Bali Report - Tulamben Bay

[JonnieB]

Diving The Island Of The Gods

Tulamben, Bali
August 2005

Keywords: Indonesia, Bali, Tulamben, Kuta, SCUBA Diving, Tauch Terminal Resort, Scuba Seraya Resort, Liberty Wreck

Introduction

This author spent a week SCUBA diving on the island of Bali and these are the impressions from this trip. It was the first trip to Bali for the author so the impressions and conclusions are qualified to this extent. The diving was limited to the Tulamben Bay area.

Arrival

Most visitors to Indonesia require a visa. This can be obtained from an embassy/consulate before departure or at the Denpasar airport on arrival. At immigration, there are separate lines for those with and without visas. For those without a visa, obtaining one is a simple process. There is no form to complete or photo required, you simply enter the separate line for such arrivals, present your passport, and pay the $25 fee. The visa is entered in the passport and you are finished. The whole process takes hardly any more time than for those arriving with visas. The Denpasar airport is small and functional. There are some souvenir shops, restaurants, and mini-marts, and several domestic and foreign bank ATMs (including Citibank).

Bali

Many SCUBA divers associate Indonesia with world class underwater realms. The seas near Borneo and Sulawesi islands often some to mind, few, however, associate Bali with SCUBA diving. Bali images include exotic Hindu culture, gamelan music and dance, towering volcanoes, lush rice fields, and colourful batiks and handicrafts. Maybe even Aussie surfer-dudes and beer-fueled nitelife…but SCUBA?

Yes SCUBA!!!

Bali has just about all types of diving. Everything from calm shallow bays - perfect for muck diving, to island wall dives, to a world-class wreck, to adrenaline pumping high-current open water sites. There is something of interest for any diver at any level. Its location between the Pacific and Indian oceans provides the currents which bath the waters around Bali. The close proximity to deep water ensures a constant source of nutrient rich waters for the marine life in the area. Therefore there is a profusion of marine life…everything from small invertebrates and juvenile fish seeking shelter in shallow bays to large open water pelagics offshore.

Books that were used in researching this trip included: Lonely Planet’s Diving and Snorkeling Bali & Lombok and Periplus Action Guides’ Diving Bali. The Periplus guide is particularly detailed in its description of different dive sites, their location, UW topography, and marine life to be found. Supplement these resources (and this report) with current information from the web and Bali could be your next great dive trip.

Here are some useful links:

http://www.kapalselam.org, http://www.aquamarinediving.com, http://divingbali.tripod.com

Tulamben

The island of Bali is large, with the terrain consisting of low-lying coastlines, mountainous volcanoes, and intervening valleys. The main “highways” consist of 2-lane sealed roads that ring the island along the coast and connect with a few inland towns. These roads are used by all and sundry gas and grass powered vehicles, as well as the odd funeral procession. For these reasons: size, typography, and limited roads, movement from place to place can be time and energy consuming. Therefore, since only a week was at hand, the decision was made to dive a single location…the sites in and around Tulamben Bay.

[The main tourist area of Bali is the Denpasar/Kuta/Sanur corridor…at the southern tip of the island. This area is very developed and “Westernized,” with shopping plazas and fast-food outlets, etc. Outside this area, however, it gets very rural in a hurry and Western toiletries, snacks, and other convience items become rare or non-existent. Therefore, one should stock-up on any such items, including local mobile phone SIM chips and calling refill cards, while here, before heading out to the dive areas. Contact with the outside world is also very limited (i.e. television) so bring along a selection of reading material and your electronic toys to keep you amused (a significant other can also be substituted here) between dives and during the evening. Also, the selection of dive gear and replacement parts/servicing available in Bali is limited and gear redundancy is advised. [Electricity is 220v with 2 round-pin plug.]

Tulamben Bay is situated on the north coast - about 3 hours drive from the airport. It is Bali’s most popular dive site. The route from Denpasar meanders along scenic stretches of coastline and through lush mountain valleys filled with green rice paddies. The Bay itself is situated at the foot of Bali’s highest volcano…the majestic Mount Agung…towering over the area at 2567 meters. The black cobblestone shoreline and black sand bay make it unique. There are several small dive resorts in the area, the most prominent being: Tauch Terminal, Mimpi Resort, and Scuba Seraya. This area was chosen for its “laid-back” diving profile…reported to be very easy, with little current and long lazy bottom times. The mix of a great wreck, a good wall, and reputedly good macro sites were all lures.

Scuba Seraya Resort

Due to an unusual circumstance that will be explained later, two different dive resorts were used during the week: Scuba Seraya and Tauch Terminal. The first stop was Scuba Seraya Resort. (www.scubaseraya.com) Scuba Seraya resort is located about 4 km down the road from what would be considered Tulamben proper and sits by itself on a stretch of shoreline the next cove over from Tulamben Bay. This is no disadvantage and in some ways advantageous. The Swiss owned and managed resort is quite new, being opened in 2004, and consists of about a dozen standard rooms and deluxe suites. The rooms are spread-out bungalow style around the property and all feature air-conditioning and private outdoor bathrooms and reading decks. There is also a restaurant and nice pool/lounging area. The restaurant is small, with a limited selection of Western and Indonesian dishes, but after a full-days diving, isn’t it all good? Desserts are few, and there isn’t much else cooking in the immediate vicinity, so if you have a sweet tooth, stock-up on those chips, candy bars, cookies, and other snacks while in town as advised earlier.

The standard rooms are very clean, spacious, and comfortable, with a full-size canopy bed, nite stands desk/chair, and large dresser. There is ample light for reading, air-conditioning, and 4 electrical outlets (all available 24 hrs.). The large tropical style outdoor hot/cold water bathroom became a favorite place to take a refreshing shower in the outdoor sun and air. (Don’t worry, it is very private and surrounded by high walls.) The front balcony area has a chaise lounge and light, making it a comfortable place to read or journal at any time of day, but especially in the evening. The suites are very large and luxurious, with verandas facing directly out to sea. They have small private courtyards, with their own small Jacuzzi tubs and covered salas. Both the rooms and suites have a bright and airy tropical Balinese design and are a cut or two above your typical “dive resort” room often found in SE Asia.

The Scuba Seraya dive operation is run by a personable lady from the USA. She and her Indonesian dive guides and equipment crew do a good job of welcoming and assisting guests in having a hassle-free experience. There is a secure gear storage room (though as anywhere, cameras and computers should be taken back to the room each nite). The gear-up area is spacious and covered and has three large rinse tanks, showers, and toilets. It is also directly adjacent to the shore making entries and exits a quick and easy affair. During this visit, there were only a few other guests so diving locations and times were a casual affair…discussed and decided by the divers at breakfast and as the day went along. As far as sites dived, all of the sites in Tulamben Bay are accessible via a 5 minute boat ride. The other star site here is Seraya’s own house reef, located directly in front of the resort. [Detailed descriptions of the dive sites will follow.]

 

[JonnieB]

Diving The Island Of The Gods, Part 2

Tauch Terminal Resort

After an enjoyable few days at Scuba Seraya Resort, it was time to transfer a few kilometers up the road to Tauch Terminal Resort. (www.tulamben.com) This was because this author would be embarking on a ship to Komodo Island from Tauch in a few days time. Tauch is located in the center of Tulamben Bay, and surrounded by a few other small resorts, restaurants and dive operators. It is German managed and one of the pioneers of diving in this area…being around for over 10 years. It is much larger than Seraya Resort. This brings the benefit of a larger restaurant, with a larger selection of dishes and a couple of nice desserts (divers really do live off their stomachs). They even have pizza and barbeque nites. [The restaurants at both Seraya and Tauch are sit down and order off the menu affairs…not buffet style meals.] The drawback to being a pioneer is that the rooms are older and not as comfortable as those of Scuba Seraya.

The standard guest room at Tauch Terminal is very basic and includes a full-size bed, small desk, and hot and cold water bathroom. There is air-conditioning and several electrical outlets (again 24 hr.). It is clean and basic. There are also superior rooms and suites available. All rooms have porch areas out front. The staff at both resorts are uniformly friendly and helpful. Tauch’s large pool overlooks the Bay and has a sandy play area for children. Balinese massage is also available at nearby poolside salas.

The diving at Tauch Terminal is done on a schedule, with 4 dive times per day…morning, late morning, afternoon, dusk/nite. The sites are set also, however, some variation is possible upon request. Dives to sites beyond Tulamben Bay are also available. The 3 dive sites within the Bay: Liberty Wreck, Paradise Reef, and Drop-Off are dived from Tauch (and all other resorts on the Bay) as shore entry dives. The only site that is directly in front of Tauch is Paradise Reef. In order to reach the others, a walk down the shoreline, in wetsuit and carrying all gear sans tank/BCD, of 200-250 meters is required! The large smooth stone pebbles that make-up the Bay’s shoreline can make this walk quite treacherous. It is quite easy to loose one’s footing and stumble on this walk, especially when carrying your fins, mask, weights, and any extra gear like cameras. After a few dives, these pre and post dive walks can become tiresome. [These walks are not an issue with Seraya guests, as the sites are reached via their boat.]

The Dive Sites

The dive sites in Tulamben Bay and the adjacent Seraya House Reef are suitable for all levels of divers. During this visit, visibility was good, ranging from 5-20 meters. Water temperature was 27-28 degrees. Currents were little to none, however, there were a couple days of high surf. The dive season is May thru November, with the prime months being June/July and October/November. The months of August/September can bring with them high winds and surf (as noted above). One caution: If the surf is up, extreme caution should be used when entering and exiting the water (especially for those inexperienced with such conditions…like your author). The water’s strong push and pull surge and the rocky/pebbly shoreline makes it very easy to loose your balance and stumble and fall. Being rolled around in rough surf, while wearing a BCD/tank and maybe carrying bulky (and expensive) cameras, is no fun. If such conditions are present, consult with the dive staff for proper entry and exit techniques.

The underwater topography of this area is not a reason to dive these sites. With the exception of the Liberty Wreck, the UW scenery is not very dramatic. (For that, you have to go topside and fix your gaze at Mt. Agung.) Both areas are basically shallow sandy bottom bays, with a few coral outcroppings. On one side of the bay is also a rock wall dive. You will not find large schools of colourful snappers, fusiliers, and anthias, nor surfaces covered in soft and hard corals, as is often seen on a typical limestone coral reef. The black coloured sand (and its non-reflective property) can give the sites a dark somber cast even during the daytime. What the area does offer is lazy diving and easy access to a large variety of rare and uncommon fish and invertebrate life. For these reasons, this area would likely most interest an advanced diver looking for unusual marine specimens. The opportunities for dramatic wreck photography and interesting macro shots are also superb.

Liberty Wreck

The “Liberty Wreck” is the sunken remains of a World War I era American cargo ship. During World War II service, she was torpedoed and disabled by the Japanese near Bali and beached in Tulamben Bay. The 1963 eruption of Mt. Agung pushed her out into the Bay, where she sank. Today, the wreck is lying on her side about 40 meters from shore in water 10-35 meters deep. When commissioned, she was 120 meters long and grossed over 6200 tons. The location directly offshore, in a calm and shallow bay, makes it an easily accessible and safe large wreck dive. The Wreck is semi-intact. Her large and generally intact structure, usually calm and clear water, and varied marine life, make for a fun and rewarding dive.

Swimming out from the beach and coming upon the Liberty Wreck so close to shore is quite dramatic in itself.
It is spread-out over a very large area, both on the seabed and in the water column. Being semi-intact, there are endless nooks and crannies to explore. Large masts and towers rise dramatically towards the surface, making for interesting photographs. There are also several large swim-throughs. This is the one site that does have a large variety and quantity of hard and soft corals. Another bonus is the relatively shallow depth allows for prolonged time on the Wreck. Being a large and varied wreck, it would take many dives over several days to thoroughly investigate it. This site is also dived at nite, which is an interesting and at times eerily spooky experience.

Some of the notables sited on dives here included: Bump-head Parrotfish, large 1½ meter grouper, schools of curious batfish, some giant mantis shrimp, scorpion fish, unicorn fish, and angel fish. On the way back to shore, have your dive master show you the resident pair of Harlequin shrimp.

Paradise Reef/Coral Garden

Paradise Reef is directly in front of Tauch Terminal. It is a shallow sand and coral rubble strewn site with a smattering of fish. The main attraction here is the Ribbon eels, rare and shy else ware, here they are abundant and bold as brass. They seem to be on every sandy patch around…both blue and black ones (male/female or juvenile/adult who knows?). They are not shy and very approachable…especially nice for photographers. Several were even spotted free-swimming! Nudibranchs are also found in numbers here.

Drop-Off

The Drop-Off is located along the volcanic rock spur that juts into Tulamben Bay, forming its northern boundary. It is a pleasant wall dive. There is a large variety of hard corals and crinoids here. Angel fish, anthias, wrasses, and many nudibranchs were present, but few invertebrates were seen. One of the highlights of the week was found here…a stunningly beautiful and delicate green and white spotted Leaf Scorpion fish. According to the dive master, there is also a pink one at this site, though it was not seen. A medium sized Napoleon wrasse, a few moray eels, and some lion fish brought up the rear.

Seraya House Reef

The Seraya House Reef, as its name implies, is directly in front of Scuba Seraya resort. It is located around the tip of Drop-Off reef along the next stretch of shoreline from Tulamben Bay. Again, this is a shore entry dive with a short swim of about 20 meters to the site, and consists of a black sand bottom, with some large rocks and boulders scattered about. It goes down to about 25 meters. There is nothing scenic about the site in the traditional sense…but for those looking for rare creatures or macro treasures, it is a goldmine! For the serious macro critter enthusiast it doesn’t get much better than this.

As soon as you hit the bottom you are surrounded by the odd and unusual. The rare specimen elsewhere becomes commonplace. Several pairs of Harlequin shrimp were seen…including some slicing and dicing a hapless starfish for dinner. Several extra-ordinary Frog fish were also observed…one so colourful is appeared to be encrusted with jewels like a Faberge egg and another beautiful all white affair. A large Honeycomb moray eel, covered in several species of cleaner shrimp, was curled-up under a large rock, along with a serene stone fish. Many White-eye morays and lion fish were scattered about. Three large Spiny seahorses and a decorator crab were also encountered.

The Seraya House Reef was dived multiple times and one always wanted to go back for more. Other reef inhabitants include strange and unusual nudibranchs (and many of them), Marble moray eels, and dwarf and common cuttlefish. Another highlight of the trip was a beautiful orange/brown coloured Conger snake eel. In addition, close inspection of a feather star revealed (okay, the dive master pointed them out) a tiny yellow crinoid shrimp and a black/white squat lobster.

 

[JonnieB]

Diving The Island Of The Gods, Conclusion

Kuta Beach

Here are a few impressions of Kuta Beach, based on a 1-nite stay here one the return leg of this trip. Its not bad! After being “out in the sticks” for a week of diving, spending a day/nite in Kuta was a relaxing way to decompress before the final return home. Here you can go get a nice shampoo, haircut and shave for your return to civilization. Of course, a major snacks fill-up is in order, along with that longed for Starbucks latte and piece of chocolate cake. Hey, go ahead and treat yourself, the Hagen-Daz ice cream café is here too. You can also get caught-up with world events in your absence by picking-up a copy of the International Herald Tribune to read with your latte. For those seeking a gourmet meal or a nite on the town, there are many upon many trendy restaurants, pubs, and clubs to while away your final day(s) in Bali. Sure, it is a bit of a honky-tonk, but after all that time spent in the serene embrace of nature, it can be a welcome one.

Kuta/Kuta Beach is a rather compact affair. Most things are located on or near the main drag, Legian street. Here you will find myriad restaurants, cafes, and shops. The white sand beach is a short one block walk away. Inexpensive motorcycle/car taxis are readily at hand. Un’s Hotel, located between Legian street and the beach was a lucky find. [Jalan Legian, Bene Sari 16, Kuta, Bali; 62-361-757-409; unshotel@denpasar.wasantara.net.id) It is very pleasant and quiet, with 20 comfortable aircon or fan rooms surrounding a garden and pool. It is close to the beach and the shops, restaurants, and niteclubs on Legian. The taxi ride from Kuta to the airport takes 20-30 minutes.

Conclusion

This author’s impressions of Bali are very positive. The dramatic topography of the island and the warm and friendly welcome given to visitors make a compelling combination. One nice factor is that the “mass tourism” factor has yet to be felt here. The Tulamben area is still very rural, with little large-scale development. During the week there, none of the dive sites were at all crowded. At most there were one or two other groups of divers at a site and many times there were none.

Scuba Seraya and Tauch Terminal resorts both have strong points. Seraya has a cozy “boutique” resort feeling to it. The spacious grounds, pool, and comfortable well appointed rooms and suites provide for a very relaxing stay. There is also the ease of diving the house reef and Tulamben Bay sites by boat. Tauch is a bigger resort with a larger restaurant, with more varied menu. This is a plus for anyone staying for an extended period. Both resorts have scenic settings directly on the shoreline, with Mt. Agung towering behind them. The dive staffs at both resorts are friendly and know their sites well.

The underwater world of Tulamben Bay will surely draw this visitor back for many repeat stays. In addition, the presence of several other different diving environments around Bali that have yet to be explored ensures many return visits to this Island of the Gods.

 

[JonnieB]

Photos from this trip can be seen in my SB photo gallery, in the Bali album.

 

[_Bella_]

Thanks for the report. It was very comprehensive and informative.

 

[scottfiji]

nice report and photos, really enjoyed the yellow boxfish

 

[Zippsy]

Great report but I thought it a little unusual that you say that found Kuta as a good place to relax after diving in Tulumben for a week. Most people go to Kuta to ramp back up to a hectic pace of life in the real world!