Locations · Tulamben · Emerald
★ · Easy reef · Tulamben Bay · Shore site

Emerald

A green-tinted shallow reef on the Tulamben fringe, named for the unusual algae that bloom across the slope. A relaxed beach-entry dive — small reef fish, easy navigation, ideal for newly-certified divers.

Also known as Emerald Reef · Emerald Slope
Story
Difficulty★ Easy
Depth5m → 20m
TypeEasy reef
Visibility15–25m
Water26–29°C
Best seasonYear-round
GPS 8°16'44"S · 115°35'41"E · Area Tulamben Bay · Shore site · Aliases Emerald Reef · Emerald Slope
The story

The green slope.

Emerald earns its name honestly. The slope here grows a particular green-tinted algae that blankets the rocks at 8–12 metres, and on a sunny morning it really does shimmer — almost glow.

It's not a glamour dive. There's no wreck, no mola mola, no swim-through cave. What you get is a quiet shore-entry slope with steady fish life — moorish idols, pyramid butterflyfish, damsels, parrotfish, scorpionfish, the occasional octopus. Ideal for fresh Open Water divers who want to log easy bottom time without the crowds at Liberty.

"The dive you do when you just want to be underwater."

Pair it with Tulamben House Reef for a low-stress check-dive day, or use it as the second dive after a deeper morning at Drop-Off or Liberty.

Topography

How the dive unfolds.

An easy reef site — small, shallow, and forgiving. Coral plateau at 8 m dotted with anemones and clownfish, then a gentle slope to 20 m where the reef gives way to sand. Perfect dive for a check-out, a third dive of the day, or a brand-new Open Water diver.

★ OPEN WATER · 0–18m ★ ★ ADVANCED · 18–30m ★ ★ ★ TECH ZONE · 30m+ SURFACE ENTRY · BEACH EXIT · BEACH 10m 20m 30m 40m 50m SHORE OPEN SAND 19m+ · easy bottom CORAL TOP · 8m anemones + clownfish REEF EDGE · 14m soft corals SAND · 19m garden eels DIVE PATH SAFETY STOP 5m · 3 min 8°16'45"S · 115°35'42"E · GEBCO 2020 · 12 samples

Plan a 45-min easy dive: walk in, drop on the coral plateau at 8 m, follow the slope to the sand at 19 m, hover over the garden eels, return along the reef. Open Water with under-30 logged dives is fine.

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.

Moorish idols 95%
Pyramid butterflyfish 90%
Parrotfish 100%
Damselfish swarms 100%
Scorpionfish 75%
Octopus 50%
Moray eels 65%
Nudibranchs 70%
Anemones · Clownfish 100%
Banded sea krait 35%
Sea turtles 30%
Blue-spotted stingrays 60%
Green algae slope 100%
Hard coral patches 95%
Soft corals 100%
Sponges 100%

Always-presentThe green algae slope, damselfish swarms, anemones, parrotfish, butterflyfish.

Sometimes-presentOctopus, sea turtles, banded sea kraits hunting the rubble.

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 Emerald
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.