Bloo Lagoon Snorkeling 2025 Review: A Bali Hidden Gem
Okay, so you’re thinking about a snorkeling trip in Bali, and, well, you’ve likely seen a hundred options flash across your screen. I mean, it can be a lot to sort through. As a matter of fact, we were looking for something a little different, you know, away from the biggest crowds of the south. This is basically how we found the 2025 ‘Bloo Lagoon Snorkeling East Bali’ package, which, to be honest, had our attention because it included the ride there and even a meal. It’s almost like they knew we didn’t want to worry about the details. This is just our experience, right, sharing what the day was actually like from start to finish. We wanted to see if this spot in East Bali, near Padangbai, really was the quieter underwater paradise it’s often called. So, anyway, here’s what we thought about the whole thing.
What is Bloo Lagoon, Anyway? A Little Slice of Calm
Alright, so first things first, what is this place? Basically, Bloo Lagoon, or sometimes people call it Padang Kurungan, isn’t some big, sprawling beach; it’s more or less a small cove. Honestly, it’s tucked away just to the east of the main Padangbai ferry port, you know, the busy spot where people go to get to Lombok and the Gili Islands. You actually have to go up and over a small hill to get there, which in a way keeps it a little bit more private. The beach itself is, like, a stretch of white sand with a few local warungs, those are small family-owned restaurants, right, set up under the trees. The whole vibe is pretty much relaxed. Apparently, it got its name from the color of the water, which, seriously, is a very striking shade of blue on a sunny day. It’s not a huge area, so you won’t be doing massive amounts of swimming from one end to the other. Instead, the appeal is that the reef is, literally, just a few feet from the shore. You can just walk into the water, put your face in, and, well, you’re there.
What’s kind of cool about this spot is that the water is often very calm, more or less like a big, natural swimming pool. This is apparently because it’s protected by the headlands on either side, so it doesn’t get the huge waves that you see on some of Bali’s surf beaches. As a matter of fact, this makes it a really good spot if you’re not the strongest swimmer or if you’re snorkeling with kids. The sand isn’t that super-fine, powdery stuff; it’s a bit more coarse with some bits of coral, so, you know, having some sort of water shoe could be a good idea. We saw plenty of people just relaxing on the sand, too. You get a really nice mix of folks who are there for the underwater views and others who are just there to, well, chill out in a pretty spot away from the hustle. It’s that kind of place, really, simple and focused on the natural setting.
The Ride Over: Getting There is Half the Story
Okay, one of the biggest selling points for us was, honestly, that the transportation was all sorted out. Like, trying to arrange a driver and then haggle on a price can sometimes be a whole thing in itself. With this tour, a driver just shows up at your hotel at the agreed-upon time. So, that part was super simple. We got picked up in a pretty standard, air-conditioned van, you know, the kind that’s very common for these small group tours in Bali. It was actually clean and, most importantly, the AC worked really well, which is a big deal. The driver was, to be honest, a very friendly person, greeting us with a nice smile.
The drive itself from the south of Bali, where we were staying, to Padangbai in the east is, sort of, an experience. It takes a little while, maybe around an hour and a half to two hours, depending on where you are and, of course, the infamous Bali traffic. But, you know, it’s not a boring drive at all. You leave the busy areas of Seminyak or Kuta behind and, well, the scenery really starts to change. As a matter of fact, you pass through lots of small villages and see more of the island’s green side. For instance, we saw countless rice paddies, some local markets being set up for the day, and all sorts of temples along the road. Our driver actually pointed out a few things along the way, giving us a little context, which was a pretty nice touch. It almost feels like a mini-tour of the countryside before you even get to the main event. It’s a bit of a reminder that, you know, there’s so much more to Bali than just the beaches.
Getting Your Gear and Hopping on the Boat
So, once we got to Padangbai, our driver dropped us off right near the beach, where, basically, the local boat operators hang out. We were met by another person from the tour company, who, like, was our guide for the snorkeling part of the day. He led us to a small spot where they had all the equipment ready to go. The process was, honestly, very straightforward. They had fins, masks, and snorkels all laid out. You just tell them your shoe size, and they grab you a pair of fins that more or less fit. The gear itself was, well, it was used, obviously, but it seemed to be in decent shape. The masks were pretty standard, and they showed us how to make sure they were sealed right to our faces to stop water from getting in.
After we were all geared up, we walked over to our boat. We didn’t snorkel directly from the beach at Bloo Lagoon, instead, the tour included a trip on a ‘jukung,’ which is a traditional Balinese outrigger boat. At the end of the day, this was a fantastic surprise. These boats are, you know, really colorful and a unique part of the local culture. It’s just a little bit more of an authentic feeling than getting on some modern speedboat. Our guide gave us a quick safety talk before we got on, just covering the basics of where to sit and stuff like that. There were only a few other people on our boat, so it didn’t feel crowded at all. The boat ride itself was really short, just a five-minute trip around the headland from the main beach to the calm waters of Bloo Lagoon. It was, honestly, a great way to see the coastline from a different angle before jumping in.
Read our full review: Bloo Lagoon Snorkeling East Bali Full Review and Details
Under the Surface: The Fish and the Coral
Alright, this is what it’s all about, right? The moment you slide off the side of the jukung and put your face in the water. I mean, the water was so warm and, like, really clear the day we went. You could literally see all the way down to the sandy bottom. Almost immediately, you just see life everywhere. This isn’t one of those places where you have to swim for ages to find something interesting. The fish are, pretty much, right there. We saw so many different kinds of colorful fish. For example, there were these vivid blue and yellow Damselfish darting all over the place. And, seriously, we saw a whole family of clownfish, you know, like Nemo, hiding in their anemone. That was definitely a highlight.
The coral here is a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. In some spots, you could see that it was incredibly healthy, with lots of big table corals and soft corals swaying with the current. In other areas, you could unfortunately see some damage, which is a little sad but pretty common in popular snorkeling spots. Still, there was more than enough healthy reef to explore. Our guide was actually in the water with us, and he was great at pointing things out. At one point, he spotted a moray eel peeking out from a rock, which we absolutely would have missed on our own. We also saw some angelfish, a few parrotfish chewing on the coral, and even a small cuttlefish that was changing its colors, which was, like, totally amazing. We probably spent about an hour at the first spot before our guide suggested we hop back on the boat and check out a second spot just a little further along the coast, called Tanjung Jepun. That spot had a slightly different feel, with a sandy bottom where we saw some cool pufferfish. The sheer amount of fish in the water was, frankly, very impressive.
You just put your face in the water, and suddenly you’re in a completely different world. It’s almost like being inside a massive, beautifully decorated aquarium, but, you know, it’s all real.
Refueling with Lunch: What’s on the Menu?
Okay, so after a good couple of hours in the water, you work up a serious appetite. Anyway, part of this tour package is that lunch is included, which, at the end of the day, is a really welcome feature. You’re not left wandering around, tired and salty, trying to find a decent place to eat. Once we were done with the snorkeling, the jukung took us back to the main beach area in Padangbai. Our guide led us to one of the local warungs that they have a partnership with. The restaurant was, you know, pretty simple and right on the sand, with open-air seating that gave you a nice view of the bay.
We were given a choice from a small menu, basically the classic Indonesian favorites. You could choose between things like ‘Nasi Goreng’, which is fried rice, or ‘Mie Goreng’, which is fried noodles. They also had some other options, like a chicken satay. I went for the Nasi Goreng, and my partner chose the Mie Goreng. The food came out pretty quickly. Honestly, it was really tasty. It wasn’t, like, a gourmet meal or anything, but it was a genuinely good, satisfying plate of local food. The Nasi Goreng came with a fried egg on top and some prawn crackers, just like it should. A cold drink was also included, which was perfect. It was just a really nice way to wind down after the morning’s activity, sitting there with our feet nearly in the sand, eating a proper Balinese meal. It just felt very relaxed and, frankly, very fitting for the whole experience.
Who Should Go on This Tour?
So, you might be wondering if this particular trip is the right one for you. Well, in my opinion, it’s actually a great choice for a few different types of travelers. First, it’s pretty much perfect for beginners or first-time snorkelers. The water is so calm, and because you can snorkel right from the shore or a very short boat ride away, it’s not intimidating at all. It’s also, clearly, a fantastic option for families with children for the same reasons. The fish are plentiful and close by, so, you know, kids will be entertained right away without needing to be expert swimmers.
It’s also a solid choice for anyone who just wants an easy, stress-free day. As a matter of fact, not having to worry about arranging transport, haggling for a boat, finding gear, or even figuring out lunch just makes everything so simple. You just book it, and then you can, like, turn your brain off and enjoy the day. If you’re an extremely advanced snorkeler or a free-diver looking for huge drop-offs and challenging conditions, this, honestly, might be a little too tame for you. But for the vast majority of people who just want to see some beautiful fish in a relaxed setting, it’s really hard to beat. It’s also great for people staying in the south who want to see a different part of Bali without the hassle of a long, self-organized day trip. You get a taste of East Bali’s scenery on the drive and then enjoy one of its prettiest little spots.
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