Meet the Ocean Sunfish: Mola Mola Season in Bali with Zero Gravity Diving
Mola Mola Season
Every July through October, Mola Mola—the famed Ocean Sunfish—grace Bali’s waters. These giants emerge from deep, cold seas to visit cleaning stations around Bali and southern islands Nusa Penida and Lembongan. At Zero Gravity Diving – Bali, we’ve perfected the timing and logistics to organize the trips from Sanur and give you the best chance to see them up close.
Anatomy & Species
Mola Mola or Ocean Sunfish belongs to the family Molidae in the order Tetraodontiformes.
Although Sunfish is a bony fish (Osteichthyes), its endoskeleton is mainly composed of cartilage. This lighter cartilaginous skeleton, together with its thick layer of low-density, subcutaneous, gelatinous tissue, may contribute to the buoyancy of this enormous fish.
Five species live worldwide. In Bali, usually you’ll spot Mola alexandrini, with its stubby head and high, compressed body.
Life Cycle
1. Eggs & Larvae: A female releases up to 300 million eggs at once. The tiny larvae school together for safety.
2. Fry Stage: At 15 mm, they develop spines and look like tiny Pufferfish.
3. Juveniles: By 37 mm, spines fade. The beak-like teeth plates and rounded tail (clavus) form.
4. Adults: They grow over 60 million times their birth size, reaching up to 1,000 kg.
Feeding Behavior
Mola Mola eat 1–3 % of their weight daily. Their diet includes Jellyfish, Salps, small fish, crustaceans, and algae. Jellyfish lack nutrients, so sunfish dive 600–800 m for richer prey. They spend about half their day foraging.
Mola Mola Season
Cleaning & Sun-Bathing
Parasites love Mola Mola. At underwater cleaning stations, different cleaner fish focus on specific body parts:
• Cleaner Wrasse around the mouth
• Bannerfish near the head
• Butterflyfish on wounds
• Emperor Angelfish around the tail
At the surface, sunfish float sideways. Seabirds pick off more parasites. They also warm up after deep dives.
Our Mola Mola Trips
• Best Season: July–October for peak sightings
• Locations: Crystal Bay, Manta Point, SD, PED, Toya Pakeh at Nusa Penida, Blue Corner at Nusa Lembongan and Gili Tepekong and Mimpang in Candidasa.
• Transfers: From Sanur by minivans and 45″ Flybridge Boat 600 HP
• Groups: Small, guided by expert PADI instructors and Divemasters
• You also get: Marine biology talks, fresh lunches, insurance
Ready to Dive with Ocean Sunfish?
Book your Mola Mola adventure today!
📲 WhatsApp +62-821-4650-4530
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Contact Us for Scuba diving in Bali
Branko Milovanovic
Manager / PADI MSDT #279801
Mob / WA:+62 821 4650 4530
Office Tel: +62 361 4720 338
Zero Gravity Diving,
Jalan Sekuta No.40, Sanur
Denpasar, 80228 Bali, Indonesia
