If you love to dive and enjoy spectacular marine life, then you’re going to love the USS Liberty Wreck in Tulamben.
It’s one of Bali’s most popular dive sites and beginners to advanced divers will find that the sea life in this area is very much worth exploring.
The local dive centres can supply equipment, a dive master to lead explorations of the dive site and PADI training for those without qualifications.
Here’s everything you need to know to enjoy swim-throughs of the USS Liberty wreck in Bali.
What Was The USAT Liberty?
The USAT Liberty was a cargo ship for the United States Army. She was ain service for almost 30 years before being beached following an attack during World War II by a Japanese submarine.
The torpedos didn’t sink her but she was dumped on the beach to prevent her total loss after taking on water in transit.
After the war, she was not a major priority for reclamation by the US Army as the hull and cargo had long been stripped from her and then a volcano eruption of Mount Agung saw what was left of the Liberty Wreck being dumped into the sea.
A Brief History Of The USAT Liberty And The Liberty Wreck
The USAT Liberty was launched in June of 1918. She was a product of the Federal Shipbuilding Company in New Jersey and was immediately acquired by the United States Navy and then commissioned on the same day.
She sailed from New York in October of 1918 to Brest in France with a complement of horses which arrived in November.
She then carried out two further round trips before being decommissioned in 1919.
Between the two world wars, she collided with tug boats in two separate incidents, sinking one and beaching the other.
Then, in 1940, she was drafted once again, this time by the United States Army for defensive service of the nation.
She was in the Pacific when the US was pulled into the war in 1941 and in January 1942, she was carrying rubber and railway parts to the Philippines from a port in Australia.
She was picked up by a Japanese sub and then torpedoed about 10 knots shy of the Lombok Strait.
The US destroyer Paul Jones and a Dutch destroyer Van Ghent arrived at the scene of the attack shortly and they began to tow the USS Liberty to port in Singaraja where she might have been repaired.
However, this wasn’t to be and the ship was taking on water too rapidly and they were left with only one option, to beach her in Tulamben where her cargo could be recovered.
Then an eruption of Mount Agung saw the Liberty Wreck dumped into the ocean and now the wreck lies just offshore a short swim from the beach.
Where Is The Liberty Wreck?
The Liberty Wreck is about 40 meters from the beach in Tulamben in the Karangasem Regency of Bali.
This is not very far from another popular dive location, Amed and many divers choose to visit the Liberty Wreck as part of a trip to Amed.
Address: PHGV+867, Tulamben, Kubu, Karangasem Regency, Bali 80852, Indonesia
How To Get To The USS Liberty Wreck
If you want to get Tulamben from any part of the island, you can use a GRab or Gojek though you may find it’s a little hard to get a Grab or Gojek in the area when you want to leave.
You could also opt for a private car and driver (this is a cheap service – you can rent a car, driver and fuel for a day for 500,000 IDR which is about $25 USD or $50 AUD).
Once you’re in Tulamben, you can swim out to the wreck from the shore. However, if you intend to dive at this dive site, you will need to engage a dive master at one of the local dive schools as well as hire equipment.
As you would expect, you will need to be fully PADI certified to dive and there are no exceptions to this rule.
What Makes The USAT Liberty An Incredible Dive Site?
This wreck has been underwater for a while now and that means it has gained a coral garden covering its surface.
It’s a truly spectacular sight and if you have an underwater camera, you’re going to love shooting here.
The Diversity Of Marine Life
This part of Indonesia is also home to some of the most biodiverse waters on Earth and you can see eels, Napoleon wrasse, barrel sponge, and much more in the waters here.
Good visibility is important to get the most out of a trip to this site and you’re best to go diving in good weather if you want to enjoy all the fine details of the wreck such as the stern gun, anchor chain, bow section, engine room and steel cables.
What’s The Best Time Of Year To Conduct A Trip To This Most Famous Dive Site?
The most popular time of year to visit this wreck is between August and September which means you might want to come at another point in the year if you want to avoid any crowds at the wreck.
However, the rainy season from October to March means a higher risk of rain and the water can get too cloudy to see properly.
What Does A Typical Dive At The USS Liberty Wreck Look Like?
The shallowest part of the wreck is around 4 meters under the water and the deepest is around 30 meters.
That means you can get many varied dives at this site depending on your skill level and experience.
You should be able to work with a local dive school to tailor your visit to the site around your abilities.
Can You Go Night Diving At The USAT Liberty Shipwreck?
Yes! A night dive is perfectly possible at the USAT Liberty Shipwreck. In fact, anyone opting for a sunrise dive experience at Liberty Wreck is going to spend some time under the water at night.
It’s absolutely awesome as the spectral shadow of the wreck looms in the darkness and you will see marine life that you cannot see at any other time of day.
As the sun rises and your night dive ends, you’ll find that the grouper, moray eels, etc. are replaced with active daytime species of fish such as lionfish, stonefish, pufferfish, etc.
It’s a wonderful way to see the USAT Liberty Shipwreck and really get the most out of this diving experience.
Things To Do Near The USAT Liberty Shipwreck
Tulamben is not the busiest part of the island and you will need a car to get to these other sights nearby:
Boga Wreck – about 14-30 meters below the surface this is a great place to run into a huge school of fish.
Pantai Baturinggit – a pleasant and calm beach, ideal for meditation and a quiet sunset beer.
Pantai Tukad Sayung – this beach is best visited during the dry season when the salt field is active.
Tirta Suci Pura Tapak Lawang – a lovely beachside Hindu temple that sees very few visitors.
Seraya Secrets – one of the best spots for muck diving in the area and ghost pipefish, catfish, leopard morays and more await.
Pantai Batu Belah – a pleasant beach a long way from the radar of most tourists.
Where To Eat Near The USS Liberty Wreck
There are plenty of decent places to eat along this stretch of shore and you can enjoy a good meal at any of the following:
Slice and Brew – an upmarket place for Tulamben with a pool table and serving some of the best pizza on the island.
Black Sand Eatery – a hidden gem that’s hard to find but worth finding. They do excellent Asian fusion food.
Warung Rusti – a wonderful noodle shop that delivers great value food that’s really filling.
Warung Jegeg – if you like lalapan, (fried chicken rice), this little takeaway has you covered.
Wayan Restaurant Tulamben – a lovely local restaurant with a great view from the second floor.
Where To Stay Near The USS Liberty Wreck
The wreck means that there are plenty of hotels and dive resorts waiting to ensure you have a great time in this part of Bali. Some of our favourites include:
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Toyabali – Resort, Beach Bungalows – if you want a private bungalow on the beach for a reasonable price, this is a good place to go.
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Ocean View 720 – a fantastic dive resort that is great value for money and right on the beach.
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Minabali Bunga’lo – you can’t get any closer to the Liberty Wreck than this pleasant and inexpensive beach resort.
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Liberty Dive Resort – a lovely little resort with cheap bungalows and an onsite dive school.
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Tulamben Dive Resort – if you stay at this solid 3-star resort, you get a discount when using their dive school services.
FAQs
How Deep Is The Tulamben Wreck? How Deep Is The Japanese Wreck In Bali?
The shallowest point on the Liberty wreck is just 4 meters and the deepet is 28 meters.
That means this site is great for both beginner divers and experienced divers.
You can enjoy a sunrise dive, a shore dive, and night dives at this popular dive site in Bali on the North East Coast.
Where To Dive In Bali?
There are a lot of great places for most divers to enjoy in Bali and we’ve got a list of the best dive sites in Bali.
In addition to the USS Liberty Shipwreck, you might enjoy Crystal Bay in Nusa Penida, the Eels Garden at Menjangan Island and Seraya Secrets in Tulamben.
How Did USAT Liberty Sink?
The USAT Liberty was hit by a Japanese torpedo from a Japanese submarine during World War 2.
However, it didn’t sink from this, it was actually collected and towed to shore in Tulamben Bay and during the journey, the fractured hull began to take on water and the USA Liberty Shipwreck and it ran aground on the beach.
However, when Mount Agung erupted roughly 20 years later, the USAT Liberty Shipwreck moved just far enough to end up hidden beneath the waves of the Indian Ocean. The cargo ship had seen its last days on land.
What Is The Most Famous Unfound Shipwreck?
The Flor de la Mar or Flor Do Mar is considered to be the most famous wreck that nobody has ever discovered.
Wherever it ended up was the perfect location to ensure that it was in the deepest sections of the ocean and could never be found again.
Why is it famous? Because the ship was full of precious cargo including diamonds, gold, and platinum. If you could somehow retrieve this wreck from the sandy bottom of the ocean, you would be a billionaire overnight!
What Was The Saddest Shipwreck?
All shipwrecks are a thing of sadness, however, the destruction of the German ship, the Wilhelm Gustloff by a Soviet submarine during World War 2 is considered to be the worst wreck in history.
It’s estimated that nearly 9,400 men lost their lives onboard this shop and it’s the deadliest single maritime event in history (excluding multiple events such as the loss of entire fleets).
What Is The Deadliest Shipwreck In Naval History?
As with the question above, the Wilhelm Gustloff’s sinking by a Soviet submarine killed nearly 9,400 men in a single attack.
This is, by far, the most deadly shipwreck in recorded history.
Final Thoughts Before You Dive Liberty Wreck
The wreck of the Liberty sees you swim past garden eels, beautiful soft corals, and hard corals and lets you bump heads with some of the most fascinating marine life on the island.
The shallowest part is only four meters below the waves which means even those who can’t dive, can snorkel and see some of the debris scattered around the sand slope leading down from the beach to the ocean.
As you get into deeper water, this becomes one of the best places for diving in Bali and the Liberty Wreck is an unmissable highlight of a trip to Tulamben.
