Tulamben USS Liberty Shipwreck

The Tulamben USS Liberty Shipwreck is a 120-meter US Army cargo ship wreck lying off Tulamben Beach in Kubu, Karangasem, Bali. Torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in January 1942 and beached at Tulamben, it was pushed into the sea by the 1963 eruption of Mount Agung. Now resting at 5 to 30 meters depth, the coral-encrusted wreck is one of Bali's most famous shore dive and snorkel sites, known for rich marine biodiversity.

Visitors can expect a shore-entry dive and snorkel site on a black volcanic pebble beach with the 120-meter wreck lying parallel to shore at 5 to 30 meters depth. The hull is heavily encrusted with corals and sponges and hosts diverse reef fish, turtles and occasional pelagics. The site is accessed directly from the beach without a boat, with dive centers, guides and rental equipment available along the shoreline and views of Mount Agung in the background.

Built in 1918 as USAT Liberty, a United States Army cargo ship. Torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-166 on 11 January 1942 in the Lombok Strait while en route from Australia to the Philippines. Beached at Tulamben to save cargo, remained on shore until the 1963 eruption of Mount Agung caused tremors that pushed the hull off the beach into the sea where it now lies underwater.

The wreck is a major cultural and economic landmark for Tulamben village and Bali's dive tourism, serving as an artificial reef that supports marine conservation awareness and local livelihoods centered on diving and snorkeling tourism.