Tulamben Dive Guide Recommendation

Fortunate to be back in Indo for a few weeks of diving in September and October. I'm looking to spend 4 days diving in Bali and need recommendations for a private dive guide. I previously stayed at LDR and had a good guide but they're booked and he's no longer there.

I will let my dive guide likely dictate where I stay.

Recommendations?

Strictly interested in macro and now wondering if I shouldn't try Secret Bay and Puri Jati instead since i've been to Tulamben before.

I use: http://www.aquamarinediving.com They have great dive guides, I just give the guide a list of what I want to see and he finds it. I book my complete Bali or Indonesian dive trip through them. Have them pick me up at Denpasar and off we go. An option is to work your way around Bali and dive difference sites like Secret Bay, Puri Jati, Tulamben.

Elmer

Thanks for the suggestion.

Dunno whether you found your guide yet, I've been back to Bali for 7 years in a row. For me Tulamben has the best macro to offer, each year is quite different. Padang Bai is also very good for frogfish (Jetty) and nudibranches (Blue Lagoon).

I wouldn't care much for Secret bay or Puri Jati which are a hit and miss and don't cover as many dive sites as Tulamben.

In Tulamben, I also used to dive with LDR for 6 years however I wanted to try another guide for a change this year and hired Ajiex Dharma in Tulamben, ex Villa Markisa guide now free lance.

I ocntacted and booked him thru Facebook. After the first dive I knew I was in another macro dimension : this guy is just unbelievable, I understand why many photographers hire him for supermacro. He killed me with less than 5mm critters.

I mostly oriented my search on nudibranches : I must say I have never so many nudibranches unknown to me, we also spotted a rhinopias.

Each Bali area have their specialist guide, hence I usually don't rely on "all around" guides, but mostly on "local reef" guide. Have never been disappointed soo far excet in Amed which is more an area catering to fundivers than photographers. I must say Ajiex really exceeded far beyond my expectations. The good thing with him is that you can stay anywhere in Tulamben, Ajiex will pick you up whenever you planned, bring nitrox tanks, take care of your equipment and will have private guiding for yourself at a cost equivalent to any dive centre. Hoo forgot to say he can also bring his own retra snoot and help with lighting, carrying a detached strobe.