Bali guide › North and east Bali
Amed and Tulamben: what to do, and can you snorkel the Liberty?
Amed is not one beach but a string of small fishing villages stretched along about 15 km (9 miles) of coast, with black volcanic sand beaches and Mount Agung as a backdrop. The contrast between dark sand and turquoise water is a treat: at Jemeluk Bay, a viewpoint above the bay gives a panorama of the coast with the volcano behind, perfect at sunset.
What you will see and do:
- Snorkelling from the beach: at Jemeluk and Lipah the water is clear and the coral starts a few metres from the shore (2 to 4 m, or 7 to 13 ft, deep).
- Sunsets over Agung, drink in hand, from a warung perched above the sea.
- The rhythm of village life: colourful fishing boats pulled up on the sand and an atmosphere without crowds.
A few kilometres away, Tulamben is home to one of Bali's most famous dives: the wreck of the USAT Liberty. She was an American cargo ship, 120 m (400 ft) long, torpedoed by a Japanese submarine on 11 January 1942, towed to the coast and beached at Tulamben to save her cargo. She stayed there for some twenty years, until the 1963 eruption of Agung: tremors and flows slid her into the sea. She was then forgotten, until the 1980s, when dive centres took an interest. Today the wreck, covered in coral, sponges and fish, lies 25 to 40 m (80 to 130 ft) from the shore, at depths of 5 to 30 m (16 to 100 ft).
Can you see it snorkelling? Yes: the top of the wreck is a few metres below the surface, and you can swim out directly from the beach, with no boat. Divers of all levels (including first-timers on an introductory dive) will enjoy it. The beach is pebbly, so wear water shoes.
Verdict: one of the best-value dive and snorkel spots in Indonesia, and quiet outside the main season. It is much better early in the morning.
Tip: go in the morning, before the day-trip groups, and sleep in Amed rather than Tulamben: there are more places to stay, with the view of Agung as a bonus.
Information checked in October 2026.
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- Lovina: is the dolphin trip worth doing, and is it ethical?
- Are Lempuyang's Gates of Heaven worth it, and when to go?
- Why stay in Sidemen instead of Ubud?
- How do you reach the Gili Islands from Bali?
- What is there to do in Candidasa, and should you stay?
- What to do in Pemuteran: snorkelling, Biorock and Menjangan?