Freediving in Bali • 2024 Insider Guide

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Freediving in Indonesia is growing rapidly, and there is no better place for freediving in this magnificent country than in Bali. Bali is a premier destination for freediving for a multitude of reasons, which I will expand on later.

For now, all you need to know is that Bali is a fantastic place for freediving due to its thriving community of freediving schools which provide world-class freediving training at fabulous prices. Finding a reputable diving school where you can embark on an SSI or PADI freediving course is a breeze here.

Bali’s holistic approach to health, wellness, spirituality and yoga creates the perfect scenario for one involved, or simply curious in these practices to branch off into freediving, where breathwork, self-control and meditation are core parts of learning to freedive.

Bali possesses an abundance of surreal dive sites all around its coastline, such as Nusa Penida, Padang Bai, Tulamben, Amed and more; all of which are home to some seriously unique and special marine life. Out of all these dive locations, my favourite ones (such as Amed) are located on the east coast of Bali, in the sheltered and calm waters away from the notorious surf of the west.

If you’re looking to connect deeply with yourself, the ocean, nature or simply to explore the underwater world of Bali, then visiting Bali to freedive sounds like it’s for you!

There are so many reasons why Bali is a top location for freediving, and my personal favourite location in the world. I’ve already mentioned Bali’s ties to yoga, spirituality and wellness which lends itself to freediving perfectly but there is a whole lot more to freediving in Bali than this.

Bali is a very cheap place to travel, and freediving is not a cheap hobby, let me tell ya. Bali is one of the cheapest places in the world to dive and despite this, the quality of the experience remains world-class.

Water conditions in Bali are just perfect for freediving. One of my favourite things about freediving in Bali are the warm waters which means you often don’t even need to wear a wetsuit. This makes the freediving experience extremely pleasurable.

Oh, I almost forgot one of the BEST things about diving in Bali… it’s a SHARK-FREE ZONE! Well, the kind of shark that will attack you anyway… Not only are there no dangerous sharks in Bali, there is next to nothing in the ocean that’s out to harm you. Bali is safe, even in the water, this makes relaxing, staying calm and maximising your confidence whilst freediving a whole lot easier!

Bali’s Geographical and Ecological Uniqueness

My personal favourite reason for freediving in Bali is to do with its geographical location. The Lombok Straight (the space that separates Bali and Lombok) holds extraordinary ecological significance.

This boundary not only separates two islands but also two different worlds. Known as the Wallace Line, named after famous ecologist Alfred Russel Wallace, this boundary presents an invisible barrier that has baffled ecologists and scientists for decades which almost all fauna (and flora) have never crossed.

In short, on either side of the Wallace Line, you get two separate biological zones and lineages of ecological evolution. The West of this line (Bali) contains wildlife of Asian descent, whilst the life on the East (Lombok) has Papuan and Australasian roots.

This special transitional zone creates an environment in which two worlds collide. In this zone, some of the world’s strangest creatures can be found and divers can witness an abundance of diverse wildlife all in one place that you would usually have to travel immense distances to see.

Bali is a pretty big island. The places that most people choose to stay in Bali tend to be on the Southern side of the island such as Canggu and Uluwatu, but these areas are known for their insane surfing conditions, which is NOT what we want for freediving.

The most popular places to freedive in Bali tend to be seldom visited by the average backpacker, well, on the mainland anyway. If you’re willing to travel just a little bit further to one of the many stunning islands nearby to Bali then you can find the best of both worlds, epic freediving locations that are also popular backpacking stops.

Freediving in Amed

Amed is my favourite place in all of Bali and is where I learned to freedive. Situated on Bali’s East Coast, Amed is the furthest east point of all of Bali, right ON the Wallace Line.

Amed is a small village but is a diving, snorkelling and freediving hub with a bustling community of divers and ocean enthusiasts. Pretty much everyone who comes to Amed is here to hop in the drink. Sheltered by the massive and beautiful Mount Agung, the water in Amed is almost always calm and clear. It’s the best place for beginners to dive in perfect conditions.

There are a bunch of amazing freediving schools and instructors in Amed, but my favourite is Freediving Amed. I learned to freedive and spearfish with these guys and I could not sing their praises any higher. I absolutely loved diving with Freediving Amed and find myself returning for session after session every couple of months.

In fact, it was this spearfishing in Bali experience that solidified my love for the practice.

Learning to freedive with the guys at Freediving Amed is one of the best things to do in Amed and will always be my top recommendation for freediving in Bali, whatever your experience or ability may be.

If you decide to head to Amed – which you definitely should – check out my favourite Airbnb, hostel and hotel in the area 🙂

Freediving in Gili Trawangan

Ok, I know this one isn’t technically in Bali, but backpackers in Indonesia almost always count the Gili Islands as part of the Bali experience. Location disputes aside, backpackers swarm to the Gili Islands for three things, tranquil clear waters, sensational marine life and… well… a good time.

Whilst most visitors to the Gili Islands opt for snorkelling or scuba diving, but freediving in the Gili Islands is nothing short of magical. The Gili Islands are famous for their vibrant coral reefs, easy access dive sites and the sheer abundance of turtles and reef sharks amongst other colourful and wonderful fish that surround them.

Most of the best freediving schools can be found on the main island of Gili Trawangan and this is where I would recommend staying. I’ve heard great things about the guys at Freedive Gili. From Gili Trawangan, you can easily explore the other islands and dive spots which are just a quick boat ride away.

Immersing yourself in the laid-back island lifestyle of the Gili Islands is like taking a holiday from your holiday. The Gili Islands are such calm and stress-free places that it make focusing on calmness and relaxation the easiest thing in the world which is perfect for freediving.

If you head to Gili T, check out my favourite hotel, hostel and Airbrb on the island:

Freediving in Nusa Penida

Freediving in Nusa Penida is nothing short of glorious. Nusa Penida is famous for its strong underwater currents which allow divers to travel long distances in one dive with minimal effort known as a ‘drift’. Drifting in Nusa Penida allows divers to explore the diverse underwater topography of the area with ease.

Nusa Penida is most famous for Manta Point, where you can dive down and drift past some of nature’s most majestic creatures, the Manta Rays. Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) are also both populous and popular in Nusa Penida, namely at Crystal Bay.

Whilst the underwater currents are great for advanced divers to explore, I wouldn’t recommend freediving in Nusa Penida for complete beginners, try your hand at snorkelling here first.

However, if you are heading here as a beginner, or are looking for top-class professional guidance and teaching then check out some of the best dive shops and schools in Nusa Penida in Freedive Nusa and Freediving Penida.

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

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Some of the other best places to freedive in Bali (and yes, these are actually in Bali!) are Sanur, Padang Bai and Tulamben.

Freediving in Sanur

Sanur is similar to Amed in that it is on the east coast. Like Amed, Sanur boasts extremely calm and sheltered waters thanks to its shallow lagoon and geographical location. Sanur is a great place to learn to freedive thanks to its beginner-friendly conditions.

If you are looking for a freediving school in Sanur to learn to freedive at a competitive price check out the guys over at Freedive Bali.

Freediving in Padang Bai

Padang Bai, also situated on Bali’s east coast is a great place for freedivers of all levels. Padang Bai is a fishing village crossed with a port town which had a nice little diving community.

Much like all of the east coast dive spots, Sanur included, Padang Bai has very calm waters (hence why this is where the boat ports are). These calm waters, which are at their calmest early in the mornings create an ideal spot for beginners to learn to freedive in a stress-free and safe environment.

More advanced divers can head to nearby sites like Jepun or the Blue Lagoon which are popular amongst scuba divers but provide cool visuals and abundant wildlife.

Freediving in Tulamben

Tulamben is famous for one thing, so let’s cut to the chase. Freedivers (and divers in general) love Tulamben because of the brilliant shipwreck of USAT Liberty. Whilst I would not recommend Tulamben as a place to learn to freedive, if you are an experienced diver then admiring this amazing shipwreck on your own terms is guaranteed to be a magical experience.

If you want to dive in Tulamben, Padang Bai or Sanur, get in contact with Freedive Bali as they run dives and programs in all of these East Coast destinations.

Family and friends ALWAYS ask me “Is freediving dangerous?” Well, there is nothing more important in freediving than safety and when taking the correct precautions, freediving can be safer than scuba diving, I have no doubts about that.

Bali is a relatively safe place to freedive thanks to its warm waters and calm conditions (on the east coast), the lack of scary sharks and the abundance of well-trained professionals who you should ALWAYS consult before freediving.

To maximise your safety when freediving in Bali, ensure that you enrol in a proper freediving course where you can learn about the potential dangers of freediving. If you are not an expert, always freedive with a professional, not your just mates. A well-trained freedive instructor will have bountiful knowledge of the local area, all the correct gear (and safety gear) and current conditions to maximise safety.

The golden rule of freediving, no matter how good you are is to NEVER dive alone. Remember guys, this is for fun, do not push yourself. Freediving safely is of the utmost importance.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about freediving in Bali along with my best answers. If you have any questions of your own about freediving on the ‘Island of the Gods’, drop ’em 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 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!

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Ok, guys – that was everything I’ve got about freediving in Bali. I hope I’ve inspired you to go out there and either learn to freedive or explore the deep blue with your pre-owned freediving skills.

If I could leave you with one personal recommendation based on my experiences of freediving in Bali, it would be this: Freedive with the guys over at Freediving Amed.

Amed is the best place in Bali to freedive without a doubt. The dive community there is so strong and the conditions are almost always perfect for freediving. There are a ton of amazing freedive schools in Amed, and I’m sure they are all great, but I have personally dived with the Freediving Amed team, so I can recommend their services.

Until next time folks, and happy diving. 🙂

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