Liberty Dive Resort

Liberty Dive Resort is a guest house-style resort built around a simple proposition: stay in Tulamben, keep the sea close, and make the return from a dive uncomplicated. The setting combines Balinese-style rooms, gardens, pools and an open-air restaurant, so you can move from the water to lunch without turning the afternoon into a logistical exercise.

The resort opened in 2012 and suits divers who want useful comfort rather than a formal hotel atmosphere. Air conditioning, Wi-Fi, private bathrooms and a choice of room sizes cover the practical side; the garden setting and pool areas give you somewhere to sit when the day's diving is done.

Families are catered for as well, with larger family accommodation for groups of up to five. The resort's host speaks English and Indonesian, which helps when you need to sort out the details of a dive day, a meal or a trip inland.

You are in Tulamben, on Bali's east coast, rather than in Sanur. The resort sits on Jalan Raya Amlapura-Singaraja in Desa Tulamben, with the coast and Tulamben Beach about 100 metres away. The USAT Liberty wreck is around 150 metres from the property, close enough to shape the whole rhythm of a stay here.

The immediate area is practical rather than urban. Sea Hua Ha Ha Restaurant and Chinese Restaurant Tulamben are about 50 metres away, while Rumah Makan Sukarunia is roughly 200 metres away. Bali Est, a café, is around 400 metres away. For another beach, Baturinggit is about 2.5 miles away by road.

Ngurah Rai International Airport is approximately 42 miles away. Airport transfers are available through the resort, as are car hire, shuttle services and excursions; this is the sort of arrival where arranging the road journey before landing makes good sense.

The room choice is broad enough to match the people sharing it. Couples can keep things straightforward with a double or king room, while separate beds are available in twin rooms. The larger rooms are more useful when you want space around you rather than merely somewhere to put a suitcase, and the family options include a balcony or a bungalow layout for groups.

The Villa with Garden View is the natural choice when three people need room to spread out, with two bathrooms helping to prevent the usual morning queue. The Family Bungalow goes further for a larger group, while a simpler double or twin room keeps the arrangement sensible for two divers who would rather spend the budget on time underwater than on unused floor space.

Large windows bring plenty of natural light, and the rooms have tiled floors, air conditioning, a minibar and an en-suite shower room. That means cold drinks when you come back hot and tired, and a cooler room when your body has had enough of Bali's heat. Daily housekeeping, free Wi-Fi and room service add a little ease without making the room the main event.

Liberty Restaurant sits beside the swimming pool in an open-air setting, with tropical gardens and evening lighting around the tables. The kitchen works across Indonesian and international dishes, so you can choose a Balinese fish curry or grilled chicken with sambal matah, then fall back on something more familiar such as chicken parmigiana when the appetite has been shaped by several dives.

Breakfast is included and covers continental, vegetarian, halal, Asian and American choices, with breakfast to go for an earlier start. The restaurant also prepares set menus for individual diners, couples and groups, while larger parties can have buffet menus featuring meat, seafood, vegetables, soup, tropical fruit, rice and drinks. A traditional Babi Guling dining package is also available.

There is one named coffee bar: Liberty Coffee Corner, beside the pool. It serves espresso, Americano, cappuccino, mocha and latte, hot or iced. Useful before a dive, equally useful when the only serious decision left is whether to sit in the shade or stay by the water.

Three outdoor swimming pools give you an easy way to spend the surface interval without adding another expedition to the day. There is also a children's pool, sun loungers, umbrellas, a terrace and garden seating, so you can read, doze or let the legs recover while the resort carries on around you.

A local Balinese massage is available when shoulders, back or feet have started keeping their own logbook of the week's dives. The resort also has a shared lounge and TV area, although the poolside spaces are the more obvious place to sit when you still want some air and daylight.

For a day away from the water, the tour desk can arrange cultural and countryside outings. Options include the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, North Bali waterfalls, Besakih and Lempuyang temples, Tirta Empul, Karangasem heritage, Mount Agung views, Ubud, Batur Volcano and Lake, and several jungle or highland trips. Bike tours and live music performances are also available.

Check-in starts from 14:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. There is no age requirement for checking in, and children of any age are welcome; children aged 11 and above are treated as adults for occupancy purposes. Family accommodation is available, with cot and extra-bed arrangements handled through the resort.

Ngurah Rai International Airport is about 42 miles away. An airport shuttle can be arranged through the property, either as a private transfer or a shared service depending on the arrangement, and shuttle services are also available for local movements. Free private parking is available on site without prior reservation, which is useful if you are travelling around Bali by car.

The tour desk and concierge service can help arrange sightseeing, car hire and local plans. Luggage storage, lockers, daily housekeeping, laundry and packed lunches are available. Smoking is not allowed, pets are not accepted, and parties or similar events are not permitted.