We provide daily dive trips and dive courses around the island of Nusa Penida, Indonesia
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One of the most common questions we are asked when people enquire to dive with us is "Which wetsuit do I need for Nusa Penida?"
Although in many parts of the world there is a simple recommendation, for Nusa Penida there can be many possible answers, depending on the time of year that you visit.
Mola alexandrini (sunfish) visit our reefs during the colder season and these giant fish are high on divers bucket lists, so make sure you are prepared for the temperatures if you're visiting us during mola season.
Let's explore the options to help you decide which wetsuit for Nusa Penida will be best for you!
Nusa Penida has two distinct seasons; colder and warmer, and there are some transitional months in between those periods. We explored this topic in another blog post, so if you want to read more about what kind of marine life we see during those seasons then check it out here.
When deciding which wetsuit for Nusa Penida you need to think about which month you're going to visit as well as how easily you feel the cold.
We have featured what some of our crew wear during these months to help give you a guide… For your reference, Efra is pretty hardcore and doesn't get too cold, Dani feels the cold fairly easily and Amelia is always freezing!
These months are the coldest part of the cold season with temperatures typically ranging between 18º-25º, depending on the dive site. Sites on the south and in the channel are the coldest and have the biggest thermoclines so during this time of year we recommend to layer up!
Our coldest recorded temperature in the 2023 cold season was 13º at Manta Bay in September!!
If you're bringing your own gear during these months then we recommend a 5mm long suit with some extra layers.
Who wears what?
Dani - 5mm long suit, 2 x thermal rash guards, 1 x thermal leggings.
Amelia - 7mm long suit, 3mm hooded vest, a 1.5mm rash vest and leggings !!
Efra - 5mm long suit, rash vest and a neoprene hood.
During these months we get the kind of water temperatures you would expect from a tropical diving destination! Temperatures range from 26º-30º and we have consistently warm temperatures on all dive sites around the nusa islands.
If you're bringing your own gear during this period we would generally recommend a 3mm wetsuit.
Who wears what?
Dani wears - A 5mm shortie with a rash vest and leggings.
Amelia wears - A 3mm long suit and a rash guard.
Efra wears - Board shorts and a rash vest with a neoprene hood.
The periods in between the cold and warm seasons can have varying temperatures, so it's best to have some extra layers handy during these months, just in case. Temperatures are typically warmer than the cold season, but sneaky thermoclines can pop up at any time. May has a tendency to be quite chilly some years, June warms up again and then the temperatures start to drop throughout July. The cold season ends at a different time each year, so sometimes we have a colder November and some years it's already quite warm.
If you're bringing your own gear during these months we would recommend either a 5mm or a 3mm with some extra layers, just in case.
Who wears what?
Dani wears - A 5mm shortie, thermal leggings and 2 x thermal rash guard.
Amelia wears - A 5mm Farmer John bottoms with a rash guard.
Efra wears - A 5mm long suit with a neoprene hood.
In addition to deciding which wetsuit for Nusa Penida, you can add on some cheeky extra layers which can make all the difference.
You lose a lot of heat through your head, and although wearing a hood might not be your first idea, you will find that the rest of your body stays much warmer if you wear something on your head! A neoprene hood on its own is a great addition and light to travel with, there are two styles: Full hoods have an extra skirt which tucks into your wetsuit or if you prefer less "stuff" around your neck then you can get hoods which fasten under the neck. A novelty hood means you will always be easy to spot underwater too!
If you need some more thermal protection then try a hooded neoprene vest as this will add a layer to your core also.
Don't like the feeling of a hood but want something extra to keep your head warm? Try wearing a buff or a headband as a thin layer on your head is better than no layers!
There are lots of these type of products on the market, often with a fleece layer on the inside and a smooth layer on the outside. These add extra warmth and are equivalent to 1.5mm of neoprene, but they are neutrally buoyant so you shouldn't need to add extra kilos to your weight belt.
You can buy vests, shorts, long sleeved tops, leggings or onesies in this type of material and any of them will help to add thermal protection in addition to your wetsuit for Nusa Penida!
Don't forget about your poor feet! It's easy to get carried away with thinking only about which wetsuit for Nusa Penida, however your body could be nice and warm but if you leave your feet exposed wearing full foot fins then it might be chilly.
We recommend adding neoprene socks if full foot fins are your preference, or just wearing neoprene boots and open heel fins.
That's a very valid question, especially if you're visiting in the coldest months from August to October. Scuba Junkie has a no-gloves policy in general, but we asked our friends from Green Fins for their take on this taking into account Penida's temperature range and we will share this information in a separate post.
We hope that our guide helps you to be able to choose which wetsuit for Nusa Penida will be the best choice for you. As always, if you have any questions about Nusa Penida's diving seasons and would like some pointers, don't hesitate to get in touch.
