Place to see · Amed
Tulamben: the Liberty wreck, a few metres from the pebbles
At Tulamben, north of Amed, the wreck of the American cargo ship USAT Liberty lies a few metres off the pebble beach. You walk in, with no boat: it is one of the best-known dives in Indonesia, open to beginners. Come early, before the groups arrive in late morning.
- Updated on
- 3 min read
- By Kylian Dev
In short
Facts as of · sourced figures
A hull about a hundred metres long lying on its side, on a slope of black sand, entirely colonised by coral and sea fans. The highest part is shallow, the rest goes deeper. Schools of jacks, parrotfish, and marine life that also draws macro photographers.
Contents
Key points
- The wreck lies just off the beach: you walk in, with no boat.
- Open to beginners on a supervised try dive; the upper part can even be seen snorkelling when the sea is calm.
- Arrive early: groups of divers turn up in late morning.
- A beach of large pebbles: village porters carry the tanks; water shoes are essential.
The USAT Liberty was a US Army cargo ship torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in January 1942, in the Lombok Strait. Taken in tow, it was beached at Tulamben. In 1963, tremors linked to the eruption of Mount Agung made it slide into the sea, where it has rested ever since, covered in coral.
To choose a dive centre and compare with other sites, see diving and snorkelling in Bali; to stay nearby, where to stay in Amed.
What you see on the wreck
A hull about a hundred metres long lying on its side, on a slope of black sand, entirely colonised by coral and sea fans. The highest part is shallow, the rest goes deeper. Schools of jacks, parrotfish, and marine life that also draws macro photographers.
- The upper part of the wreck: visible snorkelling when the sea is calm, a few strokes from the shore.
- The interior and the lower part: for supervised divers only, according to their level.
- Night and dawn dives, offered by the dive centres, calmer than late-morning ones.
- The village porters: they carry tanks and gear across the pebbles, for a fee.
Getting there
Tulamben lies on the north-east coast road, north of the Amed villages. You come by scooter, with a driver, or with a dive centre’s transport. The entry to the wreck is from the beach, in front of the hotels and dive centres.
- From Amed, take the road north, towards Tulamben and Singaraja.
- Go to the dive centre or hotel organising the dive: it will show you the way to the beach.
- Gear up on the beach, booties on, letting the porters go first.
- Enter the water where the guide tells you: the wreck is straight ahead.
From the airport or the south: airport to Amed, then the road north.
When to go
Early in the morning the wreck is almost empty and the water often calm. In late morning, groups from the south of the island arrive and the entry into the water gets crowded. The dry season generally gives the best visibility; you can dive at Tulamben all year round.
| Time slot | Crowd | Sea | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawn and early morning | Light | Often calm | The best time, to suggest to your dive centre |
| Late morning to noon | Heavy | Variable | Groups arriving from the south |
| Afternoon | Moderate | Choppier | Visibility sometimes reduced |
Month by month: see when to go to Bali.
What to pair it with
Tulamben pairs with Amed’s bays, further south, for snorkelling from the beach: Jemeluk for the buzz, Lipah for the calm. Most travellers sleep in Amed and drive up to Tulamben for a morning; divers doing several dives in a row sleep on site.
Frequently asked questions
Can you see the Liberty wreck without diving?
Yes, partly: when the sea is calm, the upper part of the wreck can be seen snorkelling from the surface. The rest requires a supervised dive.
Do you need a diving certification?
Not for a try dive supervised by a dive centre: the upper part is shallow. The deeper areas and the interior require a certified level.
Did the Liberty sink during the war?
No. Torpedoed in 1942, it was beached at Tulamben; it was the tremors from the eruption of Mount Agung, in 1963, that made it slide into the sea.
Sources
Figures and rules checked on October 27, 2026 against the sources below. Entry rules and fees change: always check them on the official websites before you leave.
