Showing posts with label Adventure Travel. Show all posts
Climbing Mount Batur
Except for its water sport, Bali also has panoramic views on its mountains for adventurous activities. One of them is climbing the Mount Batur.
Mount Batur perches on the Kintamani teritory, Bangli. Its height reaches 1717 m above sea level. This mountain retains a uniqueness of its own, namely the crater mesuring 13.8 x 10 km and denotes one of the most extensive and beautifull all over the world. To get an experience of seeing the sunrise from this climbing, the right time for climbing should be started at 03.00 in the morning.
Climbing starts from the songan Villag, Kintamani. When you entering the climbing teritory you will be welcomed by black sedimentary rocks that are naturally furnished by fertile alang-alang grasses growing lushly. Considering its fresh air, the climbing activity will come refreshing to a great extent.
The mountain climbers are estimated to arrive at the top around 05.00. Indications of the sunrise come into view then. While taking a rest and watching the sunrise, you can have a breakfast that has been prepared. If you are lucky, the alluring panoramic view of the Lake Batur, traditional village of Trunyan and Mount Rinjani in Lombok are also discernible from the peak.
Being satisfied and while watching the magnificence of this panorama, it's the time to resume the journey to go down. Toya Bungkah Village is the point of finish within this passage. If on the way up, you encounte the row of black sedimentary rocks and alang-alang grass, on the way down you will be welcomed by pine forest as well as sandy descending track until you get at the point of origin.
Fatique that is felt during the climbing now vanishes when you arrive down there and just releases the sight to the Lake Batur spreading in this village. More than that, a hot water pool can also be found at one of the corners around the lake. It is the natural pool of which water is derived from the cracks among the stones at the fringe of Lake Batur. Through it's not categorized into an extreme adventure, please be careful at all times and obey all of the existing regulations for your safety.
Mount Batur perches on the Kintamani teritory, Bangli. Its height reaches 1717 m above sea level. This mountain retains a uniqueness of its own, namely the crater mesuring 13.8 x 10 km and denotes one of the most extensive and beautifull all over the world. To get an experience of seeing the sunrise from this climbing, the right time for climbing should be started at 03.00 in the morning.
Climbing starts from the songan Villag, Kintamani. When you entering the climbing teritory you will be welcomed by black sedimentary rocks that are naturally furnished by fertile alang-alang grasses growing lushly. Considering its fresh air, the climbing activity will come refreshing to a great extent.
The mountain climbers are estimated to arrive at the top around 05.00. Indications of the sunrise come into view then. While taking a rest and watching the sunrise, you can have a breakfast that has been prepared. If you are lucky, the alluring panoramic view of the Lake Batur, traditional village of Trunyan and Mount Rinjani in Lombok are also discernible from the peak.
Being satisfied and while watching the magnificence of this panorama, it's the time to resume the journey to go down. Toya Bungkah Village is the point of finish within this passage. If on the way up, you encounte the row of black sedimentary rocks and alang-alang grass, on the way down you will be welcomed by pine forest as well as sandy descending track until you get at the point of origin.
Fatique that is felt during the climbing now vanishes when you arrive down there and just releases the sight to the Lake Batur spreading in this village. More than that, a hot water pool can also be found at one of the corners around the lake. It is the natural pool of which water is derived from the cracks among the stones at the fringe of Lake Batur. Through it's not categorized into an extreme adventure, please be careful at all times and obey all of the existing regulations for your safety.
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Diving in Pemuteran
It's a long drive from the Nusa Dua/Sanur/Kuta area to Menjangan, which adds up to a lot of time on the road for just a couple of dives. But there is an excellent alternative: stay at the Pondok Sari Beach Bungalows in Pemuteran, which has a professionally-run dive operation, Reef Seen Aquatics, which offers very good diving. Pemuteran is located just a few Milometers east of Meniangan on the north coast, on a little bay.Reef Seen runs its own boat to Menjangan, but divers often prefer the closer locations. The latter are all just a few minutes away. There are five main dive spots, well explored by the operator, each worth several dives. The dive center caters to small groups of divers, especially to those staying for several days, for whom discounts are available. Independent divers, not requiring a guide, can save a bundle on both day and night dives from shore. We highly recommend this (live business, developed by PADI instructor Chris Brown, a pro in all senses of the term, who also takes concrete measures to preserve the marine ecology.
The atmosphere in Pemuteran is quiet and pleasant, and the Pondok Sari Beach Bungalows are very nicely designed: The rooms are spare and decorated with natural woods and clean white sheets on the beds; the bathrooms are open to the sky, and feature dripping Japanese bamboo pipes and smooth black river pebbles. A very comfortable, and romantic place. All the sites Chris Brown has pioneered off Pemuteran are small takas, or bank reefs. He is constantly investigating new sites, however. The diving here is generally good year-round, with very occasional rough seas during the southeast monsoon, May-JuIy. The very best times are from March to early May, and September through January. The rainy season, during the northwest monsoon from January to early March, usually brings heavy rain only in the late afternoon ar at night. Water temperatures almost always are around 28°-32°C. Visibility is good, but not as clear as Meniangan under the best of conditions. There is hardly any current, and this is a good site for beginners.
Napoleon Reef
"Napoleon Reef," is a flat-topped, underwater mound, about the size of a football field. At its shallowest, to bottom rises to about 5-10 meters of the surface. The reef is covered with sponges and corals, including great table-top Acropora reaching a diameter of 5 meters. From the top, the profile follows a gentle slope to 35 meters, with very good invertebrate life. Two enormous barrel sponges serve as landmarks. Fish life is quite good. Large cuttlefish are often seen. Occasionally, manta rays appear to feed across the reeftop. The southeastern point of Napoleon drops down to 35 meters, where there is an excellent deep reef with soft corals and whip corals, dubbed "Cody's Corner."
Close Encounters
"Pertamuan Dekat" (literally the substrate shows a "Close Encounters") takes its name from the big fish here which allow-and even initiate-close encounters with divers: reef sharks, tuna, mackerel, barracuda and jacks, and an occasional large grouper or Napoleon wrasse. Even whale sharks have been seen here on occasion.
Lebar Reef
At Lebar (literally "wide") Reef, steep slopes drop to flat sand at about 25 meters. Out over the sand, coral outcrops appear at 25 meters and again at 35 meters.Both the reeftop and side of the taka are covered with thickets of staghorn Acropora, some with colorful blu tips, interspersed with tabletops Acropora and fan gorgonians.
Kebun Batu
Kebun Batu ("Rock Garden") is just a 5 minute snorkel from shore. Here a huge boul rises vertically from about 18 meters to just 3 meters from the surface. The rock, full of crevices and small, shallow caves, serves as a hotel to many fish. Elsewhere, the substrate shows a mixture of sponges, hard and soft corals. This is a very good night dive.
Kebun Chris
Kebun Chris ("Chris's Garden") is the dive operators current favorite site. Diving begins just 20 meters from his back door, with hard corals starting at less than a meter's depth and continuing on down to about 10 meters. This reef spreads continues for about 300 meters, parallelling the shoreline.
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The atmosphere in Pemuteran is quiet and pleasant, and the Pondok Sari Beach Bungalows are very nicely designed: The rooms are spare and decorated with natural woods and clean white sheets on the beds; the bathrooms are open to the sky, and feature dripping Japanese bamboo pipes and smooth black river pebbles. A very comfortable, and romantic place. All the sites Chris Brown has pioneered off Pemuteran are small takas, or bank reefs. He is constantly investigating new sites, however. The diving here is generally good year-round, with very occasional rough seas during the southeast monsoon, May-JuIy. The very best times are from March to early May, and September through January. The rainy season, during the northwest monsoon from January to early March, usually brings heavy rain only in the late afternoon ar at night. Water temperatures almost always are around 28°-32°C. Visibility is good, but not as clear as Meniangan under the best of conditions. There is hardly any current, and this is a good site for beginners.
Napoleon Reef
"Napoleon Reef," is a flat-topped, underwater mound, about the size of a football field. At its shallowest, to bottom rises to about 5-10 meters of the surface. The reef is covered with sponges and corals, including great table-top Acropora reaching a diameter of 5 meters. From the top, the profile follows a gentle slope to 35 meters, with very good invertebrate life. Two enormous barrel sponges serve as landmarks. Fish life is quite good. Large cuttlefish are often seen. Occasionally, manta rays appear to feed across the reeftop. The southeastern point of Napoleon drops down to 35 meters, where there is an excellent deep reef with soft corals and whip corals, dubbed "Cody's Corner."
Close Encounters
"Pertamuan Dekat" (literally the substrate shows a "Close Encounters") takes its name from the big fish here which allow-and even initiate-close encounters with divers: reef sharks, tuna, mackerel, barracuda and jacks, and an occasional large grouper or Napoleon wrasse. Even whale sharks have been seen here on occasion.
Lebar Reef
At Lebar (literally "wide") Reef, steep slopes drop to flat sand at about 25 meters. Out over the sand, coral outcrops appear at 25 meters and again at 35 meters.Both the reeftop and side of the taka are covered with thickets of staghorn Acropora, some with colorful blu tips, interspersed with tabletops Acropora and fan gorgonians.
Kebun Batu
Kebun Batu ("Rock Garden") is just a 5 minute snorkel from shore. Here a huge boul rises vertically from about 18 meters to just 3 meters from the surface. The rock, full of crevices and small, shallow caves, serves as a hotel to many fish. Elsewhere, the substrate shows a mixture of sponges, hard and soft corals. This is a very good night dive.
Kebun Chris
Kebun Chris ("Chris's Garden") is the dive operators current favorite site. Diving begins just 20 meters from his back door, with hard corals starting at less than a meter's depth and continuing on down to about 10 meters. This reef spreads continues for about 300 meters, parallelling the shoreline.
Bali Surfing
Bali is a good place for surfing for a number of reasons. These include warm water, relatively uncrowded breaks, when compared to California and Australia. Bali gets some kind of surf most of the year, there are beach breaks and Kuta and Dreamland and also reef breaks on the rest of the Bukit, including the famous Uluwatu. Bali’s unique geography, means that you can get a selection of left hand breaks on one side of the Bukit, drive for 20 minutes and get another whole selection of right hand breaks. In Lombok, for example, you’d have to ride for 4 hours or more, to get from one side of the island, to the other.
During the dry season, the trade winds favour surfing the western side of the coast, including the breaks on the western Bukit. During the wet season ther tides and winds favour the eastern coast including the eastern Bukit breaks such as Nusa Dua and Sri Lanka.
Surfing regions in Bali:
You could say that there are 4 basic surfing regions in Bali, West Bali (Medewi), South Coast (Canggu, Gado Gado, Padma, Kuta Beach) the Bukit (Bingin, Balangan, Uluwatu, Nusa Dua, Sri Lanka, East Coast (Ketewel, Keramas), Nusa Lembongan (Playgrounds, Racetracks, Lacerations).
When to go:
For the best performance surf, the month of July is said to be the best. During the dry season you get offshore ESE trade winds hitting the western Bukit breaks, slightly cooler water, clear skies and not too much garbage in the water. The beach services (ding repair, vendors etc. ) ramp up during this season. During the wet season there are still places to surf on the eastern side, but generally this is not considered the best season.
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Surfing regions in Bali:
You could say that there are 4 basic surfing regions in Bali, West Bali (Medewi), South Coast (Canggu, Gado Gado, Padma, Kuta Beach) the Bukit (Bingin, Balangan, Uluwatu, Nusa Dua, Sri Lanka, East Coast (Ketewel, Keramas), Nusa Lembongan (Playgrounds, Racetracks, Lacerations).
When to go:
For the best performance surf, the month of July is said to be the best. During the dry season you get offshore ESE trade winds hitting the western Bukit breaks, slightly cooler water, clear skies and not too much garbage in the water. The beach services (ding repair, vendors etc. ) ramp up during this season. During the wet season there are still places to surf on the eastern side, but generally this is not considered the best season.
Sun Rise Trekking to Mount Batur and Mount Agung
Trekking to the sacred mountains, watching the spectacular sun rise is an unforgettable ways of experiencing holidays in Bali. Start early in the morning to ensure you are at the top at the right time for sun rise. Enjoy the great views of the whole island from the top while enjoying your breakfast.
Here area bit of stories about these trekkings:
Trekking Mount Batur:
Mount Batur, a three-crater volcanic mountain , is 1717 meters high. Your journey is started below Mount Batur near Lake Batur at a Hindu temple called Jati temple. You will arrive at the first crater (the highest) by the sun rise. While watching the sun rise, we will serve the breakfast (steamed eggs, banana and bread). Next, you will go the explore the second craters which lastly erupted in 1963. The last crater, the lowest, will be your final stop. The third crater occasionally has smokes or hotspots and colorful beautiful stones. You will go back through a challenging trails among rocky black lava stones to the starting point at Jati temple.
Trekking Mount Agung:
Trekking start at Besakih temple, (the mother temple Bali) and next continued to the Pasar Agung temple. You will arrive by the sun rise. What can you see from the top of Mount Agung? You can see almost the whole Bali island around you. And if you face east you will Mount Rinjani which located at Lombok island, to the west you will see Mount Batur and Mount Abang. You can enjoy the all the great views as well as enjoying breakfast here.
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Here area bit of stories about these trekkings:
Trekking Mount Batur:
Mount Batur, a three-crater volcanic mountain , is 1717 meters high. Your journey is started below Mount Batur near Lake Batur at a Hindu temple called Jati temple. You will arrive at the first crater (the highest) by the sun rise. While watching the sun rise, we will serve the breakfast (steamed eggs, banana and bread). Next, you will go the explore the second craters which lastly erupted in 1963. The last crater, the lowest, will be your final stop. The third crater occasionally has smokes or hotspots and colorful beautiful stones. You will go back through a challenging trails among rocky black lava stones to the starting point at Jati temple.
Trekking Mount Agung:
Trekking start at Besakih temple, (the mother temple Bali) and next continued to the Pasar Agung temple. You will arrive by the sun rise. What can you see from the top of Mount Agung? You can see almost the whole Bali island around you. And if you face east you will Mount Rinjani which located at Lombok island, to the west you will see Mount Batur and Mount Abang. You can enjoy the all the great views as well as enjoying breakfast here.
Menjangan Island - Bali Dive Site
Menjangan became Bali's first internationally known dive spot in 1978. The island in the Barat National Park is surrounded by coral reefs that drop down as deep as 60 meters in places. This spot is most renowned for is wall diving where huge gorgonians can be found clinging to the coral crevices. Pygmy seahorses and morays are often spotted in the cracks and under overhangs along the walls here. Other marine inhabitants include batfish, titan triggerfish and fuseliers. Visibility is usually good here often beyond 20 meters.
Menjangan island is surrounded by beautiful white sandy beaches. Coral formations close to the shore are good for scuba diving and snorkelling.
The island of Menjangan is surrounded by a coral reef, characterised by deep drop offs of up to 60 metres and by complex rock formations. These distinctive features have given rise to a great number of large and small caves, festooned with sponge and soft corals and often inhabited by large groupers, moray eels and in the smaller caves by young snappers and batfish. The sea beds are also rich in large barrel sponges and vibrant sea fans, some of which are truly enormous. Given the depth, the moderate flow of current and protection from strong winds, it is common to see tuna, shoals of jack-fish, batfish, angelfish, sea turtles, and on occasion, sharks, especially off the outer corners of the island.
The more popular dive sites at Menjangan are: The Eel Garden, Pos II and, for the more experienced, a deep dive (40M) to the Anker Wreck, a 150 years old wooden boat.
The Anker Wreck
No-one knows the name of this small wooden boat, even if it had one, or what brought it to the area. The wreck is actually named for the anchor that still lies about 6-8M from the surface. You follow the anchor chain down the steep slope to the flattened remains of the shipwreck (35-50M), which lie across about 60M of sand. This is the deepest dive site offered by AquaMarine, we believe that the good visibility and calm conditions mean that it will present no problems to experienced divers.
Following the anchor chain down to 32M, there is a second (coral-covered) anchor at the point where the site becomes a sand slope. It is here that you see the first parts of the wreck, dark against the white sand. Across the site you will find copper sheeting and bottles, the boat's cargo (artefacts, not for souvenirs). There are still some parts of the boat which remain out of the sand, and which are covered in gorgonians, a sure sign of little or no currents at the site.
The wall to the west, at 5-10M, is rich with many overhangs, cracks and caves. A good idea for an extended safety stop after this dive.
Garden Eel Point
Starting this dive from the most north-western tip of Menjangan Island, following the wall southwards towards the Bali/Menjangan channel, you will see some of the most healthy and diverse coral on Menjangan. The cracks and breaks in the wall are filled with a great diversity of reef fish.
If conditions dictate that you cannot enter at the NW tip of the island, you will enter closer to Garden Eel Point.
Gradually following the wall down from the top (5-8M) to 25M (max depth 35M), where it becomes a white sand slope, you find a big gorgonian fan with long-nose hawkfish. This area is also known for sightings of white tip reef shark, small schools of barracudas, turtles, and of course Napoleonfish. From this 25M point we ascend (slowly) up the slope, over many soft corals, until reaching a huge colony of garden eels, which covers the slope from 20M to beyond where it flattens out at 14M.
From Garden Eel Point we head south to a coral garden at 5-12M. This area gives us Big-Eyed Trevally, Titan Triggerfish, many clownfish in their anemones and often a surprisingly number of scorpionfish.
Pos II
Located on Menjangan's most south-easterly point, Pos II can be beach-entry or boat-entry, and is usually drift-diving: whether beach or boat, the dives start at 12M, where the white sand slope meets the top of the wall.
If there is a current, it is generally north-easterly. Slowly descending along the wall, drifting with the current, to approx 25M (max depth 50M+) we see a profusion of soft corals, sponges, small gorgonians, moray eels and lionfish. Levelling out at 25M, the current takes us along the wall to the east point of the island, a dramatic area covered in large gorgonians. Here, where we meet the waters travelling down the north-east of Menjangan, there is an upwelling of cold waters from the deep ocean. This brings with it turtle, Manta Ray, shark, occasional Mola-Mola and other pelagics. We, of course, also encounter thermoclines here. Our safety stop is done above the remains of the coral reef (8-12M). As there is quite a population of Titan Triggerfish in the area, we need to choose our spot carefully.
Very occasionally we find that the current is actually heading west. Almost immediately you find an area where, if the conditions are right, you can see pelagics. Descending slowly along the wall, the diversity of reef fish is remarkable: angelfish, anthias, chromis, gobies, scorpionfish. The surface of the wall is full of crevasses, cracks and overhangs which hide many treasures. There is the occasional cave too.
Pemuteran
Located 20mins along the north coast from Labuan Lalang, Pemuteran is a small collection of resorts located on the beach. The diving here is on 500M wide coral-covered banks or mounds that go from the sand floor, at around 25M, up to about 6M from the surface. The top coral cover is a mixture of hard, soft and fire corals with some sea fans and sponges deeper. No currents to speak of and visibility is usually good, but varies quite a bit due to shallowness (wave action stirring up the bottom, run-off after rain).
The coral cover was very badly affected by coral-bleaching after El Nino in 1998.
Apr-Oct gives good conditions in Pemuteran but during the NW monsoon (Dec-Mar) conditions are usually poor (Jan and Feb is v wavy).
Due to the easy conditions, and close proximity to the resorts, you can night-dive at Pemuteran - not only on these coral mounds (takas) but also on the reef just off the beach.
Read More...
The island of Menjangan is surrounded by a coral reef, characterised by deep drop offs of up to 60 metres and by complex rock formations. These distinctive features have given rise to a great number of large and small caves, festooned with sponge and soft corals and often inhabited by large groupers, moray eels and in the smaller caves by young snappers and batfish. The sea beds are also rich in large barrel sponges and vibrant sea fans, some of which are truly enormous. Given the depth, the moderate flow of current and protection from strong winds, it is common to see tuna, shoals of jack-fish, batfish, angelfish, sea turtles, and on occasion, sharks, especially off the outer corners of the island.
The more popular dive sites at Menjangan are: The Eel Garden, Pos II and, for the more experienced, a deep dive (40M) to the Anker Wreck, a 150 years old wooden boat.
The Anker Wreck
No-one knows the name of this small wooden boat, even if it had one, or what brought it to the area. The wreck is actually named for the anchor that still lies about 6-8M from the surface. You follow the anchor chain down the steep slope to the flattened remains of the shipwreck (35-50M), which lie across about 60M of sand. This is the deepest dive site offered by AquaMarine, we believe that the good visibility and calm conditions mean that it will present no problems to experienced divers.
Following the anchor chain down to 32M, there is a second (coral-covered) anchor at the point where the site becomes a sand slope. It is here that you see the first parts of the wreck, dark against the white sand. Across the site you will find copper sheeting and bottles, the boat's cargo (artefacts, not for souvenirs). There are still some parts of the boat which remain out of the sand, and which are covered in gorgonians, a sure sign of little or no currents at the site.
The wall to the west, at 5-10M, is rich with many overhangs, cracks and caves. A good idea for an extended safety stop after this dive.
Garden Eel Point
Starting this dive from the most north-western tip of Menjangan Island, following the wall southwards towards the Bali/Menjangan channel, you will see some of the most healthy and diverse coral on Menjangan. The cracks and breaks in the wall are filled with a great diversity of reef fish.
If conditions dictate that you cannot enter at the NW tip of the island, you will enter closer to Garden Eel Point.
Gradually following the wall down from the top (5-8M) to 25M (max depth 35M), where it becomes a white sand slope, you find a big gorgonian fan with long-nose hawkfish. This area is also known for sightings of white tip reef shark, small schools of barracudas, turtles, and of course Napoleonfish. From this 25M point we ascend (slowly) up the slope, over many soft corals, until reaching a huge colony of garden eels, which covers the slope from 20M to beyond where it flattens out at 14M.
From Garden Eel Point we head south to a coral garden at 5-12M. This area gives us Big-Eyed Trevally, Titan Triggerfish, many clownfish in their anemones and often a surprisingly number of scorpionfish.
Pos II
Located on Menjangan's most south-easterly point, Pos II can be beach-entry or boat-entry, and is usually drift-diving: whether beach or boat, the dives start at 12M, where the white sand slope meets the top of the wall.
If there is a current, it is generally north-easterly. Slowly descending along the wall, drifting with the current, to approx 25M (max depth 50M+) we see a profusion of soft corals, sponges, small gorgonians, moray eels and lionfish. Levelling out at 25M, the current takes us along the wall to the east point of the island, a dramatic area covered in large gorgonians. Here, where we meet the waters travelling down the north-east of Menjangan, there is an upwelling of cold waters from the deep ocean. This brings with it turtle, Manta Ray, shark, occasional Mola-Mola and other pelagics. We, of course, also encounter thermoclines here. Our safety stop is done above the remains of the coral reef (8-12M). As there is quite a population of Titan Triggerfish in the area, we need to choose our spot carefully.
Very occasionally we find that the current is actually heading west. Almost immediately you find an area where, if the conditions are right, you can see pelagics. Descending slowly along the wall, the diversity of reef fish is remarkable: angelfish, anthias, chromis, gobies, scorpionfish. The surface of the wall is full of crevasses, cracks and overhangs which hide many treasures. There is the occasional cave too.
Pemuteran
Located 20mins along the north coast from Labuan Lalang, Pemuteran is a small collection of resorts located on the beach. The diving here is on 500M wide coral-covered banks or mounds that go from the sand floor, at around 25M, up to about 6M from the surface. The top coral cover is a mixture of hard, soft and fire corals with some sea fans and sponges deeper. No currents to speak of and visibility is usually good, but varies quite a bit due to shallowness (wave action stirring up the bottom, run-off after rain).
The coral cover was very badly affected by coral-bleaching after El Nino in 1998.
Apr-Oct gives good conditions in Pemuteran but during the NW monsoon (Dec-Mar) conditions are usually poor (Jan and Feb is v wavy).
Due to the easy conditions, and close proximity to the resorts, you can night-dive at Pemuteran - not only on these coral mounds (takas) but also on the reef just off the beach.
Tulamben - Bali's Diving Site
Tulamben is Bali's most famous diving location. Located on the North East coast of Bali, Tulamben receives very plankton-rich waters from the major oceanic currents in the area. These plankton-rich waters have created one of the most diverse regions on the planet. That is why, every year, a multitude of international photographers and videographers visit the area to dive their favorite dive sites and to explore for some new ones.
Underwater, the Tulamben diving area is awesome. However, the natural beauty of the area above the surface really lends to Tulamben popularity. Tulamben is situated under the foot of Mt Agung which offers some superb scenic views for when you are out of the water. The local Balinese culture is in full swing and offers a real edge to your time in the area.
The main attraction is the wreck of the USS Liberty, famous for the amazing variety of marine life found there. This is a must-dive site in Bali , and a photographers' paradise. Other sites include a great drop-off, a shallow coral garden, and a deep coral reef. Tulamben is the best place to night dive in Bali and, being on the East coast, you can take an unforgettable sunrise dive.
The Diving:
Kubu Reef
These two dive sites lie between the wreck and the drop off. I usually started at the drop off (have the Diving Helpers Club carry the tanks there) and went down to 25m to see the cleaning station just slightly to the left of the drop off on the sand. Then I would head towards the Paradise Reef. If you are good on air, you can leisurely dive the whole stretch, otherwise you just get out, before you run out of air and walk back. Most of the dive is shallow (3m to 15m). Specially the River is a great place to do so called muck diving and find rare animals such as the harlequin and the robust ghost pipefish, several species of eels and even the mimic octopus, boxer crabs or the harlequin shrimp! If you are lucky as we were, you might also see an eagle ray or a couple black tip reef sharks, a big barracuda or Spanish mackerel! Also very good for night dives.
US Liberty shipwreck
The Liberty was originally a cargo steamer built in New Jersey, USA in the early 20th century. She was pressed into service during W.W.II and armed with guns fore and aft. On 11th January 1942 the ship was cruising off the Lombok coast when she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine causing major damage to the hull, but not sinking. The US Navy decided to try and salvage her and subsequently sent two destroyers to tow her to Bali. However, she was taking on too much water and it was decided to beach her at Tulamben.
In 1963 Bali's highest volcano, Gunung Agung, erupted causing major damage and loss of life on the island. This eruption also managed to push USAT Liberty to her final resting place 40 meters off shore, in between 9 and 28 meters of water.
Liberty is now Bali's most popular dive, encrusted with many different varieties of soft and hard coral and a very large concentration of fish and other marine life. A must do dive.
A resident school of bigeye jacks often lurks here-unafraid of divers, you can approach them and enter the school to have them whirl around you. The ship is also a haven for emperors, parrotfish,batfish and sweetlips. Look for anemones and nudibranchs in the coral-rich areas.
Drop Off
about 500 m to the east of the wreck and close to the temple, the underwater wall drops to a depth of 60m (the top is around 3 to 5 m), sometimes there is a slight current. There are three coral covered lava spurs that reach down to 50 or 60m but usually you dive at the one that lies to the west of the temple. The other two reefs around the corner are also worth exploring. On the first spur at 30m is a huge Muricella gorgonian fan, it must be over 2m in diameter! Just beautiful!
Batu Kelebit
This deep coral site is is just round the corner from the Tulamben Drop Off. The coral starts from about 25m, down to past 70m. Lots of big Triggerfish, Sweet lips, Midnight Snapper and colorful Clownfish & Angelfish. Big pelagics & Sharks. Access just a few minutes by traditional boat from Tulamben it self. This long stretch of coast is all diveable so you can take multiple dives along here.
Underwater, the Tulamben diving area is awesome. However, the natural beauty of the area above the surface really lends to Tulamben popularity. Tulamben is situated under the foot of Mt Agung which offers some superb scenic views for when you are out of the water. The local Balinese culture is in full swing and offers a real edge to your time in the area.
The main attraction is the wreck of the USS Liberty, famous for the amazing variety of marine life found there. This is a must-dive site in Bali , and a photographers' paradise. Other sites include a great drop-off, a shallow coral garden, and a deep coral reef. Tulamben is the best place to night dive in Bali and, being on the East coast, you can take an unforgettable sunrise dive.
The Diving:
Kubu Reef
These two dive sites lie between the wreck and the drop off. I usually started at the drop off (have the Diving Helpers Club carry the tanks there) and went down to 25m to see the cleaning station just slightly to the left of the drop off on the sand. Then I would head towards the Paradise Reef. If you are good on air, you can leisurely dive the whole stretch, otherwise you just get out, before you run out of air and walk back. Most of the dive is shallow (3m to 15m). Specially the River is a great place to do so called muck diving and find rare animals such as the harlequin and the robust ghost pipefish, several species of eels and even the mimic octopus, boxer crabs or the harlequin shrimp! If you are lucky as we were, you might also see an eagle ray or a couple black tip reef sharks, a big barracuda or Spanish mackerel! Also very good for night dives.
US Liberty shipwreck
The Liberty was originally a cargo steamer built in New Jersey, USA in the early 20th century. She was pressed into service during W.W.II and armed with guns fore and aft. On 11th January 1942 the ship was cruising off the Lombok coast when she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine causing major damage to the hull, but not sinking. The US Navy decided to try and salvage her and subsequently sent two destroyers to tow her to Bali. However, she was taking on too much water and it was decided to beach her at Tulamben.
In 1963 Bali's highest volcano, Gunung Agung, erupted causing major damage and loss of life on the island. This eruption also managed to push USAT Liberty to her final resting place 40 meters off shore, in between 9 and 28 meters of water.
Liberty is now Bali's most popular dive, encrusted with many different varieties of soft and hard coral and a very large concentration of fish and other marine life. A must do dive.
A resident school of bigeye jacks often lurks here-unafraid of divers, you can approach them and enter the school to have them whirl around you. The ship is also a haven for emperors, parrotfish,batfish and sweetlips. Look for anemones and nudibranchs in the coral-rich areas.
Drop Off
about 500 m to the east of the wreck and close to the temple, the underwater wall drops to a depth of 60m (the top is around 3 to 5 m), sometimes there is a slight current. There are three coral covered lava spurs that reach down to 50 or 60m but usually you dive at the one that lies to the west of the temple. The other two reefs around the corner are also worth exploring. On the first spur at 30m is a huge Muricella gorgonian fan, it must be over 2m in diameter! Just beautiful!
Batu Kelebit
This deep coral site is is just round the corner from the Tulamben Drop Off. The coral starts from about 25m, down to past 70m. Lots of big Triggerfish, Sweet lips, Midnight Snapper and colorful Clownfish & Angelfish. Big pelagics & Sharks. Access just a few minutes by traditional boat from Tulamben it self. This long stretch of coast is all diveable so you can take multiple dives along here.
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