Menjangan & West Bali · Indonesia · Sand slope · Reef
Eel Garden
Sand dunes full of garden eels, with eagle rays overhead
Area photo: Bernard DUPONT · CC BY-SA 4.0
A change of texture from Menjangan's walls: low mounds between sand dunes on the island's west side, colonised by garden eels that sink into their burrows as you approach and rise again behind you. Whitetip reef sharks and eagle rays cross the open sand, and the reef alongside holds pygmy seahorses and moray eels.
Also known as Garden Eel, Menjangan Eel Garden.
Where it is and how deep
8.0940° S, 114.4992° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
This dive works the sand rather than the drop-off, on the island's west side and between about 17 and 25 m. Between the dunes are small mounds and open flats where colonies of garden eels stand clear of their burrows, retracting in a wave ahead of you and rising again once you have passed. Staying low and moving slowly is the whole technique, and it is the difference between a field of eels and a field of empty holes.
Away from the eels the sand is worth reading for flounder, puffer fish and moray eels, while whitetip reef sharks and eagle rays cross the open ground without warning, so it pays to watch the blue as much as the bottom. The reef alongside carries pygmy seahorses and angelfish for anyone who prefers structure to sand.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Eagle rays
- Pygmy seahorses
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows Menjangan & West Bali: Divable all year thanks to the lee of Java; Apr–Nov is driest, and the wet season only affects surface conditions.
Know before you go
- Current over the open sand is variable and can run strong here, so start into it, stay low and keep the guide in sight.
Dive videos
Dune Atlantis Bali Diving in Eel Garden, Menjangan · Dune Indonesia on YouTube
Sources
- Menjangan - Eel Garden — Scubago (SSI MyDiveGuide)
- Diving Menjangan Island: Full Review & Tips — Divezone
- West Bali National Park — Wikivoyage
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