USAT Liberty Wreck

USAT Liberty Wreck

Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia

  • Beginner
  • Mild current
  • Best Apr to Oct

USAT Liberty Wreck is a beginner dive site in Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia. Dives run from 5 to 30 m, with mild current. The best months are April to October. Marine life here includes whale shark, mola-mola and nudibranch. 38 dive shops on Scubalo run trips here.

Updated

Conditions at USAT Liberty Wreck

Max depth
30 m
Depth range
5–30 m
Current
Mild
Level
Beginner
Depth profile: dives from 5 m to 30 m.

About USAT Liberty Wreck

The USAT Liberty is a Second World War cargo ship lying about 40 metres off the beach at Tulamben, Bali, from 5 metres at the stern to about 30 at its deepest. Parallel to the shore, it is one of Bali's most accessible dives.

Built in 1918 as a United States Army cargo ship, the Liberty served in both world wars. On 11 January 1942 a Japanese submarine torpedoed it in the Lombok Strait while it carried rubber and railway parts. It was towed towards Singaraja in north Bali, but took on water and was beached at Tulamben so the cargo could be salvaged.

The ship stayed on the beach for about 20 years. In 1963 the eruption of Mount Agung brought earthquakes and land shifts that pushed it into the sea and broke it in two.

Over the decades the wreck has become an artificial reef covered in coral, with more than 400 marine species recorded, including bumphead parrotfish. Divers and snorkellers of every level reach it straight from the shore.

When to dive USAT Liberty Wreck

Best months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October.

Season

Right now
Year round
Dived all year from the shore.
Best visibility
April to October, Bali's dry season, with the calmest conditions.

Marine life at USAT Liberty Wreck

What divers report seeing here. Tap one to see where else it turns up.

Type of diving

Location

Questions about USAT Liberty Wreck

What is the history of the USAT Liberty?

The Liberty was a US Army cargo ship built in 1918. A Japanese submarine torpedoed it in January 1942, and it was beached at Tulamben to salvage its cargo. The 1963 eruption of Mount Agung pushed it into the sea, where it broke in two.

How deep is the USAT Liberty wreck?

The wreck lies about 40 metres from shore, from 5 metres at the stern to about 30 at its deepest point.

Is the USAT Liberty suitable for beginners?

Yes. It is rated beginner on Scubalo: a shore dive with mild current, and the shallow stern lets new divers and snorkellers see it too.

What lives on the USAT Liberty wreck?

More than 400 marine species have been recorded on the wreck, including bumphead parrotfish, barracuda, batfish, groupers, turtles and nudibranchs.

How do you get to the USAT Liberty?

It is a shore dive straight from Tulamben beach in northeast Bali, where dive shops sit on the beach.

Reviews

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  • Gabrielle A.

    4 out of 5 starsDived May 2025
    • Lots of marine life

    Really cool to see so much marine life on the wreck, and it was one of my first proper dives, so I did enjoy seeing all the coral, and variety of fish. I would say it was pretty crowded though and the visibility was a little unclear. But overall a really nice intro into diving :)

Dive shops that go to USAT Liberty Wreck

38 shops in the directory run trips here.

Dive sites near USAT Liberty Wreck

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