Another Bali update – Tulamben, Menjangan and Secret Bay, end of May 2011.

[Wisnu]

The main purpose of our trip to Tulamben this time is for Melati, my younger daughter to learn underwater photography from Jeff Mullin, Australian UW photographer who live in Tulamben with his lovely wife Dawn – very nice couple, indeed. I bought Olympus XZ-1 for her. All macro pictures here were taken by her with this camera and strobe Inon D2000. For WA, I shot with Oly E-PL1. Since she is just 11 years old, typically we dive shallow within limitation of Jr. OW. So, bear in mind, what we captured here certainly is not the best attraction of Bali dive sites.
Being local and very familiar with Bali, we rent a car from RMB, approx. USD 22 / day for a new tinny car Suzuki Estilo. This time we stayed at Liberty Dive Resort, has been operating for 3 years and now adding another more luxury bungalows. There’s new resort next to LDR facing the sea, ie. Ocean View Tulamben, with huge beautiful garden, very spacious bungalow, luxurious bath tub, swimming pool 50 m from the wreck – has been operating for 3 months, seem very quiet. They offered me promo price almost similar at LDR, but I have no reason to move to this new resort. May be, next time will give a try.

We stay 3 nights, 6 dives only including 3 early morning diving at the wreck. Not very true now if you dive at 06:00 am then the wreck is yours. More and more divers choose to dive Tulamben early morning. There’s always another divers earlier than us and at least we met a dozen divers during our dive.

Massive bump head parrotfish and jackfish school always welcome us on every dive.



End of May is very nice condition for Tulamben, no high surf, enter/exit the water was easy and mostly fair to good visibility. Other divers told me about very strong current when they dive coral garden. We experience strong current only on May, 31st morning, need more energy to reach the wreck as a shelter – where the jackfish school swim freely without any divers disturbed them and I took this picture while hiding from the current.



Unfortunately we do not see barry the baracuda - probably he is still sleeping somewhere else in the wreck.



Kubu, 2 km west of Tulamben village is another choice in this area providing good opportunity for both macro and WA. Dawn is kind enough to be my model.



I don’t know whose put toilets in the coral garden. I just hate to see this ridiculous idea.



However, Melati love this site since many of her favourites shots were taken here.







After early morning dive and breakfast on May, 31, we checked-out and continue our trip to Menjangan - took us almost 4 hours, due to inefficient construction works to improve the road from Tulamben to Singaraja. We stayed at lovely Mimpi menjangan resort and dive with small dive center - Disthi Scuba. However, no more diving for the day, instead we enjoyed dipping our feet in the natural hot spring water.
The next morning we drive to Terima bay, 8 km from Mimpi resort where Disthi scuba is located. Menjangan island is mostly wall diving with good to excellent visibility, very healthy coral teeming with life, large gorgonian, but nothing special since we dive shallow and practically no current at that time.



Disthi main business is not scuba diving, they operate pearl farm at Terima bay. They establish diving centre mostly to cater friends. My daughter is interested with pearl farm, so, we shorten our third dive to 45 minute only and reserve the air for diving at the pearl farm.
Melati is taking picture on the pearl clam panel.



Here what she get.



The next day we dive secret bay at gilimanuk, few hundred meter from the busy ferry terminal. If you love muck diving, then secret bay is another choice – very shallow, no current, but use 5 mm wetsuit if you want to stay until your tank pressure 50 bar.

Melati took this picture and we only realized there’s 2 frogfish 2 week later after we back home and check our pictures.



If you have strong belly, after two long diving, go to restaurant “mbak Lina” and try the best ayam betutu (bali style chicken dish) in the island just 300 meters from the dive sites. Most people choose the original one – super hot and spicy.

[Luko]

The bumphead parrotfish photo is amazing, really good lighting!
I thought the traditional Balinese dish was bebek betutu instead of ayam ... any hints on Tulamben and Pemuteran restaurants?

[Wisnu]

Hi Luko,
Thanks for nice words.

Bebek betutu is gourmet for royal and tourist .. who looking for Canard à l'Orange
Locals prefer ayam, much cheaper and faster to cook.

In Tulamben, warung wayan is the most popular among the visitor - good food but the main reason we dined there is to watch roland garos.

In Pemuteran, we had tried several restaurant operated by resorts, more less similar, not better than mimpi menjangan resort. We prefer to drive 30 minute to gilimanuk to enjoy the ayam betutu or padang food or warung jawa - far tastier than any resort restaurant in pemuteran.

[boletus73]

If you have strong belly, after two long diving, go to restaurant “mbak Lina” and try the best ayam betutu (bali style chicken dish) in the island just 300 meters from the dive sites. Most people choose the original one – super hot and spicy.

eheh... i eat mine 3 years ago..... but mine ayam betutu was all green... i saw a green chicken... i think was the original.... super hot!!
great report and photos
bye
fabio

[Wisnu]

thanks Fabio
don't worry, all ayam betutu in bali is original receipt or traditional recipe or secret recipe or grandma recipe or ....; at least what the claimed

[gee13]

Nice report and photos Wisnu. It looks like I just missed you having flown from Bali en route out of Sulawesi late May. The Betutu looks nice, had some of the best Soto Ayam when I was there. But Im much a fan of Babi Guling!

[BLUESEASONBALI]

Fantastic report - the bumpheads are truly amazing, especially when you see them on the night dive around 6:45 they all line up on the side of the wreck and wait in turn to find a crack or crevasse to sleep in for the night!

[Wisnu]

Nice report and photos Wisnu. It looks like I just missed you having flown from Bali en route out of Sulawesi late May. The Betutu looks nice, had some of the best Soto Ayam when I was there. But Im much a fan of Babi Guling!

Gee,
We arrived in Bali on May 28 - may be next time. Next plan is Derawan / Sangalaki end of July - hopefully.

For Babi guling you should try babi guling Ibu Oka in Ubud. I don't eat babi, but according Anthony Bourdoin, is the best in the planet.

[Wisnu]

Fantastic report - the bumpheads are truly amazing, especially when you see them on the night dive around 6:45 they all line up on the side of the wreck and wait in turn to find a crack or crevasse to sleep in for the night!

Thanks BSB
Indeed, night diving in the wreck is very amazing, normally we did. Unfortunately have no chance during our recent trip.

[nlo]

@ Wisnu,

Thank you for linking me to this thread. Are you Indonesian by any chance? I am an Indo expat living in the US. I'm trying to get a booking for a day trip out in Tulamben and was wondering if you had any suggestion. Thanks again! And this dive looks awesome. I'm glad your daughter enjoyed it. I'm also a photographer (part time) by profession and would love to one day take photos underwater.