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Tulamben Drop Off

📍 Bali, Indonesia

Unidentia sandramillenae (Unidentia sandramillenae) — recorded at Tulamben Drop Off

Tulamben Drop Off is a dive site in Bali, Indonesia. The site has a drop-off. Currents typically run at 0.8 km/h and reach 2.2 km/h on the strongest days. Water temperatures range from 28°C in August to 30°C in November. The typical daily tidal range is about 1.2 m. Species recorded in the area include Dragon Seamoth, Peacock Mantis Shrimp, Unidentia sandramillenae, Oblique-bar Monocle Bream and Coi's Goniobranchus.

Dive Conditions

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Current
0.8 km/h (2.2)
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Water Temp
28–30 °C

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Typical Current 0.8 km/h (up to 2.2)
Water Temperature 28–30 °C
Tidal Range 1.2 m (typical daily)
GPS -8.2772°, 115.5975°

Data sources: currents and water temperature from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values 2024. Tidal range is the median daily range of modelled sea level from Open-Meteo Marine, hourly values 2024. Species observations from iNaturalist, checked against the World Register of Marine Species.

Conditions at Tulamben Drop Off through the year

Sea surface temperature at the site coordinates, averaged per month from hourly model values for 2024. The water is warmest in November at about 30 °C and coolest in August at about 28 °C, a spread of 2.4 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at Tulamben Drop Off (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
29.6 29.4 29.6 30.2 29.7 29.0 28.6 28.0 28.5 29.5 30.4 30.4

Ocean current at the site runs at a typical 0.8 km/h. In the strongest tenth of the hours modelled for 2024 it reaches 2.2 km/h, which is when entries are normally timed to slack water at the turn of the tide.

The tide moves the water level by a median 1.2 m over a day, and by up to 1.7 m on the largest days of the month. That range drives how much water is exchanged over the reef and when the current turns.

Offshore wave statistics are not shown for Tulamben Drop Off: within 10 km of the site there is land in the directions from which 100 % of the larger waves in the area arrive, so open-sea values would overstate the swell at the site itself.

How Tulamben Drop Off compares

These comparisons use only the measured values above, set against the 376 dive sites published on findadive.com. A percentage shows the share of other sites with a lower (or higher) value, so it reads the same way wherever the site is.

Tulamben Drop Off compared with all listed sites and with Bali
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Bali
Mean water temperature29.4 °Cwarmer than 52 % of the other 375 sites29.1 °C (99 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month28.0 °Ccooler than 64 % of the other 375 sites27.8 °C (99 sites)
Typical current0.8 km/hweaker than 73 % of the other 375 sites3.2 km/h (99 sites)
Current in the strongest 10 % of hours2.2 km/hweaker than 54 % of the other 375 sites5.7 km/h (99 sites)
Median daily tidal range1.2 msmaller than 81 % of the other 375 sites1.5 m (99 sites)

Water temperature, current and tide from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values for 2024 at -8.2772°, 115.5975°. Wave statistics from ERA5-Ocean via Open-Meteo Marine (contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2015–2024), daily maximum wave height on a 0.5° grid; land shelter tested against Natural Earth coastlines.

Marine life recorded at this site

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist within about 12 km of these coordinates.

Dragon Seamoth (Eurypegasus draconis)
Dragon Seamoth Eurypegasus draconis A small, flattened fish with a boxy body and large, wing-like pectoral fins. It walks on the seabed using modified pelvic fins.to 10 cm · 3-90 m · day and nightsandy or silty bottoms, often near rubble or seagrassLook for a small, triangular shape on the sand; it may stay still, relying on camouflage, or walk away slowly. (c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Peacock Mantis Shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus)
Peacock Mantis Shrimp Odontodactylus scyllarus A brightly coloured mantis shrimp with a green body, orange legs and striking blue, red and green spots on its raptorial appendages. It lives in a burrow.to 18 cm · 3-40 m · by daysandy or rubble areas near reefs, in self-made burrowsLook for a neat, round burrow entrance; the shrimp often sits at the entrance, watching. (c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Unidentia sandramillenae (Unidentia sandramillenae)
Unidentia sandramillenae Unidentia sandramillenae A small, translucent nudibranch with a white-edged mantle and scattered orange spots, often seen crawling on algae.to 2 cm · 5-20 m · day and nightalgae-covered rocks and rubbleLook closely on algae fronds; its pale colour and small size make it easy to miss. (c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Oblique-bar Monocle Bream (Scolopsis xenochrous)
Oblique-bar Monocle Bream Scolopsis xenochrous A slender, silvery bream with a distinctive oblique black band running from the eye to the base of the dorsal fin.to 25 cm · 5-40 m · by daysandy areas near coral or rubbleOften solitary or in small groups; look for it hovering just above the sand, darting down to feed. (c) Ben Costamagna, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Coi's Goniobranchus (Goniobranchus coi)
Coi's Goniobranchus Goniobranchus coi A nudibranch with a white body and a broad orange border. The mantle has scattered orange spots and the rhinophores are orange.to 4 cm · 5-25 m · day and nightreef slopes and walls, often on spongesLook for its bright orange margin on reef walls and overhangs, especially near its sponge prey. (c) Ben Costamagna, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Blue Velvet Headshield Slug (Chelidonura varians)
Blue Velvet Headshield Slug Chelidonura varians A small sea slug with a black body and striking electric-blue lines along its sides and head shield, often seen gliding over the substrate.to 4 cm · 1-15 m · day and nightsandy or muddy areas near seagrass or rubbleLook for its distinctive shape and colour on open sand patches, especially after feeding on flatworms. (c) Ben Costamagna, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Spotted Boxfish (Ostracion meleagris)
Spotted Boxfish Ostracion meleagris A small, square-shaped fish with a rigid body covered in bony plates. Its colour varies from black with white spots to yellow with black spots.to 25 cm · 1-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of lagoons and seaward reefsWatch for its slow, hovering swimming motion, often near coral heads or over rubble patches. (c) Ben Costamagna, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Blacksaddle Toby (Canthigaster valentini)
Blacksaddle Toby Canthigaster valentini A small pufferfish with a white body marked by dark saddles and numerous blue lines radiating from the eyes. It often hovers near the reef.to 11 cm · 1-30 m · by daylagoon and seaward reefs, often near coral or rubbleLook for it alone or in small groups; it may retreat into crevices if approached too quickly. (c) Ben Costamagna, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation