My name is Pebri — born and raised on Nusa Penida, dive instructor for 12 years and a proud collaborator with local marine conservation groups (Friends of the Sea Nusa & Coral Watch Nusa Penida). I still remember the first time we organized a manta-safe photography session: Pak Made from Blue Corner Dive and I spent three mornings coordinating boat lanes, briefing snorkelers and training local boat crews so photographers could get the classic tail-swoop manta shot without stressing the animals. That project changed how I approach underwater Instagram content — now every picture starts with a conservation-first plan.

Most Instagrammable Underwater Spots (with exact locations)

Below are the spots I use most when guiding photographers. All GPS coordinates are approximate but accurate for boat captains and dive guides.

Manta Point (Manta Cleaning Stations)

• GPS: -8.6879, 115.4618
• Why: Giant mantas, dramatic top-down and yaw shots when they swing under the boat.
• Best for: Wide-angle, drone-assisted surface compositions, manta tail-slaps.
• Season: Year-round but best visibility and manta activity May–October (peak July–September).

Crystal Bay (Snorkel & Dive)

• GPS: -8.7301, 115.4655
• Why: Clear water for silhouette shots, natural sun beams in the morning, macro life near bommies.
• Best for: Macro and wide-angle; early morning sunlight (07:00–09:30).

Toyapakeh (Wall & macro bommies)

• GPS: -8.7167, 115.5139
• Why: Incredible coral walls and nudibranchs; sheltered for handheld macro rigs.
• Best for: Close-focus wide-angle and macro.

Blue Corner (Drift & pelagics)

• GPS: -8.7225, 115.5050
• Why: Fast currents bring schooling jacks and trevally — dramatic motion blur and split shots.
• Best for: Experienced divers shooting wide-angle; brief windows of calm are golden.

Gamat Bay / SD Bay (Macro hotspot)

• GPS: -8.7992, 115.5021
• Why: Tiny critters — harlequin shrimp, rare pygmy seahorses, and pipefish.
• Best for: Dedicated macro sessions with focus light and trays.

How I Plan an Instagram Shoot (step-by-step, conservation-first)

1. Contact your operator 48–72 hours in advance — I work with Blue Corner Dive and Penida Explorer; for mantas ask for a manta-safe briefing. Expect a hold/reserve fee (see pricing table).
2. Choose a lead photographer and one conservation buddy from the group (I usually pair newcomers with a Coral Watch volunteer).
3. Brief the whole boat: distance to mantas, no-touch rules, approach angles, surface swim lanes. I use simple Bahasa lines: "Jangan sentuh, jaga jarak" (don’t touch, keep distance) pronounced: jahng-an sen-tooh, jah-gah jah-rak.
4. Set camera: RAW, manual white balance +0.8K warm on mantas, shutter 1/200–1/250s for wide angle, ISO 200–400; for macro use manual focus and twin strobes, 1/125–1/200s.
5. After the dive: quick debrief and collect any discarded gear. Report sightings to Coral Watch Nusa Penida and log GPS for citizen science.

Equipment and Settings (Underwater Photography Focus)

• Wide-angle: 8–15mm fisheye or 16–35mm on full frame + dome port. Keep aperture f/5.6–f/8 for mantas to maximize depth-of-field.
• Macro: 60mm–105mm with dual strobes and snoot for tiny subjects.
• Accessories: color filter for GoPro in low light, wet diopters for close-focus wide-angle, float arms for balance.
• Rentals: Camera housings are available at Blue Corner Dive (rental housing IDR 300,000/day ≈ $20), or bring your own sealing kit and spares.

Price Comparison (typical costs)

Service	Low Budget	Mid Range	High End
Single dive	IDR 400,000 (~$27)	IDR 600,000 (~$40)	IDR 900,000 (~$60) w/ private guide
Two-dive day	IDR 750,000 (~$50)	IDR 1,100,000 (~$73)	IDR 1,800,000 (~$120) incl. camera assistant
Snorkel trip (manta)	IDR 300,000 (~$20)	IDR 450,000 (~$30)	IDR 700,000 (~$47) private boat
Scooter rental	IDR 60,000/day (~$4)	IDR 80,000/day (~$5.5) (Made's Scooter Rental)	IDR 150,000/day (~$10) automatic

Logistics: Getting Around, Where to Stay, and Local Food

• Ferry from Sanur to Toya Pakeh: 30–45 minutes. Speedboat options start at IDR 150,000 (~$10) one-way.
• Accommodation I recommend: Kubu Ganesh Bungalows (IDR 500,000/night ≈ $33) for dive access, La Roja Homestay (IDR 250,000/night ≈ $17) for budget.
• Warungs: Warung Sunrise at Crystal Bay (breakfast 25k IDR ≈ $1.7), Warung Bambu near Toyapakeh for lunch and charging camera batteries.
• Scooter rentals: Made's Scooter Rental — ask for helmet and spare key, IDR 80,000/day (~$5.5).
• WiFi/hotspots: Kubu Ganesh has reliable wifi for quick uploads; for large RAW files use La Roja’s evening high-speed window (ask Bu Sari politely: "Permisi, boleh minta wifi?" per-mee-see, bo-leh mahn-tee wah-fee).

Safety Warnings (real incidents and prevention)

Because I work with Friends of the Sea Nusa and regularly run conservation dives, I’ve been on the scene for several incidents that teach hard lessons:

• Strong currents at Blue Corner and Manta Point: In 2024 I coordinated a small rescue when a snorkeler drifted beyond boat lanes near Manta Point. Always use a surface marker buoy (SMB) on drift dives and make sure the boat operator ties off a known pick-up point. If you’re not a strong swimmer, skip surface photos near Manta Point.
• Boat traffic near mantas: I’ve seen a near-collision between a speedboat and a snorkel group in 2023 — insist on a captain briefing and a floating guide rope. Use operators who follow the manta code (no more than 6 snorkelers per manta encounter).
• Rockfall and stairs: At shallow shore entries like Crystal Bay and Toya Pakeh, loose steps cause sprains — wear reef boots and always check anchor entry points at low tide.
• Decompression and fatigue: Busy photographers can push too many dives. Follow conservative dive tables, log your dives, and always have a rest day after 3 days of diving.

Emergency contacts

• Indonesia emergency number: 112.
• Local dive operator emergency line (ask your operator directly upon booking) — I use Blue Corner Dive for emergencies.
• Nusa Penida health clinic: ask your guesthouse on arrival for current numbers — I recommend noting them in your phone immediately.

Insider Tricks that Save Time & Money

• Book dives 3–7 days ahead in high season (July–August and December). For mantas, mornings are better; reserve a 06:30 boat to catch cleaner water.
• If you need extra hands underwater, hire a local camera assistant for IDR 400,000–600,000/day (~$27–$40). Many of my conservation volunteers will help for a small fee to support reef projects.
• Chargers and battery swaps: bring a power strip and ask Warung Bambu or Bu Sari at La Roja — small fee (10k–20k IDR) to charge multiple batteries while you dive.
• Save money: combine a manta snorkel with a nearby two-dive day package for transfer efficiency. Operators sometimes give a 10% discount when booked together.

Cultural Etiquette & Sustainable Practices

• Always greet local staff: "Selamat pagi, Pak/Bu" (seh-lah-maht pah-gee, Pak/Bu). Using titles is respected.
• Respect temples and private land when accessing shore entries — remove shoes when asked and dress modestly on land.
• Never touch mantas or corals, and never feed fish for the shot. Use stable buoyancy and a no-touch policy: "Jangan menyentuh" (jahng-an men-yen-tooh).
• Participate in a beach clean or donate to Coral Watch Nusa Penida — many operators allow 20–30 minutes post-dive to pick up plastics; I include this as standard on my conservation days.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

• Backscatter on mantas: shoot with strobes angled slightly outward, or use ambient light for silhouette images.
• Current too strong: switch to a macro session in Gamat Bay or request a sheltered bay like Toyapakeh.
• Low battery day: rotate batteries with a buddy and charge at Warung Bambu between dives.

Conclusion — My Personal Recommendations

If you only have one day for underwater Instagram content, book a morning manta snorkel (06:30) with Blue Corner Dive, then two dives in Toyapakeh for wall and macro. Hire a local camera assistant and donate IDR 100,000 to Friends of the Sea Nusa — you’ll get better shots and help preserve the animals that make these images possible. When you tag your photos, tag the community: we love seeing responsibly-shot images and we use them to monitor mantas and reef health.

Travel safe, respect the reef, and if you see me around Toyapakeh say hi — I’ll gladly show you my favorite angle for the manta tail-sweep.