Nusa Penida · Indonesia · Reef · Wall
Toyapakeh
A macro and photography reef of coral and nudibranchs
Photo: (c) Ditch Townsend, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Toyapakeh, also written Toya Pakeh, is a reef and wall on the northwest side of Nusa Penida, named for the village on the shore behind it. It is dived at normal recreational depths of roughly 10 to 25 metres for coral, nudibranchs and schooling fish rather than for the big-animal encounters that fill the boats at Manta Point and Crystal Bay.
Also known as Toya Pakeh.
Where it is and how deep
8.6781° S, 115.4915° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Toyapakeh is worked as a reef and wall dive at normal recreational depths, roughly 10 to 25 metres, and the interest is in detail rather than distance. The reef carries interesting coral with nudibranchs living on it, and schools of fish move over it along with turtles and reef sharks. The nudibranchs are why divers go slowly: they are small and static and only get found by a diver who is prepared to spend a whole tank on one stretch of reef.
Current here is usually light, which is unusual for Nusa Penida and part of why the site works for macro and photography. It is not a guarantee — currents around these islands are strong and unpredictable — so drift with the water rather than taking a handhold on the coral if it picks up. Water runs 16 to 22°C and is coldest from June to October, cold enough that a slow dive at a macro pace wants a 5 mm full wetsuit.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
- Reef fish swarms
- Sea turtles
- Reef sharks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows Nusa Penida: Mola mola are most likely from July to October, inside the coldest months; mantas stay all year and are likeliest from March to June.
Know before you go
- Current at this site is usually light, but currents around Nusa Penida are strong and unpredictable and 4 knots is not rare. Take the briefing seriously even on a calm-looking day.
- Water runs 16 to 22°C and is coldest from June to October, and a slow reef dive at a macro pace generates no warmth. A 5 mm full wetsuit is the local recommendation.
Photos from Toyapakeh
Silke Baron from Vienna, Austria · CC BY 2.0
Dive videos
Bali Diving HD - Coral reef of Toyapakeh (Full HD 1080p) · Kriss Na Bali on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What is there to see at Toyapakeh?+
Coral, nudibranchs, schooling fish, turtles and reef sharks, and a mola mola in the August to October season if you are fortunate. It is a macro and photography site rather than a big-animal one — the mantas are at Manta Point and the reliable mola mola at Crystal Bay.
How deep is Toyapakeh?+
It is dived at normal recreational depths of roughly 10 to 25 metres along the reef and wall, so the profile is straightforward. Current is usually light here, which is what makes it workable at a slow, close-in macro pace.
Sources
- Nusa Penida / Nusa Lembongan diving — Divezone
- Toya Pakeh dive site — Divezone
- Nusa Penida — Wikipedia
- OpenStreetMap: Toyapakeh — OpenStreetMap
Photo credits
- A clownfish peering out from the tentacles of a magnificent sea anemone by (c) Ditch Townsend, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A blotched fantail ray resting on the reef at Toyapakeh by Silke Baron from Vienna, Austria, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In The Logbook
- Nudibranchs: species, habits and where to diveMacro & muck · 13 min read
- Drift diving: how to read and ride a currentDrift & current · 8 min read
More dive sites in Nusa Penida
Cave & cavern
A 200-metre cave ending in an air space full of bats
Wall
Shallow reef structure, infrequent hammerheads
Drift
Bali's other mola mola plateau, deeper and rougher than Crystal Bay
The mola mola site, in cold and sometimes downward current
Reef
West-coast slope where mola mola come up in season
Reef
Bommie-topped plateau above a fan-covered wall
A manta cleaning station in 15 metres under limestone cliffs
Artificial reef
Planted restoration structures at 6 metres, shore entry
Similar dives elsewhere
The protected shallows where Balicasag's turtles are thickest
Schooling barracuda and trevally when a current is running
An easy north-coast reef on the Napaling and Doljo road trip
The island's most reliable edge for grey reef and whitetip sharks