Origin score: 54/100
  • Visa: Visa on arrival · 30 days max
  • Flight: 12h · direct
  • Jet-lag: 12h east · 8 days recovery

FAQ

When is the best time to dive Hammerhead Bali Dive?

The site is diveable year-round, but seasonal variations affect visibility and current strength. Local operators can advise on specific weather windows and hammerhead activity during your planned dates.

What is the depth and difficulty level?

Exact depths are site-dependent, but hammerhead encounters typically occur at depths where strong currents are common. This is an advanced dive requiring solid buoyancy control, navigation skills, and open-water experience.

What marine life will I see?

Scalloped hammerheads are the headline draw. The reef also hosts schooling fish, various coral species, and supporting pelagic life. Twelve species observations are on record from the site.

Do I need permits or special access?

The site is not within a marine protected area. Standard dive operator licensing applies. Check with local operators for entry requirements, fees, and current conditions before diving.

Operators near this spot

Dive centres, kite & surf schools within 10 km, sourced from OpenStreetMap.

Neptune Scuba Diving

7.3 km
Dive centre
Hours: Mo-Su 07:00-22:00

Nico Dives Cool Bali

9 km
Dive centre
Hours: Mo-Su 07:00-17:00

BASUKA DIVE&WATER SPORT

0.9 km
Dive centre

BMR Dive & Water Sports

1.1 km
Dive centre

Tropical

1.9 km
Dive centre

Ocean king

6.3 km
Dive centre

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

Verified marine species observations

71 records · 46 species · sources: OBIS, GBIF

Plumularia roxanae

Hydrozoa · Plumulariidae
OBIS
Last seen:
13 Jan 2020
×1records
Depth:
0 m

Neotrygon caeruleopunctata

Elasmobranchii · Dasyatidae
OBIS
Last seen:
17 Apr 2004
×1records

Halaelurus maculosus

Elasmobranchii · Pentanchidae
OBIS
Last seen:
12 Oct 2002
×8records

Hemigaleus microstoma

Elasmobranchii · Hemigaleidae
OBIS
Last seen:
12 Oct 2002
×2records

Orectolobus leptolineatus

Elasmobranchii · Orectolobidae
OBIS
Last seen:
12 Oct 2002
×1records

Centrophorus moluccensis

Elasmobranchii · Centrophoridae
OBIS
Last seen:
27 Aug 2002
×2records

Centrophorus isodon

Elasmobranchii · Centrophoridae
OBIS
Last seen:
27 Aug 2002
×2records

Squalus nasutus

Elasmobranchii · Squalidae
OBIS
Last seen:
27 Aug 2002
×1records

Squalus montalbani

Elasmobranchii · Squalidae
OBIS
Last seen:
31 Jul 2002
×2records

Plesiobatis daviesi

Elasmobranchii · Plesiobatidae
OBIS
Last seen:
31 Jul 2002
×1records

Chimaera ogilbyi

Holocephali · Chimaeridae
OBIS
Last seen:
31 Jul 2002
×1records

Pseudocarcharias kamoharai

Elasmobranchii · Pseudocarchariidae
OBIS
Last seen:
31 Jul 2002
×1records

Data: 187,991 observations from OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). CC-BY 4.0.

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

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  • Your videos are incredible!

    @thaonguyening · 👍 0
wind peaks Jul-Aug-Jun, calmest Apr-Mar-Nov, dry Apr-Nov.

5-year monthly climate

60 samples
0 5 10 15 20 25 JFMAMJJASOND
p25–p75 range Median Wind (kn) Air (°C)
Visibility (month-by-month)
Best: Aug (100/100) Worst: May (0/100) Now: Sep (100/100) NOAA MODIS Aqua · 5y mean

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