Diving Tulamben, Bali
Tulamben Dive Sites
Diving Tulamben is very easy, most of the time there are no strong currents, swells, surges or big waves. Almost all of the sites are shore dives, so all you have to do is walk right in. Other sites are accessible by JUKUNG (small traditional wooden outrigger boats).
Tulamben beach is rocky, covered in volcanic stones from nearby Mount Agung which exploded most recently in the 1960s. It can be difficult to walk along the beach if you are not used to it, so make sure to wear your booties. The porters have no problem scrambling along the beach with a tank or two balanced precariously on their heads, but you might find that it’s hard enough just to manage your own balance.
Divers are spoiled by the porter system in Tulamben. You set up your gear at the hotel or cafe where you are based, and the porters carry your gear for you along the stony beach to your dive site. So all you have to do is put on the gear and walk into the water. When you finish your dive, just take off your tank and leave it for the porters to carry back to your base station. But be kind to the porters- make sure you carry your own weights (and fins and mask)… still easy though compared to lugging your tank around!
In addition to the porter service, many local women have also organized a massage cooperative. So after your dives, you can get massaged right on the beach while gazing out at the tranquil ocean. Just ask your hotel to organize this for you if you don’t get approached by one of the masseurs.
Tulamben is a sleepy town, but along the beach and main road are many hotels and bungalows. The cheapest room in town is about Rp. 60.000/night with fan and cold water. The sea breeze is cool enough for most, and after a long day in the sun a cold shower can be just what you need. Nicer rooms with hot water and air conditioning start at around Rp. 250.000/night to Rp.450.000. The best bungalows fetch Rp. 1.000.000.
For best value we recommend Matahari Tulamben Resort (Mature) run by Pak Oka. Having tried all of what Tulamben has to offer, we have chosen Mature for its amazingly friendly staff, clean and affordable rooms, small dipping pool for post dive relaxation and best of all its yummy food.
It takes about 2.5-3 hours to get to Tulamben from South Bali, depending on traffic and your driver. From Sanur, just take the new bypass until it deadends. Turn left and follow the traffic into Klungkung (Semarapura), Candi Dasa, and Amlapura before heading into Tulamben. If you get confused just ask anyone along the roadside for directions or follow a minibus. If you are hungry along the way, stop in Candidasa- it has a ton of good restaurants, some right on the beach.
So, what’s so special about Tulamben anyway? Ask any diver about scuba diving in Bali and they will inevitably tell you “TULAMBEN!” There are many reasons for this, and the best reason is the USS Liberty Ship Wreck. But the reason we love to dive it and keep diving it weekend after weekend, year after year, is the diversity of the sites. Be you an amateur or a pro, there’s something for you in Tulamben.
The main dive sites in Tulamben are USS Liberty shipwreck, Drop Off, Paradise Coral Garden and Batu Kelebit.