accommodation and diving in Tulamben. Advice needed

[Tortuga68]

I can't speak highly enough about www.tulambenwreckdivers.com - their villas are probably, no definitely, the most luxurious dive accomodation I've ever stayed in & at a terrific price, plus Tony & Dot are great hosts. I also dive with them

One of the great things about Tulamben is that since it's nearly all shore diving, you can set your own dive schedule. The wife and squid can hang out by your private pool if you stay in the villas

You're correct that there're no sand beaches there, but the diving is fantastic, USAT Liberty is one of my favourite dives ever. You can do a boat trip to from Padang Bai to Nusa Penida to see the mantas (and with a bit luck & the right timing, mola mola)

 

[robcap]

Thanks to everybody.
Flight booked. 18-29 August
After long consideration we decided for only a few days in Tulamben and spend most of the trip at Gili Island. The beach looks definitely more baby&wife friendly (alas she used to be a diver, now .... sigh). I'll check info on Gili and possibly post a new request for advice (different 3d).
Considering the gloomy day in Melbourne today (I mean Melbourne VIC, not FL) I am so looking forward to it !!

 

[cdiver2]

If you want to go a little upscale, I recommend the Mimpi Tulamben. (The diving and accommodations at Mimpi Menjangan are also quite nice.) I was there a month ago but was, unfortunately, too lazy to do a proper trip report. The diving right out front is nice, and it's about a four hundred meter walk to the Liberty Wreck (porters will carry your tanks on their heads for a couple of bucks). The dive op was tolerant of my solo diving. When you say "unlimited diving" do you mean for one price? You could dive as much as you wanted out front, but they cost $22 a dive. They scheduled some boat dives, which entailed taking an outrigger canoe to a different shore dive, which wasn't that different. They also schedule cars to Gilimanuk to dive Secret Bay. I paid $170 for the ocean-view cottage, complete with private courtyard, lounging area, outdoor bathroom and large air-conditioned bedroom and just a few steps from the shore. A family of three would be comfortable. If you have time, you may want to consider doing four or five days in Menjangan, then Tulamben, and then doing some dives on Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan off the southeast corner of Bali. Each site offers diving fairly distinct from the others.

I think from looking at the photos you got the same room that we had. On the sea front with a pond out front and a statue? We also had a great time there.

 

[robcap]

OK, back from Bali ... sigh...
we spent 3 days in Tulamben. Stayed at the liberty dive resort, which I can recommend. Quite and friendly. Unless diving with my wife I ended up diving 1 to 1 with the guide. They have nitrox available for free. The only negative remark is on the language skills of the guides, honestly difficult to understand. The first briefing was something like: "we going dive liberty wreck. This liberty wreck (showing a sort of a map). This shore. And we dive liberty wreck. very beautiful. And maxm depth 20-24-28 we stay 24 maxm depth. and this liberty wreck very beautiful. Have dive before liberty wreck? very beautiful ..."

We then took the speedboat from Amed to the Gili Island - quite a bumpy ride, my poor daughter was exhausted. We spent a week in Gili Air, dove with Manta dive. Nice operation long and easy dives, ideal for beginners. a lot of bleached coral but it is growing again.

And now back in cloudy Melbourne