Tulamben
Tulamben
With its warm water, extensive coral reefs and abundant marine life , Bali offers excellent diving and snorkelling possibilities. Some of Bali’s most interesting diving is found at Tulamben, where the shallow wreck War World II US cargo ship torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942, is now festooned with colourful corals and schools of tropical fish.
The wreck is very popular with photographers as it is totally encrusted in anemone, gorgonia and corals. The black sand provides an excellent color contrast for the incredible variety of marine life, which includes a huge school (literally 100s) of 10-12inch silver fish called Big-Eyed Travelly and over 400 other species of fish.
All the fish are very tame (partly as a result of some guides feeding them, a rather an environmentally-sound practice!) from the Goat fish and Wrasse that nibble around your feet and fins during entry/exit to the Unicorn fish and Surgeon fish which make a (slightly alarming the first time you see them!) beeline for your mask as you swim down towards the Wreck.
It is quite difficult to list what you will see because you’ll see just about everything in any Indo-Pacific Reef Guide book if you dive here. From the minute Angler fish, neon nudi branches, Ghost Pipe fish, shrimp/go by sets, through to the areas of Garden Eels and multi-coloured clouds of anthias and damsels and on to the schools of Sweet lips, Bat fish, fusiliers, Butterfly fish, the variety is amazing.
Then there are the invertebrates, the hard and soft corals, black corals, sponges with crinoids, sea fans, tunicates. If you dive early ie: first divers on the wreck (only possible if you stay overnight) you may see turtle. It’s the best time of day to dive the wreck.
Night diving on the wreck is great especially during the full moon. You may see Spanish Dancers, flashlight fish, phosphorescence. Where else in the world could you make such an easy – and varied – Night Dive?
The depth and location make the Coral Garden a very good, and popular, Night Dive on which you may see Spanish Dancers and flashlight fish.
In fact the diving actually extends much deeper than 12M, if you carry on down the sand slope, you’ll find barrel sponges with many surprises: juvenile Emperor Angelfish, Two-spot Lion fish, maybe a school of juvenile catfish; cleaning stations with shrimp and wrasse, a shoal of Razor fish swaying in their hiding place.
If you continue along the slope, towards the start of the Drop-off, you’ll come to a dry river bed, scooped out into a bowl-shape, marked by ridges radiating outwards. These ridges are often the best places in Tulamben to find unexpected specimens. Although it is certainly not an area for divers looking for a profusion of marine life!
Travel Bali, Tulamben
www.visitbalionline.com
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