Tulamben ... how?
- Thread starter mikeynl
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Wisnu
Contributor
I'm another happy customer of LDR. Been there 3x; and will stay with them again on my next trip.
another for liberty dive resort- high praise for Esen my guide there, $115 for 4 dives including night(they may have a reduced price seeing as you have all your own gear). Their accomadation prices are listed at $45 but I definitely got it for cheaper then that through one of the hotel booking sites. just a couple of minutes to walk to the shore.
MA
Contributor
LDR - yes!!! I was a solo traveller also. It was perfect. I had my dive guide for the week, a couple if times I had two just for extra spotting! Practice for him I was assuming. I had Uje - he was superb. Food could be better, ask the guides they know the good street good!
+1 Liberty Dive Resort. A fantastic setup. I also had Uje as my dive guide - brilliant 
EL Pistoffo
Contributor
LDR was an original choice of mine. Being a group of three and wanting ocean views I settled on Tulamben Wreck Divers. They had the view along with the suites to accommodate three or more people.
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.
I should mention that we used to own a dive shop in Monterey, CA, and we did lots of guided dives here in CA. I eventually came to hate doing it, which is partly why we sold the dive business. Most of the people we took out didn't have a clue how to dive, and our job was to hand-hold them. That was painful.
I should mention that we used to own a dive shop in Monterey, CA, and we did lots of guided dives here in CA. I eventually came to hate doing it, which is partly why we sold the dive business. Most of the people we took out didn't have a clue how to dive, and our job was to hand-hold them. That was painful.
dirtfarmer
Contributor
The guides are great for spotting the macro critters, in Tulamben they can be especially small. Some times I'll be shooting photos of something I'm have little idea of what it is till I get to see it on my computer. That being said if your not shooting photos a magnifying glass comes in handy. The only hand holding the guides might do is on some shore entry's. There are some pretty rocky/big boulders entry's that I appreciate my guides hand on my BCD while I have my camera and fins in hand. Depending on the weather you can also do a fair bit of wave dodging.
Foxtrot16
Contributor
They are more than just guides - they organise you getting to the divesites, organise your gear, they will base their guiding on what you want - i.e. find the critters etc that you want to see, they know the conditions at all the sites so if the currents are too strong etc they will give you the correct advice in regards to conditions and they keep you safe. To get around Tulamben you need to use the truck and the guides organise this plus the porters to carry your gear etc - otherwise you will have lots of long walks to carry your gear.
Most of those that get into trouble in Bali / Tulamben do so when they aren't using local (Balinese) guides to dive without them is rather foolish regardless of how experienced you think you are the conditions in and around Tulamben Bay can change very quickly and dramatically and if you are unaware then you could be in serious trouble.
Also many of the dives site they can take you to can only be done with the guides to arrange as the sites are 'owned' by locals so they (the guides) organise for you to dive there and ensure that everything goes smoothly.
Karl
jamesdiving
Contributor
I would reiterate that no matter how experienced you are as a diver, you are in all probability an amateur at spotting critters on Indonesian muck dives. I've lost count of the times at Lembeh and Tulamben when my guide has pointed at some apparent piece of fluff, rock or other detritus that I'd have swum past without a second glance. On closer inspection the mud, sand or seaweed reveals itself to be a hairy octopus, a flamboyant cuttlefish or an ornate ghost pipefish.
On muck dives a good guide is the difference between seeing a lot of featureless sand and a lot of incredible, bizarre, once in a lifetime creatures.
On muck dives a good guide is the difference between seeing a lot of featureless sand and a lot of incredible, bizarre, once in a lifetime creatures.
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