Challenge Level: 🏖️Low
Adventure Level: 🏔️MHT Adventure
Dive Support Level: 👸Concierge
At the beginning of May, 15 divers met Maira in Bali for a 10-day women’s trip filled with culture, connection, and unforgettable moments.
This trip allowed the group to experience different parts of Bali both above and below the surface. From black sand shore dives to temples, waterfalls, rafting, and shared dinners, the experience felt immersive from beginning to end.
And while the diving was incredible, what stood out most was the energy of the group itself.
Why we Love Landbased Trips
This trip was designed differently from many traditional dive vacations.
Instead of spending the entire trip on a boat or in one resort, we traveled across Bali and stayed in multiple locations. That gave us the chance to experience the culture on land in addition to the reason we came here – to dive!
For MAR Hosted Trips, land-based trips are important because they spread tourism into local communities. Throughout the trip we worked with local drivers, guides, dive operators, restaurants, artists, and small businesses.
The result was a trip that felt connected not just to the diving, but to Bali itself.
We spent the first few days in Denpasar getting introduced to Balinese culture. We visited the famous Monkey Forest & Ubud before heading out on our diving adventures.
It was the perfect introduction to Bali before heading off to our first dive destination.
Diving Nusa Lembongan
After Ubud, the group transferred to Nusa Lembongan for several days of boat diving.
Nusa Lembongan brought a completely different energy to the trip. Beautiful reefs, strong currents, clear blue water, and the possibility of larger marine life encounters made every dive exciting.
The diving here was active and dynamic. Divers drifted along reef walls and explored vibrant underwater landscapes full of movement and colour.
We had an epic dive at manta point, being surrounded by reef mantas darting about and playing in our bubbles.
Above water, the island atmosphere added another layer to the experience. Relaxed evenings, ocean views, and shared dinners quickly became part of the routine.
Diving Tulamben
The second half of the trip took the group north to Tulamben.
Tulamben is famous for black volcanic sand diving and incredible macro life. The diving style here is completely different from Nusa Lembongan. Instead of boat dives and currents, divers entered directly from shore and moved slowly through the reef searching for small marine life.
The area is best known for the USAT Liberty Wreck, one of Bali’s most famous dive sites.
Divers spent their days exploring shore dive sites filled with nudibranchs, reef fish, and macro creatures hidden throughout the volcanic sand.
The contrast between the two dive regions made the trip feel like two adventures in one.
Adventures Beyond the Ocean
Because this was a land-based itinerary, the group had the chance to experience much more than diving.
One day was spent rafting through Bali’s lush jungle landscapes, adding a completely different kind of adventure to the trip.
The group also explored temples, local villages, and cultural sites throughout the island. Long drives between destinations became opportunities for conversations, music, laughs, and unexpected memories.
Some of the best moments happened outside the itinerary itself.
Shared meals stretched late into the evening. Women helped each other with gear, nerves, photos, and travel logistics. The small moments became some of the most meaningful.
And of course – the extra bonus of having our own professional photographer with us again! Gustavo joined us on our anniversary trip to The Rig, and tagged along in Bali as well.
We are so grateful to him for capturing our trip memories.
On our last day in Bali, we visited the Uluwatu Temple and took part in a water ceremony. This was a highlight for many of our travelers. To be literally immersed in an ancient tradition.
How to go to Bali with MHT?
We go to Bali every 2 years, and try to add it on to another one of our Asia trips! That way you can make the most of all the travel it takes to get there.
We’ll go to Bali next after our visit to The Rig in 2028.
