Tulamben ... how?

[andrethediver]

For those researching their first trip to Bali, keep my comments in mind. I find there are very few critical reports of places/dive operations on SB in general, i guess now i know why...

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[Wisnu]

I've dived Tulamben sites more than 60 dives at the wreck only (mostly with LDR but quite happy with others as well - good thing I'm easy to please) and still love to go there, practically every year. Might not be the best sites in Indonesia, but combination of diversities, easy diving, good access, relaxing atmosphere, cost, etc has put to Tulamben high on my list.

 

[UrbanJungle1966]

mikeynl I don't know if this sort of thing would interest you but Matahari Dive Resort offers an all inclusive package which I found very convenient. Unlimited diving etc is included.

Location is very important to me as I am not a fan of walking. Paradise Hotel and Matahari Dive Resort are located right in the middle of the coral garden. For me this is convenient as I can put on my gear and walk 5 meters and I am in amongst it. 200 meters either way are the drop off and Liberty wreck so for me it is the most convenient place to stay.

I have found the guides to be great although in saying that I only have a private guide or I just tag along with a group with the guide under the full understanding that I will go my own way if they are going too fast or doing things I have no interest in.

 

[Foxtrot16]

For those researching their first trip to Bali, keep my comments in mind. I find there are very few critical reports of places/dive operations on SB in general, i guess now i know why...

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The problem is that you base your comments after only doing three dives there - not really what someone would call being subjective. As I pointed out in my post there are so many sites within Tulamben Bay and then north to Kubu and south to Seraya that you didn't even visit so therefore you would have no knowledge of them.

I have had some bad dives at Tulamben especially on the Wreck because some days there are so many dives there and a lot of them are inexperienced but there are so many other sites to dive that it isn't an issue any more.

To date I have probably done about 60 dives in that area which is 57 more than you have and have stayed at LDR for two of my three trips and will stay with them for my trip in Nov so I think I know the area well.

Yes it is busy and does get crowded but only if you stick to the wreck and the sites close by - I have done dives at Malasti where it was just my guide and I.

Anyway whilst you didn't like the area I love it.

Karl

 

[maat1976]

It's aggressive posts like the one above that can turn people off to a really great site such as SB.

I'm sitting in Tulamben right now posting this and will have 16 dives done here by the time I'm done. I wonder if that will entitle me to an opinion?

I don't mean to be a crab, as it were, but I hate when people crap on others. We are all here because we like scuba.

C

 

[andrethediver]

The point of this forum is to exchange information. Having visited the place you can feel free to share your experience whether it was positive or negative.

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[frogfish]

The point of this forum is to exchange information. Having visited the place you can feel free to share your experience whether it was positive or negative.

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Agree - However I dont think you shared much, except that you did not enjoy the diving and that you did not see anything of interest to YOU.

Maybe the conditions were not good on the day you dived, maybe you are not interested in macro, maybe you were looking for schooling mola mola, maybe all the macro has suddenly migrated to other places - Who knows ?

 

[mikeynl]

I am a little puzzled about this business of a "dive guide". Everybody I see posting here talks about having a guide, and when I look at the resorts they are also promoting it. Why? I want somebody leading me around about like I want a case of some dread disease. My wife and I have reservations at Liberty Dive Resort starting May 24, and I'm already wondering if it is going to be a fight with the dive staff to keep from having an escort.

As other said, they do organise a lot, cos it would be difficult to get to some of the site on your own (like the brilliant Seraya Secrets). Yes, you can definitely see the Liberty of the Drop Off on your own, and the coral garden right in front of the resorts is perfect to dive just with your buddy, but you will probably miss loads. These dive guides know EXACTLY where to find the critters. On my first dive there my guide immediately showed me a pygmy sea horse that I would NEVER EVER have found, and when I dived alone witha guide the next day I saw more amazing macro stuff than I have ever seen.

 

[mikeynl]

Be advised that Tulamben is all about free nitrox, private guides and shore diving. We just had 3 dives there and it was 2 more that was required in that place. Still trying to figure out all the hype...

Those 3 dives, did you do them with a group, just with a buddy or with a private dive guide? I did a few dives with a group first, and yes, I saw some amazing critters, but some of the divers in the group were pretty bad, and the dives weren't that amazing. The fact that the visibility at the Liberty was pretty **** didn't help.

The next day I did 4 dives with a private guide, and these blew me away. It was like ticking off a list of small critters. Pygmy sea horses, ornate ghost pipefishes, all kinds of little crabs and shrimps that I can't even name (some just a few mm large), nudibranch everywhere, weird little box fishes, frog fishes ... the list is endless. But I also saw bigger stuff like barracudas, bumphead parrot fish, a black tip reef shark (20 meters from the resort) and the tamest and one of the biggest moray eels I have ever seen. And I had my teeth cleaned by shrimps, brilliant experience.

Below are a few of the photos I have taken in my 2 days (8 dives) at Tulamben. I'm a total beginner for underwater photography, and I shoot with a small compact camera (Panasonic TZ35) but I was pretty impressed by what I managed to shoot.

I would skip Nusa Penida and head directly to Nusa Lembongan. Big Fish, 2Fish or one of the best diving resorts on the island. Molas are in season starting in July, but mantas, bamboo and guitar sharks are around.

I have actually done my Dive Master internship on Lembongan, with Big Fish, so I can definitely compare the two. Yes, the sites there are definitely more colorful, the corals are amazing, and you do get to see some BIG stuff there:
- the mantas - though you usually just find them at otherwise pretty boring rocky south coast (I saw dozens of these),
- the Mola Ramsayi (which is not the Mola Mola as advertised everywhere) - though they are rare and seasonal (I never saw one in 6 weeks) and if you see them at the famous Crystal bay it's likely there will be loads of people around,
- sharks (only seen about 3 or 4)
Also there's an abundance of very colorful reef fish around, and stuff like sea snakes and turtles, but most of it you'll see in a drift dive.

My opinion: for macro stuff and taking photos Tulamben is much better, while Lembongan/Penida is much better for pelagic fish and rich, colorful reefs. Together they make a perfect dive holiday.

 

[andrethediver]

I agree about Nusa Lembongan and seriously considering 2 fish for divemaster internship one day. They give you an option to split up your time between their 3 resorts. I would add that for serious macro stuff head directly to Lembeh strait.