Wrecks, macro, and freedive-friendly bays on Bali's quiet northeast coast
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Overview
Bali's northeast coast around Tulamben and Amed trades beach clubs for black-sand bays, volcano views, and some of Indonesia's easiest walk-in diving. Tulamben's USAT Liberty wreck sits just offshore, making sunrise and night dives possible without a boat. Between the wreck, coral gardens, and nearby muck slopes like Seraya Secrets, photographers can hunt nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, and frogfish in a single day. Amed, a string of fishing villages to the south, adds calm bays for snorkeling and a thriving freediving scene, with depth training set-ups in Jemeluk Bay. On land, East Bali is temple-and-water-palace country: Lempuyang, Tirta Gangga, and the slopes of Mount Agung are all close. Base here for quiet evenings, flexible shore schedules, and easy day trips to Padang Bai, Candidasa, and even Nusa Penida when conditions line up.
Tulamben and Amed are neighboring stretches of Bali's northeast coast (Karangasem Regency) where the diving is mostly shore-based, the pace is slow, and Mount Agung dominates the skyline. Think early-morning entries, black-sand macro hunts, and a world-famous wreck that is close enough for a pre-breakfast dive.
Tulamben is built around the USAT Liberty shoreline. Many resorts and dive centers are clustered within a short drive of the main wreck entry, so it is ideal if your trip is wreck-heavy, you want multiple dives per day, or you like the idea of dawn and night dives without boat schedules.
Amed is a chain of small bays (Jemeluk, Lipah, Bunutan, and more). It is a great base for snorkeling and freediving because several reefs start shallow and then drop into deeper water suitable for line training. Dining and sunsets also feel more spread out and village-like than in Tulamben.
Tulamben is a classic black-sand destination. Plan at least one dedicated macro day (Seraya area is a favorite) and ask your guide what has been seen recently.
Amed's bays and Tulamben's coral gardens are ideal for relaxed dives, check dives, and long shallow profiles. They also work well for snorkelers when the surface is calm.
Water is tropical year-round, commonly around 26°C to 30°C. Visibility varies with wind, swell, and rainfall runoff, so prioritize early starts for the clearest, calmest sessions.
Many entries are over round stones. When afternoon breezes build (often in the dry season), the hardest part can be the last 5 m in the shallows. Booties and patience make a difference.
From Tulamben and Amed you can realistically add:
The coastline sits within a designated marine conservation area in Karangasem that includes zones around Tulamben and the Amed-Seraya stretch. Follow local briefings, do not touch coral or marine life, and keep fins and cameras off the bottom. Paying local site fees and using porters supports the communities that host these shore entries.
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Last updated: December 13, 2025 • 21 sources
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Trip callouts
Dive the USAT Liberty from the beach, including sunrise and night dives, without needing a boat schedule.
Combine black-sand muck (Seraya area) with coral gardens and easy bay reefs in a single base.
Amed's Jemeluk Bay supports depth training and courses, with multiple freedive schools and community events.
Temples, water palaces, and Mount Agung viewpoints are close, so non-divers and surface intervals stay interesting.
The Tulamben and Amed-Seraya coastline sits within a designated Karangasem marine conservation area with defined zones.
scuba
Why Tulamben and Amed for Scuba Diving
Tulamben and Amed are Bali's easiest way to stack dives without living on a boat schedule. Most sites are shore entries, so you can time the USAT Liberty wreck for sunrise, repeat it at night, and still add a macro-focused black-sand dive the same day. Tulamben delivers the classics: the Liberty, a clean drop-off, and coral gardens that start shallow and stay fishy. Amed adds mellow bays with reefs, small wrecks, and artificial structures like the Jemeluk pyramids, plus straightforward logistics for courses, refreshers, and long shallow profiles. If you want variety, the northeast coast also makes it easy to day-trip to Padang Bai or Candidasa for different coral and current patterns.
freedive
Why Tulamben and Amed for Freediving
Amed is one of Bali's most practical freediving bases: calm bays for technique work, quick access to deeper water for line training, and a community of schools running courses and coaching. Jemeluk Bay is the focal point, with shore access for warm-ups and short boat runs to set lines when conditions allow. On rest days, you can still get in the water for fun sessions on the Japanese Shipwreck or shallow reefs, or switch to breathwork and yoga modules that many programs integrate.
snorkel
Why Tulamben and Amed for Snorkeling
Amed's bays and Tulamben's coral gardens make snorkeling simple: walk in from the beach, stay shallow, and still see good reef life. Jemeluk and Lipah are popular for calm-water sessions, while Tulamben's Coral Garden offers a shallow reef close to dive-resort infrastructure. For something different, the Japanese Shipwreck in Amed is snorkelable in very shallow water, especially on low-swell mornings. Pick early starts, use fins and a float, and avoid standing on coral or seaweed farm lines.
topside
What to do when you're not in the water
East Bali is a good reminder that a dive trip can still feel cultural and quiet. Between dives you can loop through iconic viewpoints and temples (Lempuyang), cool off at water palaces (Tirta Gangga and Taman Ujung), or take a sunrise trek on volcanic slopes for big island views. Amed also has a local-food vibe with seafood warungs and traditional sea-salt production. Most activities are within day-trip range, so it is easy to mix short adventures into your surface intervals without spending all day in traffic.
