The USAT Liberty Wreck, often referred to as the USS Liberty Wreck, is Bali's most famous dive site, located in Tulamben just 30 meters from a black sand beach. This 120-meter US Army cargo ship, torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942, was beached at Tulamben until a 1963 eruption of Mount Agung pushed it back into the sea, breaking it apart and creating an impressive artificial reef.
The wreck rests at a depth of 5–30 meters, making it accessible to all skill levels, from beginners and experienced divers to snorkelers and freedivers. It is heavily encrusted with vibrant soft and hard corals and numerous sea anemones, teeming with marine life. Divers can expect to see massive schools of batfish, trevallies, fusiliers, parrotfish, surgeonfish, and various triggerfish. Macro life is abundant, including pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, crabs, and shrimp. Larger visitors like barracudas, jacks, and occasionally reef sharks are also spotted.
The USAT Liberty Wreck offers excellent diving opportunities both day and night. By day, explore its broken hull and swim-throughs. Night dives are highly recommended to witness mandarinfish mating, hunting lionfish, the eerie glow of bio-luminescent plankton, and other nocturnal marine life. The site is suitable for diving year-round, with the dry season (April to October) generally offering the best conditions. Due to its popularity, early morning dives are ideal to avoid crowds and experience the wreck in tranquility.
