Amed, or Ahmed, is a 14 km stretch of coastline on the eastern shore of Bali, an island in Indonesia. It got its name from one of the several fishing villages that are part of it. One of the most popular things to do in Amed is scuba diving, but you can go snorkeling too, or explore the countryside.
Everything in Amed, which is mainly restaurants and (dive) shops, seems to be on one long road following the coastline. Because of this, most things tend to be spread apart and not really within walking distance. Not many taxis to be found either, so the best way to explore Amed is definitely by motorbike. The streets are not well lit at night and have a lot of turns, so do be careful though!
While exploring the coastline you’ll notice countless jukung lined up on the grey pebble beaches. These traditional boats used for fishing or transporting divers or snorkelers, remind me of water striders when they’re on (they’re not really in) the water.
Go Scuba Diving in Amed
Amed is famous for its beautiful dive sites. When we visited, it was our first time in wetsuits again after we learned how to dive with Roctopus in Koh Tao a couple of months earlier.
We did 5 fun dives in Amed with Bali Reef Divers for 1,750,000 IDR (~ $125 ~ €112) per person. Our favourite dive sites were the Pyramids and the Jemeluk Wall. We saw lots of beautiful sea creatures and coral, it was amazing!
Go Snorkeling in Amed
If you’re not up for going meters and meters below the surface, you can go snorkeling in Amed too. Nearly all dive sites are great for snorkeling as well, and within swimming distance from the beach. You’ll definitely spot some beautiful fish!
We only went snorkeling at the Japanese Wreck, as we spent most of our time in the water scuba diving. From the shore you’ll see two black buoys. The left one marks the Japanese Wreck. If it’s not clear or you want to make sure you swim in the right direction, just ask at the nearby restaurant or the resort. You can rent snorkel gear there too.
To get to the Japanese Wreck, navigate to (or just stay at) Nalini Resort. Turn left to the pebble beach at the sign you see on the photo below. We could drive all the way to the beach, where we parked our motorbike in the shadow of a tree.
Perhaps it’s easier to go down to Amed beach at the Baliku Dive Shop, like we did when we went diving there a couple of days later. It’s closer to the buoy, but chances are you’ll have to pay a small fee for parking.
Explore the Amed countryside by motorbike
On a hot and sunny day, we took our motorbike inland in search for some more beautiful views. We took a scenic route through fields and greenery to Bangle, a small rural village.
Up until Bangle the road is good, but starting there it’s in a quite bad shape. Driving further than Bangle didn’t yield any more stunning views than we’d seen on the way over, so we advise you not to try and conquer that bad road.
If you have the time, there’s a small path in Bangle, leading to the 5 holy springs. We skipped it though, as it’s supposed to be quite the hike.
TIP: We rented our motorbike from Anugerah Villas, where we stayed. It’s highly likely your accommodation offers that service too!
Go on a (half) day trip to Tirta Gangga
Tirta Gangga literally means “water from the Ganges”, and is known for its water palace. There are plenty of pools, fountains and statues, all surrounded by beautiful gardens. For a small charge, additional to the 20,000 IDR (~ $1.50 ~ €1.3) entrance fee per person, you can even take a swim!
There definitely are a lot of other interesting places in the neighbourhood to add to your day trip, but we haven’t explored them ourselves. We visited Tirta Gangga on the way from Ubud to Amed. It’s only a half hour drive inland from Amed though, so you can rent a motorbike or book a tour through your accommodation.
Enjoy the Amed sunset at Jemeluk Lookout
And last but not least, go see the sunset at Jemeluk Lookout! The sun sets behind the mountains (you’ll see Gunung Agung), and if you’re lucky the sky will seem to be on fire. Our sunset there was absolutely stunning!
You’ll not be the only one sitting there staring at the sky, but that makes it a beautiful shared experience. You can buy drinks at decent prices from a small stand and while we were there, there was even a group of guys playing the guitar and singing.
Is it still like that now? We’d love to read about your experience in the comments!
The way of life in Amed, simple and relaxed, makes you forget the rest of the world and simply enjoy nature and life on this tropical island. The atmosphere is so laid back and far from the busy everyday life, we loved it!
The best things to do in Amed are definitely diving and snorkeling, but the views are amazing too. Apart from that there is not much to see, so one week would have definitely sufficed if I hadn’t been sick. Enjoy your stay in Amed and don’t forget to go explore the underwater world!
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