Matahari Beach Resort & Spa Bali

On the North-west coast of Bali, the Matahari Beach Resort is situated right beside a fine sand lava beach at Pemuteran.

There are 32 suites available in 16 bungalows which, faithful to ancient tradition, are decorated with lavish wood carving and stonework.

Each bungalow is only a few yards from the beach and has its own verandah.

A very strong selling point for this resort is the superb level of service, and although it is quite isolated this was one of the reasons behind choosing the Matahari Beach Resort. You can arrive by helicopter, it is I believe a spectacular short flight from the airport, we didn’t arrive that way because my wife won’t get into one, and I wasn’t really prepared to pay the extra. The limo supplied was very comfortable but it was a three hour drive through some beautiful scenery, but it is a bit of a flog after a long flight.

I have to say it was pretty well worth it, for not only the setting, a black lava sand beach is a bit off putting until you get used to it.

The food was spectacular at the main restaurant The’ Dewi Ramona’ or the ‘Paon’ a traditional Balinese kitchen on the beach, where cooking is over a traditional wood fire.

The swimming pool is excellent, but it is a bit tedious to spend 50 minutes in a boat to get to the snorkelling, diving and water sports activities.

The rooms were quite lovely, with the usual facilities, and thank goodness air conditioning, very comfortable large beds, and a huge marble tub.

I’m not sure I’d go again, the drive is a bit off putting, but a very nice hotel if you crave peace and quiet, and wonderful scenery, and if that is important to you, then the Matahari would be ideal

Bali Liveaboard Scuba Diving

What can be a more adventurous and fulfilling scuba diving vacation experience than liveaboard luxury yacht cruising and scuba diving in the tropical islands of Bali?

Contrary to what many scuba divers think, liveaboard scuba diving may not be as expensive as you think. In fact if planned properly, live on board diving vacations may even save you money and inconveniences. Firstly, you will on transportation time and costs traveling to your dive operator's boat and then after your dive, returning to your hotel or resort lugging your cumbersome scuba diving gear with you and repeating the same process for the next couple of days during your vacation in Bali.

Next, you save money on hotel or resort accommodation because since that you are living on the dive boats, there will be no need for hotel or resort bookings. Furthermore, you do not need to hunt for expensive meals in your hotel or resort since all liveaboard scuba diving packages will include delicious meals which will also mean that you will be probably having very fresh and delectable sea food caught by the crew while you are enjoying your cruise or are scuba diving.

The highlight of your liveaboard Bali vacation is that you can dive in many exotic dive locations instead of only the dive spots near where you stay. This is because since that you need not return to your resort or hotel to retire for the day, the liveaboard dive yachts will cruise away to far flung scuba diving locations while you are sleeping. This again saves you time and best of all, you get to save more money by diving in more places for the same price.

Here is a typical example of a liveaboard Bali scuba diving itinerary. It is a 7 days Bali scuba diving excursion.

Day One - Visit one of Bali's most interesting street on the way to Pemuteran & Menjangan North West Bali which will also include a stopover in View Point Restaurant Sanda. You will scuba dive in Pemuteran House Reef & Reef Project or Secret Bay in Gilimanuk

Day Two - Your liveaboard boat will cruise to Menjangan Island. You will be diving at the National Park, Walls, Anker Wreck, Coral Garden, buffet lunch on the white powdery sandy beach of the island. The boat will then land and send you to the north coast and visit a well kept secret Waterfall and a hot spring.

Day Three - Scuba diving activities will be at Amed Tulamben or Secret Spot, Drop Off, Liberty Wreck Dive (American battle ship sunk during WW2) & some wall diving.

Day Four - Some land excursion to enjoy the view of Bali's world famous terraced rice fields in the morning. Then your liveaboard yatcht will take you diving at the Blue Lagoon & White Beach. There will also be a night dive at the Blue Lagoon.

Day Five - Continue your Bali vacation by cruising to Gili Mimpang & Gili Tepekong or Gili Biaha for fantastic dive sites.

Day Six - More scuba diving activities at Gili Biaha or Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan. The sea at these diving locations could be rough at times, so the dives would very much be dependant on the weather. However, if the weather allow, you will be scuba diving in one of the most breath taking underwater scenery in the world.

Day Seven - More scuba diving at the Blue Lagoon, White Beach and the Channel and then off to Bali airport to your next scuba diving adventure.

So if you want to save time and money during your Bali scuba diving vacation, why not try liveaboard luxury boats instead?