Bali Dive Resort and Spa

Black volcanic sand runs from the resort straight into the bay. Bali Dive Resort and Spa sits on this shore in Tulamben, with Mount Agung rising behind it and the water in front holding one of the region's more unusual attractions: a house reef built on sand and small coral patches rather than a showy wall, where frogfish, ghost pipefish and mimic octopus turn up within a few fin kicks of the beach. The USAT Liberty, a 125-metre wreck sunk in 1963, lies close enough to reach on foot, its hull now grown over with soft coral and patrolled by humphead parrotfish and the occasional reef shark. Rooms are arranged as garden or sea-view bungalows, each around 35 square metres, and deluxe units with direct pool access through a sliding glass door. A triple room one floor up adds a wide terrace and a daybed. Every unit has its own kitchen and a private garden pool, so surface intervals can be spent at the room rather than the bar. The property runs as a PADI dive centre with an eco focus, including beach and underwater clean-ups. It is a compact stay, built around the water at its door rather than a stretch of resort grounds behind it.