Scuba diving in Tulamben – The wreck and muck diving hotspot of Bali

One of the top things to do in Bali is definitely to go scuba diving in Tulamben. Surely, you know the most famous dive site – the Tulamben wreck, USAT Liberty. But did you also know that because of the volcanic sand Tulamben is also a hotspot for muck diving? You can encounter the weirdest little critters there, so get your macro lens ready!

In this article, our guest author Vlad’ka takes us from the black-sand beach straight to the most interesting dive sites in Tulamben.

Photo by Mike Sinner

Visiting Bali? Don’t miss the phenomenal diving in Tulamben!

Hi, I am Vlaďka, a scuba diving instructor and ocean enthusiast. I am originally from the Czech Republic. For the past two years I have been lucky to live in Indonesia. I settled in the tranquil village of Tulamben, which is located in the North-East of Bali. Tulamben is the “home” of USAT Liberty Shipwreck and spectacular macro creatures as well as big fish.

Photos by Adiprayogo Liemena

I completed my very first discovery scuba dive in Tulamben. Then I continued with Open Water Diver certification, through Advanced and Rescue diver, all the way to the professional level.

Currently, I am a Scuba Diving Instructor (PADI & SSI). I passed my Instructor Development Course in the neighbouring island Nusa Lembongan. However, I felt “the call of home”. Therefore, I decided to return to Tulamben and keep enjoying diving here.

Today, I am happy to introduce the amazing underwater life in Tulamben to you!

USAT Liberty Shipwreck

Diving in Tulamben is suitable for all levels of divers, from first-timers to professionals.

You may discover diving right at the most famous Tulamben dive site – The USAT Liberty Shipwreck. This dive site offers calm confined water with a sandy bottom where you can make your first diver’s kicks. And after that, discouver the beauty of the shipwreck itself.

Photo by Adiprayogo Liemena

This 120‑meter long shipwreck offers incredibly rich marine life. It has exciting swim-throughs, and a spacious cargo room that can accommodate few groups of divers (accessible from Open Water Diver level). The wreck reaches a depth of 30 meters, however, the shallowest part is at 5 meters below the surface. That is whythe USAT Liberty is also a popular place for freedivers and snorkelers.

Let’s dive into history first!

USAT Liberty was built in 1918 in New Jersey, USA. It served as a cargo ship to American Army during both WWI and WWII.

At the time when the United States got involved in World War II, USAT Liberty was furrowing the waters of the Pacific Ocean. In January 1942, the ship, laden with a cargo of railway parts and rubber, was cruising from Australia to the Philippines. Sadly, during this voyage, The Liberty was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine about 19 km from Indonesian island Lombok.

Photo by Mike Sinner

In an effort to reach the Dutch port in the town of Singaraja in Northern Bali, the ship was greatly damaged and had to be beached in Tulamben, a small village on the East coast of Bali.

Now you are probably asking, how did this wreck, beached on the seashore, become an iconic underwater dive site?

Twenty‑one years later in 1963, Mount Agung, the highest volcano in Bali, erupted. The eruption was so intense that the tremors that accompanied it caused the ship to slide into the ocean. Over the years, the shipwreck has become a natural part of the aquatic world and home to many marine species.

Liberty wreck residents

Nowadays, you can encounter the following residents while diving the Tulamben wreck: the astonishing Humphead parrotfish, majestic Napoleon wrasse, Giant Moray eel, Brown-marbled grouper, Blue-spotted stingray, or, with a little luck, White-tip or Black-tip Reef shark.

Photo by Mike Sinner

The wreck and surrounding black sand are also a paradise for macro divers. Spotting an orangutan crab, harlequin shrimp, leaf scorpionfish, and many kinds of nudibranchs is not an exception in this place.

USAT Liberty is very popular for an early morning and night dive. Early morning is the time when you may spot the family of Humphead parrotfish leaving from the wreck to the blue.

Night dives can surprise you with some huge spiny lobsters and giant morays wandering around the wreck, Brown-marbled groupers hunting, or Humphead parrotfish coming for sleep inside the wreck.

Photo by Adiprayogo Liemena

Where else can I go diving in Tulamben?

Right in this very small village of Tulamben, there are two more amazing diving locations – Coral Garden and Drop Off.

Coral Garden

The Coral Garden dive site consists of an artificial reef full of small temples, stupas and Buddha statues. Newly, there was a coral conservation area created which consist of several fish statues, coral tables, and an Instagram spot with a sign “I <3 Tulamben”.

The “Coral temple” area is entirely covered with corals and anemones and is home to a great number of marine species. The new coral conservation area on the other hand, which was created in December 2020, yet awaits its inhabitants.

Photo by Mike Sinner

Drop Off

Tulamben Drop Off is a tremendous wall packed with corals, schools of fish, and macro creatures. Even muck diving lovers will get their money’s worth in this spot thanks to the black sandy area at the entry/exit point in a bay.

Muck dive sites

When talking about macro diving, I can’t skip the amazing muck dive sites located just 5 to 10 minutes away from Tulamben village.

These dive sites are pretty much covered by only black volcanic sand with a dash of small stones and sponge corals. The dive conditions are usually very calm, perfect for underwater photographers.

 

Macro creatures that will catch your eye here include harlequin shrimp, frogfish, ghost pipefish, leaf scorpionfish and a variety of rare nudibranch species as costasiella, cyerce, eubranchus, or doto donut nudibranch.

And if you are looking for more amazing muck diving in Indonesia, be sure to check out the Lembeh strait.

The Tulamben diving season – water temperature, currents and diving conditions

Diving in Tulamben is possible all year-round. The best months to visit are from April to June. During this time the water is usually calm, warm and the visibility is decent (10-25 meters). From July till September, the weather is dry and hot but windy. Windy weather sometimes causes huge waves, and it is not ideal for shore diving.

Photo by Adiprayogo Liemena

The rainy season runs from October to March and the visibility during these months can be limited. Usually, the rain showers last only for a few hours in the afternoon though.

As for water conditions, there is usually no significant current present. Sometimes the moderate or medium current can occur during night dives, especially in the time of the full moon.

Water temperature varies between 26 and 30 degrees Celsius (79 – 86 Fahrenheit) throughout the whole year.

The way to the North of Bali – How to get to Tulamben?

If you land in Ngurah Rai International Airport located in the south of Bali, you have to complete a roughly 3 hours drive to the North-East of Bali to reach Tulamben. You may use the service of local Balinese car drivers or rent a scooter and drive up north by yourself.

Most likely, if you contact any dive center or resort in Tulamben in advance, they will arrange transport for you.

Photo by Novrizal Herdananto

Where to stay

You can choose from numerous dive centers, diving resorts, or homestays in Tulamben or the nearby village of Amed (a little more lively and touristic place to stay), thus the prices of the accommodation and diving packages vary.

Average price for diving in Tulamben

As for diving, prepare your wallet for approx. 300 to 500,000 IDR (20-35 USD) per dive if you dive with local dive shops. In that case, the price usually includes a full gear rental inclusive of air tank, dive guide, transport to/from a dive site, and all local fees.

If you are a certified diver and decide to dive by yourself, it is not a hassle in Tulamben. A couple of dive companies offer tank and gear rental only. In that case, one tank costs around 30,000 IDR (2,15 USD). There are some other minor fees, which have to be paid on the spot (porter fee, village fee, entry fee…) Those will be up to 50,000 IDR / 3,50 UDS.

Photo by Mike Sinner

Tulamben ambiance

The ambiance in Tulamben is unique. The stunning volcano Mount Agung oversees the whole village. The diving always starts from the shore coated by volcanic stones.

Local porters on motorbikes deliver your scuba tanks to the beach. Balinese women unload your equipment from the dive truck and carry it on their heads to the beach. If you want to spend your surface interval on the beach, there are small stands with drinks and snacks. These are called Warung in Indonesian and are also run by local families.

These are some ways how you support the local community when you dive in Tulamben. Very likely your dive guide will be also one of the local guys who grew up here and knows all the dive sites by heart.

Last but not least, you should have in mind that the beach and diving entry/exit area is covered with big volcanic stones. Therefore make sure you wear open heel fins with diving boots. Wearing full-foot fins might be tricky.

So put on your diving boots, and I am looking forward to seeing you in Tulamben!