Tanjung Sari · Padang Bai

The story

Padang Bai's training reef.

Tanjung Sari is the small headland on the south side of the harbour. The reef wraps around the point at 5–18 metres — hard coral, sand patches, easy navigation, no current to speak of.

Most divers pass through here for an easy second dive of the day, or as a Discover Scuba site for first-timers. The fish life is steady but not dramatic — parrotfish, damsels, moorish idols, scattered moray eels, the occasional turtle drifting through.

"The dive that gives newer divers their wings."

Pair it with Blue Lagoon for an easy two-tank day. Great for refreshers, photographers warming up, or photographer's first day after a long flight.

Topography

How the dive unfolds.

Quiet east-coast reef just round the headland from Padang Bai harbour. Hard-coral plateau at 6 m, sloping gently to a sandy outer edge at 18 m. Healthy schooling reef fish, occasional turtles, the odd reef shark cruising the deeper edge. Calm and current-free almost year-round.

Plan a 50-min easy reef tour: boat drop on the plateau, work the slope through the main reef, descend to the outer edge at 17 m, return along the reef. Open Water-friendly throughout. Quiet site — usually no other boats.

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 Parrotfish 100%

Resident Moorish idols 90%

Resident Damselfish swarms 100%

Resident Bannerfish 85%

Resident Moray eels 70%

Resident Scorpionfish 75%

Resident Octopus 50%

Resident Nudibranchs 75%

Visitor Sea turtles 35%

Resident Anemones · Clownfish 100%

Visitor Banded sea krait 30%

Resident Blue-spotted stingrays 60%

Resident Hard coral garden 100%

Resident Soft corals 100%

Resident Sponges 100%

Resident Schooling fusiliers 90%

Always-presentThe hard coral garden, parrotfish, anemone clusters, butterflyfish.

Sometimes-presentOctopus, sea turtles, banded sea krait hunting the rubble.

Practical

What you need.

01 · Cert

Certification

Open Water minimum. Plan deeper sections only if AOWD-comfortable.

02 · Entry

Entry · Distance

Beach or short boat from Padang Bai harbour. Beach entries are 30–50 m fin-out to the drop-in.

03 · Flow

Currents

Mild inside the bay. Gentle to moderate at outer reef edges.

04 · When

Best time of day

Morning (08:00–10:00) — best viz and calmest water.

05 · Fees

Site fee

Padang Bai harbour fee ~30,000 IDR (€2) per diver per day — included in your PMD safari price.

06 · Schedule

Surface intervals

Lunch in the village between dives. Two-tank trip standard — one shallow, one deeper.

Ready?

Dive Tanjung Sari
on a Padang Bai safari.

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

Plan Your Trip ← All Padang Bai sites