Snorkeling Tulamben

Our Trip Snapshot

Things to know when snorkeling in Tulamben

Tulamben is a small fishing village located on the northeastern coast of Bali, Indonesia, and it is known for its beautiful coral reef and the famous USAT Liberty shipwreck which has made snorkeling Tulamben so popular. The shipwreck is a must visit destination for snorkelers and divers traveling to Bali, and for good reason.

Tulamben is part of the top 4 Bali snorkeling spots and for very good reasons. The diverse marine life here together with the USAT Liberty shipwreck, set stage for amazing day trips suitable for experienced snorkelers as well as beginners with families and children. The Tulamben snorkeling spots are easily reachable from the beach so a boat is not necessary. Most beaches in Tulamben are volcanic sand rocky beaches contrary to the gold sand found in the south of Bali. When snorkeling Tulamben travellers should pay attention to where they step and mind their walk on the rocky beach.

Best Tulamben snorkeling spots

USAT Liberty Shipwreck

Snorkeling at the USAT Liberty shipwreck is a truly unique experience. The shipwreck is located just a short distance from the shore, making it easily accessible for snorkelers of all skill levels. Today, the shipwreck serves as an artificial reef, providing a habitat for a wide variety of marine life. The wreck is covered in a variety of hard and soft coral, and it is home to thousands of fish, including schools of colorful tropical fish, eels, and even a few species of shark. The wreck is also home to significant other marine creatures, including octopus, nudibranchs, and sea turtles. Black Tip Reef Sharks are often seen passing by which in Bali can only be seen on the east coast where Tulamben is found.

Coral Garden

The second popular Tulamben snorkeling spot, Coral Garden is an artificial site where the locals of Tulamben have placed underwater statues and other fun items to see underwater. The name can be slightly deceiving but there is a large stretch of hard coral which is fun to see.

Tulamben travel tips

What makes Padang Bai so famous for snorkeling is the diverse marine life and this is the best way to describe snorkeling in Padang Bai. Simply it's packed with diversity and it's all that snorkelers imagine when visiting a tropical island like Bali. Turtles, sharks, octopus, sea snakes, camouflage fish, schools of pelagic and the list can go on.

How to get to Tulamben?

Reaching Tulamben is easy but it's a long trip. As Tulamben is located on the east coast of Bali, this means that from the popular tourist destinations in the south the trip to get to Tulamben takes approximately 2.5 hours by car. Travellers can always rent a car to visit Tulamben but booking your snorkeling Tulamben with an operator such as a dive center like Neptune Scuba Diving, will provide you with comfort and hassle free travel.

Best time to visit Tulamben

Tulamben is ideal to visit all year round. Snorkeling in Tulamben is excellent all the time with rare moments when the water conditions are not proper. Of course, to some degree the best time to visit Tulamben is tied to the rainy or dry season of Bali so visiting between the months of April to October will help you avoid the wet days.

When to go Snorkeling in Tulamben?

Snorkeling Tulamben is a fun water activity and best done in the morning towards early afternoon. Most of the trips from south Bali begin early morning at approximately 7-8AM and finish in Tulamben at approximately 1-2PM. So either you choose to visit Tulamben by yourself with private transportation, or you choose an operator such as a dive center, it's best to start in the morning depending also on where your accommodation is in Bali.

Snorkeling Tulamben Tour

The day begins at approximately 7AM with the hotel transfer meeting at the dive center with the team for final preparations, gear check and the day briefing before heading out.

The trip to Tulamben takes approximately 2.5 hours by car starting from Sanur where our dive center is with a return time scheduled for approximately 5PM back at the dive center.

In Tulamben we will be enjoying local food for lunch at our designated restaurant. Lunch is included in the package of the snorkeling Tulamben we provide.

Important Information