SD Point · Nusa Penida

The story

The drift that delivers.

SD Point is the bread-and-butter drift dive of north Nusa Penida — named after the elementary school visible on the cliff above (Sekolah Dasar in Indonesian, abbreviated SD). You drop on a sloping reef wall, get carried west by the current, and watch the schools form.

Cool thermocline water on stronger-current days brings the chance of a mola mola passing in deeper water (Aug–Oct cold season), but day-in, day-out it's the schooling fish that make this site — yellow-tail fusiliers, bigeye trevally, and the occasional reef shark cruising the wall.

"School after school, all delivered by the current."

Pairs well with Crystal Bay as the second dive of a Penida day. Standard rotation when conditions don't allow Blue Corner.

Topography

How the dive unfolds.

A healthy coral wall on the north Penida coast. Drift west along the slope, the schools come to you.

Plan a typical 45–55 min drift: negative entry, descend to 18 m on the wall, drift west with the current at 18–25 m, ascend gradually with the wall on your shoulder, safety stop at 5 m mid-water with SMB.

Marine life · what you might see

The ocean's not a zoo.

Sightings are pure chance — current, season, time of day, and luck. Below is what divers spot at this site, but no operator can guarantee any specific encounter on any specific dive.

Resident Yellow-tail fusiliers 95%

Resident Bigeye trevally 80%

Resident Whitetip reef shark 50%

Resident Hawksbill turtle 70%

Seasonal Mola mola 25%

Always-presentYellow-tail fusiliers, bigeye trevally, healthy hard coral cover.

Sometimes-presentMola mola in cold season (Aug–Oct), reef sharks, eagle rays.

Practical

What you need.

01 · Cert

Certification

AOWD recommended for the drift profile. OW divers stay shallow with the guide.

02 · Entry

Entry · Distance

Boat dive. 30–45 min by speedboat from Sanur or Padang Bai. Negative entry on current days.

03 · Flow

Currents

Moderate to strong drift. SMB mandatory, stay close to the guide, follow the current.

04 · When

Best time of day

Slack-tide windows are easiest; current peak times bring the biggest schools but require AOWD-level skills.

05 · Gear

Gear

Standard scuba kit. SMB mandatory on every Penida dive. 5 mm wetsuit recommended Aug–Oct (cold thermocline).

Ready?

Dive SD Point
on a Nusa Penida safari.

All-inclusive: flights, transfers, villa, dives, food, marine fees. Two-tank Nusa Penida day with this site as part of the rotation.

Plan Your Trip ← All Nusa Penida sites