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A submarine tour was launched at the 2025 Nusa Penida Festival (NPF). The festival in the Nusa Penida Island area of Klungkung Regency, Bali Province, is listed in Karisma Event Nusantara 2025 calendar of cultural festivals, the Tourism Ministry's flagship program.
Klungkung Regent I Made Satriam, West Bandung Regent "Jeje" Ritchie Ismail, and members of the Klungkung Regency Government experienced the submarine tourist attraction during the festival.
Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Klungkung Regency Chair Putu Darmaya stated that Nusa Penida Island is currently experiencing a low tourist season because tourists are only taking one-day trips.
"One-day trips are detrimental to hotel operators, [leading to] the peak occupancy rate [only reaching] 60 percent. They come to Nusa Penida just to take photos," Darmaya explained on Nov. 7, 2025.
In response, this submarine tour is launched to become a new attraction for tourists visiting Nusa Penida Island. Currently, the opportunity to enjoy the underwater panorama is available at a promotional price of Rp 2 million.
"We've created a new product that encourages tourists to stay longer in Nusa Penida, since doing just two or three tourism offerings would require a longer stay [than a] one-day trip. A five days and four nights visit is ideal to experience all the attractions and, most importantly, everything nature has to offer [in Nusa Penida Island]," Darmaya elaborated.
Submarine attractions offer an alternative for tourists vacationing in Nusa Penida Island, including those who enjoy freediving, snorkeling, or sea walking.
Darmaya guarantees the safety of submarine tours in Nusa Penida, stating that the tours have undergone repeated testing. To prevent accidents, the submarines will not dive to a depth of 200 meters or more, and they are equipped with technology that allows them to quickly refloat in the event of an emergency.
"We offer a 15-minute tour to a depth of 40 meters, with the underwater ecosystem available to view depending on location. It will [admittedly] be more difficult to see coral reefs during the rainy season," he noted.
The PHRI Klungkung Regency chair added that marine life will be more visible during night dives while they are resting, with visibility aided by the submarines being equipped with sensor lights. Sunfish endemic to the Nusa Penida are could be spotted while diving with the vessel.
Darmaya is optimistic that the submarine will be popular with tourists, given the changing characteristics of those traveling from abroad. Younger people, he said, prefer to explore their destinations individually and are not afraid to dig deeper into their pockets.
