Snorkeling Spots In Tulamben

Tulamben snorkeling spots include two easily accessible sites: the majestic USAT Liberty Shipwreck and the shallow reef of Coral Garden. We visited them while staying in Amed and seeing how vibrant the marine life is, we quickly understood why this small fishing village is one of the most popular snorkeling places in Bali.

If you are in the area and want to witness these undersea wonders, you will find all the information you need to know about these spots in this article.

Tulamben Snorkeling Overview

The main snorkeling site in Tulamben is the USAT Liberty Shipwreck
Additionally, you can visit the Coral Garden too; it is a shallow reef with some underwater statues just a few hundred meters from the shipwreck
Both sites are suitable for snorkeling; the wreck is recommended for average-good snorkelers, while the Coral Garden is beginner-friendly
The preferred time of visiting is the dry season, between April and October
Tulamben is a small village on the northeast coast of Bali; the best way to visit it is by staying in the nearby areas, for example in Amed. From South Bali, it is reachable within 2.5-3 hours
Both Tulamben snorkeling spots are easily accessible from the shore and can be visited alone; if you need guidance, tours are available to book at local excursion organizers or through online marketplaces

Main Tulamben Snorkeling Spot – USAT Liberty Shipwreck

The USAT Liberty (also known as USS Liberty) was a US Army cargo ship. It was towed to Tulamben Beach after getting torpedoed by a Japanese Submarine in 1942. After resting on the beach for a while, the wreck slipped into the sea during Mount Agung 1963 eruption.

corals growing on the shipwreck — The USAT Liberty Shipwreck – Amazing corals and lots of fish to see here!

Thanks to the ship’s excellent condition and rich marine life, the shipwreck quickly became a popular underwater attraction, attracting thousands of people from all over the world.

The 130 m long ship rests in approx. 100 ft/30 meters deep water, but since its highest point is just 10-15 ft/3-5 meters below the surface, it is not only an excellent diving site, but also one of the best snorkeling spots in Bali.

Where Is The USS/USAT Liberty Shipwreck?

The USS Liberty Wreck lies off the coast of Tulamben, on the north-east coastline of Bali. Tulamben is a small village, so it is easy to find the shipwreck.

Introduction sign at Tulamben shipwreck snorkeling and diving site — Informational sign near the snorkeling spot

Follow the main road, then turn right at the Let’s Dive Tulamben diving center or at the Liberty Dive Resort. Both routes are leading to the shipwreck beach. The site is free to visit, and you can leave your belongings anywhere where you find space on the beach.

How To Access the Tulamben Shipwreck?

Tulamben shipwreck beach access — This is the beach where you find the shipwreck

The Tulamben shipwreck is not marked with a buoy or wasn’t when we were there. But don’t worry, there are always people around you who can ask about the exact entry point, or else, watch where the people are!

Enter the water slowly and carefully because there are big volcanic stones in the first few meters, and it is easy to fall while trying to go through the area. The ship can be found approx. 25-30 meters from the shore.

USAT Liberty wreck - rocky entrance (underwater) — Rocky bottom of the entrance

What Can You See At USAT Liberty Wreck?

Coral and sponges settled on the wreckage, turning it into a blooming artificial reef. The site is popular among underwater photographers because there is so much to see.

In fact, many say that it is one of the nicest shipwrecks to photograph because of its shallowness and attractive marine life. We can agree with this, so make sure to bring your underwater camera to take some amazing photos!

coral reef near USAT Liberty Wreck — A small reef near the wreck

While a Tulamben snorkeling trip, you can expect to observe the following species:

Sponge, Barrel sponge
Hard coral species: brain, table, finger coral
Wire and feather star coral
Sea fans in vibrant colors
Octopuses
Batfish, lionfish, groupers, damselfish, wrasse, bumphead parrotfish
Stingrays
Garden eels
Sea Turtles
Shrimps
Crabs
Squids

Stingray and garden eels bottom of the sea

Tip: Study our snorkeling photography tips article, where we explain how to improve your underwater photos!

Additional Tulamben Snorkeling Site – Coral Garden

Although Tulamben shipwreck is the main underwater attraction in this tiny village, we highly recommend visiting the nearby Coral Garden too. This pretty, shallow reef is very close; it is in the middle of Tulamben beach, so it can be visited before or after snorkeling the wreck.

The Coral Garben is an enjoyable, easy dive and snorkeling spot: the reef runs very close to the shore with an average depth of 2-15 meters (7-50 ft).

The marine life is very vibrant with many hard and soft coral species (table corals, sponges) and many tropical fish, including clownfish, snappers, and trevallies. There are often blue-yellow ribbon moray eels and reef sharks to see here, plus macro creatures like shrimps and nudibranchs, which we didn’t see while snorkeling in Amed, so it was definitely worth checking out this site too! Moreover, you can see an underwater Buddha and some other statues too!

Best Time To Go Snorkeling In Tulamben

Bali has a tropical climate that features hot and humid weather all year round with two seasons: a dry season from April to October, and a wet season from December to March.

Beautiful corals on the USAT Liberty shipwreck — The water clarity is the best in the morning, this is when you u can see the top of the wreck clearly even when snorkeling only.

The best time to dive and snorkel in Tulamben is the dry season. During this period, you have the best chance to experience calm waters. However, low-pressure systems might affect the area during July and August, bringing short periods of rain and choppy water. Remember this and follow the weather forecasts so you don’t plan water activities for bad weather days.

Daytime-wise, early morning is the best time to visit Tulamben snorkeling sites. This is when the sea is the calmest and the visibility is the best.

Snorkeling Tours

The above-mentioned snorkeling sites have direct shore access and are free to enter. This means that you can visit them alone if you come to Tulamben. If you need guidance or want to participate in an organized tour, booking a snorkeling trip online is a convenient option. The best is that most of these tours offer pick-up from popular tourist areas, so you don’t need to worry about the transfer.

Here are some tours we recommend:

How To Get To Tulamben Bali?

This small town lies on the northeast of Bali, about 100 km from Denpasar. It is reachable from South Bali within approx. 3 hours. You can come with a private transfer or book a seat on a scheduled shuttle bus (for example Perama Shuttle).

Should you arrive from Lombok or The Gilis, speedboats, and ferries operate to Padang Bai Harbor from where Tulamben is available with an approx. 1.5-hour long taxi ride.

If you are staying in Amed, you can visit Tulamben on a day trip. The two locales are just a 15-minute drive from each other.

Scooter under the palm tree — We used a scooter when visited Tulamben

Where To Stay?

Most people choose to stay in Amed when visiting the area (like we did too) because it is a more developed village with many restaurants and shops, but if you want to spend a few days in a very relaxed place, choose Tulamben.

To easily access the snorkeling sites, stay near the shipwreck beach or at Coral Garden. We recommend these two hotels:

ToyaBali Resort: well-maintained property with Balinese-style bungalows and direct access to the USAT liberty wreck.

Tauch Terminal Resort Tulamben & Spa: beautiful beachfront property, the Coral Garden is directly in front of the hotel.

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Snorkeling In Tulamben Bali – USAT Liberty Shipwreck and Coral Garden