Bali's diving epicentre. Black volcanic sand, the world-famous USAT Liberty wreck 25 metres from shore, and a wall plunging past 60 metres — all in a sleepy fishing village under Mount Agung.
Tulamben is a small fishing village on Bali's northeast coast. The reason every diver has heard of it is the USAT Liberty — a 120-metre WWII US cargo ship lying 25 metres from shore in 5–30 metres of water, regularly listed in the world's top-ten wrecks.
The wreck got there by accident. Torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942, the Liberty was beached at Tulamben — and stayed there for 21 years until Mount Agung erupted in 1963. The lava flows shifted the hull off the beach into the bay, where it lies on its side today. The same eruption built the dramatic black-sand slopes, and the Drop-Off wall just 200 metres south plunges past 60 metres into volcanic blue. Add Boga Wreck at Kubu (5 km north), muck dives full of rare critters, and beach entries you can walk to in fins — and you understand why most Bali divers spend half their trip here.
Filter by difficulty — Open Water (★), Advanced recommended (★★), advanced-only (★★★). Click any site for the full briefing.
5–30m · WWII wreck · Tulamben Bay
★5–25m · Macro · 5 min walk N of Liberty
★5–25m · Muck · 8 km south, black sand
★8–25m · Hard coral · Tulamben Bay
★5–20m · Reef · Beach entry
★8–25m · Macro slope · 10 km north
★5–15m · Easy shore dive · Off the beach
★ ★3–70m · Volcanic wall · 200m south of Liberty
★ ★8–30m · Drift · Outer reef N
★ ★10–30m · Wall · Quiet outer site
★ ★10–35m · Drift + wall · Pelagic chance
★ ★ ★18–36m · Artificial wreck · Kubu, 5 km N
Most Tulamben dives are shore entries — no boat, no hassle. Suit up at the resort, walk to the beach, kit up on the black sand, step in.
Private transfer from Denpasar International (DPS). 2.5 hour drive up the east coast via Klungkung. Arrival lunch at our preferred warung in Amlapura.
Family-run resorts in Tulamben village, walking distance from the Liberty entry point. AC, hot showers, breakfast included. Black sand beach right outside.
Liberty, Coral Garden, Seraya, House Reef, Drop-Off — all walk-in shore dives. Outer reefs (Boga, Kelebit, Niti, Melasti) reached by short jukung outrigger boat ride.
Flights from Prague (or your hub on request). All transfers, resort, breakfast, dives, tanks, weights, guide, marine fees, welcome dinner. Tank-carrying porters tip included.
April to October. Dry season, calm seas, 25–30 metre visibility. Macro photographers also love Nov–Mar (slightly less viz, more rare critters in the muck).
Solo, couple, or small group up to 4 divers. Tulamben gets crowded mid-morning at the Liberty — we dive at sunrise to have the wreck to ourselves.
7 days · 12 dives · flights · resort · transfers · food · marine fees. The Liberty at sunrise. Boga at depth. Black sand under fin.