USS Liberty Wreck (USAT Liberty)

The Basics

While Tulamben and Amed are the nearest towns to the site, dive schools run USSLiberty day trips from Sanur, Ubud, and all over south Bali, most offering door-to-door transfers. TheLiberty wreck is suitable for both advanced and open-water qualified divers. Great visibility for most of the year means it’s also a popular location for Discover Scuba Dive experiences, enabling would-be divers to experience the underwater world without committing to a multi-day course. As the top of the wreck lies just a few feet below the surface of the water, USSLiberty snorkel trips are also a popular choice.

Things to Know Before You Go

• The USSLiberty wreck is a bucket-list dive for scuba divers visiting Bali.

• Bali dive packages typically include all dive gear, with the exception of a computer.

• The USSLiberty site is just one of many dive sites around Amed and Tulamben. Many divers choose to spend several days in the area.

• TheLiberty shipwreck is a shore dive with limited current, making it popular with beginner divers.

How to Get There

The USSLiberty wreck lies just off the shore of Tulamben in east Bali, around three hours’ drive from Kuta. While many tourists stay either in Tulamben or nearby Amed to dive the wreck and the area’s other fascinating dive sites, those who are short on time will find it easiest to book a day trip from south Bali rather than explore the area in full.

When to Get There

It’s possible to dive theLiberty year-round, but between roughly December and March, the peak of the rainy season can mean plastic garbage in the water and reduced visibility. Throughout the year, the site gets very, very crowded, particularly at shallower depths. To beat the crowds, dive early, and dive deep.

The History of the USS*Liberty* Wreck

The USAT (United States Army Transport)Liberty was a US cargo ship during World War I. During World War II, the USSLiberty was torpedoed by the Japanese in 1942 while en route from Australia to defend the Philippines. She was beached on Bali’s east coast so that her cargo could be salvaged, but slipped into the ocean during the eruption of Mt. Agung in the 1960s.