Best Mola-Mola Season in Bali

The Mola-Mola or Ocean Sunfish can mostly be found in Nusa Penida. These weird but beautiful creatures are a major attraction for scuba divers in Bali.

Mola-Mola can weigh up to 1000kg, which is considered the world’s most massive bony fish, and can produce over 300 million eggs. Their dorsal fins can reach up to 3 meters high with their round bodies looking very narrow when viewed from the front and back.

Mola Mola Season

These fishes can be seen in Bali’s waters all year round, with a recorded depth of up to 350 meters. They come closer to the surface around July to mid-November. During this season, the best place to find them is in Nusa Penida and outside of Padangbai/Candidasa.

As Mola-Mola generally suffers from up to 40 external parasites, to remove them, they move towards the cold and fertile upwelling. That’s the reason why we’re able to observe them stationary for a good length of time.

Despite having a large body with no natural predators, Molas don’t usually come near the reefs.  Therefore, when you or your guide sees Mola-Molas, stay still and do not try to approach them or they will swim away. You need to remain absolutely still and close to the reef and let the Mola-Molas come to you. Let them settle down and get ready for their “Cleansing Meditation”. Once a Mola-Mola finds a place to get cleaned, it turns its bodies upwards and slightly sideways.

The fishes that play different roles in cleaning the Molas include Bannerfishes, that swim in vast swarms and focus on the body, Butterflyfishes, which focus on cleaning the eyes and emperor angelfishes and cleaner wrasses that clean the dorsal fins and around the mouth and gills.

Here are the facts of The Mola-Mola fish and the best season and places to visit them. Contact Alpha World Diving and organize a diving course or trip with these magnificent marine creatures!