Nusa Lembongan
Indonesia · Asia Pacific
Nusa Lembongan and its sister islands Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida form a triangle of world-class diving just 30 minutes from Sanur. The area is famous globally for manta ray cleaning stations and seasonal oceanic mola mola (sunfish) sightings from July through October. Strong currents funneling through the channels create nutrient-rich upwellings that support extraordinary biodiversity — reef sharks, eagle rays, and dense schools of fish are routine. Drift dives here range from exhilarating to extreme, and the varied topography includes walls, pinnacles, and sloping reefs covered in hard coral.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Live coral covers 48% of this reef.
Coral cover
Fish life
More fish than a healthy reef of its kind.
Heat
Fishing
Open to fishing, and the water is busy.
Sources · MERMAID and the survey teams · Reef Life Survey · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
Coral cover over time
Live coral cover, by survey year
Across 14 survey years from 2010 to 2025, live coral cover here has risen from 39% to 48%. Every point is a real survey reading, never a projection.
Live coral cover, percent by year
| Year | Coral cover |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 39% |
| 2011 | 38% |
| 2012 | 41% |
| 2013 | 35% |
| 2015 | 45% |
| 2016 | 39% |
| 2017 | 39% |
| 2018 | 28% |
| 2019 | 33% |
| 2020 | 33% |
| 2021 | 27% |
| 2023 | 21% |
| 2024 | 23% |
| 2025 | 48% |
What you will see
28 species across the dive sites here
White-tip Reef Shark
Seen 28 days ago
at SD Point
Vulnerable
Great Barracuda
Seen 28 days ago
at SD Point
Least concern
Reef Manta Ray
Seen 1 month ago
at Manta Point (Nusa Penida)
Vulnerable
Banded Sea Krait
Seen 1 month ago
at SD Point
Least concern
Humphead Wrasse
Seen 2 months ago
at Toyapakeh
Endangered
Oceanic Sunfish
Seen 2 months ago
at Crystal Bay
Vulnerable
Longspine Sea Urchin
Seen 3 months ago
at Crystal Bay
Bluefin Trevally
Seen 4 months ago
at Manta Point (Nusa Penida)
Least concern
Napoleon Wrasse
Seen 4 months ago
at Toyapakeh
Endangered
Giant Trevally
Seen 9 months ago
at Manta Point (Nusa Penida)
Least concern
Yellowfin Tuna
Seen 11 months ago
at Manta Point (Nusa Penida)
Least concern
Blacktip Reef Shark
Seen Jan 2025
at Manta Point (Nusa Penida)
Vulnerable
Acropora Coral
Seen year round
at Crystal Bay
Acropora Hard Coral
Seen year round
at SD Point
Big-eye Trevally
Seen year round
at Crystal Bay
Least concern
Bigeye Trevally
Seen year round
at SD Point
Least concern
Black-tip Reef Shark
Seen year round
at SD Point
Vulnerable
Fusilier (Red-toothed)
Seen year round
at SD Point
Least concern
Fusilier Schooling Fish
Seen year round
at Crystal Bay
Giant Clam
Seen year round
at SD Point
Hard Corals (mixed reef)
Seen year round
at Manta Point (Nusa Penida)
Porites Coral
Seen year round
at Crystal Bay
Porites Hard Coral
Seen year round
at SD Point
Reef Squid
Seen year round
at Manta Point (Nusa Penida)
Least concern
Sea Fan
Seen year round
at Toyapakeh
Wrasse (multiple cleaning species)
Seen year round
at Manta Point (Nusa Penida)
Bumphead Parrotfish
Seasonal visitor
at Crystal Bay
Vulnerable
Oceanic Manta Ray
Seasonal visitor
at Manta Point (Nusa Penida)
Endangered
Dive sites
Manta Point (Nusa Penida)
reef manta ray · oceanic manta ray · yellowfin tuna · bluefin trevally
Crystal Bay
oceanic sunfish · big-eye trevally · reef manta ray · giant trevally
SD Point
white-tip reef shark · black-tip reef shark · yellowfin tuna · great barracuda
Toyapakeh
bumphead parrotfish · reef manta ray · napoleon wrasse · big-eye trevally