Diving in Padang Bai (Bali): level, current, season, tax and visa

150,000 Indonesian rupiah. This is the amount of the tourist tax that the province of Bali has been charging foreign visitors since February 14, 2024, according to its official site Love Bali. If you plan to dive at Padang Bai, this figure should be included in your budget even before the first bottle.

The rest is also prepared on land. Padang Bai is a small port on the east coast of Bali, from where ferries depart to Lombok and fast boats to the Gili Islands. Its dive sites range from sheltered bays to islets battered by currents.

Here we revisit the previous version of this guide, removing figures we could not verify and keeping a simple framework: level, current, season, supervision, fallback plan.

Padang Bai: for what level of diver?

Padang Bai welcomes several levels, provided you choose the right site on the day itself. Blue Lagoon and Tanjung Jepun, near the port, often host supervised beginners. The islets of Gili Tepekong and Gili Mimpang, further out in Amuk Bay, are aimed more at autonomous divers accustomed to currents.

The previous version of this article presented Padang Bai as ideal for beginners, with minimal swell and moderate currents in the morning. No date or source accompanied these conditions. They may apply to the bay in calm seas, a windless morning, and much less so to the offshore islets. Nothing proves it. And the name of the village does not tell you where the boat will put you in the water. So ask the center what certification it requires for each site, how many recent dives it expects before a drift dive, and what it plans when the group mixes beginners and experienced divers on the same boat.

The required level is decided site by site, and on the morning itself.

Blue Lagoon, Tanjung Jepun, Tepekong: what sites around Padang Bai?

Three groups of sites appear in the programs of centers in Padang Bai. Blue Lagoon is a small bay just east of the port, with a shallow reef. Tanjung Jepun, very close by, is often dived from the boat. Gili Tepekong and Gili Mimpang, offshore from Candidasa in Amuk Bay, are rocky islets exposed to swell and current.

Site	Profile	Current	For whom (indicative)	To ask
Blue Lagoon	Small bay, shallow reef	Often weak, variable depending on the sea	Supervised beginners, snorkelling	Entry from shore or boat, boat traffic
Tanjung Jepun	Reef and sand near the port	Variable	Supervised beginners to experienced	Maximum planned depth, duration
Gili Tepekong	Rocky islet offshore	Strong and changing, reported down currents	Autonomous divers accustomed to current	Drift procedure, safety sausage, wetsuit
Gili Mimpang	Group of rocks offshore	Strong and changing	Autonomous divers accustomed to current	Fallback plan if the sea is rough

The previous version listed other sites, including a “Temple” ten minutes by boat with leopard sharks and a wreck at Tanah Ampoe. We could not reliably identify these sites. They are therefore removed from the list, as are the visibility “often over 25 meters” and corals “up to 12 meters,” given without source or date. For species, the same caution applies. Turtles, scorpionfish, or nudibranchs may appear, but no serious page guarantees an encounter, and neither does this guide.

But a rich reef remains fragile.

Before your first outing, reread why you should never touch marine life, and compare with other dive sites in Bali like Tulamben or Amed.

Current and cold water at Tepekong and Mimpang: why allow for margin?

Gili Tepekong and Gili Mimpang are known for their strong currents. They change direction quickly and can dive towards the bottom. The water is sometimes noticeably colder than at the surface due to upwellings. These two parameters require experience, good air management, and a guide who knows the site.

The current decides more than the photo.

A downward current pulls you down without warning. Yet, most commercial pages about Amuk Bay talk about sharks and drop-offs before mentioning the current. The procedure to follow must come from the briefing, and it must be clear before entering the water. Ask how the group stays together during a drift, who carries the safety sausage, and what happens if someone gets separated from the guide. Colder water also causes fatigue, and a diver who is cold consumes more air.

Regarding equipment, keep a close eye on your air consumption and reread if necessary how to read your dive pressure gauge, because a return against the current can cost much more air than the way out. For the wetsuit, ask the center the day before. In our opinion, a first dive in Bali should not start at Tepekong.

Which season to choose for diving in Padang Bai?

Padang Bai centers announce outings all year round. We found no official series of temperature or visibility specific to this area, and the 20 to 28 °C range from the previous version had no source. We remove it. The ideal month remains impossible to determine from here.

Bali has a dry season and a rainy season, and the sea state on the east coast mainly depends on the day’s wind, swell, and tide. Cold water upwellings around the islets are mostly mentioned in the middle of the year, during the dry season, as an indication. Thus, a period reputed to be calmer on the surface can also be when the water is coldest at depth. Visibility follows other rules. It says nothing about your safety in the current.

Clear water does not make an easy site.

Before fixing your dates, ask the center what they generally observe during the targeted period, how they cancel an outing when the sea rises, and if they refund or reschedule the lost dive in that case.

Bali tourist tax and visa on arrival: what to settle before leaving?

For a tourist stay in Bali, count on two procedures. The tourist tax of 150,000 IDR, in effect since February 14, 2024, is paid online on the official Love Bali website of the province. For French travelers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes a paid visa on arrival for 30 days, extendable once.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consulted on October 3, 2026, estimates the tax at about €9.5 and specifies that it is “payable at each entry into Balinese territory.” This detail matters in Padang Bai, since the port serves as a gateway to Lombok and the Gili Islands. If you make a round trip, double-check the rule when returning. The Bali government also announced payment checks at major tourist sites starting March 2024. However, the check does not change the principle.

For the visa on arrival, the same ministry provides 30 days, a possible 30-day extension, a mandatory return ticket, and a passport valid for more than six months upon entry. The visa amount is not listed there. Check it on the official Indonesian immigration portal (evisa.imigrasi.go.id) just before leaving, as this amount may change.

Note the date of each check in your travel documents.

Supervision and fallback plan: how to choose your center in Padang Bai?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summarizes the subject well for Indonesia: “The offer is large but of variable quality.” It also recalls the many diving accidents each year. It therefore advises verifying the quality of the center. In Padang Bai, this check involves supervision, safety equipment on board, and a pre-planned fallback plan.

The previous version mentioned a specific center, with a price of €124 per person for two dives, equipment rental at €20 per day, and a third dive between €30 and €52. We could not verify these prices on a dated official page. They come from the guide. To compare centers, ask each the same questions: number of divers per guide, oxygen and first aid kit on board, radio or phone, required insurance. Finally, ask which site replaces Tepekong when the current is too strong.

However, the right answer often exists just steps from the port.

A reputable center will offer you Blue Lagoon or Tanjung Jepun instead, or even a reschedule, without pushing you towards a site beyond your skill level. If you travel with your own equipment, plan how to transport it between ferries and boats (we detail this in our diving bag guide), and also check out the best snorkeling destinations in the world if part of the group does not dive.

In short, a backup plan costs a day of less spectacular diving, sometimes a lost outing and its price. Without it, you pay with your safety margin. Would you book it that way?

FAQ

Is Padang Bai suitable for beginner divers?

Blue Lagoon and Tanjung Jepun, near the port, often welcome supervised beginners. Gili Tepekong and Gili Mimpang, with their strong and changing currents, are rather aimed at autonomous and experienced divers. The decision is up to the professional on site, site by site.

How much is the Bali tourist tax?

It amounts to 150,000 IDR since February 14, 2024, according to the Bali provincial government. It is paid online on the official Love Bali website. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates it at about €9.5 and states it is payable at each entry into Balinese territory.

Is a visa required to dive in Padang Bai?

For a French traveler, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes a paid visa on arrival for 30 days, extendable once for 30 days. It requires a return ticket and a passport valid for more than six months. Check the amount on the official Indonesian immigration portal before departure.

Why is the water colder at Gili Tepekong and Gili Mimpang?

These islets are exposed to deep water upwellings, called upwelling, which sometimes significantly cool the water compared to the surface. Ask the center which wetsuit they recommend for the period. The cold tires you out and increases air consumption.

Sources

• Starting at the End of March The Bali Provincial Government Holds Inspection of Tourist Levy in Tourism Destinations (Bali provincial government, Love Bali, March 26, 2024)
• Travel Advice: Indonesia (Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, accessed October 3, 2026)

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