If you have been looking for the best spot for your holiday, then you should certainly visit the Gili islands in Indonesia. While there is a number of reasons many tourists visit the Gili’s, there are also reasons for you to make your journey even more interesting and fun by discovering places that would come along your path here in Bali, such as the village of Padangbai.
While both have a very amazing environments the Gili’s are for the holiday maker looking for the party life on a tropical island, Padangbai on the other hand is more of a peaceful and rather quiet place. It is for this reason that Padangbai is rightfully categorised as a better spot for scuba diving over the Gili islands, so if you’re coming to scuba dive Padangbai really should be at the top of your list. It takes all the activities the Gilis have to offer and refines them into something different one may say is more authentic.
Moreover, if you are intrigued by temples and local culture then Padangbai is extremely accessible to all of Bali’s attractions. Temples, scuba diving, rice fields, volcanos, trekking or Ubud are nearly at its doorstep and they are easily reached from the seaside village base. Basically Padangbai is more for the real traveller looking for the real Bali experience.
Some of the things that you can do in the Padangbai before enjoying the parties being offered on the Gili Islands off Lombok are:
Snorkeling
Padangbai is just the place for you if you are an admirer of underwater beauty. The village is known for its snorkelling and its limitless and easily accessible underwater aquarium. Although snorkelling is what a large number of people would visit Gili islands for one can easily get a much better experience in Padangbai.
Scuba Diving
When it comes to scuba diving Padangbai is in the middle of everything. While diving here macro lovers, beginners and advanced divers will be thrilled with the underwater treasures that are on offer here. With everything from rare finds like the mimic octopus to daily encounters with reef sharks and turtles. If you would like to see manta rays, sharks, turtles, great coral or even mola mola when the season is right then it is usually no problem. Padangbai really has it all and even the furthest dive site is no more than 50 minutes away by boat and it is only an hour drive to the amazing Tulamben wreck dive.
Trips around Bali
If you would like to see Bali then Padangbai is probably one of the best spots when it comes to travel times to the all main attractions. Rent a motorbike, car or take a driver and you will see all the beauty this island has to offer without having to spend the whole day travelling to one spot.