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Batu Abah (Vertigo Point)

📍 Bali, Indonesia

Flagtail Triggerfish (Sufflamen chrysopterum) — recorded at Batu Abah (Vertigo Point)

Batu Abah (Vertigo Point) is a dive site in Bali, Indonesia. It lies within the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area. Currents typically run at 1.1 km/h and reach 3.5 km/h on the strongest days. Water temperatures range from 27°C in August to 30°C in December. The typical daily tidal range is about 1.8 m. Species recorded in the area include Reef Manta Ray, Flagtail Triggerfish, Spotted Boxfish, Oriental Sweetlips and Orangestripe Triggerfish.

Dive Conditions

💨
Current
1.1 km/h (3.5)
🌡️
Water Temp
27–30 °C

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Typical Current 1.1 km/h (up to 3.5)
Water Temperature 27–30 °C
Tidal Range 1.8 m (typical daily)
GPS -8.7808°, 115.6269°

Data sources: currents and water temperature from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values 2024. 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 Batu Abah (Vertigo Point) through the year

Sea surface temperature at the site coordinates, averaged per month from hourly model values for 2024. The water is warmest in December at about 30 °C and coolest in August at about 27 °C, a spread of 3.3 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at Batu Abah (Vertigo Point) (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
29.3 29.6 29.6 28.9 27.8 27.7 27.0 26.5 26.7 27.4 29.0 29.8

Ocean current at the site runs at a typical 1.1 km/h. In the strongest tenth of the hours modelled for 2024 it reaches 3.5 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 1.8 m over a day, and by up to 2.4 m on the largest days of the month. That range drives how much water is exchanged over the reef and when the current turns.

In the open sea off Batu Abah (Vertigo Point), the highest wave of the day exceeded 1.5 m on 79.8 % of days between 2015 and 2024. The roughest month was July (99 % of days), the calmest March (54 %).

Share of days with waves above 1.5 m, open sea near Batu Abah (Vertigo Point) (%, 2015–2024)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
776954719394999893855767

Batu Abah (Vertigo Point) 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.

How Batu Abah (Vertigo Point) 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. Batu Abah (Vertigo Point) sits with its mean water temperature in the bottom tenth and its coolest-month water temperature in the bottom tenth of all listed sites.

Batu Abah (Vertigo Point) compared with all listed sites and with Bali
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Bali
Mean water temperature28.3 °Ccooler than 98 % of the other 375 sites29.1 °C (99 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month26.5 °Ccooler than 93 % of the other 375 sites27.8 °C (99 sites)
Typical current1.1 km/hstronger than 50 % of the other 375 sites3.2 km/h (99 sites)
Current in the strongest 10 % of hours3.5 km/hstronger than 63 % of the other 375 sites5.7 km/h (99 sites)
Median daily tidal range1.8 mlarger than 78 % 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 -8.7808°, 115.6269°. 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.

Marine life recorded at this site

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

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) River Ahlquist, 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
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
Black Triggerfish (Melichthys niger)
Black Triggerfish Melichthys niger A dark, almost black triggerfish with a blue line along the base of its dorsal and anal fins. It often swims high in the water column above the reef.to 50 cm · 3-75 m · by dayouter reef slopes and drop-offsListen for its characteristic grunting sound, which can help locate it before it is seen. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Threadfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon auriga)
Threadfin Butterflyfish Chaetodon auriga A butterflyfish with a white body, diagonal black stripes, a yellow dorsal fin and a trailing filament from the dorsal fin.to 23 cm · 1-35 m · by daycoral-rich areas of reefs and lagoonsOften seen in pairs; look for the distinctive black eye band and the trailing filament on the dorsal fin. (c) Austen Novis, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation