Tulamben Drop-Off Dive is considered one of the most stunning dives in Bali. Located at the opposite side of the bay from the famous USAT Liberty Shipwreck, the wall is plastered with incredible hard and soft coral that conceals an enormous variety of sea life, from vivid nudibranchs to octopuses. The highlights of Tulamben Drop-Off Dive are its accessibility from the beach, the great snorkelling it offers and its suitability for both beginner and experienced divers. Depending on your expertise, it can be dived at various levels, which all provide an excellent opportunity to admire the unbelievable underwater landscape.
The dive begins on a sand slope teeming with nudibranchs, flounders, goby and shrimp. At 12 metres you’ll find sponges with a huge range of shrimp, as well as crinoids and ghostpipefish. If you veer round to the right, the slope turns into a spectacular reef and then drops down dramatically into a vertical wall. The wall is coated with corals, black coral bushes and gorgonian fans – 30 metres down you’ll find one that is over two metres wide!
The morning is best for high visibility, usually allowing 15 – 20 metres depending on the amount of plankton in the water. The fish life is not as dense as what you would find on the USAT Liberty wreck, but you can still see whitetip reef sharks, moray eels, Napolean wrasse and filefish. If you look closely around the gorgonian fans, you might be able to spot longnose hawkfish and sharp-nosed puffers. Amid the rocks and corals are octopuses, scorpionfish, frogfish, and hermit and porcelain crabs. Whale sharks and dogtooth tuna have even been spotted as shallow as nine metres.
With a mild current, great visibility and huge array of vivid marine life, make sure you check out Tulamben Drop-Off Dive for an incredible experience and even better photos!
