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From the mountain to the sea.

Fishing boats at anchor in the bay at Amed, with the cone of Mount Agung rising beyond the shore.

Ocean · Nature

Amed's reef and the Tulamben wreck

Walk into the sea at Tulamben and swim over a ship that a volcano moved.

Time
A long day: 06:30 pick-up, back by about 19:30
Group
Small group, 2 to 6 guests
Fitness
Moderate
Altitude
0 m, Sea level, Tulamben and Amed

The day, in short

A long day to Bali's north-east coast: snorkel the USAT Liberty wreck from the beach at Tulamben, then the quiet reefs near Amed, with Agung at your shoulder. A small group, and an early start.

  • The USAT Liberty wreck, from the beach
  • Amed's calm reefs, with Agung behind
  • A long, rewarding day, in a small group

Who it suits

Confident swimmers. Minimum age 10 (sample rule). Not a day for anyone who gets carsick: the road is long and winding.

How demanding

Swimming ability is required. The Tulamben beach is steep, black pebbles that shift underfoot, so reef shoes help, and it is a longer swim to the best of the wreck.

What happens

  1. 06:30

    Pick-up and the drive east

    Through Klungkung and down the Karangasem coast, with Agung growing in the windscreen.

  2. 08:00

    A breakfast stop

    At a viewpoint where the coast opens out.

  3. 09:15

    Tulamben: the USAT Liberty

    A US Army cargo ship, torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in January 1942 and beached here. The 1963 eruption of Mount Agung shifted it off the beach and under the sea. It lies about 40 metres from the shore. The top of the stern is at about five metres, so snorkellers can see parts of it from the surface. Deeper sections, to about 30 metres, are for divers.

  4. 11:30

    Swim, rest, repeat

    The wreck is now a reef. You can spend an hour and still find new fish.

  5. 12:45

    Lunch

    At a beach warung.

  6. 14:30

    Amed

    Quiet, shallow reefs along a coast of fishing boats, with a view of Agung. A relaxed second swim.

  7. 16:30

    The drive back

    A tired and happy small group.

  8. 19:30

    Back at your hotel

Included and not

Included

  • Included: Vehicle with a driver and guide
  • Included: Mask, snorkel, fins and a buoyancy vest
  • Included: Reef shoes for the pebble beach
  • Included: Lunch, water and fruit
  • Included: Entry fees at the beach

Not included

  • Not included: A dive (this is a snorkel day; diving is available separately)
  • Not included: Tips
  • Not included: Travel insurance

Bring and wear

Tick things off as you pack. The ticks stay on this device.

Where we meet

Hotel pick-up from Ubud and Sanur (about 06:30), Seminyak (about 06:00).

The drive is around two to two and a half hours each way, and we break it up with a viewpoint and a breakfast stop.

Pick-up around 06:30 from Ubud or Sanur

On the reef and at the wreck

  • Do not touch or stand on coral, and do not take anything from the wreck or the reef. The ship is also a grave from a war.
  • Fishing communities live along this coast. Ask before photographing people, and keep out of the way of boats being launched.
  • Leave nothing behind, and take no single-use plastic into the water.

When it works best

Visibility is usually best in the dry season, roughly April to October, and early in the morning, before the beach fills. The sea on this coast is generally calmer than on the south, but a long swell can make the wreck uncomfortable for weaker swimmers, and we will say so before we get in.

Cancellation. Sample policy: free changes or cancellation up to 48 hours before. If the sea is unsafe, we will rebook you or refund you in full.

Good to know

Each fact was checked on the web on the date shown. Where a fact comes from one source only, we say so.

USAT Liberty
Launched 1918; torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-166 on 11 January 1942; beached at Tulamben; moved into the sea by the 1963 eruption of AgungChecked 6 Oct 2026. Source: Wikipedia, USAT Liberty; Zublu Diving; Let's Dive Tulamben
Where and how deep
About 40 m from the beach; the stern's top is at about 5 m and the deepest part at about 30 mChecked 6 Oct 2026. Source: Wikipedia, USAT Liberty; Bali Ocean; Amed Jepun Divers
Drive time
About two to two and a half hours each way from Ubud or Sanur (sample estimate)Checked 6 Oct 2026. Source: Operator experience; check on the day, as traffic varies

Photograph credits are on the credits page.

Photograph 1 of 2

Green ridges and valleys of the Karangasem coast falling away to a blue sea.

Green ridges and valleys of the Karangasem coast falling away to a blue sea.

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