The USAT Liberty is one of the most famous wreck dives in Asia, and what makes it extraordinary is how close it is to the beach. Walk into the water, swim 30 metres, and you are on the wreck. It lies in 3 to 29 metres of water, making it accessible to divers at every level — from beginners on their first open-water dive to advanced divers who penetrate the deeper interior.
The wreck is 120 metres long and heavily colonised by coral, sponges, and sea fans. Hundreds of fish species crowd the structure: bumphead parrotfish circle in lazy schools at dawn, Napoleon wrasse cruise the upper deck, and the hull is festooned with pygmy seahorses if you know where to look. The Tulamben dive community knows where to look. Night dives here are especially atmospheric — the wreck takes on a completely different character under torch light, with sleeping fish and hunting squid.
Dawn is the best time to dive. Before the day-trip boats arrive from Amed and Candidasa, the wreck belongs to the guests of the nearby dive resorts, and the light filtering through the water at that hour is exceptional.