Bali: Tulamben Liberty Wreck Dive for Beginners & Hotel Pickup

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Duration5h

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

First-time diving in Bali’s Tulamben shipwreck with local guides

You’ll start your Bali diving adventure with pickup from your hotel and basic training at Tulamben’s dive center. Guided by a local dive master, you’ll practice skills in shallow water before exploring Coral Garden and then diving at the famous Liberty Wreck. Lunch is included—plus all equipment—so you can focus on those first underwater moments you’ll always remember.

Step-by-step itinerary

Beginner scuba diving at Tulamben

Pick up from hotel
Basic scuba diving training
Dive at Coral Garden or Drop Off
Rest and enjoy coffee and tea
Dive at Liberty Wreck
Enjoy traditional Balinese lunch
Drive back to hotel

The Experience

We almost missed the turn for Tulamben — Wayan, our driver, laughed and said it happens to everyone on their first day trip from Ubud. The road was still wet from last night’s rain, and I kept staring out at the green hills thinking about what it’d feel like to breathe underwater for the first time. At the dive center, Made handed me a wetsuit that felt weirdly heavy in my arms. He smiled and said, “You’ll float soon.” I wasn’t sure if he meant literally or just to calm my nerves.

The training part was actually kind of fun. We practiced breathing through the regulator in shallow water—salt stung my lips and I could hear my own heartbeat louder than anything else. My dive master stayed right by me, showing little hand signals (thumbs up means “go up,” not “good job”—I got that wrong). There were a few moments where I forgot what to do with my hands. But Made just waited patiently until I remembered. It felt safe, which surprised me.

The first real dive was at Coral Garden. The water was cooler than I expected and there was this sudden hush as we went under—like all the noise from above just disappeared. Fish darted around us—tiny flashes of yellow and blue—and I swear one clownfish stared straight into my mask before vanishing behind an anemone. My fins kept brushing against soft sand and sometimes bits of old coral. Then we surfaced for tea back at the center (the ginger smell stuck on my fingers), and after a short break we headed out again—this time to the Liberty Wreck itself.

I didn’t expect how eerie it would feel gliding over that old ship, sunlight slicing through broken metal beams. My guide pointed out a turtle resting near some rusted pipes—I tried not to squeal into my mouthpiece. Afterward, lunch was simple nasi campur on a shaded porch; everyone seemed happy but tired in that good way you get after trying something new. On the drive back, I kept replaying that moment with the turtle in my head—you know? Still makes me grin when I think about it.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup if requested, all scuba equipment rental, basic diving instruction with your own certified local dive master, two guided dives at Tulamben (Coral Garden or Drop Off plus Liberty Wreck), use of showers and towels at the dive center, WiFi access while resting between dives, drinking water served in reusable cups instead of plastic bottles, coffee or tea during breaks, and a traditional Balinese lunch—with vegetarian options available before heading back to your hotel if needed.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Let's Dive Tulamben