Kubu Reef lies off Kubu village north of Tulamben, a reef that stretches out to sea and falls away as a drop-off dressed in barrel sponges and gorgonian fans. It is a quieter site than the Tulamben bay, known for healthy coral and passing pelagic fish such as dogtooth tuna and trevally.
Also known as Kubu.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Tulamben and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The reef runs out from the shore at Kubu and drops away as a wall covered in barrel sponges, gorgonian sea fans and a wide mix of reef fish. At 20 m a large gorgonian fan stands beside big table corals, and this is where barracuda, Napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish and batfish are most likely. The drop-off continues down to 45 m, and the healthy coral cover draws larger pelagic fish, with dogtooth tuna and trevally passing along the reef.
Marine life and season
- Barracuda
- Napoleon wrasse
- Tuna
- Trevally & jacks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good |
Season follows Tulamben: Diveable all year. April to July and October to November give the calmest, clearest water; December to March is the rainy season, with more run-off and fewer divers.
Dive videos
Bali Tulamben / Reef Project Kubu Marine Park / Reef Diving English description below · MDM Magic Diving Moments on YouTube
Sources
- Tulamben area dive & snorkel sites — Amed Dive Center
- Diving sites in Tulamben — Dive The World
More dive sites in Tulamben
Shore-entry house reef from 5 to 30 metres with structures at 15 m
Reef
A jukung-only reef of bommies and soft coral away from the crowds
Reef
Five minutes by jukung to a coral slope dropping to 40 metres
Muck & macro
Fine sand and rock past 30 metres, dived for the small stuff
Reef
A small cave at 14 m in a terrain of stepped reef ridges
Artificial reef
Motorbike frames and concrete set on a sandy slope at 15 metres
Wreck
An upright Dutch-built freighter scuttled off Kubu
Reef
Easy shore reef a few hundred metres from the Liberty wreck
Similar dives elsewhere
Schooling barracuda and trevally when a current is running
Green turtles resident year-round on a 5-to-50 m drop-off
A drop-off at 15 m running down to 50, off Olango's pier
The island's most reliable edge for grey reef and whitetip sharks