Padang Bai: The Jetty Muck & Macro Photography Dive Site

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Scuba Diving Padang Bai's The Jetty Muck Dive Site Macro Photography Gallery

giant pufferfish with juvenile golden trevallies in symbiosis at jetty dive site padangbai bali island
school shoal of juvenile batfish at padangbai jetty muck dive site bali
underwater macro photography portrait of bent pipefish syngathiform in padang bai jetty dive site bali
schoog ba balil of surgeonfish under the jetty dive site padan
cuckatoo leaf scorpionfish macro critter leaffish at the jetty padang bay dive site
underwater macro photography of red ambon scorpionfish in padang bai deep jepun dive site bali by luke gordon
flying gurnard macro critter at padangbai jetty muck dive site bali
underwater macro photography of yawning frogfish in padang bai blue lagoon dive site bali by luke gordon
underwater macro photography of pink siagiani squat lobster crustacean in padang bai white sand beach dive site bali
underwater macro photography of yellow ambon scorpionfish in padang bai tanjung sari dive site bali by luke gordon
1 Google Earth Jetty
underwater macro photography of porcelaine crab crustacean in padang bai jetty muck dive site bali
underwater macro photography of red flappy eshmeyeri rhinopia in padang bai jetty dive site bali

Type:

Padang Bai's Jetty dive site was originally built for cruise ship berthing. Construction was finished in 2009. No cruise ship has used the facilities since due to lack of compliance to international standards. Thanks to the poor quality of the engineering work, the Jetty has become a haven for muck divers' favourite macro critters.

The Jetty has quickly gained worldwide reputation with macro photographers, nudibranch lovers and any divers interested in weird and wonderful critterss. The Jetty is now considered one of Bali's and Indonesia's best macro dive sites.

300m long jetty in the middle of Amuk Bay with depths ranging between 3 and 18m.

Access:

Just a few minutes from Padang Bai's harbor by traditional boats or speedboats. This site is not accessible from shore as swell, boulders and the jetty's height prohibit entry and exit from the water.

Coral Reef State:

This environment has been severely altered by man. Dredging works have destroyed any corals that existed here before construction except a few boulders here and there. Coral growth since 2009 has been impressive with many soft corals, such as sea fans, hydroids or anemones, having re-colonised the area.

Much junk discarded by fishermen provides artificial habitats to many camouflaged and skittish species.

Fish Species:

Many critters seen here in large quantities are extremely rare in most dive sites in Bali and the rest of Indonesia. The macro life is unbelievable and the list of sightings would be endless.

Current:

None to mild. Avoid this site when swell is strong. Usually good conditions even for beginners.

Visibility:

20m+ with calm seas over last few days.

10m when swell has been strong (and keen muck divers can't wait another day to take their cameras to this macro haven).

Note:

Dive conditions are best early in the morning in Padang Bay. Sea can get rough in the afternoon. We recommend divers to come before 8:30AM, if they haven't booked and want to dive on the day. Of course, it's always best to book ahead of time!

Highlights:

Rhinopias, flabelinas, bent pipefish, blue-ring and wonder octopii are some of the many species sought by macro photographers here.

The yet to be identified purple velvetfish also dwells here!

Photography Tip:

The Jetty is not just a macro photography dive site. Wide-angle underwater photographers will also find plenty of subjects.

The Jetty itself is extremely photogenic with its columns bathed in sunlight surrounded with shades and shadows. Contrejour and sunball alert!

Schools of glassfish, anchovies and squids are attracted by the small fray. They, in turn, become preys to larger pelagic species like trevallies, jackfish and mackerel. Whitetip reef sharks have also been sighted here.