Diving the North Coast

From the coral gardens of Amed to the USAT Liberty wreck at Tulamben. Why the north coast is one of Bali's great secrets for divers.

The north coast of Bali is a well-regarded diving area in Southeast Asia. The water is warm year-round, visibility regularly exceeds 25 metres, and the marine life is varied within the Coral Triangle. Yet compared to Raja Ampat or Komodo, the north coast remains uncrowded.

The headline site is the USAT Liberty wreck at Tulamben, a cargo ship torpedoed during World War II and now resting in shallow water just 30 metres from shore. The wreck is encrusted with soft corals, sea fans, and sponges, and home to reef sharks, barracuda, bumphead parrotfish, and a wide variety of nudibranchs. Because the wreck starts at just 5 metres depth, it is accessible to snorkellers and beginners as well as experienced divers.

East of Tulamben, the coastline around Amed offers wall dives that drop from coral-covered shallows into deep blue. The Japanese Shipwreck, a small fishing vessel sitting upright at 12 metres, is a gentle dive, and sweetlips, lionfish and batfish are commonly seen there. The coral gardens at Jemeluk Bay are among the richest on this coast.

What makes the north coast special for divers is the combination of easy access and genuine wildness. There are no long boat rides to reach the sites. Many are shore dives, or a five-minute jukung ride from the beach when the sea allows. The infrastructure is simple, and the diving holds its own against the rest of Southeast Asia.

From VELA, the nearest dive sites are 15 to 40 minutes by car. We work with experienced local operators who know these waters intimately. First dive or five-hundredth, the north coast has plenty to show you.

The USAT Liberty wreck at Tulamben is fifteen minutes from us, and Amed's reefs are forty.