Littered with breathtaking beaches and crystal blue ocean vistas the island paradise of Bali is the stuff of dreams for holidaymakers around the world. Frequented by beach lovers and avid divers alike what lies above the surface in this palm tree infested beach Mecca is believed to rival what lies beneath. Although the experience of diving underwater has been reserved for seasoned divers and scuba divers in most tourist hubs, visitors to Bali need only venture down to the western region of Lembongan Island to take a walk on the wild side to explore Bali’s marine heritage.
Tipped to be one of the must-have experiences for marine life enthusiasts and novices alike no tour of Bali would be compete without taking a walk on its sea bed courtesy of the Bali Marine Walk in Sanur. Visitors need virtually no specialized skills to take part in the adventure and need not even be experienced swimmers to explore the sea floor of Sanur in its unbridled magical splendor.
The tour begins at Sindhu Beach in Sanur where a speed boat transports groups of travellers to Lembongan Island in a cruise that takes a mere 30 minutes. Once guests arrive at the island they can don the specially designed underwater helmets that supply a steady flow of oxygen to marine walkers from a scuba tank on board the boat. Cushioned for extra comfort and enabled with defogging technology the helmets offer visitors unhindered views of the sea bed and its multitude of fish species.
Stepping down the ladder at the boat’s side diving experts guide the guests on their 6m decent in to the underwater world of Bali’s ocean floor where underwater gardens and coral reefs are within arm’s length. Visitors are then handed fish food cans to feed the fishes and attract the multi-colored marine life beneath to one’s personal space. Flocking to the marine walkers the fish will happily frolic and feed on the grub while the tour guides snap keepsake photographs as souvenirs. The marine walkers remain submerged for a total of 15 minutes before heading up the ladder to the boat and then on to the island where they engage in bicycle tours of the villages in the area, experience seaweed farms and enjoy traditional Indonesian cuisine from the island restaurants.
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