Turtleneck · Padang Bai

The story

Where the turtles live.

Turtleneck is exactly what it sounds like — a shallow reef where green turtles have established a quiet residency. The reef is healthy hard coral over 5–20 metres, with patches of seagrass at the deeper end which the turtles graze through the day.

On a typical dive you'll see 3–5 turtles — usually green turtles, occasionally hawksbills. They're habituated to divers and tolerate close approach if you stay slow and respectful. Beyond the turtles: hard coral garden, butterflyfish, parrotfish, the occasional reef shark passing in the deeper sand.

"If you've come to Bali to see turtles, this is the dive."

Open Water-friendly. Best paired with Blue Lagoon (5 minutes' boat away) for a turtle-and-macro morning. Currents are gentle, viz is reliable, conditions are forgiving.

Topography

How the dive unfolds.

Named for the resident green turtles — usually 3–5 individuals sleeping in the same coral overhangs at 8 m, and a cleaning station at 14 m where hawksbills queue for cleaner wrasse. Easy reef beyond. Almost guaranteed turtle dive.

Plan a 50-min turtle dive: boat drop on the plateau, hover (don't approach) the sleeping turtles, work down to the cleaning station at 14 m, continue to the deep reef, return. Open Water-friendly. Approach turtles slowly — they spook if you swim straight at them.

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 Green turtles 95%

Visitor Hawksbill turtles 40%

Resident Parrotfish 100%

Resident Bannerfish 90%

Resident Moorish idols 90%

Resident Pyramid butterflyfish 90%

Resident Moray eels 75%

Visitor Whitetip reef sharks (passing) 20%

Resident Schooling fusiliers 80%

Resident Octopus 50%

Resident Nudibranchs 75%

Resident Anemones · Clownfish 100%

Resident Hard coral garden 100%

Resident Seagrass patches 100%

Resident Soft corals 100%

Resident Sponges 100%

Always-presentGreen turtles, hard coral, parrotfish, anemones, butterflyfish.

Sometimes-presentHawksbill turtles, whitetip sharks passing in the deeper sand, octopus.

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 Turtleneck
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