East Bali — the corner most tourists skip
The USAT Liberty wreck 40 m off a black beach, 2 dives for 800,000 IDR, Sidemen rice terraces 2 h from the airport. Three spots in East Bali worth the detour.
East Bali is three things you won't find in Canggu: the USAT Liberty wreck 40 metres off the beach, walk-in snorkelling at Amed for 50,000 IDR, and the Sidemen rice terraces under 2 hours from the airport. The drive from the south is 2.5–3 hours, so you won't pop over for a single day. Plan two nights, ideally three. Three spots to start with. The full logistics are in the Bali guide I'm writing now.
Tulamben — a wreck straight off the beach
The USAT Liberty is a US Army transport ship from 1942, finally sunk by the 1963 eruption of Agung. It sits right by the shore: about 40 metres from the black beach to the wreck, starting at just 3 metres deep. That makes Tulamben one of the few world-class dive sites you can reach with no boat, straight off the sand. The wreck is 120 metres long and drops to 30 metres.
What you pay depends on where you book. With a local operator you spend almost half what a packaged trip from the south costs:
| Option | 2 dives | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Local operator in Tulamben | 800,000 IDR (~44 USD) | gear, divemaster, entry ticket, water, porter |
| Package with transport from the south | from ~1,620,000 IDR (~90 USD) | transfer + dives (more than double) |
Yes, there are porters on the beach who carry the tank into the water. If you have the time, sleep nearby and book direct.
One rule: the Liberty is packed between 10:00 and 13:00, when the day trips roll in from the south. Get in the water by 8:00 and you'll have the wreck almost to yourself.
Amed — snorkelling with no boat
Amed isn't one place, it's a string of fishing villages spread along ~14 km of black coastline. Quiet, local, no party infrastructure. In Jemeluk bay you walk in from the shore and a few minutes later you're over the reef. Snorkel gear rents on the spot for ~50,000 IDR (~3 USD). No boat, no booking.
The most interesting spot is the Japanese Wreck off Banyuning village — a small World War II wreck a few metres from shore, at 6–12 metres deep, in places coming up to 1–2 metres below the surface. Shallow enough for both snorkelling and diving. Visibility is best early in the morning and drops through the day, so get there first thing.
Amed and Tulamben are about 30 minutes apart by scooter, so treat them as one base: stay in quieter Amed, dive the Liberty in the morning, come back for lunch over Jemeluk bay.
Sidemen — rice terraces instead of crowds
Sidemen is the Ubud alternative for people who know what they're after: rice terraces, quiet, a view of Agung, zero tour buses. It sits under 2 hours from the airport (~55–56 km), which makes it one of the easiest quiet corners of the island to reach. Rice paddies run to the edge of the road, and Agung stands behind, rising to its full 3,142 metres on clear days.
No cafes, no shops past the rice paddies — bring cash and expect basic homestays. A scooter or bike is a must — without your own wheels you're stuck at the roots and you'll see nothing.
What you can't do here
You can't get around the east on public transport in any sensible way. It's a scooter or a private car. And don't try the east as a day trip from the south — the drive alone eats 5–6 hours round trip. This is a 2–4 night region, not an outing.
The full route is in the guide
The whole dive price list, PADI Open Water courses, the Agung trek from the Sidemen side, and ready 2- and 4–5-night plans are in the Bali guide I'm writing now — watch the shop, it lands there first. In the meantime, the free Java plan shows how I read prices and routes across Indonesia, same work, different island.
FAQ
How much does diving the USAT Liberty wreck in Tulamben cost?
Two standard dives with a local operator in Tulamben cost 800,000 IDR (~44 USD), including gear, divemaster, entry ticket, water, and a porter. A package with transport from the south starts at ~1,620,000 IDR (~90 USD), more than double the price.
Can you dive the Liberty wreck straight from the beach?
Yes. It's about 40 metres from the black beach to the wreck, and the Liberty starts at just 3 metres deep. It's one of the few world-class dive sites you can reach with no boat, straight off the sand.
How far is Sidemen from Bali airport?
Sidemen sits under 2 hours from the airport (~55–56 km), which makes it one of the easiest quiet corners of the island to reach.
Can you get around East Bali by public transport?
Not in any sensible way. The east is a scooter or a private car only. Don't try it as a day trip from the south either — the drive alone is 2.5–3 hours each way.