Gamat Bay is an amazing Nusa Penida snorkeling site, home to thousands of fish and underwater critters that have made a home for themselves amongst vibrant and colourful coral. From above the surface, the bay looks like any beach in Bali, but below the surface, it truly comes alive.

If you’re interested in snorkeling in Nusa Penida, this amazing Bay is the place to do it. We’ve put together this guide so that you know just what to expect during your tour.

Best time to visit Gamat Bay Nusa Penida

If you want to have the place to yourself – or at least with fewer people – the earlier the better. Gamat Bay was the second stop on our Nusa Penida snorkeling tour, and we had arrived by 8:30am. The later it gets, the more tour boats arrive, taking the charm out of this little paradise.

How to get to Gamat Bay

The best way to get around Nusa Penida is by scooter – this island is just not made for cars. Most accommodations will be able to arrange a scooter rental for you, and if you hire for multiple days you can usually haggle down to around 60,000 IDR per day. If you’re not comfortable driving a scooter, a popular option is to hire a car with a private driver.

It is possible to reach Gamat Bay by scooter and on foot, however, we recommend that you book a snorkeling tour which includes swimming with manta rays at Manta Point, as well as a number of other destinations.

How To Book A Gamat Bay Tour

You can join a public tour at the harbour, but we recommend booking a tour well in advance with a reputable company. We arranged our Nusa Penida snorkeling tour with Island Time Bali. They were recommended to us by a friend and are well known in the Nusa Islands. 

Their Nusa Penida Land & Sea package will take you to Gamat Bay, Manta Point and Crystal Bay, as well as other popular stops on land. There are other companies you can go with, but we recommend you check out Island Time Bali first.

What to bring for snorkeling Nusa Penida

Prepare for your trip for snorkeling Nusa Penida with our must-have travel essentials. (Click for prices)

• Motion sickness tablets (highly recommended)
• Snorkel, mask & fins (included in tour)
• Quick-dry microfiber travel towel
• Insulated water bottle
• Hiking Sandals
• Waterproof backpack & phone case

If you’re interested in photography and/or videography this is the gear we can’t live without:

-Professional camera: Sony a7iv

-Underwater camera/phone housing: Aquatech & AxisGO Housing

          (use code AF-CARSONMOODY-USA for 10% off entire order)

-GoPro: GoPro HERO10 Black

Gamat Bay Nusa Penida Snorkeling Price

Prices start at 1,150,000 IDR per person and include pick up and drop off at your hotel, all the snorkeling gear, snacks, food and the best vibes from Blackie, your trusty guide.

What to expect at Gamat Bay

We boarded our Island Time boat at Toya Pakeh Harbour just before 7am and headed out to Manta Point first to go snorkeling with manta rays. You will do this first so that you can beat the crowds that all come for the manta rays.

After 45 minutes of swimming with the manta rays, we hopped back onto the boat and cruised to Gamat Bay. Seeing as we were the first boat at Manta Point, we also beat the others to this bay and had the place to ourselves for 15 minutes, aside from a lone fisherman.

We jumped off the boat and straight into the incredible underwater world. The first thing we noticed was how healthy the reef looked, and couldn’t believe how many fish there were.

We consider ourselves pretty strong swimmers, but the current at Gamat Bay is no joke. We entered the water by the boat and before we knew it we had drifted 20 metres away. There weren’t any waves to battle, but you should definitely be mindful of the current if you go snorkeling in this Bay.

After you’ve finished snorkeling at Gamat Bay, the next stop on your Nusa Penida tour will likely be Crystal Bay. This is one of the most popular beaches in Nusa Penida and definitely worth checking out! You can read more about Crystal Bay Nusa Penida here.

Where to stay in Nusa Penida

Explore More In Nusa Penida

Continue your adventures in Nusa Penida with more travel guides:

• ANGEL’S BILLABONG
• BROKEN BEACH
• CRYSTAL BAY
• SNORKELING WITH MANTA RAYS

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