THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Bali and Lombok - page 365

DIVING AND SNORKELLING AROUND PEMUTERAN
Local people and local dive operators have, in recent years, developed a real understanding
of the environmental value of the reefs and considerable efforts have been made to repair
earlier damage caused by the bad practices of local fishermen and unavoidable environ-
mental factors. One initiative was the Karang Lestari Pemuteran project ( globalcor-
al.org ), just off the Pemuteran shore, using the pioneering “ Biorock ” process, which en-
courages new growth by continuously passing a low electrical current through the stony
coral, causing minerals to build up at about four times the normal speed. The Reef Garden-
ers is an initiative to train local people as divers to maintain the Biorock structures, carry
out work to maintain the health of the reefs and establish new sites.
Of the naturally occurring sites, Canyon Wreck , featuring a 30m wooden Bugis schooner
resting in a coral canyon, is among the more dramatic. Of the artificially created sites, the
Ships Graveyard , where three fishing boats have been sunk to attract coral growth and
fish life, is one area that features Biorock structures and is suitable for snorkellers as well as
divers. Temple Garden consists of a 4m-high temple gateway and ten large statues, which
have been submerged to provide a stunning underwater landscape as they are now beauti-
fully covered in fans and attracting all sorts of marine life.
The map at Reef Seen Aquatics dive centre gives a good overview of all the sites.
DIVE CENTRES
Pemuteran's dive centres cover diving and snorkelling locally and off Pulau Menjangan;
some also go to Gilimanuk's Secret Bay, to Puri Jati near Seririt and to Tulamben on Bali's
east coast. Most do night dives, nitrox diving and macro-photography trips.
Two boat dives on the Pemuteran reefs averages Rp930,000, including all equipment.
Two-dive trips to Pulau Menjangan cost about Rp12,000,000 including equipment and na-
tional park fees. Snorkelling trips average Rp200,000 per person to the Pemuteran reefs
(2hr, plus equipment rental) or about Rp450,000 per person to Menjangan (6hr, includes
park fees of Rp20,000, plus Rp60,000 snorkelling fee). You can also rent fins and masks to
snorkel off the beach from a village association booth on the beach between Pondok Sari
and Taman Sari or at Reef Seen Aquatics (Rp65,000/3hr; Rp65,000/3hr; Rp110,000/day).
Most dive centres are on the beach in front of the hotels, between Sari Amertha and Ta-
man Selini . The following are recommended:
Reef Seen Aquatics 0362 93001, reefseenbali.com .
Werner Lau Pondok Sari 0362 92337 and Matahari Beach Resort 0362 92312,

wernerlau.com .
Sea Rovers Dive Hotel Adi Assri 0811 385 7118, searovers.net .