MANTA RAYS, CORAL REEFS and DEEP diving AROUND BALI, Indonesia

Bali is loved by many for it's great surf, beautiful hospitality and inspiring spirituality. The I AM WATER team has been visiting this wonderful island for many years and we are excited to share our highlights with you! Just off the east coast of Bali lies wonderful Nusa Lembongan, Ceningan & Penida Islands. These islands offer the perfect combination of calm water, accessible depths and beautiful coral reefs. Perfect ocean conditions combined with morning yoga and delicious Indonesian food you will soon be discovering greater depths in yourself and the ocean. Here we are also close to the famous Manta Point dive spot to practice your skills with these majestic 'birds of the sea'. This trip is ideal for beginners who want an easy intro into freediving, as well as more experienced freedivers who want to work on more depth - as we always have two instructors on location, we can cater to all needs.

We chose this destination, because: we love the Balinese connection to nature, holistic living and the accessibility of fantastic ocean animals and landscapes as well as our long standing relationship with the manta ray researchers from the Marine Megafauna Foundation who are based on the island and are great partners and friends. 

HIGHLIGHTS          /          DAILY ITINERARY          /        FREEDIVING          /          ACCOMMODATION          /          UPCOMING TRIPS       

The iconic animals and ecosystems we will explore are:

Daily itinerary

day 1 //ARRIVAL

The I AM WATER Team will meet you in Sanur on the east coast of the island or at the airport, depending on your arrival date. Enjoy a refreshing welcome drink before we jump on our transfer boat to Lembongan Island. Here we will settle into our beautiful private villa. Explore our very own sandy beach and get to know your fellow freedivers.

day 2 // FREEDIVING TRAINING & CORALS

Our first ocean day will start with an easy yoga session built around preparing your body and mind for freediving. A light breakfast and short introduction to the theory of freediving will see you ready for your first training session. All our training will be done from a boat and drifting in the blue. After a couple of hours exploring the inner workings of equalisation and deep relaxation along the training rope, we will explore the vibrant coral reefs and fish. After the mornings' dive we will enjoy a traditional Indonesian lunch followed by a relaxing afternoon and optional spa treatments and an early dinner. 

day 3 // FREEDIVING TRAINING & MANTA RAYS

Morning yoga will be followed by a pool session working on mental strength and breath-hold training. How to slow down your heart-rate, empty the mind and increase lung volume. After breakfast we will  travel to the famous Manta Point for freediving with these iconic animals. Only ten meters deep and with a 95% success rate for Manta spotting this is a firm favourite with the team. We will spend a relaxing evening looking at photos and sharing stories over dinner.

day 4 // RESTING & EXPLORATION DAY

Midway through the week we will take a resting day to enjoy the local attractions, visit a local shrine and learn more about the Balinese spiritual practices. For those who want to we can do some surfing, cliff jumping or more reef exploration... or just lie by the pool with a book! 

day 5 // MANTA RAYS & CRYSTAL BAY CORAL REEF

Yoga, breakfast and a short briefing will see us head out to deeper water for more deep freediving training before returning to Manta Point for another day of big animal interactions. After Manta Point we will stop by the lovely Crystal Bay, arguably the best coral reef diving in Bali, where a myriad small reef fish will entertain you as they go about their daily life. Depending on the tide we will do yoga either in the morning or evening overlooking the water.

day 6 // MANTA RAYS & DRIFT DIVE ROPE TRAINING

On our last day we will start the day with one final depth session on the rope, this time drifting in open water, completely immersed in the ocean energy and life. After the training we will return to Manta Point and spend as long as we want with these beautiful giants. Sunset yoga will be followed by a special final dinner together.

day 7 // FAREWELL

After one last brunch together, the team will escort you back to the airport or your hotel for further adventures. If you plan to spend more time on beautiful Bali, we are happy to recommend some of our other Bali favourites.

Freediving is an age-old practice of exploring the ocean on one breath. With its roots in subsistence living off the sea, freediving has become a competitive sport with disciplines, competitions and records and moreover, one of the biggest expanding water-sports in the world.

In contrast to scuba, freediving is the most natural way of being underwater, enabling you to get much closer to the animals – particularly the bigger ones – while having the least ecosystem impact. Furthermore, it is more athletic than scuba and allows you to move faster and more freely (in all directions). Learning from a good instructor, the art of freediving is simple and is a tool to explore your body’s (aquatic) ability, the physiology of the human body underwater with the impressive mammalian dive response we share with whales, dolphins and seals.

At I AM WATER Ocean Travel, we teach a conservative slow progression approach where you will explore your limitations and capabilities under the expert eye of top certified freediving instructors. Each day will start or end with a yoga session to prepare your lungs and body for deep breaths and time underwater, learning to control your breathing and to slow your heart-rate. You will be offered breath-hold training on land, in water as well as deep diving sessions along a rope to prepare you for meeting the animals. As world-class freedivers we will inspire you to explore your own depths!

At the end of your vacation, we will have covered all the theory and training needed for the Pure Apnea Level 1 Freediving Certification. If you are interested in becoming certified and have met all practical requirements during training, we conclude with an exam on the last night.

Joining us on one of our Signature Trips does not require more than a general interest in the ocean and its creatures, basic swimming abilities and good health. It is open to all ages and fitness levels (medical questionnaires will be required).

For further information please check our Freediving FAQ's.

NUSA LEMBONGAN / (BALI) INDONESIA

At I AM WATER we love taking you off the beaten track and even though Bali is a known destination for many, we have found a couple of favourite spots above and below that are not as busy as other parts of this beloved island. We have picked neighbouring Nusa Lembongan as our home for the week where we will be staying in a beautiful private villa right on the beach. Lembongan Island has long been our favourite, not only for the laid-back atmosphere, but also for it's access to beautiful reefs, fun waves and of course...  the manta rays! 

Our Villa is located on the western end of the island, in a small cove known as Sandy Bay, perfectly private with comfortable shared spaces, a big pool, deck and glorious bedrooms. Our private chefs will be preparing a blend of delicious Balinese food perfectly adjusted for freediving as well as our signature I AM WATER cuisine. We tend to follow a mainly vegetarian diet with the right mix of smart dishes to make sure we get all the protein, nutrients and energy we need for our days at sea.

BALI / INDONESIA

DATES                                     HOSTS                                  PRICE

25 - 31 May 2018                                                    Hanli Prinsloo & Peter Marshall                       From USD 3950 per person sharing

Email travel@imwaterfoundation.org to book!

All trips max 8 people / Incl. all freediving, local transport, accommodation & food / Excl. flights to Denpasar