The small fishing village of Tulamben
lies along this hot, dry coast, 10 km west of Culik,
23 km from Tirtagangga, and 95 km from Denpasar.
Due to its proximity to some of the island's best
diving, it has attracted snorkelers and scuba divers
from all over the world.
Tulamben Beach is peppered with black rocks that
scald your feet in the noonday sun. There's not
much to do here but dive, eat, read, sleep, and
stroll down the village street in the cool of the
evening.
Tulamben is considered by many the premier dive
spot on Bali. The best months for diving are July
and August, but even in the rainy season the diving
can be very satisfying. The numerous dive operators
in Kuta, Bali, and Lovina bring large groups of
enthusiasts here. Hardcore divers end up staying
for days. A large variety of big fish is accessible
right out in front of most accommodations. Many
of the fish are so tame, they'll eat bananas right
out of your hand.
A sunken American Liberty ship, torpedoed by the
Japanese in 1942, is the big diving attraction.
This eerie ghost lies about a kilometer to the west
of the main hotels, only 40-50 meters from the beach.
Swim straight out from the white toilet block on
the beach 100 meters north of Ganda Mayu Bungalows.
It doesn't take much strength to reach it.
The broken steel ship stretches in two pieces for
over 100 meters along a steep sandy slope, its length
almost parallel to shore. The top is only three
meters below the surface, the bottom about 30 meters
down. Visibility is 12-15 meters, and the wreck
is within easy snorkeling distance from the shore.
Large encrusted holes in the hull and deck allow
exploration of the interior of the wreck.
Plenty of soft corals, sponge, hydrozoas, and gorgonians.
It's estimated 400 species of reef fish inhabit
the wreck, as well as 100 species of surface organisms.
A large coral outcropping lies 100 meters away to
the east, and in the ocean off the eastern end of
the beach is a great coral wall with overhangs,
big gorgonians, and basket sponges.
Getting there
From Candidasa, reach Tulamben by 'bemo' via Amlapura
and from Singaraja (70 km to the west) by Isuzu
van.
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