I have been living in Singapore for three years now, and diving every weekend that I can. I wanted to share my experience with anyone else who is looking to make Singapore their launch pad to explore Southeast Asia's diving.

This is in no way intended to be a comprehensive list of everywhere that you could possible dive from Singapore, but rather a guide to weekend diving, highlighting my favorite spots to go diving for a weekend or a short holiday.

Blue spotted stingray, Bali

Indonesia

Indonesia is basically right in the epicenter of the coral triangle. With over 20,000 islands, the Indonesian archipelago offers some of the best reef diving on Earth. Indonesia is generally pretty inexpensive to visit, but can also offer luxury seekers a truly lavish diving experience.

Bali

Bali is easily one of the best choices for a short dive trip from Singapore. Located only a 2.5 hours away by air, Bali is an easy weekend getaway with truly world class diving. It's even possible to fly from Singapore to Denpasar after work on a Friday evening, go diving on Saturday, and still get back in time for work on Monday. Airlines such as AirAsia and Jet Star offer regular flights, and if you keep an eye out, you can pick up a round trip ticket from Singapore to Bali for around $100 USD.

Mola sunfish, Nusa Penida Bali

Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida is a small island just off of the eastern coast of Bali. Manta rays can be seen at the Manta Point dive site pretty much every day, and between August and November, Mola Sunfish follow the cold currents up from the depths to visit the cleaning stations that surround the island. I commonly see leaf scorpionfish, turtles, morey eels, a large variety of nudibranchs, and pristine coral gardens when diving here. The water can be cold and the currents can be swift, so many of the dive sites here are better suited for experienced divers.

Getting to Nusa Penida

It is possible to stay on Nusa Penida, or the nearby Nusa Lembongan, but regular speedboats from the mainland also shuttle divers to Nusa Penida for day-trips. You can dive Nusa Penida from pretty much anywhere on the East side of Bali. Operators will gladly arrange transport from Padang Bai, Sanur, and even Ubud if you ask.

Purple hairy squat lobster, Amed Bali

Best Time to Dive Nusa Penida

It is possible to dive in Nusa Penida year round, but in some months currents can be strong, and visibility is not quite as good. I would recommend heading to Nusa Penida from April to November for the best conditions.Your best chance of spotting Mola is from August to October.

For more information on Nusa Penida, check out How To Dive Nusa Penida, Let Me Count The Ways.

Tulamben & Amed

Located on the northeast coast of Bali, Tulamben and Amed offer some great diving for divers of all experience levels. These ever-growing fishing villages are located just a 20 minute drive from each other, so it is easy to visit both in one trip. There are two sizable shipwrecks in Tulamben and Amed, but the most notable is the USAT Liberty, a WWII freight vessel that rests just off the shore. The diving here is mainly from the black rocky volcanic shores, so dive companies don't even need to have a boat to offer guests a great experience. For me the real highlight in Tulamben and Amed is the fantastic muck diving. Hosts of nudibranchs, octopus, and other small critters can be found in the black sand just off of the shore.

Getting to Tulamben and Amed

To reach Tulamben and Amed just grab a taxi or arrange a car from Denpasar Airport. The drive usually takes between 3.5 – 4 hours depending on traffic.

Best Time to Dive Tulamben and Amed

You can scuba dive in Amed and Tulamben Bali all year round. The best time for visibility is April to July, and October to November. From July to November, the mola mola sunfish can be spotted along the coast.

More on Tulamben and Amed at Holy Muck Diving Tulamben and Amed Bali

Nudibranch, Candidasa Bali

Padang Bai & Candidasa

Padang Bai is home to the ferry terminal that connects Bali with Lombok, but the tiny town still maintains the charm of a sleepy little fishing village. From here, divers have the option to explore pristine reefs along Bali's eastern coast, or even hop on a speedboat to dive the popular dive sites at Nusa Penida. Sites like Blue Lagoon, offer mellow shallow diving for beginners, while Candidasa can provide thrilling roller coaster like dives in the turbulent current in the chanel between Bali and Lombok. Either way, there is no shortage of beautiful untouched coral reefs and a huge variety of sea life to check out here.

Getting to Padang Bai and Candidasa

To reach Padang Bai take a taxi or arrange a car from Denpasar Airport. The drive usually takes between 1.5 – 2 hours depending on traffic.

For more on Padang Bai & Candidasa, read Diving Candidasa Bali, Not for the Faint of Heart!

Maroon clownfish, Bunaken Indonesia

Bunaken & Lembeh

Located on the Indonesian island of Suluwesi, Bunaken and Lembeh are popular destinations for Singaporean divers. Bunaken is home to large pelagic species like black and white-tip sharks, humphead parrotfish and sea turtles, while Lembeh is more known for nudibranchs, pipefish and macro life. From Singapore, Suliwesi is conveniently located, offers great visibility, and provides a solid overall diving experience. I was particularly impressed with the night diving, so if you head to Suluwesi, be sure to bring your flashlight.