Menjangan Island- The Hidden Paradise
Menjangan Island is part of the West Bali Nature Reserve, a protected reserved area that encompasses 780 square kilometres. The name Menjangan means “deer”. Visit Menjangan during dry season and if you are lucky you might encounter the deer crossing the sea to migrate to Bali Island! Manjangan Island can be reached by car in about an hour.
In this isolated island, no buiding is allowed, only 3 simple eating place and public toilet for tourists. You can say that this place is really isolated. Heaven for those who love nature and get away from it all! No shop, Restaurant or even any attraction nearby.
Menjangan Island is said to be one of Bali’s best diving and snorkelling site. There are a few dive sites to choose from at Menjangan with good conditions and excellent exposure to the underwater world. The island is surrounded by a wide variety coral reef; very rich and colourful… From hard coral to soft coral, from soft pink, blue to green, orange and many more. Very beautiful scenery that the earth can create! The coral characterised by deep drop offs of up to 60 metres and by complex rock formations.
Menjangan Island is occupied by natural reserves, from sheer drop offs to 60+ metres, small caves, sandy slopes and a beautiful blue green lagoon.
The underwater world has a big collection of fish! There is clown fish, goat fish, batfish, snapper, sweetlips, angelfish and fusiliers. Unusual collection of fish like Frogfish, Pipefish, many interesting Nudibranch, Scorpionfish, Lionfish, leaf scorpions, crocodilefish and Cuttlefish can also be spotted. There are even tuna, shoals of jack-fish, batfish, angelfish, seahorses, sea turtles, and sharks, especially off the outer corners of the island! Of course it is not only fish that can be seen in Menjangan, there are also dolphin, whaleshark, mantarays, giant barracuda, Napoleon, potato cod! It is said that during the rainy season is the best time to have a chance to see manta and the baby (±7mtr) whaleshark. Wow.. what a wide variety of Marine ecosystem!
The island is surrounded by mountains and islands! Inside the deep water and on the surface, the stunning beauty of nature can be seen! Ain’t we lucky to be born in this world??
Imagine after diving, enjoying nice food and then rest in hammock while enjoying the beauty of nature. It is truly a bless!
Menjangan has a wreck, name “Anker”. The name comes from a heavily encrusted anchor, which sits at about 6m on the top of the reef nearby. “Anker” is old wooden ship wrecks, which is believe to be more than 100 years old. There are glass and ceramic and is completely inhabit by soft coral, and it is excellent place to meet turtle and sharks!
On average, there about 100 divers visit the island each day.
The only accommodation near Menjangan strait is Mimpi resort Menjangan Bali. This Bali hotel is located adjacent to the Bali Barat National Park. The resort is design in Balinese style. Guests will have a choice of rooms at the Mimpi Resort Menjangan Bali including terraced rooms or courtyard villas. There are a total of fifty four accommodations available at the hotel. Amenities available in the guestrooms include private gardens or terraces, private swimming pools or Jacuzzis, thatched roofs and room service. The hotel can be book and compare the price at discount hotel and the description and picture can be found in hotel deals
For those who does not do diving or snorkelling, you can enjoy the sea ecosystem by you own naked eyes! The water is so clear that you can see it with your naked eyes! Menjangan island is surrounded by beautiful white sandy beaches.
There is this article that I recently read on the The Jakarta Post that mentioned: “The beauty of underwater coral reefs and the ecosystem around Menjangan Island, is on the brink of destruction as the practice of fish bombing carried out by local fishermen is on the rise”. Hope that further action is taken by the government to protect such nature beauty.
