Trip Report Bali Dive Resort in Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia

[justinthedeeps]

Just so everyone knows, most of the 'advanced,' 'tech,' and microphotography diving is happening on the the Tulamben side (between the two). Tulamben is closer to a lot of the highly regarded sites.

If you trust yourself on a motor scooter--I suggest years of existing road cycling / motorbike experience--they were renting them out through the dive resorts and/or direct from one of the market shops.

Reasonable ride between Tulamben and Amed, just please wear the helmet and eyewear, cover up completely in case you go down, wear proper shoes, don't be the fastest or the slowest. Or just ask and pay someone to take you between, it shouldn't be very expensive (gojek ojek)

 

[JonnieB]

My last trip to Bali in August last year we were diving to 100m from the shore with scooters and rebreathers, is that deep enough?

Heading back in a couple of weeks staying at the Seamount Resort in Amed.

My entry point for Bintan House/Black Sand Beach shore dive. Not at 100 meters but I've been keeping an eye on a juvenile Clown Frogfish (black w orange spots) the past 3 months on the artificial cubes at 6-7m (just before the slope). It's grown from 2cm to 4cm during this time. It may have adult colouration by the time you arrive

 

[JonnieB]

Just so everyone knows, most of the 'advanced,' 'tech,' and microphotography diving is happening on the the Tulamben side (between the two). Tulamben is closer to a lot of the highly regarded sites.

If you trust yourself on a motor scooter--I suggest years of existing road cycling / motorbike experience--they were renting them out through the dive resorts and/or direct from one of the market shops.

Reasonable ride between Tulamben and Amed, just please wear the helmet and eyewear, cover up completely in case you go down, wear proper shoes, don't be the fastest or the slowest. Or just ask and pay someone to take you between, it shouldn't be very expensive (gojek ojek)

Good points. If you are only interested in diving, and especially macro/macro photography and deeper dives, basing oneself in Tulamben may be preferred. However, it's very small, with about a half dozen or so places to eat and nothing going on after dark. You may prefer this. Amed is much larger, with dozens of places to eat, a couple gyms, spas, yoga, a nice sunset beach, better views of Mt Agung volcano, grocery stores, day pool clubs, and more. The most tech oriented dive ops, Bali Tech Dive and Prana/RAID are located in Amed. If you're reasonably proficient on a scooter, you shouldn't have a problem in the Amed/Tulamben area. But do wear the helmet. The traffic here is very light compared to the tourist areas of south Bali. The drive between Amed and Tulamben is 20-30 minutes one way, depending on your speed. There is no Gojek in Amed/Tulamben but you can ask at your resort and they will round up a driver for $6-$8 each way.

 

[justinthedeeps]

Old green zone going to new gyms and cafe, next a proper pier? I hope they do not replace the roads

Imagine the Eka Jayas coming linking to Amed soon ...

 

[cfberry]

I share Jonnie's views.
I stayed at Amed Sep of 2023.
I didn't go clubbing or to bars, but enjoyed ordering from many restaurants in Amed.
Views of the mount were great every everyday.
I suggest staying in the west side of Amed, to be closer to Tulamben for dives in that area.
I stayed at Prana dive. Cozy cottage style accommodation. Owned by our very own @RainPilot.

thanks for the input!

 

[justinthedeeps]

@JonnieB & co are right of course about the scene and the beach in Amed, exponentially more of a transpat-infused community and marketplace, more wonderful restaurants than you can could visit in a month, classic beachfront 🕶 (And marked safe from the lahar)

They'll drive you to the good Tulamben divesites, don't worry (Even TekDeep, speaking of tech)

@Pressurehead do not regret Tulamben at a good price though. You can freesnorkel the wreck any time, you can dive a proper wall reef without even needing to ride in a vehicle (though you probably will anyway). Eat dive sleep (& scooter to Amed for a chaicino). Have a nice meal and drink at the Matahari, watching the must-divers bodysurf into stones at all hours (sometimes ) Sunrise from there also

No closer view of Agung than the rooftops in Tulamben. Almost too close

 

[Tassi Devil Diver]

Reasonable ride between Tulamben and Amed, just please wear the helmet and eyewear, cover up completely in case you go down, wear proper shoes, don't be the fastest or the slowest. Or just ask and pay someone to take you between, it shouldn't be very expensive (gojek ojek)

Yep this saw two serious scooter accidents one fatal last time I was there.

 

[Pressurehead]

@Pressurehead do not regret Tulamben at a good price though. You can freesnorkel the wreck any time, you can dive a proper wall reef without even needing to ride in a vehicle (though you probably will anyway). Eat dive sleep (& scooter to Amed for a chaicino). Have a nice meal and drink at the Matahari, watching the must-divers bodysurf into stones at all hours (sometimes ) Sunrise from there also

Thanks for that.
I was one of the divers who fell over on exit on to rocks on my 2nd dive there, smooth as silk and good trim on the dive, and I felt good, flapping around like an untrained seal on exit.
I remember saying to my guide 'not one person on exit on these rocks has their regulator in their mouth after taking off their fins' , I did ,and was glad of it, he said 'it is taught in my SSI course and PADI when I taught for them, but for some reason it is not done here'.
All those years of shore diving around the Sydney area from 1968 to 1986 being knocked around on exit on some dives taught you to keep the thing giving you gas in your face, with your mask on.
And my balance at 74 is not as it was, rough, tough and hard to bluff when you are 18-36 years old in those days.
This getting old is not for the timid.

I am back in Tulamben in November, I will do better this trip.

 

[JonnieB]

Thanks for that.
I was one of the divers who fell over on exit on to rocks on my 2nd dive there, smooth as silk and good trim on the dive, and I felt good, flapping around like an untrained seal on exit.
I remember saying to my guide 'not one person on exit on these rocks has their regulator in their mouth after taking off their fins' , I did ,and was glad of it, he said 'it is taught in my SSI course and PADI when I taught for them, but for some reason it is not done here'.
All those years of shore diving around the Sydney area from 1968 to 1986 being knocked around on exit on some dives taught you to keep the thing giving you gas in your face, with your mask on.
And my balance at 74 is not as it was, rough, tough and hard to bluff when you are 18-36 years old in those days.
This getting old is not for the timid.

I am back in Tulamben in November, I will do better this trip.

Good on you for knowing proper surf entry and exit procedures...as everyone finds out, if there is moderate to high surf at almost all of the Tulamben dive sites, it can be a tricky entry. On "surfs up" days, there are always divers dangerously rolling around in the surf. Most sites have medium to large size smooth rounded stones as substrate and it's almost impossible to get a secure footing even when the water is calm. Some of the sites have rope lines...use them if the surfs up! Also keep mask/regulator on/in until you are ashore. If one is knocked down, don't try to stand up but crawl in/out in all fours

On of the nice things about Amed diving is just about all the shore entries are over sand.