USAT Liberty Wreck in Tulamben: The Complete Dive Guide

The USAT Liberty wreck in Tulamben is the most famous dive site in Bali — and one of the easiest wreck dives in the world. It lies just off a pebble beach, starts at around 5 metres and is covered in corals, sponges and fish. From our resort in Amed it is a short drive up the coast, which makes it a highlight of almost every diving holiday in East Bali.

The story of the USAT Liberty

The Liberty was an American cargo ship built in 1918. In January 1942, during the Second World War, she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in the Lombok Strait. The damaged ship was towed towards Bali and beached at Tulamben so her cargo could be saved.

For more than twenty years the wreck rested on the beach. In 1963 the eruption of Mount Agung — the volcano you can see from our rooftop — shook the coast and pushed the hull into the sea, where it lies today, broken into sections and slowly turned into a living reef.

Depth, entry and difficulty

• Depth: roughly 5–30 m; the shallowest parts are perfect for snorkellers and freedivers.
• Length: about 120 m, lying on a sandy slope parallel to the shore.
• Entry: shore dive — a short walk over round volcanic pebbles, then a few fin kicks to the wreck.
• Level: suitable for Open Water divers; the deeper sections and swim-throughs are best for Advanced divers.
• Water temperature: usually 26–29 °C, with good visibility most of the year.

What you can see on the Liberty

Almost every square metre of the hull is overgrown with hard and soft corals, gorgonian sea fans and sponges. Expect huge schools of jacks and fusiliers, groupers, batfish, sweetlips, moray eels and turtles. Macro lovers find nudibranchs, shrimps and ghost pipefish, and on the sand around the wreck you will see garden eels swaying in the current.

The real stars are the bumphead parrotfish. A large group sleeps around the wreck and is often seen at sunrise — one more reason to start early.

Best time to dive the USAT Liberty

You can dive Tulamben all year round. The calmest seas and best visibility are usually in the dry season (roughly April to November), but conditions are often great in other months too. The site gets busy in the middle of the day, so we like to dive it early in the morning or in the late afternoon. A night dive on the Liberty is unforgettable: hunting fish, crabs, shrimps and sleeping parrotfish in their mucus cocoons.

Diving the Liberty from Amed

Amed and Tulamben are neighbours on the north-east coast of Bali. Staying in Amed gives you calmer evenings, more choice of restaurants and easy access to both areas: Tulamben in the morning, Amed’s coral gardens, the Japanese Wreck and the Pyramids in the afternoon.

At Aqua Dive Resort we organise guided trips to the Liberty with professional guides, tanks, weights and equipment if you need it. Not certified yet? You can complete your PADI Open Water course with us and finish with a dive on Bali’s most famous wreck.

Tips for diving the USAT Liberty

• Wear booties — the pebbles at the entry are slippery.
• Go early to avoid the crowds and meet the bumphead parrotfish.
• Bring a torch even during the day to see the colours inside the wreck.
• Do not enter overhead environments without wreck training.
• Combine two dives: one on the deeper bow or stern, one in the shallows.

Ready to dive the Liberty? Check our dive center or ask about a Stay & Dive package — accommodation, breakfast and guided dives in Amed and Tulamben, all in one place.