Spearfishing in Bali • A COMPLETE Guide (2024)

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Spearfishing in Bali is growing in popularity amongst locals and tourists every day. The first time I ever went travelling to Bali I didn’t sniff out a single clue on how or where to go spearfishing. Many years on. tour companies and dive shops in Bali are now advertising spearing experiences to the masses.

As fun as these beginner shallow and reefy sessions can be, spearfishing in Bali is at its best when it is done properly. By properly, I mean with true, qualified professionals with the right gear and with a pre-devised master plan. There are a few different types or ways of spearfishing in Bali and they are all good for different things, depending on a diver’s ability, location, target species or even the conditions.

My favourite type of spearfishing in Bali is to target rumpons or fish-aggregation devices (FADs) as part of deep water or blue water spearing. These are floating bamboo structures in the ocean that provide cover for smaller species and act as an artificial reef. Here you’ll find smaller fish and you’ll also find the big ones. Diving in and around rumpons is by far the best way to catch the big pelagic species that Bali is so famous for such as wahoo, mahi mahi and dogtooth tuna.

Drifting is another method of spearfishing that is fairly popular in some parts of Bali’s waters that have a strong current. When drifting, you can cover lots of ground in a short amount of time and spot potential targets without having to waste oxygen and energy on swimming.

Shallow water reef fishing can be very productive in Bali with many prized species hiding in the shallows. This is essentially snorkelling with a speargun and is quite beginner-friendly, BUT can produce some great results if you get lucky or are a professional and sneaky sharpshooter.

Spearfishing should always be done without scuba equipment and by practising freediving or breath-holding. This is for a multitude of reasons, with the most important being for your own personal safety and for the ethics of hunting. It’s just too easy and unfair on the fish if you remove the sporting and skill aspect from the activity.

With this in mind, Bali is a fantastic place to learn to freedive or to improve your skills. There is an abundance of great diving schools around the island that can help you get the basics down before you decide to pick up a gun. In fact, Bali is a great freediving location even if you’re not too bothered about fishing.

There are also a number of locals and expats who enjoy spearfishing and it can be a fun activity to do with others. There is a great spearfishing community here and it’s an activity that brings people together.

Bali is blessed with some extremely calm waters (especially on the East Coast) which makes freediving and spearfishing safer, more fun and more accessible – for the most part. As the waters are calm, the visibility in parts of Bali’s waters can be fantastic. This is huge for spearos and one of the main reasons that spearfishermen love Bali.

Other advantages that Bali has over many other locations in the world to spearfish are:

• It is fully legal in most places (which cannot be said about many places around the world).

• The water is warm, so you won’t freeze your balls (or tits) off when hunting for hours on end, even without a wetsuit on!

• There are very few (if any) predatory species that will cause a danger to you or your catch in Bali’s waters so you will almost always be in a lower-stress and safer environment than most spearing locations.

What Fish Can You Catch in Bali?

Perhaps the greatest reason to go spearfishing in Bali is for the wonderful marine life and tasty options that are available as prizes. Bali holds some seriously yummy fish, many of which would be considered ‘dream fish’ for many a fisherman and spearo.

Pelagic Species

The pelagic species available in Bali include but are not limited to:

Of course, there is always the outside chance of seeing a marlin, sailfish or swordfish, but good luck catching one of these rare beasts!

Reef-Dwelling Species

There are just too many reef-dwelling species to list in Bali, but here is a list of some of the most desirable fish that you can catch in the shallow water zones around the Island of the Gods.

It’s important to know what you are targeting before heading out as many of the locals have rules they like to follow with the best interests of the health of the oceans in mind. For example, many communities in Indonesia avoid shooting fish like Parrotfish because they play a vital role in maintaining coral reef health.

You can spearfish pretty much anywhere around the coastline of Bali if you have your own equipment and good knowledge of the local area. With that being said, there are some places that are far better than others for spearfishing for a number of reasons. Here are Bali’s top spearfishing hotspots:

Spearfishing in Amed

Amed is the best place to stay in Bali if you want to go spearfishing, and I will never change my opinion on that. Amed tops my list because it is one of Bali’s most popular diving and fishing towns. Combine those two hobbies and what do you get? You get a thriving community of spearos.

Amed is located on Bali’s East Coast and the water is nearly always incredibly calm, warm and clear. Amed is a fantastic place to target species such as Wahoo, Mahi-Mahi, Barracuda, Giant Trevally, Dogtooth Tuna and more. One of the reasons that Amed is so good for spearfishing is because there is an abundance of rumpongs (FADs) in the deeper water zones which condenses many many fish to confined spaces.

I learned to freedive and spearfish with the guys over at Freediving Amed. I have gone on to have many successful trips with the Freedive Amed team and we have enjoyed shooting and eating some tasty wahoo, mahi mahi, rainbow runners and more together. I recommend these guys for their skill, professionalism and fun. If you are looking to go spearfishing in Bali, Freediving Amed will not let you down.

If you end up heading to Amed, check out my favourite Airbnb, hostel and hotel in the area 🙂

Spearfishing in Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan are separate islands from Bali situated in the Badung Straight which separates Bali and Lombok. Both are very much on the Bali backpacking trail, with Nusa Penida being the more popular island for tourists and spearos.

The Badung Straight holds extraordinary ecological significance as a unique zone separating two worlds. This boundary is known as the Wallace Line and provides the perfect location to shoot or see a variety of different species.

Nusa Penida (and Nusa Lembongan) are well known for their strong underwater currents which allow spearos to ‘drift’. This method is great for travelling long distances and scouting out potential targets without wasting energy or oxygen on swimming.

Both pelagic and reef-dwelling fish can be targeted when spearfishing in Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Penida but most people come here to target the grand pelagic prizes such as Spanish Mackeral, Big Tunas, Wahoo and Giant Trevally.

If you’re after a place to stay when visiting Nusa Penida, I’ve got some good recommendations for ya! Here’s my top hotel, hostel and Airbnb on the island:

Spearfishing in Singaraja

Singaraja is another popular location to go spearfishing in Bali. Located in Northern Bali, this area is known for its diverse underwater topography and less crowded reef than found on the south of the island. It’s not just the reef that makes this place special, there are numerous drop-offs and, much like Amed, Singaraja stands out for spearos due to its abundance of deep water rumpons (FADs) which attract many prized beasts.

Because of this varied marine landscape, there are many different spearfishing styles and locations to target whatever the conditions or your desired method are. Of course, this also comes with the opportunity to see or shoot tons of different fish species.

Singaraja has deep roots as a fishing village and locals are extremely knowledgeable about their waters making it a great place to go on a spearfishing trip with your buddies. I would be happy to recommend Big Tooth Spearfishing as a guide in this area. I have been spearfishing with these guys before and they know their sh*t and are extremely skilled, passionate and professional

If you decide that spearfishing in Singaraja sounds like a bit of you, check out my fav hotel and Airbnb in the area:

Spearfishing in The Gili Islands

Spearfishing in Gili Trawangan and the other Gili Islands is becoming incrementally popular each time I visit these nuggets of paradise located just an hour away from Bali. The Gili Islands are closer to Lombok than Bali but they are still super popular locations that most backpackers in Indonesia consider to be ‘part of the package’ of visiting Bali.

Spearfishing in the Gili Islands is a great place for beginners to learn to spearfish. The shallow water zones, clear water and calm waters are great for targeting reef-dwelling species or just having fun and not-so-intense sessions where breath holds don’t need to be long and fish are of the smaller and less problematic variety.

If you decide to head to Gili T, check out my favourite hotel, hosted and Airbrb on the island 🙂

Other Places to Go Spearfishing in Bali

Sanur, Padang Bai, and Candidasa are popular locations for spearfishing in Bali. As previously mentioned, you can spearfish pretty much anywhere along Bali’s coastline as long as it’s not in a marine protected area, but Sanur, Padang Bai and Candidasa are the most frequently fished areas that didn’t make it onto my list.

Travelling away from Bali can be rewarding as there are many amazing places to go spearfishing in Indonesia. To name a few, Sumbawa, Lombok, Flores, Sumba and Southern Sulawesi are all known for their spearfishing potential.

Spearfishing is never 100% safe. It’s important to keep this in mind whenever and wherever you are spearfishing. ALWAYS be aware of any potential dangers and NEVER lapse in concentration or joke around.

With that out the way, Bali is a relatively safe place to spearfish as there is usually good visibility, warm water and a minimal number of sharks or other predatory species that will come for you or your catch. It’s important to always dive with a professional who knows exactly what they are doing and has good knowledge of the local area. 

Before you get in the water, ensure you speak with an instructor or experienced diver about the dive plan, and double-check that all your gear is suitable for your plans. When you are in the water, do not deviate from the plan, stay with your dive buddy and be sensible. Do not push your limits with your breath-hold and stamina levels or get too overzealous with your ambitions or targets.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about spearfishing in Bali. If you have a question of your own, drop it in the comments section below.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance

Getting some good travel insurance for Bali is a very wise idea. If possible, try and find a provider that covers extreme sports such as spearfishing or freediving.

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

Spearfishing in Bali is everything I ever expected it to be, and a whole lot more. If freediving and spearfishing are things that you want to get into, then there’s no better place than Bali to give it a crack. It’s safe, warm, cheap and super exciting!

If you’re already an experienced spearo, then Bali makes for a great destination to either improve your skills or bag some dream fish. Amed and Singaraja are my favourite locations in Bali to spearfish because I love diving at rumpons.

For both experienced and beginner spearfishermen I would suggest that you check out the services available at Freediving Amed for the best experience. At Freediving Amed you can learn the basics with proper spearfishing pros and also be in with the opportunity to catch some monster fish. Big Tooth Spearfishing is also a great alternative if you want to spearfish in Singaraja, but they are more suited to already competent hunters.

Ok, folks, that’s everything I’ve got on spearfishing in Bali. I hope that I’ve inspired you to get out there, experience the adrenaline and sustainably catch your own food. There’s really nothing quite like it.

Oh, and remember the golden rule… never dive alone!

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