For such a popular resort, there are still few places in Bali with good snorkeling. Authorities have decided to change this and are preparing two new areas for snorkeling.
These are the coastal waters of Tulamben in the east of Bali (Karangasem district) and Pemuteran in the north of the island (Buleleng district). Experts are studying the seabed and reef conditions, marking the future tourist zones, and coordinating the project with local fishermen and villages. At the same time, they are drafting rules: where swimming is allowed, where boats can pass through, and where anchoring will be prohibited.
Once the zones are approved, buoys will appear at sea to separate swimmers from boats and indicate safe routes for snorkeling. Plans include setting up entry and exit points in the water, installing information boards with reef behavior guidelines, and restricting fishing within the tourist area. The authorities emphasize that the goal is not to 'develop the sea' but to make existing natural locations safe for people and less harmful to corals.
The head of Bali's Marine Resources and Fisheries Department, Putu Sumardiana, has confirmed that Tulamben and Pemuteran have been officially designated as future marine tourist zones, including for snorkeling. Authorities hope these locations will become alternatives to Nusa Penida and help distribute tourist traffic more evenly, which still tends to concentrate in the same areas.
However, local experts believe that only major infrastructure projects can truly 'open up' the north and east of the island: a new northern airport, long-promised wide highways, and the mythical Bali metro that occasionally appears in the news and then vanishes again.
If you don't want to wait for the new zones to open, it's already quite decent to snorkel in Amed, around the island of Menjangan, and at Padang Bai beach in eastern Bali. One of the most spectacular options remains the island of Nusa Penida.
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