My PADI Open Water Journey in Tulamben: From Classroom to the Liberty Wreck

Getting my PADI Open Water certification has been a dream of mine for years. When I finally decided to take the plunge, I knew exactly where I wanted to do it — Tulamben, Bali, home to one of the world's most accessible and breathtaking shipwrecks, the USAT Liberty.

Choosing the Right Dive Shop

After some research, I chose Tulamben Dive (@divetulamben_bali) and it turned out to be the best decision. From the very first contact, they were incredibly welcoming and professional.

One thing that really stood out to me was that they have their own swimming pool for confined water training sessions. This made the learning process so much more comfortable — instead of worrying about currents or waves, I could focus entirely on mastering the essential skills: mask clearing, regulator recovery, buoyancy control, and emergency procedures. Having a calm, controlled environment to practice in really built my confidence before heading into open water.

They also offered free pickup and drop-off from my villa, which was a huge convenience. No need to arrange transportation or worry about directions — they handled everything. This is the kind of service that makes a big difference, especially when you're nervous about your first dives and don't want the added stress of logistics.

The Training Experience

The team at Tulamben Dive taught me with incredible patience. As a first-time diver, I had plenty of questions and moments of uncertainty, but they never rushed me. Each skill was explained clearly and demonstrated thoroughly before I had to try it myself. They made sure I was comfortable and confident before moving on to the next step.

The PADI Open Water course covers everything from equipment assembly and underwater communication to neutral buoyancy and safety drills. Having instructors who are not only knowledgeable but also genuinely passionate about diving made all the difference. They didn't just teach me the skills — they shared their love for the underwater world, and that excitement was contagious.

Meeting My Instructor: Wayan

I had the pleasure of being taught by Wayan, an instructor whose expertise and calm demeanor made every dive a joy. Wayan has an incredible ability to read his students — he knows exactly when to push you to try something new and when to give you space to breathe and process.

Under Wayan's guidance, we explored four amazing dive sites in Tulamben:

• Coral Garden — A beautiful shallow site with soft and hard corals, perfect for practicing buoyancy while surrounded by colorful reef fish.
• Suci Place — Known for its black sand and gentle slope, this site was great for building my confidence in open water navigation.
• Drop Off — A sudden wall drop that gave me my first real taste of depth and the thrill of looking down into the endless blue.
• USAT Liberty Wreck — The crown jewel of Tulamben diving, and the dive I was most excited about.

The Magnificent Liberty Wreck

Words can hardly describe the experience of diving the USAT Liberty. This massive cargo ship was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942 and later towed to Tulamben beach, where it was beached and ultimately slid into the water during the 1963 eruption of Mount Agung. Today, it rests just meters from the shore, making it one of the most accessible wreck dives in the world.

The sheer scale of the wreck took my breath away. The ship stretches over 120 meters and is covered in a vibrant tapestry of hard and soft corals. Swimming alongside it, I could feel the weight of history — this ship survived war, volcanic eruption, and decades underwater, and now it serves as an artificial reef teeming with life.

The corals are incredibly healthy. Every inch of the wreck is adorned with colorful sponges, sea fans, and coral formations in shades of orange, purple, and yellow. Schools of fusiliers, sweetlips, and angelfish swirl around the structure, while lionfish and scorpionfish hide in the nooks and crannies.

A Surprise Encounter: Reef Sharks

The highlight of the dive — and honestly, the entire certification experience — was spotting two small reef sharks gliding gracefully along the edge of the wreck. They were around a meter long, with the classic sleek silhouette that makes sharks one of the ocean's most elegant creatures.

Seeing them in their natural habitat, completely unfazed by our presence, was a powerful reminder of why I wanted to learn to dive in the first place. There's something profoundly humbling about sharing the water with these ancient predators, knowing that we are visitors in their world.

Final Thoughts

Getting my PADI Open Water certification with Tulamben Dive was everything I hoped for and more. The professional instruction, the patient teaching, the convenience of their own pool and free transportation, and the incredible dive sites made it an experience I will treasure forever.

If you're thinking about getting certified, I would highly recommend giving them a visit. Whether you're a complete beginner like I was or an experienced diver looking for world-class wreck diving, Tulamben has something special to offer.

Thanks for reading! 🦎🌊 Follow @divetulamben_bali on Instagram for more Tulamben diving adventures.