Gilimanuk Bay map, showing location of Secret Bay
Secret Bay was discovered by the accomplished Japanese underwater photographer, and well known Bali expert Takamasa Tonozuka.
But who actually christened the site remains a secret… certainly to me anyway, and Secret Bay is hardly the correct name as it is not exactly a secret location and never really was…
But for underwater photographers, a visit to Bali is not really complete unless you make the journey to the small town of Gilimanuk at the north-western tip of the island.
The site is actually just one part of the main Gilimanuk Bay, which is located behind the town itself and on the edge of the Bali Strait that separates the island from it’s much larger neighbor Java.
It is Secret Bay’s location close to the mouth of the main bay and the intense currents of the Bali Strait that create the conditions so conducive for the marine life to be found there.
Apart from Secret Bay… Gillimanuk’s other claim to fame is the 24 hour ferry service that operates between it and Ketapang on Java, from the terminal just south of the entrance to Gilimanuk Bay.
Secret Bay Image Gallery
Secret Bay’s popularity has spawned a local cottage industry servicing the numerous divers and underwater photographers who come to experience what it has to offer.
A nice area to gear-up has been built complete with toilets, fresh water showers and rinse tanks, plus on the beach about 10m from the changing area is a small restaurant that cooks up local dishes for lunch and the night dive fish kebabs to tempt the bobbit worms out of their lair…
Secret Bay’s Logistics…
Diving Bali: When to Dive Secret Bay
Being such a sheltered location the main variable regarding when to dive Secret Bay is the state of the tide and a rising tide will provide the best visibility.
But the site can still be dived at low tide, it just means the depth will be less and the viz will not be the best.
Diving Bali: How to get to Secret Bay
To get to Secret Bay depends on where you are coming from – if that is from the tourist area of Kuta-Sanur-Nusa Dua, it means about a 140 km journey which will take around 3 hours or so and take you through Denpasar and then along the southwest coast.
Or if you are coming from Tulamben, it’s a bit shorter but still about 2.5 hours along the north coast of Bali.
Diving Bali: Secret Bay – Where to Stay
I personally stayed at Mimpi Menjangan when I was diving both Secret Bay & Menjangan Island, but an alternative would be to stay in Pemuteran at either the Taman Sari Cottages or Pondok Sari.
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