Jemeluk Bay

Our Home Reef

Aquatix is based here. Jemeluk Bay is a protected marine bay on the northeast coast of Bali, sheltered from swell year-round by the natural curve of the coastline. This is one of the finest environments to learn diving in Southeast Asia.

The Layout

The main basin of Jemeluk covers a shallow coral garden from 3 to around 20 meters, dense with coral heads, anemones, and reef fish.

All of the terrain slopes towards the center of the bay, where the depth is the greatest. This is where freedivers have mooring buoys placed for depth training.

The westers section of the bay is a shallow plateau the starts to drop-off into beautiful walls that start as shallow as 5 to 10 meters. Below 20 meters the formations grow larger and more dramatic. Sea fans extend from the rock face. Large barrel sponges grow out from the wall.

The easters part of the bay is also diveable and is commonly referred to by the locals as "sunset point". The landscape here is similar to the rest of the bay in that there is a gradual plateau that drops off around 5-8 meters down to a depth of 15-18 meters. The most vertical sections of these drop-offs face north and require a boat pickup to dive safely.

With the western and eastern zone, there are two observable distinct areas: the garden, where most of the wildlife concentrates, and the walls with depth and current.

The bay is protected enough that shore entry is effortless on most days. Current is usually minimal. The visibility is sharper and the bay quieter in the early morning before 8am.

Wildlife

Green and Hawksbill Turtles move through the coral heads on most dives. Blue-spotted Rays rest on the sandy patches between coral heads. Moray Eels hold position in the wall crevices. Reef Sharks work the deeper section with regularity. All the typical reef species are present here in a healthy volume.

The middle of the water column is often stacked with Fusiliers, Surgeonfish, and (if you're lucky) large schools of Bigmouth Mackerel feeding.

Jemeluk holds a special place in the community and is considered by many as the heart of Amed. For those reasons it's also a special place that people sometimes encounter Dolphins, Whales, and other rare sightings.

Rules of the Bay

All experience levels. Jemeluk sits within the Karangasem Marine Protected Area and spearfishing is not permitted in the bay under any circumstances. If you want to spearfish, speak to us about appropriate sites along the coast.

This bay now also serves as a mooring location for many local boats and can sometimes result in heavy boat traffic. It is safest to dive with an experienced guide and to use a visible dive float.