Diving Deep into Menjangan Island’s Coral Reefs: A Snorkeler’s Paradise
There are moments in travel that completely blindside you – when a place you’d barely heard of suddenly becomes one of your favorite spots on earth. That’s exactly what happened with Menjangan Island. Before my trip to Bali last year, I’d been so focused on planning the “must-see” spots like Ubud and Uluwatu that this tiny uninhabited island off Bali’s northwest coast was practically an afterthought. Boy, was I in for a surprise.
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Getting to Menjangan Island—Not as Easy as It Looks
First things first – Menjangan isn’t one of those places you just “pop over” to on a whim. It sits within West Bali National Park, and while it looks deceptively close on the map, getting there involves a bit of an adventure (or ordeal, depending on your patience level that day).
My journey started with a painfully early 5 AM pickup from my hotel in Seminyak. I’d arranged a driver through my hotel, which seemed like a smart move until I realized he had only a vague idea of where we were headed. “Menjangan? Yes, yes, I know,” he nodded confidently, while I could practically see the question marks floating above his head. Three wrong turns and several phone calls later, we were finally on the right track.
The drive to the northwest coast took about four hours, winding through some gorgeous countryside that almost made me forget how sore my back was getting. Almost. By the time we reached the park entrance at Labuan Lalang, I was questioning my life choices. Was this really going to be worth it? I’d skipped the infinity pools of Ubud for this?
At the park entrance, I had to register and pay the entrance fee (around 200,000 IDR for foreigners plus additional fees for the boat and guide – they’re mandatory, don’t try to skip them like the French couple I met who ended up paying double). The whole process felt a bit chaotic, with different people telling me different things about which boats were available and when they’d leave.
“Maybe 20 minutes, maybe one hour,” said the guide with a shrug when I asked when we’d depart. That “maybe” stretched into nearly two hours as we waited for more people to join our boat. I’d later learn this is pretty standard – they try to fill the boats to make the trip worthwhile for the operators.
When we finally set off, the 30-minute boat ride across to Menjangan Island was… well, let’s just say I discovered I don’t have sea legs. At all. The waves weren’t even that big, but my stomach apparently didn’t get the memo. Thank goodness for the kind Indonesian grandmother in our group who offered me some sort of ginger candy that miraculously helped.
But here’s the thing about difficult journeys – they have a way of making the destination feel earned. As our boat approached Menjangan’s shores, with limestone cliffs rising dramatically from crystal clear waters, I started to think maybe, just maybe, this whole ordeal might pay off.
First Impressions of Menjangan’s Underwater World
I’ve snorkeled in a few places around Southeast Asia, and honestly, I’d become a bit jaded. “Yeah, yeah, more coral, more fish, seen it all before,” was my general attitude. I’d even started to wonder if those incredible underwater photos you see are all just heavily edited or taken in aquariums (I’m still suspicious about some of them).
But the moment I put my face into the water at Menjangan, all that cynicism washed away. I actually gasped through my snorkel, which is not recommended, by the way – coughing up seawater isn’t the most dignified way to start your underwater adventure.
The visibility was absolutely insane. We’re talking 20-30 meters of crystal-clear blue in every direction. I could see the contours of the reef dropping away into deeper water, creating that mesmerizing blue gradient that underwater photographers go crazy for. And the colors! After visiting some sadly bleached reefs in Thailand last year, I wasn’t prepared for the explosion of purples, oranges, and electric blues that greeted me.
Schools of bright yellow butterflyfish darted around me, so close I could have touched them (though of course, I didn’t). Blue starfish clung to coral outcroppings, and what I’m pretty sure was a clownfish (yes, Nemo) peeked out from its anemone home, eyeing me suspiciously.
“This is ridiculous,” I remember thinking. “Places like this aren’t supposed to actually exist outside of BBC documentaries.”
Why the Visibility Here Blows Your Mind
I asked our guide, Made (pronounced mah-day), about why the water was so incredibly clear. He explained that Menjangan’s location plays a huge role – it sits at the meeting point of currents that bring in clean, nutrient-rich water while sweeping away sediment. The island is also far enough from Bali’s main tourist areas that it doesn’t suffer from the same level of pollution or boat traffic.
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“Plus,” Made added with a knowing smile, “we are very strict here. This is protected area. No touching, no taking, no trash.”
That protection status is relatively recent – the area became part of West Bali National Park in 1984 – but it’s made all the difference. Unlike some marine parks that exist only on paper, the rangers here take their job seriously. I watched one of them firmly scold a tourist who’d stood on a piece of coral to adjust his mask. The protection shows in the health of the ecosystem.
I’ve snorkeled in the Perhentian Islands, Koh Tao, and even parts of the Great Barrier Reef, but I’ve never experienced water this clear or reefs this vibrant. Though maybe I’m just biased now because Menjangan stole my heart. Whatever the reason, that first dip into Menjangan’s waters reset my expectations for what snorkeling could be.
The Best Spots for Snorkeling and Diving Around Menjangan
Menjangan Island isn’t huge – you can boat around it in less than an hour – but it offers a surprising variety of snorkeling and diving spots. Most tours hit 2-3 sites during a day trip, depending on conditions and your group’s interests.
The island is ringed by coral reefs, but each area has its own character. The northern side tends to have more dramatic drop-offs and wall dives, while the eastern and southern shores offer gentler slopes perfect for snorkeling. Current conditions vary throughout the year, so it’s always best to follow your guide’s recommendations on the day.
During my trip, we visited three main areas:
My Personal Favorite—Pos Dua’s Shallow Reefs
Pos Dua (which just means “Post Two” – not the most poetic name) was our first stop, and honestly, if we’d spent the entire day just here, I would’ve been perfectly happy. This site on the southeastern side of the island features a gently sloping reef that starts in just 1-2 meters of water, making it perfect for snorkelers like me who aren’t looking to test their free-diving skills.
What made Pos Dua special wasn’t just its accessibility but the sheer density of marine life. Every square meter seemed packed with something fascinating. I spotted at least three different types of angelfish, schools of sergeant majors, and these weird cucumber-looking things that Made identified as sea squirts.
The highlight, though, was definitely the sea turtles. I’d been hoping to spot one the entire trip, and here at Pos Dua, I ended up swimming alongside a green sea turtle for a good five minutes as it calmly munched on seagrass, completely unbothered by my presence. There’s something profoundly moving about sharing space with a creature that’s been basically unchanged for millions of years. They have this ancient, gentle wisdom about them.
“He’s probably over 50 years old,” Made told me afterward. “Older than me!”
The coral formations here weren’t as dramatic as other spots, but the biodiversity more than made up for it. Plus, the shallow water meant the sunlight illuminated everything beautifully – perfect for my not-so-fancy underwater camera.
For the Pros—Diving the Wall
After lunch, our boat moved to the northern side of the island to a site simply called “The Wall.” As the name suggests, this is where the reef abruptly drops off into the deep blue – and I mean DEEP. The wall descends to about 60 meters in some places, though most divers stay within the 30-meter range.
I’m not a certified diver (yet – it’s on my bucket list), so I watched with a mix of envy and relief as the divers in our group geared up and disappeared below the surface. The snorkeling here was still amazing, but it definitely felt like I was missing out on the main attraction.
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From the surface, I could see the edge of the wall, a tantalizing glimpse of what lay beneath. The reef top was still teeming with life – I spotted a moray eel poking its head out from a crevice, mouth constantly opening and closing in that slightly creepy way they have. Schools of jackfish swirled in the blue, occasionally coming close enough for me to see their silvery scales catching the sunlight.
The divers emerged about 40 minutes later, absolutely buzzing with excitement. Apparently, they’d spotted a reef shark, several massive gorgonian sea fans, and a school of barracuda. The underwater topography was apparently incredible, with caves, overhangs, and swim-throughs.
“Next time, you must learn to dive before you come back,” our guide insisted. I nodded, making a mental note to finally sign up for that PADI course I’d been putting off.
One diver, an Australian guy named Dave who seemed to have more diving stories than there are fish in the sea, told me it was “easily in my top five wall dives, and I’ve done Sipadan and the Blue Hole.” High praise indeed.
Challenges and Surprises of Exploring Menjangan’s Reefs
Look, I’m not going to pretend everything was perfect. Travel bloggers who claim every experience is flawless are either lying or not paying attention. Menjangan had its challenges, and I think it’s worth mentioning them – not to discourage anyone, but to help set realistic expectations.
First off, the currents can be tricky, especially around the northern side of the island. During our visit to The Wall, I found myself constantly having to swim against a current that was determined to push me away from the reef and out to sea. Not dangerous with a guide nearby, but definitely tiring. There were moments when I’d stop swimming for just a few seconds to adjust my mask, only to find I’d drifted several meters away from where I wanted to be.
The sun is also brutally intense out on the water. I applied what I thought was plenty of sunscreen before getting in, but still ended up with a spectacular “snorkeler’s burn” – bright red back with perfect white outlines where my rash guard had been. My travel companions took great delight in pointing out that I resembled a slightly undercooked lobster for the remainder of the trip.
And then there was my camera disaster. I’d bought a “waterproof” phone case specifically for this trip, tested it in my hotel sink, and was feeling pretty confident about capturing all these underwater wonders. About 20 minutes into our first snorkel session, the case started to leak. Cue panic as I frantically swam back to the boat, water sloshing inside the case with every stroke. My phone survived (barely), but my underwater photography dreams were dead in the water, so to speak.
“Very bad luck,” sympathized Made, before cheerfully adding, “But better to see with your eyes than through camera anyway!”
He was right, of course, but I still felt the sting of not being able to show off those fish photos to friends back home. (Though if I’m honest, underwater photos rarely capture the magic anyway – they always end up looking like blurry blue blobs with maybe a fish somewhere if you squint hard enough.)
The biggest surprise, though, was the state of some parts of the reef. While most areas were thriving and healthy, we passed over one section that was clearly damaged – broken coral pieces and areas that had been bleached white. Made explained that a combination of factors was responsible: rising sea temperatures from climate change, occasional anchor damage from boats, and even destructive fishing practices in the past.
It was a sobering reminder that even protected paradises like Menjangan aren’t immune to environmental threats. I found myself feeling unexpectedly emotional about it – here was this incredible underwater world that had probably taken centuries to form, and in just a few decades, we humans had managed to put it at risk.
“But we are doing better now,” Made assured me, pointing out new coral growth starting to reclaim damaged areas. “More people understand importance now. When tourists like you come and love this place, it helps us protect it.”
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I hope he’s right. I really do.
Tips and Final Thoughts on Menjangan’s Underwater Adventure
If you’re planning your own trip to Menjangan Island (which you absolutely should), here are some hard-earned tips from my experience:
Bring your own snorkeling gear if possible, especially the mask. The rental equipment provided by most tour operators is functional but basic. Having a mask that fits your face properly makes a world of difference in how much you enjoy the experience. I wish I’d brought my own fins too – the rental ones gave me blisters that made walking a comedic affair for the next few days.
Visit during the dry season (April to October) if you can. The visibility is generally better, and you’re less likely to have your trip canceled due to storms. That said, I visited in late November and still had incredible conditions, so don’t despair if your travel dates aren’t flexible.
Book your trip through your accommodation or a reputable dive center rather than random tour operators in Kuta or Seminyak. The quality difference is substantial, and you’ll want guides who really know the area. I went with Bali Diving Academy, and they were fantastic – professional but still laid-back in that perfect Balinese way.
Consider staying in northwest Bali for at least a night or two. The day trip from southern Bali is doable but exhausting. I wish I’d booked a night at one of the small hotels in Pemuteran to break up the journey and allow for a more relaxed experience. Plus, the northwest coast has a completely different vibe from the rest of Bali – quieter, less developed, and with some gorgeous black sand beaches.
Pack a dry bag for your valuables, wear plenty of reef-safe sunscreen (and reapply obsessively), and bring a hat and light long-sleeved shirt for the boat rides. The sun out on the water is no joke – I still have tan lines three months later to prove it.
Most importantly, approach Menjangan with respect. The island is technically a sacred place to Balinese Hindus (there’s a temple on the eastern side), and the marine park has rules in place to protect the ecosystem. Don’t touch the coral, don’t chase the fish, don’t take anything but photos, and don’t leave anything but bubbles.
As for my final thoughts on Menjangan… well, it’s been four months since my visit, and I still find myself daydreaming about those reefs at least once a week. There was something almost medicinal about floating in that clear blue water, watching fish go about their complex little lives, completely indifferent to my presence.
In a world where so many “must-see” destinations turn out to be overcrowded disappointments, Menjangan delivered something increasingly rare: a genuine sense of discovery. Yes, other travelers have been there before, but it still feels somewhat untouched, somewhat secret – a place you want to tell everyone about while selfishly hoping it stays exactly as it is.
On my last snorkel of the day, as the afternoon sun sent beams of light cutting through the water like spotlights, I found myself hanging motionless above a brain coral, watching a tiny cleaner wrasse dart in and out of a larger fish’s gills. I remember thinking, “I need to remember this exact moment.” Not just to write about later or to post on social media, but to keep for myself – a perfect little pocket of peace in an increasingly chaotic world.
Will Menjangan remain this pristine forever? I don’t know. I hope so, but the realist in me worries. What I do know is that I’m already planning my return trip – and next time, I’m getting that diving certification first. There’s a wall waiting for me, and apparently, there might be sharks.
About the author: Jack is a passionate content creator with years of experience. Follow for more quality content and insights.
