Locations · Tulamben · Alam Anda
★ · Macro slope · Sambirenteng · 10 km N of Tulamben

Alam Anda

The house reef at Alam Anda Resort — a sand-and-coral slope 10 km north of Tulamben that's quietly become one of the best macro dives on the east coast. Fewer divers, more critters.

Also known as Alam Anda Reef · Sambirenteng House Reef
Story
Difficulty★ Easy
Depth5m → 25m
TypeMacro slope
Visibility15–25m
Water26–29°C
Best seasonYear-round (peak macro Nov–Mar)
GPS 8°15'28"S · 115°36'28"E · Area Sambirenteng · 10 km N of Tulamben · Aliases Alam Anda Reef · Sambirenteng House Reef
The story

The slope nobody knows about.

Alam Anda is a small dive resort on the east coast about 10 kilometres north of Tulamben village, in a hamlet called Sambirenteng. Its house reef is a wide sandy slope dotted with hard coral patches, scattered bommies, and a remarkable density of macro life.

The relative quiet works in your favour. Where Liberty has 30 divers per session, Alam Anda has two. The result: relaxed critters, longer dwell times, and a guide who knows every frogfish, ghost pipefish, and nudibranch on the slope by name.

"Tulamben's macro without the crowds."

Pair Alam Anda with Batu Kelebit (5 minutes north by boat) for a half-day road trip out of Tulamben — different scenery, different guides, the same volcanic black-sand magic. Beach entry, no boat needed.

Topography

How the dive unfolds.

Five kilometres north of Tulamben Bay. Sand-and-coral macro slope from 5 m to 25 m, fronting the Alam Anda eco-resort house reef. Less crowded than Tulamben proper, with a strong macro reputation — pipefish, frogfish, and rare nudibranchs.

★ OPEN WATER · 0–18m ★ ★ ADVANCED · 18–30m ★ ★ ★ TECH ZONE · 30m+ SURFACE ENTRY · BEACH EXIT · BEACH 10m 20m 30m 40m 50m SHORE DEEP SLOPE 25m+ · open sand CORAL CLUSTER · 9m soft corals + macro MACRO ZONE · 16m frogfish + pipefish DEEP SAND · 23m rare nudis + critters DIVE PATH SAFETY STOP 5m · 3 min 8°15'29"S · 115°36'29"E · GEBCO 2020 · 12 samples

Plan a 60-min macro dive: walk in from the resort beach, work the coral cluster slowly, descend along the slope hunting frogfish, reach 23 m, ascend back along the same line. Bring a torch — even daytime, the macro hides in shadow.

Marine life · what you might see

The ocean's not a zoo.

Sightings are pure chance — current, season, time of day, and luck. Below is what divers spot at this site, but no operator can guarantee any specific encounter on any specific dive.

Frogfish (4+ species) 80%
Ghost pipefish 60%
Nudibranchs (rare species) 95%
Pygmy seahorses 35%
Mantis shrimp 65%
Octopus 60%
Scorpionfish 85%
Banded sea krait 35%
Garden eels 85%
Moray eels 75%
Blue-spotted stingrays 65%
Cuttlefish 50%
Hard coral bommies 100%
Anemones · Clownfish 100%
Soft corals 100%
Sponges 100%

Always-presentThe bommie line, scorpionfish, nudibranchs, anemones, garden eels.

Sometimes-presentFrogfish, ghost pipefish, pygmy seahorses, cuttlefish — the macro photographer's wishlist.

Practical

What you need.

01 · Cert

Certification

Open Water minimum. The deeper end is AOWD-territory (>18m); plan turn-around accordingly.

02 · Entry

Entry · Distance

Beach entry. Kit up at the resort, walk down to the waterline on cobblestones, fin out 30–80 m to the drop-in point. Local women carry tanks for a small tip — included in your safari price.

03 · Flow

Currents

Usually mild inside the bay. Pick-up only on outer-edge dives; inner sites are protected.

04 · When

Best time of day

Early morning (06:30–08:00) — empty site, best light, calmest water before the wind picks up around 10:00.

05 · Fees

Site fee

Local Tulamben village fee ~30,000 IDR (€2) per diver per day — included in your PMD safari price.

06 · Schedule

Surface intervals

Lunch at the resort between dives. Two-tank trip standard — one shallow, one deeper. Night dive on request.

Ready?

Dive Alam Anda
on a Tulamben safari.

All-inclusive: flights, transfers, villa, dives, food, marine fees. Two-tank Tulamben day with this site as part of the rotation.