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Karang Sari

📍 Bali, Indonesia

Striped Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) — recorded at Karang Sari

Karang Sari is a dive site in Bali, Indonesia. It lies within the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area. The sea floor at the site position lies at about 31 meters. Currents typically run at 4.3 km/h and reach 6.1 km/h on the strongest days. Water temperatures range from 29°C in August to 30°C in November. The typical daily tidal range is about 1.9 m. Species recorded in the area include Striped Surgeonfish, Reef Manta Ray, Flagtail Triggerfish, Spotbanded Butterflyfish and Spotted Boxfish.

Dive Conditions

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Seabed Depth
31m
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Current
4.3 km/h (6.1)
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Water Temp
29–30 °C

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Typical Current 4.3 km/h (up to 6.1)
Seabed Depth 31 m
Water Temperature 29–30 °C
Tidal Range 1.9 m (typical daily)
GPS -8.7089°, 115.5890°

Data sources: currents and water temperature from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values 2024; seabed depth from the GEBCO 2020 Grid, sampled at the site coordinates (grid resolution about 450 m). Tidal range is the median daily range of modelled sea level from Open-Meteo Marine, hourly values 2024. Protected area boundary from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Species observations from iNaturalist, checked against the World Register of Marine Species.

Conditions at Karang Sari through the year

Sea surface temperature at the site coordinates, averaged per month from hourly model values for 2024. The water is warmest in November at about 30 °C and coolest in August at about 29 °C, a spread of 1.7 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at Karang Sari (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
29.3 29.4 29.7 30.1 29.7 29.1 28.8 28.6 28.6 29.3 30.3 30.1

Ocean current at the site runs at a typical 4.3 km/h. In the strongest tenth of the hours modelled for 2024 it reaches 6.1 km/h, which is when entries are normally timed to slack water at the turn of the tide.

The tide moves the water level by a median 1.9 m over a day, and by up to 2.5 m on the largest days of the month. That range drives how much water is exchanged over the reef and when the current turns.

Offshore wave statistics are not shown for Karang Sari: within 10 km of the site there is land in the directions from which 100 % of the larger waves in the area arrive, so open-sea values would overstate the swell at the site itself.

The seabed directly under the site coordinates sits at about 31 m. This is a bathymetry grid value with a cell size of roughly 450 m, so it describes the depth of the area rather than the deepest point a dive can reach.

Karang Sari lies inside Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area. Protected areas can carry their own rules on entry fees, permits, anchoring and fishing; check the current rules with a local operator before you dive.

Satellite habitat mapping places Karang Sari on an outer reef slope, over a seabed mapped as coral and algae. The classification comes from the nearest mapped reef polygon, about 25 m from the listed coordinates, so it describes the reef the site sits on rather than a single point on it.

How Karang Sari compares

These comparisons use only the measured values above, set against the 376 dive sites published on findadive.com. A percentage shows the share of other sites with a lower (or higher) value, so it reads the same way wherever the site is. Karang Sari sits with its typical current in the top tenth and its peak current in the top tenth of all listed sites.

Karang Sari compared with all listed sites and with Bali
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Bali
Mean water temperature29.4 °Cwarmer than 55 % of the other 375 sites29.1 °C (99 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month28.6 °Cwarmer than 68 % of the other 375 sites27.8 °C (99 sites)
Typical current4.3 km/hstronger than 99 % of the other 375 sites3.2 km/h (99 sites)
Current in the strongest 10 % of hours6.1 km/hstronger than 90 % of the other 375 sites5.7 km/h (99 sites)
Median daily tidal range1.9 mlarger than 84 % of the other 375 sites1.5 m (99 sites)

Water temperature, current and tide from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values for 2024 at -8.7089°, 115.5890°. Seabed depth from the GEBCO 2020 Grid. Protected area boundary from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Wave statistics from ERA5-Ocean via Open-Meteo Marine (contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2015–2024), daily maximum wave height on a 0.5° grid; land shelter tested against Natural Earth coastlines. Reef structure and seabed cover from the Allen Coral Atlas © 2018–2023 Allen Coral Atlas Partnership and Arizona State University (CC BY 4.0).

Marine life recorded at this site

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist within about 12 km of these coordinates.

Striped Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus)
Striped Surgeonfish Acanthurus lineatus A brightly striped surgeonfish with alternating blue and yellow horizontal lines on the body and a sharp, retractable spine near the tail.to 38 cm · 1-15 m · by dayshallow, turbulent surge zones on outer reef crestsOften seen in small groups grazing on algae; the tail spine is a defensive weapon, so avoid approaching too closely from behind. (c) Lawrence Hylton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Reef Manta Ray (Mobula alfredi)
Reef Manta Ray Mobula alfredi A large, flat ray with a dark grey to black upper side and white underside, often with distinctive shoulder patches. It swims by flapping its wing-like pectoral fins.to 5.5 m wingspan · surface to 30 m · day and nightnear coral reefs, cleaning stations, and channelsObserve from a distance at cleaning stations; mantas will circle the area repeatedly, allowing for extended viewing. (c) Nick Tobler (Cowturtle), some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Flagtail Triggerfish (Sufflamen chrysopterum)
Flagtail Triggerfish Sufflamen chrysopterum A triggerfish with a dark body, a pale tail marked by a dark band, and a small white spot behind the mouth. It often hovers above the reef.to 30 cm · 3-50 m · by dayouter reef slopes and lagoon reefsWatch for its distinctive tail pattern as it swims; it may retreat to a burrow if approached too closely. (c) Piotr Lukasik, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Spotbanded Butterflyfish (Chaetodon punctatofasciatus)
Spotbanded Butterflyfish Chaetodon punctatofasciatus A butterflyfish with a pale yellow body crossed by vertical dark bands and a pattern of dark spots on its sides.to 12 cm · 3-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of clear lagoons and seaward reefsOften seen in pairs, moving methodically to pick at coral polyps and small invertebrates. (c) Piotr Lukasik, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Spotted Boxfish (Ostracion meleagris)
Spotted Boxfish Ostracion meleagris A small, square-shaped fish with a rigid body covered in bony plates. Its colour varies from black with white spots to yellow with black spots.to 25 cm · 1-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of lagoons and seaward reefsWatch for its slow, hovering swimming motion, often near coral heads or over rubble patches. (c) Austen Novis, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Oriental Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus vittatus)
Oriental Sweetlips Plectorhinchus vittatus A juvenile fish with bold black and white stripes, often seen hovering near the reef. Adults become silvery-grey with faint spots.to 85 cm · 1-30 m · day and nightcoral and rocky reefs, often near overhangs or cavesJuveniles are more conspicuous; look for them hovering alone or in small groups near shelter. (c) Austen Novis, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Orangestripe Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus)
Orangestripe Triggerfish Balistapus undulatus A medium-sized triggerfish with a dark greenish body covered in wavy orange lines, a white tail base and a distinctive orange stripe from mouth to pectoral fin.to 30 cm · 1-50 m · by daycoral-rich areas of reefs and lagoonsOften seen foraging alone; can be aggressive when guarding a nest, which is a cleared patch on the sand. (c) Piotr Lukasik, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Vagabond Butterflyfish (Chaetodon vagabundus)
Vagabond Butterflyfish Chaetodon vagabundus A butterflyfish with a white body crossed by thin black vertical lines, a yellow tail and a black band through the eye.to 23 cm · 1-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of reefs and lagoonsOften seen in pairs; look for them inspecting coral branches and crevices for food. (c) Piotr Lukasik, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation