How to Get to Tulamben

July 08, 2024

Tulamben is part of Karangasem Regency, located in the North side of Bali, not far from Amed and also Padang Bai. Unlike the two, or other well known locations in Bali, the area provides a unique Scuba Diving environment.

This unique environment lies in her near perfect diving conditions for beginners: No strong currents most of the time & good visibility. The one we are talking about is the famous USAT Liberty. Not only that the diving area is a great starter for beginners because it has a slow current, but it is also where the USAT Liberty shipwreck is located.

This is why it is unique. For beginners to dive there means that they will have to learn how to navigate their body better to get through the wreck. There will be no worries about the current because there is none, and it has beautiful corals surrounding it that will leave them in awe.

Furthermore, since it is also not far away from Padang Bai and Amed, which are also well known dive sites, you can always explore the area more without running out of options should you wish to.

Now this begs the question, how do you get to Tulamben?

Getting to Tulamben

Assuming that you are in Bali already, to get to Tulamben you will have a couple of options.

By bus
By Taxi
By Scooter

By Bus

Going by bus is recommended if you are not traveling alone.

There are quite a number of bus operators in Bali that will take you to Tulamben. There are really not many choices for Bus operators in Bali. In fact, you will only have the Perama Tour as an option.

Perama Tour

Ubud to Tulamben IDR 400.000
Sanur to Tulamben IDR 400.000
Kuta to Tulamben IDR 400.000
Canggu to Tulamben IDR IDR 550.000

By Taxi

There are more options to choose if you are deciding to go by taxis instead of buses to reach Tulamben. If you are only going by yourself or a partner, then this is the best option you could take.

Amed Bali Adventure

Ubud to Tulamben IDR 500.000
Sanur to Tulamben IDR 500.000
Kuta to Tulamben IDR 650.000
Canggu to Tulamben IDR 700.000

GoCar/Uber

The pricing of the online taxis such as Gojek, Uber, Maxim etc are subject to your distance, weather conditions and the timing of your order.

By Scooter

If you are a tourist, going by scooter to Tulamben is really not recommended for you. There are more reasons not to ride a scooter there rather than to.

It is Dangerous

The roads to Tulamben are somewhat extreme. You will meet multiple hairpin turns that are at times slippery. Potholes are also not uncommon, which requires you to always be very focused when riding. Furthermore, there are quite a number of stray dogs on the road, whose behavior is sometimes unprecedented, that could force you to take quick responses.

Exhausting

The fastest you could get to Tulamben is indeed by scooter. However, the journey there will require somewhere around one to two hours. This is going to be very exhausting. Remember that you are going to have some activities to do in Tulamben, and that you will need to save some energy.

What we recommend is to take either bus or taxi. See for yourself what it takes to go to Tulamben and then decide for yourself if going there by scooter is for you or not.

The Best Time to Go

One of the main problems in Bali is its traffic. Peak busy time will be around afternoon so it is advised to start your journey early in the morning. As for scuba diving, if you are not very fond of crowded underwater, then try to avoid peak tourist season. This is occurring in early July all the way to late August.