Abwonderdive Bali

ABWonderdive Bali is situated in Kubu, an area on the eastern coast of Bali that is highly regarded for its coral growth and marine life. The resort is built using local materials like stone and timber, designed to minimise environmental impact while providing a direct connection to the Bali Sea.

The location is ideal for those seeking a variety of underwater environments. You can choose between easy reef slopes, dramatic drop-offs, or historic wrecks, all within a 5 to 45-minute transit from the resort via car or local dive boats.

The centre is owned and operated by Alice and Bjorn Askholm, who bring extensive international experience to the team. Having managed dive centres in the Caribbean, the Maldives, and the Philippines, they provide a professional foundation for the resort's operations.

As a PADI affiliated centre, they offer a full range of training programmes. The resort is also CHSE certified, ensuring specific health and safety standards are met for all guests.

The centre provides a comprehensive range of PADI courses for all experience levels. Beginners can start with PADI Discover Scuba Diving or the PADI Bubblemaker programme for children.

For those progressing through their certifications, the full range of PADI Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, and Rescue Diver courses are available. The centre also facilitates PADI Specialty Diver courses and training for those aiming to become a PADI Divemaster.

Local dive boats are used to reach the more distant sites around East Bali. These vessels allow you to access popular locations like Amed and Candidasa within a short time from the resort.

The resort is positioned directly on the beach, allowing for easy shore entries and exits. For certain sites like the Drop Off Kubu, staff are available to assist with carrying your kit down to the water.

The centre provides access to a variety of dive sites, including artificial reefs such as a bottle reef at 17–18 metres and a bamboo reef at 28 metres, which serve as excellent locations for practising buoyancy or navigation.

The surrounding waters are home to a variety of larger marine life. You may encounter stingrays, bumphead parrot fish, and reef sharks, including both white tip and black tip varieties, patrolling the reefs and slopes.

For macro enthusiasts, the area is exceptional. The sandy bottoms and coral structures host a wide selection of nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, scorpionfish, and the rare harlequin shrimp. Sites like Melasti Macro are particularly noted for their variety of nudibranchs, including the 'Shaun the Sheep' species.

The reef architecture itself is thriving, with large colourful sponges and gorgonian feathers providing a backdrop for the diverse fish populations. The constant water flow in East Bali supports this healthy, coral-rich environment.

The east side of Bali benefits from consistent water flow, which encourages vigorous coral growth and supports high levels of biodiversity. Currents at local sites can range from light to strong, particularly at sites like Gili Selang or the Gerombong reefs.

While the swell is usually calm, conditions can become choppy at times. Divers should be prepared for drift diving at several of the popular sites, such as Pantai Nusu or the Kubu drop-offs.