Padangbai & Candidasa · Indonesia · Pinnacle · Reef
Gili Mimpang
Three large rocks and six smaller ones in a current-swept cluster
Area photo: Bernard Picton · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gili Mimpang, known locally as Batu Tiga or Three Rocks, is a cluster of three large rock formations and six smaller ones just off Candidasa. Coral slopes run down from a connected pinnacle and the west side to sand, and the current tends to be medium to strong. Mola mola are often seen in its deeper sections in the cold-water months.
Also known as Batu Tiga.
Where it is and how deep
8.5261° S, 115.5763° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The connected pinnacle and the west side of the rocks carry sloping coral that runs down to sandy bottoms at a little over 20 m. On the far side of the last pinnacle is a wall that sometimes has a strong down current. Sharks, turtles, cuttlefish and schools of small fish gather around the rocky outcrops.
Marine life and season
- Mola mola
- Sea turtles
- Octopus & cuttlefish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Padangbai & Candidasa: Diveable all year; mola mola are likeliest July to October, while the November to March wet season cuts visibility and makes the islets harder to dive.
Know before you go
- The wall beyond the last pinnacle sometimes carries a strong down current.
Photos from Gili Mimpang
Graeme Churchard (GOC53) https://www.flickr.com/people/graeme/ · CC BY 2.0
Dive videos
Diving Gili Mimpang in Bali · Scubabeat on YouTube
Sources
- Gili Mimpang, Candidasa — ScubaGo
- Candi Dasa — Wikipedia
- Candidasa — Wikivoyage
- Scuba diving in Padangbai and Candidasa — Zublu
- OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap
Photo credits
- A tall rock islet of dark, rough volcanic rock rising from blue water by Graeme Churchard (GOC53) https://www.flickr.com/people/graeme/, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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