74
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WINTER 2014
ali is one little word — just four
letters — that for many of us
conjures a thousand pictures:
ornate temples surrounded by colorful
ceremony, volcanic peaks thrusting
though the clouds, tailored terraces of rice paddies
stepped into the hills, lush rain forests, luxurious
spas, cheeky monkeys, sumptuous Asian cuisine,
beautiful sunsets, smiling Indonesian faces and
many more. Curiously, even for many divers, few
of these familiar scenes are underwater.
Bali has long been a favorite destination
for serious underwater macro photographers,
nudibranch nuts and younger backpacking divers,
but I still hear divers ask if people dive there at
all. Every year I have friends who make nondiving
stops in Bali on their way to a supposedly better
dive destination in Indonesia. When they tell
me the highlights of their trip — mantas, mimic
octopuses, pygmy seahorses and thriving reefs — I
can’t help thinking they could have seen all these
and more without leaving Bali.
Here I’ll be focusing on Bali’s underwater
delights; remember, however, one of the best
reasons to dive here: When you’re not underwater,
you’ll find yourself in Bali, the island of the gods.
Text and Photos by Alex Mustard, Ph.D.
B A L I
R O A D
T R I P
