Truth be told, the entire reason I planned a trip to Lovina in the first place was to dive at nearby Menjangan Island.

Upon arrival I sign up for a day trip. It costs $60 USD for transportation to/from Lovina, lunch, and two scuba dives. Score!

After about 45 minutes our van arrives at the dock. The boat ride to the island takes about 15 minutes.

Menjangan translates to ‘deer’ in Indonesian… and this is how the island got its name:

[image via]

Our group does not land on the shore, so we don’t get to see these creatures up close (our boat docks just off the coast for diving only). But I spy deer in the sand way off in the distance:

Let’s turn our attention to the turquoise and aqua water…

A few more photos for good measure… because this is possibly the most clear and colorful water I’ve ever seen.

Scuba selfies are typically unattractive and this is no exception. But this is what I look like:

And now it’s time to play Ariel and check out what’s under the sea.

These colorful fans are everywhere:

A free diver in our group descends with merely a snorkel mask. He stays down for maybe 2 or 3 minutes at a time; it’s quite impressive to watch.

HI NEMO!!!

It’s hard to make out this sea cucumber because he’s camouflaged so well:

After diving to a depth of 15 meters (or around 45 feet), we return to the boat.

A short and relaxing ride later, we’re back on Bali.

Even if you aren’t a scuba diver, Menjangan Island is worth checking out for snorkeling. The sea life is active and simply swimming in the water is relaxing. If you can find a tour or boat driver to bring you on the island itself, there might be hiking trails — and then you could see the deer up close. I didn’t investigate this option but if I went back I’d try to figure out how to set foot on the shore.