Octagon Reef - Bali
The River Taw Wreck is one of our favourite shallow wrecks in the Caribbean. We love that it’s essentially two wrecks now, broken apart by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, making for more varied exploration. Descend onto the stern section, which is upright and surprisingly intact, a real magnet for schooling snapper and angelfish. You’ll weave through the cargo holds, where sunlight dapples the interior and often illuminates a shy ray tucked into a corner. Then, follow the debris field, where you’ll find a surprisingly complete bulldozer and a van, both completely encrusted with sponges and corals, a delightful detour. The bow section lies on its side, a little more broken up but still very explorable, a fantastic spot for spotting squirrelfish peering from the shadows. Given its 15-meter max depth, this site is perfect for less experienced divers or anyone wanting a relaxed dive with plenty to see. The coral growth is impressive, thick and colourful, a testament to how long the wreck has been down.
- Location
- Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- -8.132000, 114.551800
- Type
- wreck
Marine Protected Area: Bali Barat
Best Time to Dive in Bali
The warmest water temperatures in Bali occur in December, averaging 30.9°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 29.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 30.1°C
- February: 29.7°C
- March: 30.1°C
- April: 30.7°C
- May: 30.6°C
- June: 30.2°C
- July: 29.4°C
- August: 29.1°C
- September: 29.3°C
- October: 30.1°C
- November: 30.9°C
- December: 30.9°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Bali
- Air Kecil Island (reef)
- AKISHIO - 40m (wreck)
- ALKEN PENDA - 2m (wreck)
- All 4 Diving Indonesia
- ALPHINE - 19m (wreck)
- Amed wall (wall)
- Amed Zen Divers - 5-15m (reef)
- AMUKTI - 20m (wreck)
- Anchor Wreck (wreck)
- Anchor Wreck (cenote)
- Anchor Wreck (wreck)
- Ayer Sedang (reef)
- Bali Aqua Diving
- Bali Dive Trek
- Bali International Diving Professionals (BIDP)
Nearest Dive Centres to Octagon Reef
Marine Life in Bali
Home to 528 recorded species including 359 reef fish, 73 hard corals, 42 sharks & rays, 12 other, 12 sea snails & nudibranchs, 11 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Boring Clam (Tridacna crocea) - Clams & Mussels
- Fluted clam (Tridacna squamosa) - Clams & Mussels
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- Black sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) - Sea Cucumbers
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- chocolate chip sea star (Protoreaster nodosus) - Starfish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
- Rock Cod (Cephalopholis boenak) - Reef Fish
- Pinkfish (Holothuria edulis) - Sea Cucumbers
- Philippine Spurdog (Squalus montalbani) - Sharks & Rays
- Gendarme Fish (Acanthurus olivaceus) - Reef Fish
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Staghorn coral (Acropora cerealis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
- Hoeven's wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus) - Reef Fish
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Argus Grouper (Cephalopholis argus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Octagon Reef
Based on average water temperature of 30.1°C, currents 3 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 30°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories