The USAT Liberty, a US Army cargo ship torpedoed in 1942 and pushed off the beach into deeper water by Mount Agung's 1963 eruption, lies just offshore at Tulamben in north-east Bali. A 30-40 metre swim from the pebble beach puts you over the top of the hull at around 5 metres, with the structure sloping away to roughly 30 metres, which makes it one of the most accessible wrecks in the world to cover on a single breath, without a boat or a descent line. Water sits at 26-29°C year-round and visibility typically runs 15-30 metres, clearest at first light. It remains divable all year in 2026, but Tulamben is Bali's busiest dive site and scuba groups fill the bay through the morning; local entrance and parking charges change from time to time, so confirm them close to your visit.
The 5-10 m hull top, coral- and anemone-covered, ideal as a warm-up line and a first pass over the deck
The 16-20 m midship structure, the classic freediving photo angle, where schooling fish often stack up
The 25-30 m stern and bow sections for experienced divers, where the whole silhouette resolves on a clear day
The swim-throughs cut into the broken hull, spectacular even viewed from the outside, and best appreciated that way
The dawn slot before the dive buses arrive, unmatched for visibility, calm and safety margin
Amed, twenty minutes by car, to pair wreck sessions with deep-line training
Good to know
SafetyDive with a buddy and a dedicated safety diver, strictly one-up-one-down. Shallow water blackout and LMC are the leading causes of freediving fatalities, and they strike without warning in the last 5-10 metres of ascent or at the surface. Diving alone is unacceptable at any depth here. If you run a line, wear a lanyard and have a bottom plate and counterballast or another recovery method in place; freedivers often tour this wreck free-immersion style without a line, which makes agreeing on surface sightlines and maximum dive times beforehand even more important.
SafetyThe interior and the swim-throughs are overhead environments. If you black out inside, you cannot float to the surface, and that is a fatal sequence. Penetration is not something to attempt just because the openings look wide; go in only with a trained guide and safety stationed at the exit, and only through short, well-lit passages.
SafetyPast about 20 metres, lung squeeze is a genuine risk. Never drop straight to maximum depth without a full warm-up, and abort the day immediately if you feel chest or throat pain or see any blood in a cough. Repeated deep dives need real recovery intervals between them.
SafetyMornings can put dozens to well over a hundred scuba divers on the same structure. Ascending freedivers risk collisions with divers and boats, and exhaust bubbles wreck visibility. Always look up on ascent, extend one arm overhead, and deploy a surface marker buoy.
SeasonApril to October, the dry season, offers the best visibility and surface conditions. Diving continues through the wet season from November to March, but rain raises turbidity and swell can build. Access roads may also be restricted if Mount Agung becomes active, so check local advisories before travelling.
RulesMost local operators require at least a Level 1 certification (SSI, AIDA, PADI or equivalent) plus travel insurance that explicitly covers freediving, and they will not sign off on unguided solo entries. Hyperbaric chambers are located in the Denpasar and Gianyar areas, a substantial drive from Tulamben, so confirm the evacuation plan with your operator in advance.
MannersThe Liberty is both a living reef structure and a war grave-adjacent artefact. Do not grab or fin into the hull, and take nothing from the wreck or the reef. The pebble beach is steep and slippery, so wear boots, and hiring the village porters to carry gear is both the local custom and part of the site's economy.
Practical info
Tulamben is about a three-hour drive from Denpasar (DPS) airport, and most freedivers stay in Tulamben or Amed to secure a dawn slot. Visitors on a visa on arrival should also budget the Bali tourist levy of IDR 150,000 per person, payable through the official Love Bali portal. Dive fees, beach entrance charges, certification requirements and operator hours vary between businesses and change often, so verify the current details directly when you book.
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