Tulamben is a small fishing village on the north-east coast of Bali. It is among the most popular dive sites on Bali since the wreck of the
Liberty, a US Army Transport ship torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942 lies just off shore. During high-season, up to 100 divers descend to the wreck each day.
History
The town's name is derived from the word
batulambih, which roughly translates as "many stones" a reference to the destructive eruptions by Mount Agung that have effected this part of Bali from time to time. The modern name evolved over time, first to "Batulamben" and finally settling on the contraction Tulamben ("batu" means "stone" in Indonesian).
The wreck
The wreck lies in shallow water and is considered appropriate for divers of all certification levels. The ship rests in 30 meters of water, is roughly 25 meters from shore and can be reached with a short swim from the beach. The highest point of the wreck tops out about 5 meters from the surface. The ship was torpedoed by the Japanese off the nearby Island of Lombok and the ship was towed to the beach at Tulamben for salvage operations. The 1963 eruption of Mt. Agung, which devastated much of the eastern side of Bali, drove the ship into the water just off shore, where it became encrusted with coral and a home to other sea life.
The best conditions for diving here are during October and November, when the weather is generally calm and during the start of southeast monsoon, which typically extends from May to July. In addition to a wide variety of corals and invertebrates on the wreck itself, large fish frequent the wreck in some seasons, most popularly
Mola mola and whale sharks. Professional divers have praised local residents for minimizing local fishing activity.
Besides the diving this area is beautiful and aside from the area where the wreck is the beaches are secluded, empty and in their full natural glory. Most divers come up on day trips and so the feel is totally secluded although there are a few luxuries and mid range resorts here for those who wish to fulfill their dreams of a real tropical paradise. These resorts are ideal for couples and honeymooners due the beauty of the area, the relaxing culture and the secluded untroubled atmosphere that can be enjoyed with the luxuries of high class boutique resorts although due to the small number of such places if you wish to experience this, especially in the high season it is sensible to make a prior booking online to avoid disappointment.
There are plenty of Balinese and other Bali diving companies in this small area. The trip up here from the airport takes around 2 to 3 hours depending on traffic etc, but if you have an image of walking down the beach alone in a real tropical paradise then this is the place to find it and it's worth the journey. Candidasa is not far if you wish to benefit from their established tourism industry.
There are only few Bali Hotels in Tulamben but still provides comfortable accommodation during your holiday. Here are some Tulamben Hotels and Resort at discount rates.
East Bali a small part of the island that provides a thousand opportunities to explore in a day, do trekking surround the hills and volcano, walking along the nature beach, witnessing the sunrise on the beautiful strait of Lombok and the romantic sunset on the top of Mt. Agung or just to see the villages tapping palm, wine and try to sip it. 
