4 / 5 - 2 reviews
How to get there
2 hours from Sanur by car
When to go
From April to November
Minimum stay
One day
Tulamben (Indonesia)
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flickr cc mtxgto
Practical information about Tulamben
Reviews of Tulamben
This small village on the east coast of Bali is mostly known for its diving spots, especially that of the Liberty wreck, lying just a few yards from the beach.
My suggestion:
For a bit of a peculiar dive, I recommend "The wall": it is a fall, a vertical coral wall, very impressive as your landmarks change completely! An outing less frequented than the Liberty site, reserved for Open Water scuba divers.
Summary:
To me, a stay in Indonesia is not complete without a dive or two in the waters of the Indian Ocean. I got a chance to fulfil this must-do in Tulamben, on an atypical site. Indeed, a 420 feet wreck that is accessible to inexperienced scuba divers, is not very common in the ocean! I think that Tulamben is the ideal place for an initiatory scuba dive (you can even observe the cargo boat from the surface with a mask and snorkel if you are on a tight budget).
If you are not in any hurry in Tulamben , find out about the weather conditions from your diving centre and favour a day when you have good visibility: the wreck will be all the more impressive and you will get the best possible sight of the submarine life that has taken over this rusted carcass. I have in memory pictures worthy of televised reports, one of the loveliest outings of my young scuba diving career!
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flickr cc mtxgto
A prized destination amongst divers, notably due to the famous wreck lying directly offshore from the beach.
My suggestion:
If you dive early in the morning (before 9:00 am), you'll find the visibility clearer than in the afternoon, there'll be numerous shoals of trevelly to see, and there'll be fewer people around. Or why not go for a night-time dive even!
Summary:
Tulamben is a quiet, peaceful village located in northeast Bali. The development that has taken place here (mainly hotels and diving centres) is not really all that attractive but does offer enough services to enable you to explore the Liberty.
This is an American transport ship that was torpedoed by the Japanese and Initially brought back to the beach before lava flows (due to an eruption of Mount Agung) finally dragged it back down to the bottom of the sea for good. Today the wreck is a very popular diving site ideal for both scuba and free divers. It actually lies less than 30 metres from the beach and at a depth ranging from 5 to 30 metres (making it ideal for boat-based diving). Additionally, with its coral reefs and wide variety of underwater wildlife, this is a very beautiful and spectacular site to dive, even if it can be slightly spoiled due to the presence of an excessive number of divers at times. Fortunately this is a large wreck (120 metres in length).
In conclusion, those looking to do some enjoyable wreck diving during their stay in Indonesia really should include a visit to Tulamben on their itinerary (despite the fact the village itself isn't the most attractive of places). In fact, I personally suggest staying in Amed instead, a much pleasanter place just 15 kilometres south of Tulamben.
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m.a.r.c
206 travellers' photos
